Market Signal Briefing

Gen Z investors may not need investment income right now, but income could do their portfolios a lot of good as they get started on their retirement nest egg.

Were you born between early 1997 and late 2012? In other words, are you one of America's 70 million Gen Z residents, currently between the ages of 13 and 28?

If so, you may not be thinking all that much about saving for retirement just yet. Many of the 20-somethings in your generation are, however, and wisely so -- the sooner you get started, the bigger your eventual nest egg will be. And as the Motley Fool's own in-house research points out, growth stocks are your favorite investment. Smart choice. You've got plenty of time to ride out the volatility most of these names are sure to dish out, en route to oversized gains.

If you're a Gen Zer steering clear of dividend stocks simply on principle, though, you might want to reconsider. There are actually several dividend-paying names able to offer the overall upside you want. They're just doing it in a different way than growth stocks.

Here's a closer look at three income-generating growth picks that might just be at home in a Gen Z portfolio.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. NextEra Energy
Utilities stocks are some of the oldest, stodgiest, and slowest-growth companies this country has ever birthed. They've seemingly evolved just enough to stick around, with most of them still struggling to phase out their legacy fossil-fuel power production facilities.

If you were going to create a brand-new electric utility outfit from scratch today, however, it would probably look a lot like NextEra Energy (NEE 1.59%). More than half the power it currently generates comes from renewable sources, while none comes from coal or oil. The dirtiest, least-green fuel source it uses is natural gas, which actually burns quite cleanly.

None of this is mere luck or accident, either; it's all by design. Recognizing well over a decade ago that the future of the industry was alternatives to fossil fuels, what was then Florida Power & Light began investing in solar and wind projects. The localized utility service provider continued to add clean production capacity -- enough to begin selling it to other utility companies. It's since grown into a major electricity wholesaler (although it also still directly serves 12 million Floridians) with a massive 72 gigawatts' worth of potential output. (That's enough to power about 50 million homes.)

That's still just the beginning, though. With the advent of artificial intelligence data centers and the ever-growing number of electric vehicles, research outfit McKinsey expects global electricity consumption to more than double between 2023 and 2050.

The problem? The world's not ready to deliver it. But as one of the nation's biggest energy infrastructure investors, with a backlog of nearly 30 gigawatts' worth of output capacity just waiting to be completed, NextEra Energy is readier than any of its rivals to meet the need. And it can do so in a way that satisfies environmental hawks as well as regulators.

You'd be plugging into this stock while its forward-looking dividend yield stands at 3.2%, by the way. And that's based on a dividend that's not only been raised every year over 30 years, but has also grown at an average rate of 11% per year for the past 10 years. That payout growth is better than the average annual net growth of the overall market.

2. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners
Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (BIP 4.92%) (BIPC 2.63%) is a bit of an unusual bird. It's not a conventional company that owns and operates a single business. Rather, it holds stakes in several different private and publicly traded companies operating in North America and abroad, including railroad outfit Genesee & Wyoming, Colombian natural gas distributor Vanti, Canadian midstream company Inter Pipeline, and U.S. data center operator Evoque. As its name suggests, infrastructure is its specialty, but the term can clearly mean a lot of things.

There are two reasons Gen Z investors might want to consider stepping into a stake in Brookfield Infrastructure Partners.

First, although it's willing to invest capital in several different kinds of business, a closer look at Brookfield's holdings actually reveals a rather savvy strategy. That is, it's limiting its investments not just to proven businesses the world can't live without, but to businesses with demand that will continue to grow indefinitely -- industries like utilities, data centers, logistics, and of course, energy. The holding company is also geographically diverse and tends to have exposure to underserved regions where competition is modest.

Second, this relatively young organization is being built from the ground up to pay ever-growing dividends. Not only is its current forward-looking yield of 5.5% above-average, but the company realistically thinks it can grow its payouts between 5% and 9% per year.

This rising income growth, paired with whatever capital appreciation the organization's holdings produce, has the potential to make Brookfield Infrastructure Partners a better long-term performer than the overall market and with less volatility.

3. Qualcomm
Finally, add Qualcomm (QCOM -0.25%) to your list of dividend stocks that are perfect for Gen Z investors.

Yes, this technology company pays a dividend, and a surprisingly healthy one at that. The forward-looking dividend yield of Qualcomm's shares currently stands at 2.1%, with roughly one-third of profits being regularly passed along to shareholders. The dividend has nearly doubled in size over the past decade, too, more or less in step with the company's earnings growth.

But Qualcomm isn't a dividend stock that also happens to be a technology growth company -- it's a technology growth company that also happens to pay a nice (and growing) dividend. This growth potential in technology remains the chief reason a young person would want to own it.

And that potential is particularly compelling right now.

Although most investors have heard of the company, there's no denying it's been largely left out of the artificial intelligence (AI) frenzy that's proven so bullish for Nvidia and Arm Holdings. As we enter the next phase of the AI era, though, look for artificial intelligence (and generative AI in particular) to shift away from data centers and toward mobile devices themselves. Global Market Insights expects the worldwide mobile AI industry to grow at an average annual pace of more than 25% all the way through 2034.

