The crypto market has entered July with a more stable tone after several months of heavy selling. Bitcoin has managed to reclaim the $61,000 range, while major altcoins are attempting to establish stronger support levels ahead of the second half of the year.
Although uncertainty remains, many investors are beginning to reposition their portfolios for the next market cycle.
Some continue favoring established blockchain ecosystems, while others are allocating capital toward earlier-stage AI projects. Among the names attracting the most attention are Binance Coin (BNB), HyperLiquid (HYPE), and MemeToro ($MT), alongside other projects that continue expanding despite challenging market conditions.
1. Binance Coin (BNB) BNB continues proving why it remains one of the strongest large-cap cryptocurrencies.
The token is currently trading between $562 and $590, comfortably holding above the important $580 support zone despite broader market weakness. Although it remains roughly 55% below its all-time high of $1,370, network activity has stayed consistent.
Several developments continue supporting long-term confidence.
BNB Chain developers are preparing for the upcoming Osaka hard fork, which aims to improve gas efficiency while introducing a new AI software development kit for builders. Combined with Binance’s regular token burn mechanism, the ecosystem continues expanding even during slower market conditions.
Standard Chartered’s Geoff Kendrick recently noted that while short-term consolidation between $550 and $620 remains likely, the bank continues maintaining a long-term $1,050 target based on the network’s deflationary design and growing utility.
2. MemeToro ($MT) MemeToro ($MT) represents one of the leading AI-focused presales currently available.
Rather than building around one blockchain product, the platform combines artificial intelligence with automated memecoin creation, decentralized prediction markets, SocialFi participation, behavioral finance, and staking inside one ecosystem.
Its AI Agent continuously monitors online discussions, market narratives, cultural trends, and social activity before autonomously supporting fair no-code token launches.
Users can also participate in decentralized prediction markets covering cryptocurrencies, politics, sports, entertainment, and global events using both $MT and BNB.
This broader ecosystem has helped distinguish MemeToro ($MT) from many traditional meme-focused projects.
3. HyperLiquid (HYPE) HyperLiquid remains one of the most closely watched Layer-1 ecosystems entering the second half of the year.
The project is currently navigating a $645 million Core Contributor token unlock, an event many traders expected to create heavy selling pressure.
However, the network’s buyback model continues helping absorb new supply.
Approximately 99% of daily trading fees are routed into automated token buybacks through the Assistance Fund, creating ongoing demand during periods of increased volatility.
The ecosystem has also benefited from institutional participation.
Three US spot HYPE ETFs have already attracted more than $300 million in cumulative inflows, helping reinforce market confidence despite short-term uncertainty.
4. Bitcoin Although technically not an altcoin, Bitcoin continues influencing every major investment decision across the crypto market.
The asset has stabilized between $61,000 and $63,000, recovering from its previous decline toward $58,200. Analysts continue watching the 20-day EMA near $62,450, which remains the key resistance level before any broader move toward $66,600.
5. Ethereum Ethereum completes the list despite its difficult first half of the year.
The network entered July near $1,570 after recording its first-ever stretch of three consecutive negative quarters. Even with weaker price performance, Ethereum remains the largest smart contract ecosystem and continues attracting developers across decentralized finance, tokenization, and blockchain infrastructure.
Many long-term investors continue viewing current prices as part of a broader accumulation phase rather than a structural decline.
MemeToro Keeps the Momentum High in Stage 3 Unlike the established cryptocurrencies on this list, MemeToro is still progressing through its public presale.
The project has currently raised $62000+ toward its $79480 Stage 3 target. Each $MT token remains priced at $0.00154, with future presale stages introducing scheduled price increases.
The token has a fixed supply of 1.2 billion, with 71% allocated directly to public participants. Investors can join the official presale using BNB, ETH, USDT, USDC, or a bank card.
Beyond the presale, holders gain access to the platform’s AI-powered ecosystem, including automated memecoin creation, decentralized prediction markets, SocialFi participation, behavioral finance tools, and 35% APR staking rewards.
Which Projects Stand Out This Month? July presents investors with several different opportunities depending on their strategy.
BNB continues benefiting from steady ecosystem development and upcoming network upgrades, while HyperLiquid combines institutional ETF support with one of the strongest buyback models currently operating in crypto. Ethereum remains a long-term infrastructure leader despite recent weakness.
MemeToro ($MT) offers a different opportunity by giving investors access to an AI-powered ecosystem before exchange listings begin. Get your $MT tokens before the price changes.
More Information on MemeToro ($MT) Presale Here:
Website: https://memetoro.com/
X: https://x.com/memetoro_mt
Telegram: https://t.me/memetoro_mt
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From Pilot to Permanent Infrastructure@UNDPEurasia, @UNDP_AltFinLab, and @StellarOrg have signed a new agreement to move their blockchain payments programme from a series of field pilots into standing institutional infrastructure. The deal, announced on 30 June 2026 in Istanbul, gives UNDP country offices the governance framework and technical capability to use blockchain-based digital payments as a routine part of programme delivery.
