Market Signal Briefing

Designer Brands Inc. reported a clear EPS beat in Q3, sending the stock surging. The report still shows weak underlying trends. Comparable store sales remain weak, ultimately driving long-term earnings deterioration. Gross margin expansion through lower markdowns is a clear positive, but gains shouldn't be extrapolated far.

Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of Z, GOOG, META either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

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

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / December 10, 2025 / Linear Minerals Corp. (CSE:LINE)(OTCID:LINMF)(WKN:A40 Y3E) ("Linear" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an option agreement to acquire a 100% interest into the Kipawa West rare earth Property in the administrative region of Abitibi‑Témiscamingue, Quebec, Canada.

The newly acquired property consists of 53 map designated claims mining claims covering an approximate area of 3,000 hectares located approximately 30 km east of the town Témiscaming and roughly 140 km south of the mining center of Rouyn‑Noranda. The strategic mineral exploration license is located about 15 km to the west of the Kipawa rare earth deposit in Quebec. Eight property claims have been approved; 45 are pending approval from MRNF Quebec. This land position places the Company in an important active district recognized for its rare earth enrichment, favorable geology, and increasing investor attention.

The Kipawa West claims cover peralkaline syenites with associated gneisses, amphibolites, calc-silicate rocks, marbles, and peralkaline gneissic granites of the Grenville Province of southwestern Quebec. This region has long been regarded as one prospective for rare earth elements exploration, characterized by unique alkaline intrusive complexes and well-documented critical mineral showings. Historical sediment sampling within the Property area indicate anomalous cerium and lanthanum values.

Within the Kipawa Complex, the nearby Kipawa Rare Earth deposit contains historic NI 43-101 resources last updated in a Feasibility Study published on September 04, 2013. The deposit is noted as being relatively rich in heavy rare earths (HREE), which are among the most desirable REEs for many high-tech and clean-energy uses. The project was originally explored by Matamec Explorations Inc. in partnership with Toyotsu Rare Earth Canada Inc (TRECAN).

Cautionary Statement: Readers are cautioned that the above information is taken from the publicly available sources and any reference to the Kipawa Deposit is provided for geological context only. The presence of mineral resources on an adjacent property does not indicate that similar mineralization or resource potential exists on the Company's property. Additional exploration work would be required to determine whether comparable mineralization is present.

With this acquisition, Linear Minerals strengthens its mission to identify and develop high-value critical mineral assets in politically stable, mining-friendly jurisdictions. The Company is reviewing historical data and preparing an initial work program, including mapping, sampling, and geophysical studies to define target areas for drilling.

Transaction details:

Pursuant to the Kipawa West rare-earth Property option agreement from an arm's length seller and the Company, dated December 9th, 2025 ("Effective date"), the Company holds an option to acquire a 100% interest in the mining claims by completing the following common share issuances and exploration expenditures as follows:

Issuing the following common shares to the Optionor, subject to the approval of the regulatory bodies as follows:

1,000,000 shares, issued upon the execution of the option agreement;

An additional 1,500,000 shares issued on or before the first anniversary of the Effective Date.

An additional 2,000,000 shares issued on or before the second anniversary of the Effective Date.

The Company incurring the following exploration expenditures on the property as follows:

$250,000 on or before the first anniversary of the Effective Date;

An additional $500,000 on or before the second anniversary of the Effective Date.

An additional $500,000 on or before the third anniversary of the Effective Date.

The Optionor will retain a 2.0 % GMR from any future production.

The issuance of the common shares is subject to obtaining all required regulatory approvals, including that of the Canadian Securities Exchange. The common shares will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day for their date of issuance.

On behalf of the board of directors.

"Gurminder Sangha"

CEO, Director

For further information, please contact the Company at: [email protected]

Forward Looking Statements

When used in this news release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of their respective officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the parties can give no assurance that such statements will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements and information in this news release include, amongst others, the Company's plans regarding the Arrangement. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company. There are risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information.

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements or implied by such forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Such factors include, among others: currency fluctuations; limited business history of the parties; disruptions or changes in the credit or security markets; results of operation activities and development of projects; project cost overruns or unanticipated costs; shareholder, court and regulatory approvals; and general development, market and industry conditions.

The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of its securities or its financial or operating results (as applicable). The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors.

The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. The Company does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws.

SOURCE: Linear Minerals Corp.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Bon Natural Life Limited (Nasdaq: BON) ("BON" or the "Company"), a leading bio-ingredient solution provider in the natural, health and personal care industry, today announced the launch of a new health-focused kombucha-inspired product and a strategic collaboration with Shaanxi Qingshengyuan Health Industry Co., Ltd. ("Qingshengyuan"), a leading distributor of functional health products in China focusing on digestive and metabolic wellness. The two parties entered into a non-exclusive strategic sales agreement. The term of the agreement is 24 months with a total contract value of $12 million. Pursuant to the agreement, Qingshengyuan will sell and distribute BON's high-tea-pigment products across Greater China.

As a global innovator in tea-pigment ingredients, BON has observed growing consumer demand for tea-based products that are "more efficient, more pure, and more scientific." In response, the Company has developed a kombucha-inspired beverage produced from premium tea, sugar, and a Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast ("SCOBY"). The product undergoes a controlled natural fermentation process that maintains the tea's fresh aroma, sweet aftertaste, and lightly effervescent texture, while enhancing the extraction and concentration of tea pigments. As a result, the beverage contains higher levels of tea pigments compared to similar products.

Kombucha has become one of the fastest-growing functional beverage categories in recent years, driven by consumer interest in natural ingredients and perceived health benefits, particularly among younger consumers. BON's product is designed to align with these market trends and seeks to support category development through its ingredient-focused technology.

Tea pigments are natural, water-soluble pigment complexes formed during the fermentation and oxidation of tea leaves and are considered key functional compounds in tea. Scientific literature indicates that tea pigments contribute to the color and clarity of tea infusions and have been the subject of research regarding potential biological properties, including antioxidant activity and other areas of scientific interest.

As consumer preferences increasingly shift toward natural ingredients and as the functional food and beverage market expands, tea pigments are gaining broader commercial application as an alternative to synthetic additives. They are used in tea beverages, health-oriented consumer products, and other ingredient formulations within the food and beverage industry.

Driven by these trends, the market for tea-pigment-based ingredients has continued to grow. Industry sources project that the overall market opportunity for tea-pigment applications could reach approximately $1 billion in the coming years.

Yongwei Hu, CEO and Chairman of BON, stated: "This strategic cooperation with Qingshengyuan represents an important step in expanding BON's presence in the functional product industry and supports the development and commercialization of our tea-pigment product portfolio. We expect that combining the resources and capabilities of both parties will help increase market awareness of our ingredient technologies and broaden the reach of our products among targeted consumer groups. Through this collaboration, we aim to advance product innovation, support broader adoption of health-focused concepts in the market, and further strengthen BON's positioning in both domestic and international markets. We believe this will support the Company's future revenue and earnings and further enhance long-term shareholder value."

About Bon Natural Life Limited ("BON")

BON is a Cayman Islands company engaged in the business of natural, health, and personal care industries. For more information, please visit the Company's website at http://www.bnlus.com.

For more information, please contact:

Cindy Liu | IR       
Email: [email protected]

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains certain statements that may include "forward-looking statements." All statements other than statements of historical fact included herein are "forward-looking statements." These forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes,""expects" or similar expressions, involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in the Company's periodic reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on its website (http://www.sec.gov). All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, the Company does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Bon Natural Life Limited

Web3 gaming giant Animoca Brands has partnered with decentralized finance platform Solv Protocol to help large Bitcoin holders in Japan generate yield from their holdings.

The partnership aims to combine Solv’s infrastructure with Animoca Brands’ institutional network to target corporations and listed entities with large Bitcoin (BTC) treasuries, according to a statement shared with Cointelegraph on Wednesday.

Kensuke Amo, the CEO of Animoca Brands Japan, said that most companies only hold Bitcoin, but the new venture with Solv aims to change that.

“Through this collaboration, we aim to create an environment where companies can not only hold Bitcoin as a financial asset but also leverage it as a new revenue engine that drives corporate growth,” he said.

Bitcoin isn’t traditionally a yield-generating asset because holding it in a wallet doesn’t generate interest, dividends, or staking rewards; instead, it requires an external system, such as lending or locking.

Solv offering between 4% and 12% Bitcoin yield The new venture will utilize Solv’s universal Bitcoin-backed wrapper, enabling treasury firms to generate an annual percentage yield of between 4% and 12%.

Solv generates Bitcoin yield through lending markets, liquidity provisioning to AMM pools, and participation in structured staking programs, according to its white paper.

Ryan Chow, co-founder and CEO of SOLV, said his protocol has proven “Bitcoin can serve as productive capital,” and the next phase of expansion will be “delivering secure, compliant, and high-yield treasury solutions to Japan’s most forward-thinking corporations.”

SOLV is backed by investors including Binance Labs and Blockchain Capital, and has over $2.8 billion in managed assets, according to the company. 

Metaplanet has largest Japan-based Bitcoin treasury There are 11 Japan-based public companies holding Bitcoin on their balance sheets, according to Bitbo. The top company holding Bitcoin in Japan, and the fourth-largest overall, is Metaplanet, with roughly 30,823 coins on its balance sheet.