This bodes well for Qualcomm, which already has two cost-effective AI processors: its affordable Snapdragon X for personal computers, and its Snapdragon 8 for smartphones. Both are capable of performing the heavy-duty artificial intelligence work that will be expected of a range of consumer devices from PCs to smartphones in future. Qualcomm is well-positioned to capture at least its fair share of any growth on this front, just given its existing collaborations. Microsoft is featuring AI-capable business laptops with Snapdragon CPUs onboard, and Snapdragon processors were chosen to power smartphone giant Samsung Electronics' AI-capable Galaxy S25 handsets and Book4 Edge AI personal computers.

In other words, Qualcomm features prominently in AI's move to mobile devices. That's a growth opportunity that could remain robust for a long, long time.

James Brumley has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Microsoft, NextEra Energy, Nvidia, and Qualcomm. The Motley Fool recommends Brookfield Infrastructure Partners and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Flare, the blockchain network known for expanding decentralized finance capabilities, has taken a significant step toward bringing XRP into the DeFi ecosystem. Its native token, FLR, saw an 8% rise in value recently, trading around $0.03, reflecting growing investor confidence following the rollout of FXRP – a new wrapped version of XRP designed specifically for decentralized finance applications.

Several major issuers, including Grayscale, Fidelity, and Bitwise, have filed new amendments to their Solana ETF applications. The amendment included provisions for staking.

Bitcoin (BTC) has entered a period of elevated uncertainty as macroeconomic factors and options market dynamics keep investors on the sidelines. Despite recent market corrections and shifts in investor sentiment, Bitcoin remains in focus, with significant capital poised to re-enter once favorable conditions emerge.

Wednesday was an absolute bloodbath for leveraged crypto traders, with over $1.19 billion in positions getting liquidated across the market.

Bitcoin (BTC) has entered a delicate phase where market direction remains uncertain. Despite fresh inflows from Wall Street investors, macroeconomic caution and Federal Reserve signals are keeping BTC pinned in a tight range.

Vanguard, the $10 trillion asset manager known in crypto circles for blocking client access to Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), is reportedly reconsidering its stance on offering its clientele access to such investment vehicles.

Vanguard Planning To End Bitcoin ETF Ban
According to a Sept. 26 report from Crypto in America, citing anonymous sources familiar with the matter, Vanguard is now examining ways to satisfy customer demand for digital assets amid the evolving regulatory environment.

Notably, Vanguard does not intend to introduce its own products. Instead, the famously anti-Bitcoin investment manager is exploring whether to give clients access to third-party crypto ETFs on its brokerage platform, even as its biggest competitor, BlackRock, launched the wildly successful iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), which became the fastest ETF in history to achieve the $80 billion assets under management record.

“They’re being very methodical in their approach, understanding the dynamics have been changing since 2024,” the source reportedly stated.

Vanguard staunchly indicated that it wouldn’t offer its clients trading access to any of the dozen spot Bitcoin ETFs that went live on US exchanges in January 2024, citing the crypto’s high volatility as bad for generating long-term returns.

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The company in July last year named Salim Ramji, the pro-crypto ex-BlackRock exec, to take the reins from his predecessor CEO Tim Buckley, leading to speculation of a reversal of the decision to shun BTC ETFs. However, Ramji poured water on the idea that he had any intentions for the asset management giant to change its approach to crypto funds.

“Vanguard is looking to end Bitcoin ETF ban (aka bend the knee lol),” Bloomberg Senior’s ETF analyst Eric Balchunas observed on X. “We heard chatter of this too. Smart of them imo. Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs are hugely popular and Salim was one of IBIT’s midwives so he knows.”

<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>Vanguard is looking to end bitcoin ETF ban (aka bend the knee lol). &quot;The dynamics have been changing&quot; Nice scoop by Eleanor. We heard chatter of this too. Smart of them imo. Bitcoin and Eth ETFs hugely popular and Salim (the CEO) was one of IBIT&#39;s midwives so he knows.. <a href=”https://t.co/JH4Ys771iB”>https://t.co/JH4Ys771iB</a></p>&mdash; Eric Balchunas (@EricBalchunas) <a href=”https://twitter.com/EricBalchunas/status/1971556479988838407?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>September 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>

Vanguard’s potential change in position comes as regulators under the Trump administration have adopted a more friendly approach toward crypto, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission recently greenlighting new generic listing standards to expedite crypto ETF approvals.

“For all the crypto bros crashing out bc Bitcoin had a bad week after going up 350% this will brighten your day: Vanguard has 50 million investors. Obv many are not the bitcoin type but that’s massive, they are biggest fund company in the US by two times over,” Balchunas added.

Bitcoin fell below $109,000 yesterday, marking its weakest price in almost a month. The premier crypto has since reclaimed the $110,000 psychological threshold, but it remains to be seen whether the rebound is sustainable.

Cyber Hornet has filed with the SEC to launch a unique ETF that combines exposure to the S&P 500 with XRP. If approved, the fund will be known under the ticker “XXX”. It is meant to provide investors returns that closely correspond to an index of the S&P 500 and another tracking futures contracts for XRP – called the S&P XRP Futures 75/25 Blend Index.

In its structure, 75% of the Cyber Hornet ETF portfolio will be allocated to S&P 500 stocks, while the remaining 25% goes into XRP futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. The fund can also hold XRP directly or use ETPs to balance its exposure.