The decision follows sixteen months of joint work. The two partners researched digital payment use across seventeen countries, consulted UNDP country offices and stakeholders, and ran live pilots in Haiti, Syria, Kenya, Guatemala, and The Gambia, with two further prototypes developed in Colombia and Papua New Guinea. In parallel, the SDG Blockchain Accelerator, strategically led by UNDP AltFinLab, matched a cohort of payment solutions built on the Stellar network with real UNDP programme challenges, producing a portfolio of graduated solutions with documented pathways to scale.
Aleppo Pilot Sets the BenchmarkThe most closely watched deployment was in Aleppo. UNDP delivered Cash for Work stipends to beneficiaries digitally and recorded every transaction on-chain, reducing the estimated cost of distribution from around 10 percent of funds to just 2 percent per transaction. Payments were completed with a 100 percent success rate in low-connectivity conditions, a result that gave both organisations confidence to push toward a permanent rollout.
The $XLM infrastructure underpinning the programme provides a traceable, on-chain record of every transaction and near-instant settlement, qualities that matter most in fragile and conflict-affected settings where traditional banking systems are unreliable or absent. The collaboration harnesses the Stellar network and open-source tools to enhance access to digital financial services, facilitate transparent and efficient cross-border transactions, and provide low-cost digital payment solutions for humanitarian aid, remittances, and national cash transfer programmes.
The agreement runs through 2027 and will conclude with a consolidated evidence base, a scaling playbook, and a formal handover, so that the capability outlasts the partnership that created it. Candace Kelly, Chief Legal Officer at the Stellar Development Foundation, noted that "these pilots showed what open, public blockchain infrastructure can do when it is built around the realities of the last mile."
The extension deepens a relationship that has been broadening rapidly. UNDP has also launched a Blockchain Advisory Group bringing together 26 organisations, including the Ethereum Foundation, Cardano, and Stellar, to explore how blockchain can improve financial access, digital identity, public services, and climate initiatives worldwide.
Sources:
UNDP Eurasia: UNDP and Stellar Development Foundation extend partnership to scale digital payment solutions
Stellar.org: UNDP and Stellar Development Foundation join forces for financial inclusion
UNDP Eurasia: Digital payments that work under real constraints
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has signed a new agreement with the Stellar Development Foundation to expand the agency's use of blockchain-based payments after completing pilot projects in five countries, signaling a broader role for public blockchain infrastructure in its development programs.
The agreement follows 16 months of research and pilot programs in Haiti, Syria, Kenya, Guatemala and The Gambia, with additional projects in Colombia and Papua New Guinea, the agency said Monday. According to UNDP, the next phase will establish the process for country offices to use blockchain payments across a wider range of programs.
UNDP said the pilots produced measurable results. In Syria, a Cash for Work program that recorded payments onchain reduced distribution costs from 10% to 2%, while a pilot in Haiti continued processing payments during a cellular network outage.
Blockchain payment networks, particularly those supporting stablecoins, have increasingly been promoted as a way to improve cross-border payments and remittances, especially in regions where access to traditional banking services is limited. The announcement marks one of the clearest examples of a UN agency moving beyond limited blockchain trials toward broader use of the technology for humanitarian purposes.
Source: UNDP
Last month, UNDP launched a Blockchain Advisory Group at the Proof of Talk conference in Paris, France, to help guide its use of blockchain technology across development programs. Beyond digital payments, the group will explore how blockchain can support digital public infrastructure and improve public systems.
Stablecoins gain ground in remittance marketsUNDP's expanded use of blockchain payments reflects a broader push to modernize cross-border payments in emerging markets, where limited access to traditional banking and high remittance costs have made stablecoins an increasingly attractive alternative.
Ripple recently acquired an equity stake in African fintech Flutterwave as part of a broader effort to expand the use of its RLUSD stablecoin and the XRP Ledger across Africa, where remittances remain a major source of household income.
Latin America is also emerging as a key market for stablecoin-powered remittances, with issuers targeting payment corridors in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia and Venezuela.
The most active remittance channels across Latin America. Source: Claudia Wang
Former UN under-secretary-general Vera Songwe said the growing importance of digital payments extends beyond remittances. Speaking at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in January, Songwe said that stablecoins are becoming “more important than aid” in some developing economies because they provide access to digital financial services where traditional banking remains out of reach.
“650 million people don’t have access to a bank account in Africa,” Songwe told the WEF attendees. “With a smartphone, you have access to stablecoins, so you can save in a currency that is not exposed to fluctuations of inflation and making you poor.”
Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has signed a new agreement with the Stellar Development Foundation to expand the agency's use of blockchain-based payments after completing pilot projects in five countries, signaling a broader role for public blockchain infrastructure in its development programs.
The agreement follows 16 months of research and pilot programs in Haiti, Syria, Kenya, Guatemala and The Gambia, with additional projects in Colombia and Papua New Guinea, the agency said Monday. According to UNDP, the next phase will establish the process for country offices to use blockchain payments across a wider range of programs.
UNDP said the pilots produced measurable results. In Syria, a Cash for Work program that recorded payments onchain reduced distribution costs from 10% to 2%, while a pilot in Haiti continued processing payments during a cellular network outage.
Blockchain payment networks, particularly those supporting stablecoins, have increasingly been promoted as a way to improve cross-border payments and remittances, especially in regions where access to traditional banking services is limited. The announcement marks one of the clearest examples of a UN agency moving beyond limited blockchain trials toward broader use of the technology for humanitarian purposes.
Source: UNDP
Last month, UNDP launched a Blockchain Advisory Group at the Proof of Talk conference in Paris, France, to help guide its use of blockchain technology across development programs. Beyond digital payments, the group will explore how blockchain can support digital public infrastructure and improve public systems.
Stablecoins gain ground in remittance marketsUNDP's expanded use of blockchain payments reflects a broader push to modernize cross-border payments in emerging markets, where limited access to traditional banking and high remittance costs have made stablecoins an increasingly attractive alternative.
Ripple recently acquired an equity stake in African fintech Flutterwave as part of a broader effort to expand the use of its RLUSD stablecoin and the XRP Ledger across Africa, where remittances remain a major source of household income.
Latin America is also emerging as a key market for stablecoin-powered remittances, with issuers targeting payment corridors in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia and Venezuela.
The most active remittance channels across Latin America. Source: Claudia Wang
Former UN under-secretary-general Vera Songwe said the growing importance of digital payments extends beyond remittances. Speaking at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in January, Songwe said that stablecoins are becoming “more important than aid” in some developing economies because they provide access to digital financial services where traditional banking remains out of reach.
“650 million people don’t have access to a bank account in Africa,” Songwe told the WEF attendees. “With a smartphone, you have access to stablecoins, so you can save in a currency that is not exposed to fluctuations of inflation and making you poor.”
Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.
The United Nations Development Programme and the Stellar Development Foundation just turned a promising experiment into a long-term commitment. The two organizations announced an extension of their partnership on July 6, 2026, aimed at scaling blockchain-based digital payment solutions through 2027.
The extension follows 16 months of actual research and pilot programs across five countries, with results that are hard to argue with. Transaction fees dropped from 10% to 2%, and payment delivery hit 100% reliability, even in areas with essentially zero internet connectivity.
From pilot programs to permanent infrastructure The initial partnership kicked off on January 27, 2025, with a straightforward goal: figure out whether blockchain could make humanitarian aid delivery cheaper, faster, and more reliable. The answer, based on pilots in Haiti, Kenya, Syria, Guatemala, and The Gambia, appears to be yes on all three counts.
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The Syria results are particularly striking. In Aleppo, where connectivity is minimal at best, the Stellar network successfully delivered cash-for-work stipends with perfect reliability.
The fee reduction alone tells a compelling story. Cutting transaction costs from 10% to 2% means that for every $1 million in aid disbursed, an additional $80,000 actually reaches recipients instead of evaporating into the financial plumbing.
The extended partnership now shifts focus from proving the concept to making it routine. That means governance frameworks, operational safeguards, and integration into UNDP’s country offices worldwide.
Building institutional credibility for blockchain SDF is a founding member of UNDP’s Blockchain Advisory Group, which launched on June 3, 2026, with participation from 26 organizations.
The Stellar network also has prior institutional credibility in the humanitarian space. UNHCR, the UN’s refugee agency, has been using Stellar Aid Assist for cash-based interventions in Ukraine since 2022.
What this means for crypto investors For the broader crypto market, institutional adoption stories like this one carry weight that speculative narratives can’t match. When a UN agency with operations in over 170 countries commits to operationalizing blockchain payments, it validates the technology stack in ways that matter to regulators, enterprise buyers, and traditional finance players watching from the sidelines.
The 26-organization Blockchain Advisory Group also bears watching. As these organizations develop shared governance frameworks for blockchain-based payments, they’re effectively building the regulatory and operational playbook that other institutions will reference. Early participation in that standard-setting process gives Stellar and its ecosystem partners a meaningful voice in how blockchain-based financial infrastructure gets built at scale.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has inked a deal with the Stellar Development Foundation to expand the use of blockchain-based payments across its development programs, marking a significant step toward integrating public blockchain infrastructure into humanitarian and development work. This agreement comes on the heels of pilot projects in five countries, highlighting the potential for blockchain to play a more visible role in aid distribution and economic development efforts.