The Japan-based Metaplanet has the fourth-largest listed Bitcoin treasury. Source: BitboNext in line is Nexon, a South Korean video game developer, which has its headquarters in Japan and holds 1,117 Bitcoin. Rounding out the top three is consulting services company Remixpoint with 1,273.

Only one private Japanese company has any Bitcoin in its stash, Mt. Gox, the collapsed exchange that still holds over 34,000 tokens despite going bankrupt in 2014.

Magazine: Mysterious Mr Nakamoto author — Finding Satoshi would hurt Bitcoin

The company revealed that Aleo is now connected to Circle xReserve, allowing the launch of USDCx, a stablecoin backed fully by USDC, on the Aleo Testnet.
This marks a meaningful shift in how stablecoins can work in private, secure environments while staying linked to global liquidity. It also highlights a growing trend of developers and institutions seeking ways to use digital dollars without exposing sensitive information.

Aleo and USDCx Explained
Aleo is a Layer 1 blockchain created for private applications. It uses zero knowledge proofs, which let people confirm that a transaction is valid without sharing personal information. This gives users privacy by default. It also supports large-scale apps and has features that help companies follow regulations without revealing user data.

Aleo has launched USDCx on Aleo Testnet via Circle xReserve, a USDC-backed stablecoin for its privacy-first blockchain infrastructure.

USDCx on @AleoHQ enables a range of use cases including global payroll, critical aid distribution, global e-commerce, P2P payments &… pic.twitter.com/4fVzwUgu9z

— Circle (@circle) December 9, 2025

USDCx is a new version of USDC made to live on Aleo. It stays fully backed by regular USDC held in Circle xReserve. xReserve is a set of smart contracts that makes sure deposits and minting are recorded correctly. It also lets USDCx move across multiple blockchains through Circle Gateway and Circle CCTP. These tools keep the system secure while avoiding the risks that come with third party bridges. In simple terms, USDCx lets people use digital dollars inside private apps while staying fully tied to the wider USDC ecosystem.

We’ve launched USDCx on Aleo Testnet with @circle xReserve, a private and programmable stablecoin built for real-world use.

Your data is YOUR business. We’re delivering confidential transactions and privacy. The future of finance is here. The future is private.

See how USDCx… pic.twitter.com/nOVGgUlwQk

— Aleo (@AleoHQ) December 9, 2025

This shift toward private and stable digital money comes at a time when global interest in privacy is rising. A recent study from the World Economic Forum found that more than half of digital consumers worry about their financial data being tracked. Developers are now looking for ways to let people use digital payments without giving up control of personal information.

More About USDC
Circle is expanding its regulatory footprint in the UAE with a major milestone announced during Abu Dhabi Finance Week. The company secured a Financial Services Permission from the ADGM’s Financial Services Regulatory Authority, allowing it to operate as a licensed Money Services Provider.

Circle expands its regulatory footprint in the UAE

Announced at Abu Dhabi Finance Week:

→ Secured an @ADGlobalMarket FSRA Financial Services Permission to operate as a Money Services Provider

This milestone builds on USDC and EURC being the first stablecoins recognized by… pic.twitter.com/BCSDOpo3mb

— Circle (@circle) December 9, 2025

This approval strengthens Circle’s ability to offer compliant digital asset services in one of the world’s fastest-growing financial hubs. It also reflects the UAE’s commitment to building clear rules for blockchain companies while giving Circle a stronger base to support the growing demand for trusted stablecoin infrastructure across the region.

Disclaimer
The information provided by Altcoin Buzz is not financial advice. It is intended solely for educational, entertainment, and informational purposes. Any opinions or strategies shared are those of the writer/reviewers, and their risk tolerance may differ from yours. We are not liable for any losses you may incur from investments related to the information given. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are high-risk assets; therefore, conduct thorough due diligence. Copyright Altcoin Buzz Pte Ltd.

The company revealed that PNC Bank is expanding its partnership with Coinbase to offer direct bitcoin trading to eligible PNC Private Bank clients.
This new service is powered by Coinbase’s Crypto as a Service platform. It is a technology system that lets banks integrate digital assets into their own apps.

A Simple Way for Clients to Access Bitcoin
For the first time, a major United States bank will let clients buy, sell, and hold bitcoin inside their regular accounts without using a separate exchange. It shows how fast the line between traditional banking and digital assets is disappearing.

PNC is one of the ten largest banks in the country. Until now, most large banks avoided offering direct bitcoin access and instead sent clients to outside platforms. This partnership changes that model. People who qualify can now use PNC’s online banking system to trade bitcoin, similar to how they view savings or manage investments.

With @coinbase‘s Crypto-as-a-Service (“CaaS”) market leading infrastructure, PNC is first to enable clients to buy, hold and sell bitcoin directly with PNC’s own digital banking platform.

— PNC News (@PNCNews) December 9, 2025

Coinbase powers the backend. It provides secure storage, trading tools, and regulatory safeguards so banks do not need to build everything themselves. This type of service, known as Crypto as a Service, makes it easier for institutions to add digital assets without taking on the technical workload. A similar approach has already grown in popularity in Europe, where regulated banks in Germany and Switzerland now hold billions of dollars in client crypto assets. The move by PNC shows the United States is catching up.

Today marks a major milestone for institutional crypto adoption.@Coinbase’s Crypto-as-a-Service platform is now powering @PNCBank’s launch of direct bitcoin trading for PNC Private Bank clients – the first to market with such an offering among the major U.S. banks. pic.twitter.com/wwuOIRuBfK

— Coinbase Institutional 🛡️ (@CoinbaseInsto) December 9, 2025

The shift is part of a larger trend. Over the last two years, major financial institutions have increased their involvement with digital assets. Spot bitcoin exchange traded funds reached more than seventy billion dollars in assets this year, driven by traditional investors who want simple access points. At the same time, high net worth clients are asking banks for digital asset services that feel familiar and safe.

More About Coinbase
Coinbase explained that despite a rough November, market conditions may now be setting up what they called a December to remember. The firm noted that leverage reset across the board, with open interest in major perpetual pairs dropping sixteen percent month over month and US spot ETFs seeing several billion dollars in outflows from both Bitcoin and ether. Even funding rates dipped well below their normal range before recovering.

A rocky November may have set the stage for a December to remember.

Positioning reset in November:

• Open interest across BTC/ETH/SOL perps was down 16% MoM

• U.S. spot ETFs saw $3.5B $BTC and $1.4B $ETH in outflows

• BTC perp funding rates dropped 2σ below their 90-day… pic.twitter.com/qApZFuMF2X

— Coinbase Institutional 🛡️ (@CoinbaseInsto) December 9, 2025

While those numbers might look negative at first glance, Coinbase says they point to something healthy. Speculative excess has been cleared out. Their systemic leverage ratio, which measures purely speculative positioning, has settled near five percent of total market cap, far below the ten percent levels seen in the summer.

Disclaimer
The information provided by Altcoin Buzz is not financial advice. It is intended solely for educational, entertainment, and informational purposes. Any opinions or strategies shared are those of the writer/reviewers, and their risk tolerance may differ from yours. We are not liable for any losses you may incur from investments related to the information given. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are high-risk assets; therefore, conduct thorough due diligence. Copyright Altcoin Buzz Pte Ltd.

Wirex Business customers can now earn stablecoin yield with a single click by tapping into Gauntlet curated vaults powered by Morpho.
This new feature converts deposits into USDC and routes them into the Gauntlet USDC Prime Vault on Base. The goal is simple. Give companies of all sizes an easy way to put idle cash to work while keeping full access to their funds.

How the New System Works
For many companies, cash often sits unused in corporate accounts. Traditional banks usually pay little to no interest on these balances. Morpho’s system changes the equation by letting businesses earn yield through a noncustodial vault. Non-custodial means the company keeps control of its funds because the assets remain on chain and can be withdrawn at any moment.

1/ A new chapter for stablecoin yield starts today.

Wirex Business is launching institutional-grade yield for USD and EUR stablecoins, powered by our strategic collaborations with @Morpho and @gauntlet_xyz.

Businesses of all sizes can now earn yield with one click. pic.twitter.com/vhBT2NJTDp

— Wirex (@wirexapp) December 9, 2025

The yield comes from Gauntlet’s USDC Prime Vault on Base. Base is a secure Layer 2 network built to support fast and low cost transactions. The Prime Vault uses a conservative approach that focuses on safety and liquidity. It aims to deliver stable returns that match the needs of companies that cannot afford risky swings. Wirex Business says clients can earn up to six percent APR on US dollar and euro stablecoin balances.

Business accounts just got a major upgrade

In one click, @wirexapp customers can opt into earning institutional-grade stablecoin yield from @gauntlet_xyz curated vaults

Businesses of all sizes can now put their idle cash to work, powered by Morpho pic.twitter.com/SoBTObKXel

— Morpho 🦋 (@Morpho) December 9, 2025

This trend is growing. According to a recent report from IMF researchers, global stablecoin usage increased by more than 20% this year as businesses explored faster settlement, lower fees, and better returns. Morpho and Wirex Business are tapping into this shift by giving companies a familiar experience with new financial tools behind the scenes.