Cyber Hornet listed two other similar offerings in its SEC filing
Cyber Hornet also has two more ETFs in the works for Ethereum and Solana. The Ethereum version will be listed as “EEE,” and the Solana one as “SSS.” All of the funds have similar 75/25 models, mixing shares with futures contracts. Ethereum exposure comes from CME Ether futures and direct purchases. Meanwhile, the fund’s Solana share will track the S&P Solana Futures Index. This move coincides with growing investor interest — REX-Osprey’s Solana staking ETF just set a new asset record. 

Investors will pay a 0.95% management fee annually for the Cyber Hornet ETFs, but there are no shareholder trading fees. The SEC calculates that $10,000 invested would result in about $100 in fees after one year and $312 after three.

The ETFs will also rebalance every month to keep the 75/25 split intact, though Cyber Hornet may adjust more frequently if markets get volatile.

Moreover, the funds may trade slightly higher or lower than their underlying value, just like most ETFs. The ETFs are also set to trade on Nasdaq if approved. Individual investors will trade shares on the open market, while authorized participants manage 25,000-share creation and redemption units.

The filings show Cyber Hornet’s push to link stock market benchmarks with crypto diversity. If launched, they’d be the first funds to unite XRP, ETH, and SOL with S&P 500 performance.

The US SEC is investigating trading activity before companies announced ETF strategies
The US SEC is still working with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) to look into potentially abnormal trades made right before companies unveiled treasury management and ETF strategies. 

Investigators are probing whether trades were made using privileged information, a potential case of insider trading or manipulation. Significant price jumps in the hours triggered the inquiry before companies revealed treasury and ETF strategies.

Analysts say the SEC is paying closer attention to strange trading patterns than ever. As firms adopt ETFs and digital assets for treasury use, oversight is tightening to safeguard market order. The probe remains in its early phase and hasn’t resulted in enforcement yet, but it signals a tougher stance on potential abuse.

The inquiry builds on the SEC’s ongoing look at ETF structures and the quality of corporate transparency. Regulators have long been wary of sudden ETF volume jumps that don’t align with available information.

Still, the SEC recently cleared the path for a wave of new crypto-related exchange-traded funds. The agency approved generic listing standards for commodity-based exchange-traded products, allowing crypto funds to move through the approval process much faster.

With these standards now applied across Nasdaq, Cboe BZX, and NYSE Arca, issuers no longer need individual approvals under Section 19(b) of the Securities Exchange Act 1934.

Previously, launching a spot crypto fund required a lengthy application, public comment, and SEC review. This is why nearly all existing crypto ETFs have focused on Bitcoin and Ether—the largest digital assets by market capitalization.

The new approach is intended to speed up launch timelines, slash administrative costs, and make more digital assets available to investors in an ETF structure.

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TL;DR

Given XRP’s explosive growth at one point in 2025, the asset has left a big price gap, which is positioned just under its current trading levels.
Here’s what that means and if (or how) it can impact the price of Ripple’s cross-border payments token.

$XRP has a price gap sitting between $2.73 and $2.51. pic.twitter.com/T1100MsSBc

— Ali (@ali_charts) September 27, 2025

The chart by the popular analyst highlights XRP’s price gap positioned between $2.51 and $2.73. It’s identified using Glassnode’s UTXO Realized Price Distribution (URPD), a metric tracking the price at which existing tokens were last transacted. It suggests potential market resistance or support levels based on historical data.

The graph highlights several similar gaps on XRP’s chart, but most of these (although more significant) are positioned further below the current levels. As such, Martinez doubled down on his belief that the $2.71 support is crucial in determining the asset’s future behavior.

As reported earlier this week, he noted that if XRP successfully defends that level, which it has over the past few days, it could bounce back toward its all-time high of $3.60.

Other analysts outlined two more plausible scenarios for the asset’s upcoming moves, which include a surge beyond $3.20 or a substantial decline below that price gap to $2.20. According to ERGAG CRYPTO, this move lies on whether XRP can indeed remain above the $2.70 support.

The XRP Army also remains bullish as one of its most vocal and popular members, going under the X handle Cobb, predicted that Ripple’s underlying asset will “never trade below $2.50 again.”

For now, XRP remains around $2.80 after bouncing off the aforementioned support. However, it’s still 7% down weekly and was surpassed by Tether’s USDT in terms of market cap.

The Dogecoin ecosystem is experiencing a surge of new investor interest following the launch of the first U.S. Dogecoin exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Rex-Osprey DOGE ETF made its trading debut last week with remarkable momentum, recording $6 million in trading volume within just the first hour. This figure was 140% higher than Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas’ day-one forecast and nearly six times greater than the average trading volume of new ETFs across an entire session.

The strong performance has positioned Dogecoin among the most successful crypto-based ETFs to date, surpassing many earlier launches that struggled to exceed $1 million in day-one activity. Balchunas had originally predicted a modest $2.5 million in first-day trading, but Dogecoin investors far outpaced expectations. The ETF’s immediate traction has intensified community discussions, fueling optimism for a significant DOGE price rally.

Adding to this momentum, the 21Shares spot-based DOGE ETF proposal has been listed on the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC), signaling stronger market adoption. Meanwhile, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is reviewing additional Dogecoin ETF applications from Grayscale and Bitwise, with decisions expected by October 17. Analysts suggest the success of the first ETF has likely improved the odds of approval for these filings.

Dogecoin’s market price reacted positively to the ETF launch, climbing 5.12% within 24 hours to $0.28 and reaching an intraday high of $0.285 on September 18. After consolidating above its breakout zone, DOGE later corrected to $0.22, but traders remain focused on resistance levels at $0.39 and $0.43-$0.45. A breakout past these points could return Dogecoin to 2021 price levels, but this time on a stronger base near $0.20-$0.25.

With ETF liquidity confirmed, institutional accumulation underway, and DOGE hovering near $0.30, many traders believe the path to $1 Dogecoin is becoming increasingly realistic in this cycle.

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Key Points:

Hyperliquid launches APEX perpetual contract with community-driven governance.Enables up to 3x leverage in trading activities.Potential increase in trading volumes and liquidity.
On September 27, Hyperliquid announced the launch of the APEX perpetual contract with up to 3x leverage, a decision driven by strong community demand.

This launch signifies Hyperliquid’s commitment to community governance while potentially boosting trading volumes and liquidity for APEX in the DeFi space.

Hyperliquid APEX Contract Launches with Community Approval
Hyperliquid unveiled the APEX perpetual contract in response to community demand, offering leverage of up to 3x. The contract listing followed the HIP-3 process, where community votes drove its approval. The anonymous core team of Hyperliquid continues to focus on peer-led improvements and rapid feature releases.

Market activity is expected to rise, with the APEX-PERP contract potentially leading to heightened trading volumes. By addressing trader demand, the platform reinforces its position as a leading decentralized exchange for perpetual contracts.

Market observers have noted a positive response in Hyperliquid’s community forums and social media. Support for manageable leverage levels indicates confidence in the contract’s stability, with several users expressing enthusiasm for the increase in trading venues.

Hyperliquid Market Stats and Expert Predictions
Did you know? The introduction of APEX-PERP follows Hyperliquid’s previous success with meme tokens, often sparking short-term boosts in related trading activities.

Hyperliquid (HYPE) sees a market cap of $15.08 billion with a circulating supply of 336,685,219. Its 24-hour trading volume has decreased to $545.09 million. The token’s value has seen a 6.62% rise in the past 24 hours, with a notable fluctuation over three months according to CoinMarketCap.

Hyperliquid(HYPE), daily chart, screenshot on CoinMarketCap at 06:54 UTC on September 27, 2025. Source: CoinMarketCap

“HYPE is one of the only perps DEX tokens I consider a real monster for the next cycle—decentralized, fast, and not weighed down by VC unlocks. Perps markets are the future.” – Arthur Hayes, Co-Founder, BitMEXAnalysts from Coincu predict that this launch might stabilize the market volatility, leveraging community support for subsequent token listings. There’s optimism for increased liquidity, placing HYPE on a potentially upward trajectory based on current market dynamics.

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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Altcoins are facing intense pressure as Bitcoin slipped below $110K, which triggered over $1.1 billion in long liquidations on a 24-hour scale.

75% of the losses came from alts and nearly 45% from ETH alone after it broke below $4,000. But upside potential remains intact.

Alt Season Ends or Just Paused?
According to the latest update shared by Altcoin Vector, the Market Phase has rotated back to Bitcoin after 79 days of Ethereum dominance and swings through mid- and small-cap tokens. ETH’s season lasted 68 days, during which it lifted the asset from $2,200 to a $4,900 ATH before the shift.

Despite this, this rotation does not spell the end of altcoin upside potential. Bitcoin remains the key driver, and once it stabilizes and forms a bottom, altcoins could regain momentum. Despite BTC’s dip, the Risk-Off Signal remains steady, which means that there is no structural fragility. This suggests that early signs of a possible bottoming process could be taking shape across the market.

At a time when shorter-term price swings and Bitcoin-led rotations are distracting traders, crypto analyst Moustache said that altcoins are quietly shaping a long-term technical pattern that many investors seem to overlook.

According to his latest observation, most altcoins have been forming a Cup & Handle structure over the past four years, which happens to be a classic bullish setup in technical analysis. This long consolidation indicates that the market is preparing for a significant upward move.

Calm Before Explosive Rebound
Swissblock’s latest analysis also revealed that the crypto market is currently in a reset phase and signals a potential opportunity ahead. Historically, their Aggregated Impulse indicator, which tracks exponential price structures across the top 350 assets, has accurately flagged major bottoms.

Since 2024, the last seven times this signal triggered, BTC subsequently rallied 20-30%, while altcoins surged 50-150%. Currently, 22% of altcoins are showing negative impulse, which places the market near the historical bottom zone of 15-25%.

Swissblock noted that once this reset completes, Ethereum and other altcoins typically lead the next rotation. As such, patient investors could see substantial gains as market momentum shifts.

Vanadi Coffee, the Spanish coffee shop franchise turned bitcoin treasury company, announced the approval of investments in BTC for up to €1 billion. The company stated that it believes in bitcoin as an instrument that can be leveraged as a treasury diversifier and an inflation hedge.