More About Morpho
Morpho is now live on Stable, turning every USDT into a productive asset by connecting hundreds of millions in payment liquidity to institutional-grade yield. With StableChain already operational and StablePay launching soon, the integration makes Morpho on Stable fully institution-ready from day one.

Make every USDT productive.

Morpho is now live on @stable, connecting hundreds of millions in payment liquidity to institutional-grade yield. pic.twitter.com/NkOabnjvyr

— Morpho 🦋 (@Morpho) December 9, 2025

This move supports Stable’s broader vision of becoming the go-to payment rail for digital assets, offering seamless, secure, and yield-generating infrastructure for businesses and institutions alike.

Disclaimer
The information provided by Altcoin Buzz is not financial advice. It is intended solely for educational, entertainment, and informational purposes. Any opinions or strategies shared are those of the writer/reviewers, and their risk tolerance may differ from yours. We are not liable for any losses you may incur from investments related to the information given. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are high-risk assets; therefore, conduct thorough due diligence. Copyright Altcoin Buzz Pte Ltd.

XRP is undergoing a major shift as over 1 billion tokens have moved off exchanges in just three weeks, according to Glassnode. Despite this large supply drop, the XRP price has stayed mostly flat, showing a clear gap between what’s happening with available supply and how the market is pricing XRP.

XRP’s total balance on exchanges has dropped sharply, falling from 3.95 billion tokens to around 1.6 billion. This represents a 45% decline in less than 60 days, with roughly 1.35 billion XRP removed from public exchange order books.

Historically, exchange balances show how much traders are buying and selling in the short term. When tokens leave exchanges in large amounts, it usually means they are being moved for long-term holding or private custody. 

This kind of activity is rarely driven by retail traders and instead suggests liquidity is shifting away from public exchanges toward OTC desks, custody platforms, and institutional systems.

Institutional Adoption Reduces XRP Exchange SupplySeveral recent developments back this view. In a short period, XRP has been included in multiple institutional filings and investment products. Crypto index funds now carry meaningful XRP weightings, and new ETF-related filings explicitly mention the token. 

At the same time, regulators have relaxed rules for banks engaging in crypto, while payment platforms have added easier ways to buy XRP. Together, these steps point to growing institutional integration, not short-term price speculation.

This kind of setup can change how prices move. When there is less XRP available on exchanges, even small buying pressure can push prices higher. With limited supply for sale, price moves tend to be quicker and more volatile once demand picks up.

XRP Price Predictions For Next 3 WeeksXRP price is currently trading near $2.05, consolidating within a symmetrical triangle pattern. According to Alicharts, this formation reflects a tightening range, with buyers stepping in at higher levels and sellers capping price advances at lower highs. 

These patterns usually lead to a strong move once the price breaks out. If XRP rises above $2.12–$2.15, it could trigger an upward rally, while a drop below $2.00 may cause short-term weakness.

For now, XRP is still moving sideways. However, with exchange liquidity falling, institutional activity increasing, and price tightening into a narrow range, the data suggests a major move is coming. The direction will depend on which side the price breaks out next.

Never Miss a Beat in the Crypto World!Stay ahead with breaking news, expert analysis, and real-time updates on the latest trends in Bitcoin, altcoins, DeFi, NFTs, and more.

FAQsWhy is XRP leaving exchanges so quickly?

Large XRP outflows suggest institutional custody moves, not retail trading, as long-term holders shift tokens off public exchanges.

Does falling XRP exchange supply affect price?

Lower exchange supply can create sharper price moves because even small bursts of demand face reduced liquidity.

Could XRP see a major move soon?

With shrinking supply and rising institutional activity, XRP is primed for a strong move once the current range breaks.

Trust with CoinPedia:CoinPedia has been delivering accurate and timely cryptocurrency and blockchain updates since 2017. All content is created by our expert panel of analysts and journalists, following strict Editorial Guidelines based on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Every article is fact-checked against reputable sources to ensure accuracy, transparency, and reliability. Our review policy guarantees unbiased evaluations when recommending exchanges, platforms, or tools. We strive to provide timely updates about everything crypto & blockchain, right from startups to industry majors.

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Solana price is pushing back toward $140 as rising volume and improving indicators show there may be a potential major move ahead.

Summary

SOL traded at $138 on Dec. 10 with a strong rebound in daily trading volume.
Liquidity metrics show a deep-cycle reset that often comes before fast upside moves.
Technical indicators and upcoming Solana Breakpoint 2025 event support a potential recovery.

Solana was trading at $138 on Dec. 10, up 5% in the past 24 hours. Over the last week, the price has moved between $128 and $145, though it’s still down by 17% over the past month.

Trading activity has picked up again, with $6.97 billion in volume recorded in the last day, which is a 34% jump and shows stronger market interest on both spot and futures markets.

CoinGlass data shows Solana (SOL) derivatives volume rising 23% to $18 billion, while open interest moved 2.3% higher to $7.25 billion.

When open interest climbs during a quiet price phase, it often means traders are slowly adding exposure instead of stepping away. This tends to happen when the market is preparing for a shift.

Liquidity signals point to a full reset
On Dec. 10, Glassnode noted that Solana’s Realized Profit-to-Loss Ratio (30-day SMA) has stayed below 1 since mid-November. In simple terms, the market has been closing more losing trades than winning ones. This usually happens during deep reset phases, where liquidity dries up before a new cycle begins.

Liquidity can be assessed through several measures, including the Realized Profit-to-Loss Ratio (30D-SMA).
For Solana, this ratio has traded below 1 since mid-November, meaning realized losses now exceed realized profits. This signals that liquidity has contracted back to levels… https://t.co/KWA67kkGLm pic.twitter.com/cZELe5xzdD

— glassnode (@glassnode) December 10, 2025

Analysts at Altcoin Vector recently said Solana is going through a “full liquidity reset,” a stage seen in past bottom periods. During these moments, forced selling slows down, weak hands leave the market, and the ecosystem starts to heal.

They noted that when liquidity finally turns upward, the price often moves fast, kicking off multi-week rallies and drawing fresh interest into altcoins. Their timeline pointed to early January for a possible shift, although they also said it could happen sooner.

This week’s Breakpoint 2025 Conference (Dec. 11–13) may add fuel to that recovery. The event is likely to bring updates on real-world assets, new partners, and fresh on-chain revenue ideas. Such themes often attract major firms.

Solana price technical analysis
SOL is trading above the lower Bollinger Band at about $135 on the daily chart, and it is gradually moving back toward the middle band at $145. Although the relative strength index is at a neutral 48, it has been rising since the decline last week.

Solana daily chart. Credit: crypto.news
Other momentum signals are improving as well, and the MACD is just starting to turn positive, which could be an early sign that SOL is preparing for a potential rebound.

Now serving as close support, short-term moving averages like the 10-day and 20-day are located just below the current price. Solana needs more strength to break out of its wider decline because longer-term averages are still above the price.

If the price closed above $145, bulls would have an easier path to $160, whereas a rejection could drive the price back toward $135. Solana seems to be going through a reset phase right now, which usually comes before a new cycle.

Spot Ethereum ETFs saw about $178 million in new inflows, their strongest single-day haul since late October.

Key Takeaways

Fidelity's Bitcoin ETF (FBTC) recorded a $199 million net inflow in one day, leading the spot Bitcoin ETF market.
Total inflows into FBTC have reached $12.3 billion since its launch.

Spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds recorded around $152 million in net inflows yesterday, with Fidelity’s FBTC leading the group at $199 million.

Other funds managed by Grayscale, Bitwise, ARK Invest, Invesco, Franklin Templeton, and WisdomTree also saw positive flows on Tuesday, whereas BlackRock’s IBIT faced $135 million in net outflows.

Elsewhere, spot Ethereum ETFs pulled in almost $178 million in fresh investment, their strongest single-day haul since late October. Fidelity’s fund topped the list, with Grayscale and BlackRock close behind.

Disclaimer

Ark Invest’s CEO and CIO, Cathie Wood, joined Fox Business’s “Morning With Maria” to discuss her investment strategy as she believes the US is entering a “historic productivity surge,” and why she is bullish on Bitcoin (BTC) for 2026.

The Four-Year Cycle Will Be ‘Disrupted’
On Tuesday, Ark Invest’s CEO, Cathie Wood, shared her perspective on the recent Bitcoin performance, which has retraced over 10% in the past month and struggled to reclaim crucial levels over the past few weeks.

To Wood, Bitcoin has been behaving like a risk-on asset and is currently “climbing another wall of worry” that has made investors wary of the leading crypto asset’s upcoming performance.

As she explained, there is a fear of the four-year cycle, which suggests that 2026 will be a corrective year for Bitcoin. Historically, BTC has seen significant price pullbacks during bear markets, with retraces of up to 75% to 90% in previous cycles.

The aggressive Q4 2025 correction has shattered most investors’ expectations of an end-of-year bull run, raising concerns that the crypto market has already entered the bearish phase of the cycle after the more than 30% drop from the October highs.

However, Ark Invest’s CEO considers that “the four-year cycle is going to be disrupted” as volatility has significantly diminished over the past few years, and large-scale investors turn to the rapidly growing industry.

“We think that the move by institutions into this new asset class is going to prevent much more of a decline,” Wood affirmed, noting, “we might have seen it a couple of weeks ago,” when BTC managed to hold the $80,000 barrier during the late November correction.

She previously asserted that growing institutional adoption will be a powerful driver for long-term value for the cryptocurrency, adding that institutions “really have just dipped their toes into this space. We have just started, so we have a long way to go.”

Bitcoin To Outperform Gold Soon?
During the interview, Wood also reaffirmed her previous forecast that the flagship crypto will outperform gold next year, despite its choppy performance during the last quarter of 2025.

She highlighted that “gold is more of a risk-off asset,” and its 60% year-to-date (YTD) rise is “proof” that Bitcoin is climbing a wall of worry as investors “are using gold as a hedge against geopolitical risks.”

Nonetheless, Ark Invest’s CEO pointed out that between the early 80s and the late 90s, gold peaked and “went down as we were in the golden age of innovation, ending with the internet.”

Now, she believes that the same could happen soon, as what she calls “the AI age” starts and the market potentially recovers. Meanwhile, she forecasted that Bitcoin would remain risk-on and outperform gold in 2026.

“I really believe we are moving from a rolling recession where we’ve been for the last three years, into a rolling recovery, which we think we are entering now. Then, a productivity-driven boom the likes of which we have never seen before,” Wood concluded.

 As of this writing, Bitcoin is trading at $94,011, a 3.75% increase in the daily timeframe.

Bitcoin’s performance in the one-week chart. Source: BTCUSDT on TradingView
Featured Image from Unsplash.com, Chart from TradingView.com

2 mins mins

Key Points:

Major banks reportedly using Bitcoin as loan collateral.This could signal a shift in financial institutions accepting cryptocurrency.Potential changes in lending practices and market perceptions.
Michael Saylor, founder of Strategy Inc., claims major banks, including JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America, are offering loans using Bitcoin as collateral, enhancing Bitcoin’s status as a financial asset.

This trend underscores Bitcoin’s growing acceptance in traditional finance, potentially reshaping collateralized lending markets and impacting Bitcoin’s market dynamics globally.

Banks Open to Bitcoin-Backed Loans, Saylor Claims
Michael Saylor has emphasized Bitcoin’s role as a “pristine collateral” during presentations. While specific bank confirmation remains elusive, Saylor’s claims suggest growing acceptance among financial institutions regarding Bitcoin-backed lending.

Immediate changes include potential transformations in loan structures where Bitcoin could be used to secure credit lines. This proposal, if fully adopted, may influence market practices and the perception of cryptocurrency in traditional finance.

Market reactions from financial leaders reveal divided opinions. Major players, including Saylor, promote Bitcoin’s intrinsic value as collateral, demonstrating a movement towards greater crypto-market integration. However, explicit public confirmations from all involved banks remain sparse.

Bitcoin’s Rising Role in Traditional Finance
Did you know? Bitcoin is increasingly seen as “digital gold,” with its acceptance extending into traditional banking via collateralized loans, a shift once unimaginable within the financial sector.

CoinMarketCap reports Bitcoin’s current price at formatNumber(92671.74, 2) USD with a market cap of formatNumber(1849734193637, 2). Despite recent fluctuations, Bitcoin maintains a dominant position in the market, with its price down by 18.89% over 90 days, highlighting ongoing volatility and investor interest.

Bitcoin(BTC), daily chart, screenshot on CoinMarketCap at 07:02 UTC on December 10, 2025. Source: CoinMarketCap

Insights from the Coincu research team indicate that if major banks continue to accept Bitcoin as collateral, this could lead to innovative financial products and altered regulatory standards. Historical trends suggest institutional adoption may drive broader market integration, yet also brings challenges concerning security and regulation.

DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is provided as general market commentary and does not constitute investment advice. We encourage you to do your own research before investing.

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Ethereum price today jumped nearly 7% ahead of the highly awaited FOMC meeting on December 10. This sudden jump has brought new energy and hope back into the crypto market.

As of now, ETH is trading below $3,400, but well-known crypto trader Captain Faibik shared a bullish chart suggesting that Ethereum could see a 30% rally in the coming days.

90% Chance Of Fed Rate CutA major reason for Ethereum’s rise is the growing confidence that the U.S. Federal Reserve may cut interest rates again. The Fed has already delivered two rate cuts earlier, and many traders believe another cut could come before the year ends. 

Meanwhile, CME FedWatch shows nearly a 90% chance of a 0.25% rate cut, especially as inflation cools and economic pressure builds.

This anticipation has created a classic “risk-on mood,” and Ethereum appears to be one of the biggest beneficiaries.

Ethereum Starts Outperforming BitcoinEthereum is also gaining strength against Bitcoin. The ETH/BTC chart is slowly moving up, which often means investors are starting to shift money from Bitcoin into Ethereum.

At the same time, spot Ethereum ETFs recorded $177.7 million in inflows on December 9, more than Bitcoin’s $151.5 million. This shows that investors are currently showing a stronger interest in Ethereum.

There’s also rising speculation that BlackRock’s Ethereum staking ETF could get approved by late December or early January.

Ethereum Supply Tightens as Institutions AccumulateEthereum’s supply shortage is becoming difficult to ignore. The amount of ETH left on exchanges is now the lowest since 2015, with only about 8.7% of the total supply still available on centralized platforms.

Big investors are also buying a lot of Ethereum. Recently, Tom Lee’s Bitmine Immersion purchased $435 million worth of ETH.

In the last five months, large institutions have collected nearly 4 million ETH, a type of strong buying that often happens before big price jumps.

Is Ethereum Ready for a 30% Rally?From a technical view, Ethereum has finally moved above a strong downward trendline. Crypto trader Captain Faibik explains that this trendline stopped every rally for almost two months, as sellers pushed the price down each time ETH tried to rise.

But now, Ethereum has broken through that line with clear strength.

Faibik believes this breakout could start a 30% rally, possibly sending ETH toward the $4,200–$4,300 range if buyers continue to step in.

Trust with CoinPedia:CoinPedia has been delivering accurate and timely cryptocurrency and blockchain updates since 2017. All content is created by our expert panel of analysts and journalists, following strict Editorial Guidelines based on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Every article is fact-checked against reputable sources to ensure accuracy, transparency, and reliability. Our review policy guarantees unbiased evaluations when recommending exchanges, platforms, or tools. We strive to provide timely updates about everything crypto & blockchain, right from startups to industry majors.

Investment Disclaimer:All opinions and insights shared represent the author's own views on current market conditions. Please do your own research before making investment decisions. Neither the writer nor the publication assumes responsibility for your financial choices.

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A Trump-themed crypto mobile game, Trump Billionaires Club, is set to launch on the Apple App Store on Dec. 30. Developed by Freedom 45 Games and led by Bill Zanker, who previously worked on the official Trump memecoin and Trump NFT collections, the game uses Donald Trump’s name under a licensing agreement but is not created or endorsed by him or his businesses.

How the Trump Billionaires Club WorksTrump Billionaires Club mixes classic mobile gaming with crypto rewards. From the early demo, the gameplay resembles a digital board game set in New York, where players roll digital dice, buy properties, construct buildings, and earn in-game funds. 

To participate, players can load their accounts using cash, cryptocurrency, or the TRUMP Coin, tying the game directly into the existing Trump-themed crypto ecosystem. Players can also trade NFT-based collectibles such as statues and pins, adding another crypto layer to the experience.

The game also includes a pre-launch airdrop. Users who earn the most points before the game goes live, by creating an account, holding TRUMP tokens, or referring others, will receive bonus Trump tokens.

TRUMP Memecoin Faces a Tough MomentThe game is launching during a difficult time for the TRUMP memecoin. When it debuted on Solana just before Trump took office on Jan. 20, the token exploded, hitting over $73 and reaching more than $14.5 billion in value. 

Since then, it has dropped more than 92% and now trades around $5.89. After news of the game surfaced, the token saw a small bump of 3.4% in the last 24 hours, showing a slight return of interest.

The TRUMP Coin community remains divided. Supporters think the game could help regain attention during a slow market and bring new life to the memecoin. Others believe this is just another attention cycle aimed at pulling liquidity from traders without improving the project’s long-term value. Whether the game can slow the token’s decline or create a new wave of hype will become clearer once it goes live.

Crypto analyst Vincent N warns users to stay away, saying the team is simply using Trump’s name to make money while the token keeps falling. He thinks the token is not being supported and predicts Trump will publicly distance himself if things go wrong.

Another user, ED, says projects tied too closely to Trump’s political circle could suffer. He suggests showing support from the outside instead of involving Trump directly, which could attract more interest and avoid political backlash.

Never Miss a Beat in the Crypto World!Stay ahead with breaking news, expert analysis, and real-time updates on the latest trends in Bitcoin, altcoins, DeFi, NFTs, and more.

FAQsWhat is Trump Billionaires Club?

It’s a Trump-themed crypto mobile game where players roll dice, buy properties, earn rewards, and trade NFT collectibles.

When does the game launch?

Trump Billionaires Club launches on the Apple App Store on Dec. 30.

Can I use cryptocurrency in the game?

Yes. Players can fund accounts with cash, crypto, or TRUMP Coin, and trade NFT collectibles for rewards.

Will the game affect TRUMP Coin’s price?

It may spark short-term interest, but analysts warn the token could continue falling despite the game.

What does the community think about the game?

Opinions are split: some hope it revives interest, others see it as a short-term hype cycle with limited value.