Build-A-Bear CEO Sharon Price John talks company expansion, dealing with tariffs and keeping prices steady on ‘The Claman Countdown.' #fox #media #breakingnews #us #usa #new #news #breaking #theclaman countdown #foxbusiness #buildabear #sharonpricejohn #john #business #economy #ceo #leadership #success #revenue #tariffs #prices #growth #expansion #retail #company

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

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

Partnership will include integration of Puffer’s validator stack with ETHZilla’s treasuries to restake ETH under the Puffer model

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands, Sept. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Puffer Finance, the leading innovator in Ethereum infrastructure and based rollups, has announced a strategic partnership with ETHZilla, which will see ETHZilla deploy approximately $47 Million in ETH to Puffer.

The partnership is geared towards setting a new standard for institutional participation in Ethereum, focusing on restaking with an emphasis on security and performance.

ETHZilla selected Puffer for its unique framework, which delivers high yield via restaking, anchored by Puffer’s 2 ETH validator bond, which works as an active insurance layer against validator failures or malicious behaviour. Looking ahead, the partnership will include the integration of Puffer’s validator stack with ETHZilla’s treasuries to restake ETH under the Puffer model, alongside the continued roll-out of Puffer’s vertical infrastructure (LRT, UniFi rollup, Prefconf AVS) in coordination with institutional partners.

Puffer’s offering extends from its Liquidity Restaking Token (LRT) platform, which enhances capital efficiency, to its UniFi-based rollup, delivering composability, and its Prefconf AVS solution, enabling high throughput and settlement scalability. By combining these products, Puffer offers a complete infrastructure stack built for high yield, speed, and effortless composability.

ETHZilla, a publicly traded firm, is rapidly positioning itself as a significant force in Ethereum treasury management. The company has accumulated over 100,000 ETH (≈$450 million in holdings) and is deploying capital into liquid restaking protocols as part of its treasury strategy.

Institutions and treasuries have traditionally had to choose between yield and security. Puffer’s 2 ETH validator bond changes that equation, boosting restaking returns while maintaining strong safeguards. The partnership with ETHZilla underscores a maturing market where security is no longer an afterthought but a core requirement.

“Our collaboration with ETHZilla demonstrates how security and yield can go hand in hand,” said Amir Forouzani, Founder and CEO of Puffer Finance. “By combining ETHZilla’s forward-looking treasury strategy with Puffer’s permissionless validator architecture, we are setting a new standard for DATs and Institutions’ participation in Ethereum restaking, one that prioritises both safety and performance.”

ETHZilla Corporation (Nasdaq: ETHZ) has rebranded from 180 Life Sciences Corp and shifted its focus from biotech to become a leading Ethereum treasury vehicle. The company has accumulated roughly 100,000 ETH at an average purchase price of $3,900–$4,000, now valued at about $450–$460 million. Backed by approximately $425 million raised through a private placement with more than 60 institutional and crypto-native investors, including Electric Capital, Polychain Capital, and GSR, ETHZilla deploys its capital through restaking, staking, liquidity provisioning, lending, private agreements, and yield optimization in collaboration with Electric Capital. It is publicly traded on Nasdaq under the ticker ETHZ (ETHZW for warrants), highlighting its transformation into an Ethereum-focused treasury company.

About Puffer Finance

Puffer Finance is building a vertical infrastructure stack that empowers restaking at scale without compromising on security. With its 2 ETH validator bond model, LRT for capital efficiency, UniFi-based rollup for composability, and Prefconf AVS for high throughput and settlement scalability, Puffer is designed to serve Digital Asset Treasuries, Institutions, and restakers who demand both performance and safety.

About ETHZilla

ETHZilla Corporation is a technology company in the decentralized finance industry. ETHZilla seeks to connect financial institutions, businesses and organizations worldwide by enabling secure, accessible blockchain transactions through Ethereum Network protocol implementations. It generates recurring revenues through various DeFiprotocols that improve Ethereum network integrity and security. ETHZilla believes it has the unique capability to bring traditional assets on-chain via tokenization. Through its proprietary protocol implementations, ETHZilla facilitates DeFitransactions and asset digitization across multiple Layer 2 Ethereum networks. ETHZilla is working to offer tokenization solutions, DeFi protocol integration, blockchain analytics, traditional-to-digital asset conversion gateways, and other decentralized finance services.

Media contact:
[email protected]
https://www.puffer.fi/

Disclaimer: This content is provided by Puffer Finance. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information shared in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment, financial, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended that you conduct thorough research and consult with a professional financial advisor before making any investment or trading decisions. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk.

Jimmy Kimmel Live! returned to ABC airways on Tuesday after being temporarily suspended for the late night host's political comments following the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

, /PRNewswire/ -- The law firm of Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP announces that purchasers or acquirers of Dow Inc. (NYSE: DOW) securities between January 30, 2025 and July 23, 2025, inclusive (the "Class Period"), have until Tuesday, October 28, 2025 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff of the Dow class action lawsuit. Captioned Sarti v. Dow Inc., No. 25-cv-12744 (E.D. Mich.), the Dow class action lawsuit charges Dow, The Dow Chemical Company, a Dow subsidiary, as well as certain of Dow's top executives with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

If you suffered substantial losses and wish to serve as lead plaintiff of the Dow class action lawsuit, please provide your information here:

https://www.rgrdlaw.com/cases-dow-inc-class-action-lawsuit-dow.html  

You can also contact attorneys J.C. Sanchez or Jennifer N. Caringal of Robbins Geller by calling 800/449-4900 or via e-mail at [email protected].

CASE ALLEGATIONS: Dow, through its subsidiaries, provides various materials science solutions for packaging, infrastructure, mobility, and consumer applications.

The Dow class action lawsuit alleges that defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Dow's ability to mitigate macroeconomic and tariff-related headwinds, as well as to maintain the financial flexibility needed to support its lucrative dividend, was overstated; and (ii) the true scope and severity of the foregoing headwinds' negative impacts on Dow's business and financial condition was understated, particularly with respect to competitive and pricing pressures, softening global sales, and demand for Dow's products, as well as an oversupply of products in Dow's global markets.

The Dow class action lawsuit further alleges that on June 23, 2025 BMO Capital downgraded its recommendation on Dow to "Underperform" from "Market Perform" while also cutting its price target on Dow's stock to $22.00 per share from $29.00 per share, citing sustained weakness across key end markets and mounting pressure on Dow's dividend. Following this news, Dow's stock price fell by more than 3%, the complaint alleges.

Then, the complaint further alleges that on July 24, 2025, Dow reported a second quarter of 2025 non-GAAP loss per share of $0.42, significantly larger than the approximate $0.17 to $0.18 per share loss expected by analysts and net sales of $10.1 billion, representing a 7.3% year-over-year decline and missing consensus estimates by $130 million, "reflecting declines in all operating segments." Dow's CEO, defendant Jim Fitterling, blamed these disappointing results on "the lower-for-longer earnings environment that our industry is facing, amplified by recent trade and tariff uncertainties," while providing a dour outlook marked by "signs of oversupply from newer market entrants who are exporting to various regions at anti-competitive economics," it is alleged. Dow also revealed that it was cutting its dividend in half, from $0.70 per share to only $0.35 per share, citing the need for "financial flexibility amidst a persistently challenging macroeconomic environment," the Dow class action lawsuit further alleges. Following this news, Dow's stock price fell by more than 17%, the complaint alleges.

THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS: The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits any investor who purchased or acquired Dow securities during the Class Period to seek appointment as lead plaintiff in the Dow class action lawsuit. A lead plaintiff is generally the movant with the greatest financial interest in the relief sought by the putative class who is also typical and adequate of the putative class. A lead plaintiff acts on behalf of all other class members in directing the Dow class action lawsuit. The lead plaintiff can select a law firm of its choice to litigate the Dow class action lawsuit. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff of the Dow class action lawsuit.

ABOUT ROBBINS GELLER: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP is one of the world's leading law firms representing investors in securities fraud and shareholder litigation. Our Firm has been ranked #1 in the ISS Securities Class Action Services rankings for four out of the last five years for securing the most monetary relief for investors. In 2024, we recovered over $2.5 billion for investors in securities-related class action cases – more than the next five law firms combined, according to ISS. With 200 lawyers in 10 offices, Robbins Geller is one of the largest plaintiffs' firms in the world, and the Firm's attorneys have obtained many of the largest securities class action recoveries in history, including the largest ever – $7.2 billion – in In re Enron Corp. Sec. Litig. Please visit the following page for more information:

https://www.rgrdlaw.com/services-litigation-securities-fraud.html

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices. 

Contact:

Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP
J.C. Sanchez, Jennifer N. Caringal
655 W. Broadway, Suite 1900, San Diego, CA 92101
800-449-4900
[email protected] 

SOURCE Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP

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SummaryOne IPO and four SPACS debuted this week.Six IPOs and three SPACs submitted initial filings.Two sizable deals are currently scheduled to price in the week ahead as the 3Q IPO market comes to a close.Street research is expected for one company in the week ahead, and five lock-up periods will be expiring. Getty Images

One IPO and four SPACS debuted this week. Six IPOs and three SPACs submitted initial filings.

Malaysian aquaculture company Megan Holdings (MGN) priced its US IPO at the low end of its range to raise $5 million

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

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

3 mins mins

Key Points:

Stani Kulechov’s 4 million ENA transfer to Galaxy Digital.Token sale valued at $2.38 million on September 27.Transfer from Ethena wallet indicates institutional involvement.
Stani Kulechov, Aave founder, transferred 4 million ENA tokens (valued at $2.38 million) to Galaxy Digital, an institutional platform, following their unlock from an Ethena-owned wallet six hours ago.

This token transfer highlights potential institutional liquidity actions, reflecting common strategies for large-scale investors after token unlocks, which may influence Ethena’s market dynamics and investor perceptions.

Stani Kulechov Transfers $2.38M ENA to Galaxy Digital
Stani Kulechov, founder of Aave and investor in Ethena, has reportedly moved 4 million ENA tokens to digital asset platform Galaxy Digital. The transfer aligns with past patterns of founder or investor token unlocks, which often signal increased liquidity and potential market impacts. This action reflects a movement towards institutional-grade custody or market-making strategies.