Trust with CoinPedia:CoinPedia has been delivering accurate and timely cryptocurrency and blockchain updates since 2017. All content is created by our expert panel of analysts and journalists, following strict Editorial Guidelines based on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Every article is fact-checked against reputable sources to ensure accuracy, transparency, and reliability. Our review policy guarantees unbiased evaluations when recommending exchanges, platforms, or tools. We strive to provide timely updates about everything crypto & blockchain, right from startups to industry majors.

Investment Disclaimer:All opinions and insights shared represent the author's own views on current market conditions. Please do your own research before making investment decisions. Neither the writer nor the publication assumes responsibility for your financial choices.

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Journalist

Posted: December 10, 2025

Sui is navigating a mixed market landscape after its spot trading volume fell sharply by about 42% to $511 million over the last 24 hours.

The slip in the token spot volume points to waning short-term trader participation. The tremors of the slip are evident in the token price action.

The momentum that was accumulating on the daily chart is now waning, despite the long-term structure still in favour of SUI bulls.

Yet, despite the softer activity, the Sui [SUI] ecosystem just received a meaningful infrastructure lift that could reshape sentiment in the days ahead.

Source: Messari

ZenLedger integration arrives at a crucial time
In a timely announcement through the official site, the Sui Network confirmed that ZenLedger will now support SUI by offering streamlined tax automation, accounting tools and audit-ready workflows.

The upgrade spans more than 300 exchanges and 40+ blockchains, making it one of the most comprehensive reporting solutions now available to SUI users.

For an ecosystem looking to strengthen real-world usability and reduce friction for active traders, the integration comes at an ideal moment.

It directly addresses a recurring pain point in crypto—complex tax handling—while boosting SUI’s appeal to both retail and institutional participants.

Will utility drive renewed activity?
Though usability improvements can support long-term growth, traders typically respond to immediate catalysts, such as liquidity, volatility and yield opportunities.

So far, SUI’s Total Value Locked is mostly flat, shedding only 1% over the last 24 hours to $923 million.

This indicates that the capital currently invested in SUI’s DeFi ecosystem is stable but not growing further; this reflects cautious market positioning.

However, the amount of token locked is still considerable to give confidence to the long-term holder that the token is reliable for the long game.

Source: DefiLlama

Institutional players are also making big strides since the announcements. SUI’s Open Interest has recorded a $15 million surge in just a day since the announcements.

The surge has pushed the token’s Open Interest across all exchanges to hit $747.78 million.

Source: CoinGlass

A wait-and-see moment for SUI
At the moment, SUI finds itself at that crossroads where improving ecosystem fundamentals meet cooling market participation.

That said, the ZenLedger integration could help revive network momentum if it encourages more active trading and reduces operational friction.

The long-term bias is still bullish, but traders are likely to look for a spot volume rebound or new liquidity inflows before any definitive move.

Final Thoughts

SUI’s spot volume dropped by about 42% despite open interest and TVL still hinting potential long-term gains.
ZenLedger added support for SUI, boosting the network’s usability with automated tax and accounting tools.

Kinder Morgan has a lot of growth coming down the pipeline over the next few years.

Kinder Morgan (KMI +0.11%) generates a substantial amount of stable cash flow, with regulated rate structures, long-term contracts, and hedging agreements supporting around 95% of its earnings. It also has a long list of expansion projects underway. That gives the natural gas pipeline company tremendous visibility. It expects to produce more cash in the coming year, driving its confidence that it can continue increasing its 4.3%-yielding dividend in 2026.

Here's a look at what the pipeline stock sees ahead.

Image source: Getty Images.

Drilling down into Kinder Morgan's 2026 outlook
Kinder Morgan recently provided its financial expectations for the coming year. The natural gas infrastructure giant anticipates producing $8.7 billion of adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA). That's about 4% more than it expects to produce this year. Meanwhile, the company sees its adjusted earnings rising by 8% to $1.37 per share.

The gas pipeline company will get a lift from several project completions. The company placed $500 million of expansion projects into commercial service during the third quarter of this year, including the $263 million Altamont Green River Pipeline project, which will help fuel growth over the next year. Meanwhile, it's on track to complete the Cumberland ($200 million estimated cost) and Hilland Express ($100 million) projects in the first quarter of next year, followed by the GCX expansion ($200 million) in the second quarter and the Plantation North Expansion ($500 million) by the end of the year.

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This earnings growth gives Kinder Morgan the confidence that it can pay $1.19 per share in dividends next year. That's a roughly 2% increase from this year's level, and would mark its 9th straight year of raising the dividend.

The company also anticipates ending next year with a 3.8 times leverage ratio. That's down from 3.9 times at the end of the third quarter and in the low end of its 3.5-4.5 times target range. This conservative level will provide the company with ample flexibility to opportunistically pursue new investments next year.

More growth coming down the pipeline
Kinder Morgan expects to invest $3.4 billion into organic expansion projects in 2026. That's $400 million more than this year's level. This increase in capital spending will help complete its 2026 slate of capital projects and fund those with in-service dates farther out in the future.

The company ended the third quarter with $9.3 billion of organic capital projects in its backlog. That's over three times the size of its backlog at the end of 2023. Most of those projects ($8.4 billion) are related to natural gas infrastructure.

The bulk of its backlog will enter service in the 2027 to 2029 time frame. It has three large-scale gas pipeline projects underway (Trident, Mississippi Crossing, and South System Expansion 4). That trio of gas pipeline projects will all cost between $1.7 billion and $1.8 billion to complete. Meanwhile, given the size and timeline of the Plantation North Expansion, it will be a more significant growth driver in 2027. The company also has one project with a 2030 in-service date, the $400 million Bridge project that it expects to complete in the second quarter of that year.

As a result, the company's earnings growth rate should accelerate in 2027 as Plantation North and the first phase of Trident provide it with incremental earnings. This elevated growth rate should continue through 2030.

The company is working to enhance its already robust growth outlook. It recently proposed building the Western Gateway Pipeline in partnership with Phillips 66. The pipeline system would transport refined products from Texas toward markets in the West and could enter service by 2029. Additionally, Kinder Morgan is pursuing upwards of $10 billion in new gas-related infrastructure projects to support the growing demand for cleaner-burning fuel from data centers and power companies. Meanwhile, Kinder Morgan has ample financial capacity to make acquisitions as opportunities arise. For example, it closed its $640 million acquisition of a natural gas gathering and processing system earlier this year.

A well-oiled, dividend-paying machine
Kinder Morgan's energy infrastructure assets generate lots of stable cash flow. That gives it the funds to invest in growing its business, while also allowing it to pay a super-safe, high-yielding, and steadily rising dividend. The company expects to continue growing in 2026 before hitting the gas in 2027 as its larger-scale projects begin entering commercial service. This combination of income and growth could enable Kinder Morgan to produce high-octane total returns in the coming years, making it an attractive energy stock to buy and hold.

These stocks have plenty of room to run.

The Magnificent Seven technology stocks have powered the S&P 500 through this bull market so far -- that's because investors like their solid, well-established businesses and their promise in the high-potential artificial intelligence (AI) market. Some are bigger AI players than others, but they all are participating to some degree in this technology. Investors are enthusiastic about AI because it may supercharge earnings and stock performance over time.

And, as mentioned, the stock performance already has started, with the Magnificent Seven stocks each advancing in the double- or triple-digits over the past three years. This is great, but it's resulted in one thing that may be holding investors back from buying at least certain players right now: Stocks have become more expensive.

In fact, some analysts and investors have even worried about an AI bubble. Those concerns weighed on the S&P 500 in the early weeks of November, though tech companies' earnings reports and comments on demand haven't supported the idea of a bubble taking shape. Earnings have climbed, and companies have spoken of high demand for AI products and services.

Still, it's clear many AI stocks are expensive these days. But the good news is bargains also exist -- even among Magnificent Seven AI stocks. And two in particular may be offering investors a once-in-a-decade buying opportunity before the new year: They are the cheapest of the Magnificent Seven, but due to their potential in AI, this may not last for long. Let's check out these stocks to buy now.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Meta Platforms
Meta Platforms (META 1.51%), trading for 26x forward earnings estimates, is the cheapest Magnificent Seven stock today. This is a fantastic deal considering the company's long history of earnings growth, which offers it the ability to invest in AI and reward shareholders with dividends.

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You may know Meta mainly for its social media leadership -- the company owns a number of apps, including Facebook and Instagram -- and this platform has been its ticket to revenue growth. Advertisers come to Meta to reach us, and this has resulted in billion-dollar revenue and profit for the company.

Meta now aims to use AI to revolutionize advertising, automating ads across its platform and making them more successful. Meanwhile, the presence of AI on its apps may keep us on them longer. All of this may result in advertisers increasing their spending on ads here. And Meta's investments in AI also could lead to the development of new products and services that may drive revenue down the road.

All of this makes Meta look like a steal at today's valuation.

2. Alphabet
Alphabet (GOOG +1.01%) (GOOGL +1.07%) is the second-cheapest of these seven tech titans, as it trades for 29x forward earnings estimates. Like Meta, Alphabet may not remain at this level for long as its AI investment powers revenue higher.