Galaxy Digital’s involvement emphasizes institutional interest in Ethena’s ENA tokens. Token transfer from a linked Ethena wallet suggests potential broader market distribution or trading actions. This large sale of ENA tokens shifts former long-term holdings into potentially tradable assets, underlining changes in market dynamics.

“Very nice overview of the Aave V4 feature… Interestingly, the Reinvestment Module wasn’t part of our original design a couple of years ago when we laid down the protocol architecture. It actually emerged later as an unexpected, but exciting, last-minute addition.” – Stani Kulechov, Founder, AaveAmidst ongoing speculation, Stani Kulechov has not formally commented on the transaction. Community speculation on forums and social media persists, though no official response has emerged from Aave or Ethena regarding the institutional significance of this transfer.

ENA’s Market Response to Institutional Engagement
Did you know? Following founder token unlocks, DeFi tokens like UniSwap’s UNI often experience price volatility and liquidity changes. The ENA activity signals potential similar short-term adjustments.

Ethena’s ENA token is currently valued at $0.60. With a market cap of $4.11 billion and a 24-hour trading volume of $336.55 million, the token shows a recent 3.75% price increase, yet a 11.01% decrease over seven days. Data from CoinMarketCap indicates further fluctuations may occur.

Ethena(ENA), daily chart, screenshot on CoinMarketCap at 00:55 UTC on September 27, 2025. Source: CoinMarketCap

The Coincu research team suggests that institutional engagement, such as Galaxy Digital’s involvement, could lead to increased ENA liquidity and secure trading systems. Market responses typically depend on token-specific dynamics and broader investor sentiment.

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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2 mins mins

Key Points:

SoftBank and Ark Investment Management initiate funding talks with Tether, eyeing $500 billion valuation.Tether’s valuation could rival top private companies globally.Potential increase in USDT’s credibility and market presence.
SoftBank Group and Ark Investment Management are in preliminary discussions with Tether Holdings SA regarding a significant funding round, potentially valuing Tether at $500 billion as of September 27, 2025.

This funding could elevate Tether’s market position, enhance institutional legitimacy, and impact the stablecoin landscape significantly, affecting cryptocurrencies like USDT, ETH, and BTC.

Institutional Investors Eye Tether’s $500 Billion Valuation
Bloomberg has reported that SoftBank Group and Ark Investment Management are in preliminary discussions with Tether Holdings SA for a significant financing initiative. If materialized, this could become Tether’s most substantial funding round, envisioning a valuation of $500 billion.

The proposed investment is anticipated to reshape Tether’s market standing, enhancing its competitive edge. USDT’s market capital position could be strengthened, influencing the broader stablecoin market dynamics and deployment in digital finance.

Market analysts observe a cautious yet optimistic stance, awaiting further announcements. Katherine Doherty from Bloomberg noted the implications for wider investor interest, indicating that such movements could bolster USDT’s role in both DeFi and institutional finance.

Katherine Doherty, Finance Reporter, Bloomberg, “SoftBank and Kathy Wood’s Ark are among potential investors in this major funding round…it signals to the marketplace just what investors like Kathy Wood are thinking about a firm like Tether moving forward.”

Tether’s Strategic Expansion: Implications for USDT and DeFi
Did you know? This potential funding round could position Tether among the most valuable private companies, comparable to its main competitor Circle’s valuation in relation to its USDC adoption.

According to CoinMarketCap, the current price of Tether’s USDT remains stable at $1.00, sustaining a market cap of $174.27 billion and accounting for 4.62% of the total market dominance. Despite a slight decrease in 24-hour trading volume by 26.68%, USDT shows a positive trend over the last 30 and 60 days.

Tether USDt(USDT), daily chart, screenshot on CoinMarketCap at 01:53 UTC on September 27, 2025. Source: CoinMarketCap

Residents from the Coincu research team suggest that if successful, this funding might consolidate USDT’s dominance, potentially leading to regulatory scrutiny and broader industry adoption. Such trends could ensure Tether’s strategic expansion in established financial systems.

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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Fast forward two years, and Vanguard’s sudden interest in the digital asset space could reflect investor demand, given BlackRock’s success in the crypto-spot space and the floodgates opening for crypto-spot ETFs.

If Vanguard grants access to crypto ETFs, it may also consider launching an XRP-spot ETF, particularly if BlackRock shies away from launching an iShares XRP Trust. The presence of the two largest US asset managers could redraw the crypto landscape for retail and institutional investors.

For context, the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) and iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA) have combined net inflows of a whopping $74.22 billion. Fidelity’s BTC-spot and ETH-spot ETFs have combined inflows of $14.46 billion, a distant second and a gap that Vanguard may attempt to fill.

Price Action & Technical Analysis: Breakout or Breakdown as October Looms
XRP gained 1.51% on Friday, September 26, partially reversing the previous session’s 6.22% slide to close at $2.7867. The token tracked the broader market (+1.55%) toward key resistance levels. Traders are watching the following technical levels:

Support: $2.7 and $2.5.
Resistance: $3, $3.2, $3.335, and the all-time high at $3.66.

In the near term, several key events could drive price action:

XRP ETF demand.
Spot ETF developments: Approval or delays of XRP-spot ETFs and BlackRock and Vanguard’s positions on XRP-spot ETF filings.
Adoption of XRP by blue-chip companies as a treasury reserve asset.
Regulatory milestones: Ripple’s application for a US-chartered bank license, the Market Structure Bill, and SWIFT-related news may also influence sentiment.