Alphabet uses AI across its Google Search business, and that should boost advertising revenue as it takes a route similar to Meta's -- improving the overall advertising experience and ad results. And Alphabet also is benefiting from AI through its Google Cloud business -- here, it offers a wide range of AI products and services to customers, and these have been fueling revenue growth.

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In the latest quarter, for example, Google Cloud revenue climbed 34% to more than $15 billion, and for the first time ever, Alphabet reached total quarterly revenue of more than $100 billion. As a leading cloud player, Google Cloud should be well-positioned to attract AI customers looking for capacity -- demand already has been surging and hasn't shown signs of letting up. In the quarter, Alphabet said demand for AI infrastructure and generative AI systems drove cloud revenue.

So, Alphabet, like Meta, is on track for more growth as this AI boom marches on -- and that means getting in on these stocks at today's levels may be a once-in-a-decade opportunity.

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An underweight position in device and services company Apple (AAPL) detracted from relative performance, as the stock outperformed during the period. An overweight position in enterprise software company Intuit (INTU) also detracted from relative results. Contributors to relative performance included AppLovin (APP), the developer and owner of a mobile marketing platform that matches developers with advertisers looking to be featured on apps and digital games.

Strategic highlights: 

Aegon announces ambition to become a leading US life insurance and retirement group Aegon to move its head office and legal seat to the US and be renamed Transamerica Inc. at completion of transition, which Aegon aims to conclude by January 1, 2028Aegon Asset Management to focus on growing third-party revenues and improving efficiencyContinued focus on profitable growth in Aegon’s International business Strategic review of Aegon UK, evaluating all options, including divestment Financial highlights:

Achieving all financial targets for 2025Further execution upon Aegon’s strategy to reduce capital employed in Financial Assets through a reinsurance transaction on part of its SGUL block, reducing mortality and policyholder behavior risk and capital employed by USD 0.3 billion. Negative impact on RBC ratio neutralized with a capital investment of USD 800 million, which will enable additional operating capital generation and remittances of USD 75 million per annumNew EUR 400 million share buyback program to be split evenly between the first and the second half of 2026New financial ambitions for the transition period including dividend growth of > 5% per annum from around EUR 0.40 per share for 2025Estimated one-time implementation cost of relocation of around EUR 350 million to be incurred between 2H 2025 and 1H 2028 Schiphol, December 10, 2025 - Today, at its Capital Markets Day (CMD) 2025 in London, Aegon announces its ambition to become a leading US life insurance and retirement group and move its head office and legal seat to the US. Following the completion of the re-domiciliation process, which Aegon aims to conclude by January 1, 2028, the holding company, Aegon Ltd., will be renamed Transamerica Inc., while the business units will continue to operate under their current brands.

Aegon CEO Lard Friese together with Aegon CFO Duncan Russell, Transamerica CEO Will Fuller, and Aegon Asset Management CEO Shawn C.D. Johnson will present Aegon’s strategy and growth ambitions. The CMD, entitled “The Next Frontier”, builds on the successful execution of the first two chapters of Aegon’s transformation journey, which began in 2020.

Accelerating growth to become a leading business in the US
Aegon CEO Lard Friese commented: “Today marks a historical moment in the transformation of our company. Over the past five years, we have successfully transformed Aegon into a strong, focused, well-performing group. Now, we are ready for the next frontier: to fully capture the opportunities in the largest life insurance market in the world: the US. With Transamerica, which now represents around 70% of our operations, we are strongly positioned to serve a large and underserved segment: Main Street American families, and medium-sized companies. Aegon’s ambition is clear: we want to become a leading US life insurance and retirement group.”

Aegon’s decision to relocate its head office and legal domicile follows the review that was announced in August 2025. The move supports Aegon’s commitment to prioritize resources towards building a leading US life insurance and retirement group. Aegon aims to begin to report under US GAAP for the first time at its full year 2027 results. To facilitate the transition, Aegon will stop publishing trading updates in 2026 and 2027, limiting disclosures to comprehensive half-year reporting. After the relocation, Transamerica Inc.’s common stock will remain listed on Euronext and NYSE.

Lard Friese said: “The organizational implications of our decision to relocate to the US are profound and defining for our identity. I realize this decision will, ultimately, result in a significant impact for colleagues at our head office in the Netherlands. We will work to support our colleagues throughout the process. While this was not an easy decision to make, it fully embraces the reality of our business and prioritizes resources to build a leading franchise in the US. Once the re-domiciliation is completed, Aegon will change its name to Transamerica Inc. and become an American life insurance, annuity, and retirement group with international insurance and asset management subsidiaries.”

Aegon intends to convene an Extraordinary General Meeting in the fourth quarter of 2026 to seek shareholder approval for the move to the US. Vereniging Aegon, Aegon’s largest shareholder, considers the decision to relocate Aegon Ltd. to the US an important and positive step for Aegon. Vereniging Aegon has indicated that it will review and constructively consider any forthcoming proposals in relation to the impact on the Vereniging of the proposed relocation to the US.

The transition is expected to have an estimated one-time implementation cost of around EUR 350 million to be incurred between 2H 2025 and 1H 2028.

Reinsurance of a portfolio of SGUL policies with a net face value of USD 10 billion
Consistent with its strategy to reduce capital employed by Financial Assets, which are legacy blocks, Aegon has decided to reinsure a block of Secondary Guarantee Universal Life (SGUL) contracts. The transaction covers 30% of the face value of Transamerica’s SGUL business, bringing the total value addressed to 80% of the total SGUL portfolio in combination with previously executed management actions. It decreases the total capital employed by USD 0.3 billion to USD 2.7 billion, well ahead of the targeted reduction in 2025.

The transaction occurs at a price consistent with Aegon’s best estimate assumptions, resulting in a minimal impact on the company’s IFRS valuation equity and operating profit, while removing potential variances and risks associated with mortality and policyholder behavior in the future.

The transaction will unwind existing financing structures and trigger tax constraints along with realized losses, impacting the RBC ratio. It comes together with a USD 800 million investment into Transamerica which neutralizes the impact on the RBC ratio and will enable additional operating capital generation and remittances of USD 75 million per annum, which compares favorably to the alternatives.

Maximizing the value of Aegon’s business portfolio
In the US, the underlying market trends favor Transamerica’s business: people are living longer, the protection gap is widening, and there is significant opportunity for Aegon to support American families in preparing for retirement. To underpin Aegon’s growth plans, Transamerica aims to:

Make World Financial Group (WFG), Transamerica’s affiliated insurance distribution network of more than 92,000 independent agents, the top agent network for “Main Street” America (middle market and mass affluent), with the aim to increase WFG’s total life sales by 14% per annum to around USD 900 million and increase WFG’s total annuity sales by 7% per annum to around USD 5.0 billion in 2027. Scale the Protection Solution business by increasing life sales by 15% per annum to around USD 720 million in 2027. Capitalize on Transamerica’s leadership position in pooled Retirement plans and broaden its ancillary product range, targeting approximately USD 275 billion Retirement plan AuA in 2027, while increasing Return on Assets from 8 bps (YTD 2025) to around 11 bps.Continue to decrease Transamerica’s exposure to its Financial Assets. This plan aims to enable Transamerica to grow its operating result and its remittances by around 5% per annum over the course of the next two years from a 2025 run-rate of USD 1.4 to 1.6 billion and USD 675 million respectively. This includes the impact of the SGUL reinsurance transaction and related investment into Transamerica.

In addition, Aegon outlined its plans for its asset management business, which include:

Expanding its third-party business segment by focusing on higher revenue-margin strategies which will enable third-party revenue growth to outpace AuM growth. Implementing a number of initiatives to improve the scalability and efficiency of its organization with the ambition to improve the Global Platforms operating margin to at least 20% in 2027, from around 16% expected for 2025. Key enablers include cost reduction programs, a simpler business organization and a single portfolio management system. Growing its Strategic Partnerships in China and France, which have historically been a strong source of earnings and remittances. Continuing the strong collaboration between Transamerica and Aegon Asset Management (Aegon AM), which includes investment in capabilities to contribute to Transamerica's growth plans. These plans aim to increase Aegon AM’s operating result to more than EUR 200 million in 2027, from a 2025 run-rate of EUR 170–200 million, and to increase its remittances of approximately EUR 80 million estimated for 2025 by more than 5% per annum until 2027.

In the UK, Aegon’s strategy to transform Aegon UK into a leading digital savings and retirement platform, as outlined in June 2024, continues to make good progress and the business remains a reliable and growing source of revenues for the Group. In the context of our stronger focus on the U.S., Aegon will begin a strategic review of Aegon UK to assess the best way to accelerate and maximize value for all stakeholders. In this review all options will be evaluated, including a potential divestment.

With respect to its International business, which includes growth markets in Spain & Portugal, Brazil, China, and Transamerica Life Bermuda, Aegon will continue to invest in profitable growth. These businesses, primarily operated through partnerships, will continue to upstream remittances and contribute to the Group’s operating results, building their growth on product innovation, customer service, and expanding distribution.

a.s.r. shareholding
Aegon will remain a patient shareholder of a.s.r. and benefit from its progress, holding its stake until the a.s.r. share price reflects its intrinsic value and/or until value-creating opportunities present themselves. As Aegon CEO Lard Friese, who is currently a non-independent member of the supervisory board of a.s.r., will be fully focused on delivering on the ambitions that Aegon has set out today, Aegon will nominate a new member of the supervisory board of a.s.r. Following the approval of the nominee by all relevant stakeholders of a.s.r., Lard Friese will step down as non-independent member of its supervisory board.