Catalysts & Scenarios
The balance of ETF flow trends, regulatory developments, and institutional demand could determine whether XRP breaks below support levels or breaks above resistance.

Bearish Scenario

GDLC, BITW, and XRPR ETFs report weak inflows or outflows, and BlackRock and Vanguard downplay plans for XRP-spot ETF filings.
SEC rejects XRP-spot ETF applications.
Legislative setbacks or slow progress on crypto-friendly regulations.
Blue-chip companies avoid XRP as a treasury reserve asset.
OCC delays or rejects Ripple’s US-chartered bank license.
SWIFT retains market share in global remittances, limiting Ripple’s market access.

These bearish events could push XRP toward $2.7. If breached, $2.5 would be the next key support level.

Bullish Scenario

BITW, GDLC, and XRPR report robust inflows.
BlackRock and Vanguard file for XRP-spot ETFs, and the SEC approves XRP-spot ETFs.
Blue-chip companies adopt XRP for treasury purposes, and more payment platforms integrate Ripple technology.
Ripple secures a US-chartered bank license, and the Senate passes the Market Structure Bill.
SWIFT gives up market share of global remittances to Ripple.

These catalysts could send XRP above $2.8, with $3 as the next key target. A sustained move through $3 could pave the way toward $3.2.

Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz said Bitcoin’s price could see a significant rally if the next US Federal Reserve chair nominee to replace Jerome Powell is exceptionally dovish.

“That’s the potential biggest bull catalyst for Bitcoin and the rest of crypto,” Novogratz said in an interview with Kyle Chasse published to YouTube on Friday.

“Fed’s cutting when they shouldn’t be, and you put in a massive dove,” Novogratz said, adding that may lead to “your blow-off top” moment for Bitcoin (BTC).

“Can Bitcoin get to $200K? Of course it could…Because it becomes a whole new conversation if that happens.”Novogratz emphasized that while the potential scenario of aggressive rate cutting would be bullish for crypto, it would come at a steep cost. “Do I want it to happen? No. Why? Because I kind of love America,” he said.

Novogratz says it will not be a good scenario for the US“It would be really shitty for America,” he said, adding that it is possible the Fed is going to lose independence.

A dovish stance from the Federal Reserve is generally anticipated to weaken the US dollar. However, it is often perceived as a bullish catalyst for Bitcoin and other risk assets, as traditional assets such as bonds and term deposits become less lucrative to investors.

Bitcoin is trading at $109,450 at the time of publication. Source: CoinMarketCapEchoing a similar sentiment to Novogratz, Daleep Singh, vice chair and chief global economist at PGIM Fixed Income, recently said, “There’s a very decent chance that the FOMC looks and acts quite differently” after Powell’s term expires in May 2026.

“On a cyclical basis, I think the risks to the dollar are skewed to the downside,” Singh added.

Novogratz says it may trigger an “oh shit moment”Novogratz warned that if Trump follows through on his pledge to appoint “a dove,” it could trigger an “oh shit moment.”

“Gold skyrockets…Bitcoin skyrockets,” Novogratz said.

“It was priced in that he was going to pick somebody dovey, but no one is quite sure,” he added.

Novogratz said the potential scenario probably won’t be reflected in the market until the decision is officially announced. “I don’t think the market will buy that Trump’s going to do the crazy, until he does the crazy,” Novogratz said.

Trump has reportedly narrowed his shortlist for the next Federal Reserve chair to three candidates: White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett, Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller and former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh.

“You could say those are the top three,” Trump told reporters at the Oval Office on Sept. 6.

The Fed delivered its first rate cut of 25 basis points in September, a move largely anticipated by the market, but Waller had been urging for a rate cut in July.

Magazine: ‘Help! My robot vac is stealing my Bitcoin’: When smart devices attack

XRP is making headlines again as investors look ahead to a possible green light from the SEC and the launch of an ETF. On prediction site Polymarket, traders now place the odds of a Ripple ETF being approved in 2025 at more than 99 percent. With expectations running high, one expert has stepped in with an unexpected take.

Crypto ETFs have been praised as a gateway for traditional investors, but one industry voice says their relevance will not last long. Hugo Philion, co-founder of the Flare Network, said he expects ETFs to be “irrelevant” within five years.

On the Paul Barron Podcast, Philion explained that older generations, including baby boomers and Gen X, control most wealth today. They prefer familiar financial products such as ETFs, which helps explain the strong demand for spot crypto funds. But he argued that younger generations are more comfortable holding assets directly on blockchains, and that shift will reshape how money flows into crypto.

He added that broader economic pressures could speed up the move away from ETFs. Unfunded retirement liabilities, growing government debt, and financial uncertainty may push investors to adopt blockchain-based finance more quickly than expected.

According to Philion, the market’s celebration around ETF approvals is short-sighted. He said that the future lies in direct on-chain ownership, not traditional wrappers. If his view proves correct, today’s enthusiasm for ETFs could look outdated within a few years.

“I think the rejoicing around ETFs is hilarious because I think in five years, ETFs will be irrelevant,” Philion said.

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