Capital management implications
Under the new strategic ambition, Aegon’s approach to capital management will not change. Aegon's operating companies will remain well capitalized and Cash Capital at Holding will be maintained around the mid-point of the EUR 0.5 to 1.5 billion operating range. Excess capital will be returned to shareholders over time, unless it can be invested in value-creating opportunities. To support shareholder returns and reach the targeted level of EUR 1.0 billion at the end of 2026, Aegon announces today a new EUR 400 million share buyback program to be split evenly between the first and the second half of 2026. The share buyback program will start at the beginning of January 2026.

Consistent with the strategy announced today, the financial flexibility enabled by the capital management framework will be prioritized to the US.

Across its businesses, Aegon will continue to increase the proportion of capital employed in strategic business lines with attractive returns. At the same time, Aegon aims to drive capital employed by the US Financial Assets down to USD 2.2 billion by year-end 2027, while reducing risk sensitivities through management actions and transactions.

Financial targets
As a result of Aegon’s plans to further strengthen its businesses and grow profitably:

The company’s operating result is expected to grow by around 5% per annum between 2025 and 2027 from EUR 1.5 - 1.7 billion (run-rate taking into account an assumed EUR/USD exchange rate of 1.20), driven by growth of Aegon’s US Strategic Assets. OCG after holding funding and operating expenses is expected to grow between 0% and 5% per annum over the same timeframe, from around EUR 0.9 billion for 2025 (run-rate taking into account both the positive impact of the SGUL derisking transaction and related investment into Transamerica and the negative impact of an assumed EUR/USD exchange rate of 1.20) as higher earnings on in-force are offset by higher new business strain. Free cash flow is expected to grow by around 5% per annum from around EUR 0.8 billion per year (run-rate taking into account both the positive impact of the SGUL derisking transaction and related investment into Transamerica and the negative impact of an assumed EUR/USD exchange rate of 1.20 and the reduced cash flows from a.s.r. driven by the reduced size of the stake) as the pay-out ratio of OCG gradually increases over time. Dividends remain well covered by free cash flow and, on a per share basis, will benefit from the reduction in share count from the announced share buyback programs, enabling a growth of dividend per share in excess of 5% per annum. Contacts

Link to live Capital Markets Day webcast
Aegon is hosting a Capital Markets Day (CMD) in London on December 10 from 13:00 GMT (14:00 CET) to provide an update on our strategy and financial targets. You can follow the presentations and discussions at our Capital Markets Day via a live webcast. Please use this link to register.

About Aegon
Aegon is an international financial services holding company. Aegon’s ambition is to build leading businesses that offer their customers investment, protection, and retirement solutions. Aegon’s portfolio of businesses includes fully owned businesses in the United States and United Kingdom, and a global asset manager. Aegon also creates value by combining its international expertise with strong local partners via insurance joint-ventures in Spain & Portugal, China, and Brazil, and via asset management partnerships in France and China. In addition, Aegon owns a Bermuda-based life insurer and generates value via a strategic shareholding in a market leading Dutch insurance and pensions company.

Aegon’s purpose of helping people live their best lives runs through all its activities. As a leading global investor and employer, Aegon seeks to have a positive impact by addressing critical environmental and societal issues. Aegon is headquartered in Schiphol, the Netherlands, domiciled in Bermuda, and listed on Euronext Amsterdam and the New York Stock Exchange. More information can be found at aegon.com.

Local currencies
This document contains certain information about Aegon’s results, financial condition and revenue generating investments presented in USD for the Americas and in GBP for the United Kingdom, because those businesses operate and are managed primarily in those currencies. None of this information is a substitute for or superior to financial information about Aegon presented in EUR, which is the currency of Aegon’s primary financial statements.

Cautionary note regarding non-IFRS measures
This document includes the following non-IFRS financial measures: operating result and valuation equity. Operating result is calculated by consolidating on a proportionate basis Aegon’s joint ventures and associated companies, except for its associate a.s.r. Operating result reflects Aegon’s profit before tax from underlying business operations and mainly excludes components that relate to accounting mismatches that are dependent on market volatility or relate to events that are considered outside the normal course of business. Valuation equity represents the sum of shareholders’ equity and Contractual Service Margin (CSM) after-tax (embedded value of unearned profits in insurance contracts). This measure is intended to provide a more comprehensive view of the Group’s economic value. Aegon believes that these non-IFRS measures, together with the IFRS information, provide meaningful supplemental information about the operating results of Aegon’s business including insight into the financial measures that senior management uses in managing the business.

Forward-looking statements
The statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The following are words that identify such forward-looking statements: aim, believe, estimate, target, intend, may, expect, anticipate, predict, project, counting on, plan, continue, want, forecast, goal, should, would, could, is confident, will, and similar expressions as they relate to Aegon. These statements may contain information about financial prospects, economic conditions and trends and involve risks and uncertainties. In addition, any statements that refer to sustainability, environmental and social targets, commitments, goals, efforts and expectations and other events or circumstances that are partially dependent on future events are forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Aegon undertakes no obligation, and expressly disclaims any duty, to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which merely reflect company expectations at the time of writing. Actual results may differ materially and adversely from expectations conveyed in forward-looking statements due to changes caused by various risks and uncertainties. Such risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to the following:

Changes in general economic and/or governmental conditions, particularly in Bermuda, the United States, the United Kingdom and in relation to Aegon’s shareholding in ASR Nederland N.V. and asset management business, the Netherlands;Civil unrest, (geo-) political tensions, military action or other instability in countries or geographic regions that affect our operations or that affect global markets;Changes in the performance of financial markets, including emerging markets, such as with regard to:          The frequency and severity of defaults by issuers in Aegon’s fixed income investment portfolios; The effects of corporate bankruptcies and/or accounting restatements on the financial markets and the resulting decline in the value of equity and debt securities Aegon holds; The effects of declining creditworthiness of certain public sector securities and the resulting decline in the value of government exposure that Aegon holds;The impact from volatility in credit, equity, and interest rates; Changes in the performance of Aegon’s investment portfolio and decline in ratings of Aegon’s counterparties;The effect of tariffs and potential trade wars on trading markets and on economic growth, globally and in the markets where Aegon operates.Lowering of one or more of Aegon’s debt ratings issued by recognized rating organizations and the adverse impact such action may have on Aegon’s ability to raise capital and on its liquidity and financial condition;Lowering of one or more of insurer financial strength ratings of Aegon’s insurance subsidiaries and the adverse impact such action may have on the written premium, policy retention, profitability and liquidity of its insurance subsidiaries;The effect of applicable Bermuda solvency requirements, the European Union’s Solvency II requirements, and applicable equivalent solvency requirements and other regulations in other jurisdictions affecting the capital Aegon is required to maintain and our ability to pay dividends;Changes in the European Commission’s or European regulator’s position on the equivalence of the supervisory regime for insurance and reinsurance undertakings in force in Bermuda;Changes affecting interest rate levels and low or rapidly changing interest rate levels;Changes affecting currency exchange rates, in particular the EUR/USD and EUR/GBP exchange rates;The effects of global inflation, or inflation in the markets where Aegon operates;Changes in the availability of, and costs associated with, liquidity sources such as bank and capital markets funding, as well as conditions in the credit markets in general such as changes in borrower and counterparty creditworthiness;Increasing levels of competition, particularly in the United States, the United Kingdom, emerging markets and in relation to Aegon’s shareholding in ASR Nederland N.V. and asset management business, the Netherlands;Catastrophic events, either manmade or by nature, including by way of example acts of God, acts of terrorism, acts of war and pandemics, could result in material losses and significantly interrupt Aegon’s business;The frequency and severity of insured loss events;Changes affecting longevity, mortality, morbidity, persistence and other factors that may impact the profitability of Aegon’s insurance products and management of derivatives;Aegon’s projected results are highly sensitive to complex mathematical models of financial markets, mortality, longevity, and other dynamic systems subject to shocks and unpredictable volatility. Should assumptions to these models later prove incorrect, or should errors in those models escape the controls in place to detect them, future performance will vary from projected results;Reinsurers to whom Aegon has ceded significant underwriting risks may fail to meet their obligations;Changes in customer behavior and public opinion in general related to, among other things, the type of products Aegon sells, including legal, regulatory or commercial necessity to meet changing customer expectations;Customer responsiveness to both new products and distribution channels;Third-party information used by us may prove to be inaccurate and change over time as methodologies and data availability and quality continue to evolve impacting our results and disclosures;As Aegon’s operations support complex transactions and are highly dependent on the proper functioning of information technology, operational risks such as system disruptions or failures, security or data privacy breaches, cyberattacks, human error, failure to safeguard personally identifiable information, changes in operational practices or inadequate controls including with respect to third parties with which Aegon does business, may disrupt Aegon’s business, damage its reputation and adversely affect its results of operations, financial condition and cash flows;Aegon’s failure to swiftly, effectively, and securely adapt and integrate emerging technologies;The impact of acquisitions and divestitures, restructurings, product withdrawals and other unusual items, including Aegon’s ability to complete, or obtain regulatory approval for, acquisitions and divestitures, integrate acquisitions, and realize anticipated results from such transactions, and its ability to separate businesses as part of divestitures. In particular, there is no certainty or guarantee, if pursued, what the manner, timing, and potential impacts of a relocation of the company’s legal domicile and head office to the United States would be and if such relocation can be completed successfully.Aegon’s failure to achieve anticipated levels of earnings or operational efficiencies, as well as other management initiatives related to cost savings, Cash Capital at Holding, gross financial leverage and free cash flow;Changes in the policies of central banks and/or governments;Litigation or regulatory action that could require Aegon to pay significant damages or change the way Aegon does business;Competitive, legal, regulatory, or tax changes that affect profitability, the distribution cost of or demand for Aegon’s products;Consequences of an actual or potential break-up of the European Monetary Union in whole or in part, or further consequences of the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union and potential consequences if other European Union countries leave the European Union;Changes in laws and regulations, or the interpretation thereof by regulators and courts, including as a result of comprehensive reform or shifts away from multilateral approaches to regulation of global or national operations, particularly regarding those laws and regulations related to ESG matters, those affecting Aegon’s operations’ ability to hire and retain key personnel, taxation of Aegon companies, the products Aegon sells, the attractiveness of certain products to its consumers and Aegon’s intellectual property;Regulatory changes relating to the pensions, investment, insurance industries and enforcing adjustments in the jurisdictions in which Aegon operates;Standard setting initiatives of supranational standard setting bodies such as the Financial Stability Board and the International Association of Insurance Supervisors or changes to such standards that may have an impact on regional (such as EU), national (such as Bermuda) or US federal or state level financial regulation or the application thereof to Aegon;Changes in accounting regulations and policies or a change by Aegon in applying such regulations and policies, voluntarily or otherwise, which may affect Aegon’s reported results, shareholders’ equity or regulatory capital adequacy levels;The rapidly changing landscape for ESG responsibilities, leading to potential challenges by private parties and governmental authorities, and/or changes in ESG standards and requirements, including assumptions, methodology and materiality, or a change by Aegon in applying such standards and requirements, voluntarily or otherwise, may affect Aegon’s ability to meet evolving standards and requirements, or Aegon’s ability to meet its sustainability and ESG-related goals, or related public expectations, which may also negatively affect Aegon’s reputation or the reputation of its board of directors or its management; Unexpected delays, difficulties, and expenses in executing against Aegon’s environmental, climate, or other ESG targets, goals and commitments, and changes in laws or regulations affecting us, such as changes in data privacy, environmental, health and safety laws; andReliance on third-party information in certain of Aegon’s disclosures, which may change over time as methodologies and data availability and quality continue to evolve. These factors, as well as any inaccuracies in third-party information used by Aegon, including in estimates or assumptions, may cause results to differ materially and adversely from statements, estimates, and beliefs made by Aegon or third-parties. Moreover, Aegon’s disclosures based on any standards may change due to revisions in framework requirements, availability of information, changes in its business or applicable governmental policies, or other factors, some of which may be beyond Aegon’s control. Additionally, Aegon's discussion of various ESG and other sustainability issues in this document or in other locations, including on our corporate website, may be informed by the interests of various stakeholders, as well as various ESG standards, frameworks, and regulations (including for the measurement and assessment of underlying data). As such, our disclosures on such issues, including climate-related disclosures, may include information that is not necessarily "material" under US securities laws for SEC reporting purposes, even if we use words such as "material" or "materiality" in relation to those statements. ESG expectations continue to evolve, often quickly, including for matters outside of our control; our disclosures are inherently dependent on the methodology (including any related assumptions or estimates) and data used, and there can be no guarantee that such disclosures will necessarily reflect or be consistent with the preferred practices or interpretations of particular stakeholders, either currently or in future. This document contains information that qualifies, or may qualify, as inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation (596/2014). Further details of potential risks and uncertainties affecting Aegon are described in its filings with the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets and the US Securities and Exchange Commission, including the 2024 Integrated Annual Report. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this document. Except as required by any applicable law or regulation, Aegon expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in Aegon’s expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

WORLD FINANCIAL GROUP (WFG)
WFG CONSISTS OF:
IN THE UNITED STATES, WORLD FINANCIAL GROUP INSURANCE AGENCY, LLC (IN CALIFORNIA, DOING BUSINESS AS WORLD FINANCIAL INSURANCE AGENCY, LLC), WORLD FINANCIAL GROUP INSURANCE AGENCY OF HAWAII, INC., WORLD FINANCIAL GROUP INSURANCE AGENCY OF MASSACHUSETTS, INC., AND / OR WFG INSURANCE AGENCY OF PUERTO RICO, INC. (COLLECTIVELY WFGIA), WHICH OFFER INSURANCE AND ANNUITY PRODUCTS.
IN THE UNITED STATES, TRANSAMERICA FINANCIAL ADVISORS, INC. IS A FULL-SERVICE, FULLY LICENSED, INDEPENDENT BROKER-DEALER AND REGISTERED INVESTMENT ADVISOR. TRANSAMERICA FINANCIAL ADVISORS, INC. (TFA), MEMBER  FINRA, MSRB, SIPC , AND REGISTERED INVESTMENT ADVISOR, OFFERS SECURITIES AND INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES.
IN CANADA, WORLD FINANCIAL GROUP INSURANCE AGENCY OF CANADA INC. (WFGIAC), WHICH OFFERS LIFE INSURANCE AND SEGREGATED FUNDS. WFG SECURITIES INC. (WFGS), WHICH OFFERS MUTUAL FUNDS.
WFGIAC AND WFGS ARE AFFILIATED COMPANIES.

20251210_PR_Aegon Capital Markets Day 2025 – The Next Frontier

South Korea's biggest online retailer Coupang said on Wednesday that its Chief Executive Officer Park Dae-jun has resigned, taking responsibiliity for a huge data breach at the company.

This quantum computing pure play's valuation is far out of touch with its fundamentals.

Investors haven't been able to get enough of quantum computing stocks in recent years, and IonQ (IONQ +0.06%) has been a big winner thanks to that trend. The stock has increased by more than 40% over the past year and by roughly 1,000% over the past three years.

The company is building quantum computers for commercial applications. Its CEO has gone so far as to state that its ambition is to dominate the quantum computing market in a similar way to how Nvidia has dominated the market for artificial intelligence (AI) accelerator chips.

But with IonQ trading at over $50 per share, I wouldn't touch the stock with a 10-foot pole. Here is why IonQ doesn't make sense to buy today, and my view on a price at which the stock might begin looking more approachable.

IonQ's valuation is an implosion waiting to happen
In one sense, the market's optimism about quantum computing is totally understandable. In some specific applications, quantum computers can be exponentially more powerful than the classical computers in use today, giving them exciting potential in AI and other computing-intensive applications. However, the technology is still very young, and one of the core issues with it is that quantum computers are finicky, and they're massively more error-prone than traditional computers. The quantum error correction and mitigation problems are among the central challenges facing every player in the space -- and until they are surmounted, these machines will hardly be practical for real-world uses.

IonQ management is only anticipating revenues of $106 million to $110 million for 2025, yet its market cap is $18.3 billion. That gives it a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 166, making IonQ one of the most expensive stocks on Wall Street.

Image source: Getty Images. 

Such a high valuation leaves plenty of room for the stock to fail if things don't go well, and there are numerous ways things could go wrong for IonQ. For instance, it's unclear how long it will be before quantum computers become broadly usable, what IonQ's eventual market share in that niche will look like, and whether the company will turn a profit anytime soon.

IonQ isn't necessarily an unbuyable stock, but the price should adequately reflect the risks involved in such a speculative investment.

Even Nvidia -- which IonQ's CEO has repeatedly compared his business to -- trades at about 20 times its estimated 2025 revenue. To slide to that valuation, IonQ's market cap would have to drop by about 88% to $2.2 billion. Assuming the outstanding share count stayed about the same as it is now, that would price IonQ shares at between $6 and $7.  

Today's Change

(

0.06

%) $

0.03

Current Price

$

54.39

One might argue that IonQ should be priced at a lower premium than the top AI stock, but it would at least be significantly less risky to buy at that valuation. It may seem unlikely that IonQ could fall that far, but its shares traded in that range as recently as the summer of 2024.

Who knows what could happen if the broader market, following a massive tech bull market since early 2023, begins to stumble. Stock prices can behave irrationally for months or even years. However, business fundamentals tend to prevail in the long run, and IonQ is flashing warning signs at its recent share prices.

Amazon is positioned to outperform mega-cap peers, driven by its expansive data center footprint and AI infrastructure leadership. AMZN's AWS segment is primed for accelerated growth, with government contracts and AI demand supporting potential 25% revenue growth in 2026. Digital advertising is a high-margin, fast-growing segment, with Prime Video and sports integrations fueling a potential $1T valuation opportunity.

Amid shifting macro signals and rising fiscal concerns, dividend-paying large caps are emerging as a compelling strategy for investors seeking income and resilience in uncertain markets. The WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Dividend Fund (DLN) has consistently outperformed the iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD) across multiple time horizons, driven by its fundamentally weighted and dividend-focused approach. DLN's emphasis on actual cash dividends not only boosts yield but also reshapes portfolio exposure, offering investors a more disciplined and performance-oriented way to access large-cap value.