Pilots pave the way for broader implementationOn Monday, UNDP announced that over the past 16 months it has conducted research and pilot studies in Haiti, Syria, Kenya, Guatemala, and the Gambia, and has developed additional projects in Colombia and Papua New Guinea. The agency stated that its new phase will focus on creating operational processes enabling country offices to utilize blockchain payments for a wider range of programs.
UNDP functions within the United Nations system as an agency dedicated to fighting poverty, building institutional capacity, and advancing sustainable development. The Stellar Development Foundation, meanwhile, is a nonprofit supporting the Stellar network, a blockchain designed for cross-border payments and digital asset transfers.
UNDP announced that in its next phase, operational processes will be established so that country offices can deploy blockchain-based payments across broader initiatives.
Syrian and Haitian pilots yield measurable resultsThe pilot programs delivered tangible outcomes. In Syria, the “Cash for Work” program saw distribution costs for blockchain-recorded payments fall from 10% to 2%. In Haiti, the payment system continued to function seamlessly even during interruptions to the mobile network.
CountryApplicationResultSyriaCash for Work paymentsDistribution costs dropped from 10% to 2%HaitiPayment processing pilotTransactions continued during mobile outagesSuch results have fueled greater interest in blockchain-based payment networks, particularly in areas where access to traditional banking is limited. Stablecoin-backed networks are gaining traction thanks to their potential to cut costs and increase access for cross-border payments and remittance transfers.
UNDP launches blockchain advisory groupAt the Proof of Talk conference in Paris last month, UNDP launched a Blockchain Advisory Group to shape how the organization leverages blockchain technology in its development programs. The group’s work will extend beyond digital payments, exploring how blockchain can support digital public infrastructure and enhance public systems overall.
Emerging markets drive real-world adoptionUNDP’s move reflects a broader trend toward modernizing cross-border payment systems in emerging markets. Poor banking access and high remittance costs are making stablecoins increasingly attractive, especially in Latin American countries like Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, and Venezuela, which stand out as busy payment corridors.
A similar trend is visible in Africa. Ripple recently acquired a stake in Africa-based fintech company Flutterwave as part of its strategy to expand use of RLUSD stablecoin and XRP Ledger on the continent. In the region, remittances remain a critical source of household income.
Former UN Under-Secretary-General Vera Songwe noted that 650 million people in Africa lack access to a bank account, yet those with smartphones can reach digital financial services via stablecoins.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in January, Songwe emphasized that digital payments are having an impact in some developing economies that goes beyond remittances. She argued that stablecoins are becoming even more important than aid in certain countries because they enable digital financial services for populations excluded from the traditional banking sector.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has announced a new agreement with the Stellar Development Foundation to utilize the Stellar blockchain for distributing humanitarian aid. After nearly two years of extensive field trials, UNDP now aims to make blockchain-based payments a standard tool for its country offices worldwide.
Field pilots expand across 17 countriesThis latest deal significantly broadens a partnership that has been ongoing for over 16 months. The two organizations reviewed blockchain payment systems in 17 countries, launching initial pilots in Haiti, Syria, Kenya, Guatemala, and Gambia. Meanwhile, working prototypes were built for Colombia and Papua New Guinea. The Stellar Development Foundation, a nonprofit, leads the development of the open-source Stellar network, enabling fast and cost-effective digital transactions.
UNDP highlights that these field trials delivered concrete and measurable results, going far beyond mere proof-of-concept exercises.
According to the organization, the pilots yielded striking benefits in cost and transparency. In Aleppo, Syria, for example, the “Cash-for-Work” program’s distribution expenses fell from an initial 10 percent (using traditional banking methods) to just 2 percent after switching to blockchain. Every participant in the program received their payment. In Haiti, blockchain-powered pilot payments achieved a perfect 100 percent success rate.
CountryProgramOutcomeSyria, AleppoCash-for-WorkDistribution costs dropped from 10% to 2%HaitiPilot payment transactionsAchieved 100% success rateBeyond cost reduction, these trials established permanent records tracking exactly where every dollar went. UNDP underscores that this level of transparency is especially valuable in donor-driven aid programs.
Pilots pave the way for permanent infrastructureThe next phase will see a shift from pilot projects to building an enduring operational platform for widespread adoption. This initiative, set to run through 2027, is being coordinated through the UNDP’s Alternative Finance Lab based at the Istanbul Regional Hub.
Under the new agreement, UNDP will develop a governance and participation framework to guide country offices. The agency also plans to integrate existing payment tools into national programs, while the Stellar Development Foundation will provide technical guidance and coordinate with the developer ecosystem. Operational responsibility for the programs will remain with UNDP.
Mini glossary: Stablecoin is a digital asset, typically pegged to a fiat currency like the dollar. Its low-cost, rapid cross-border transactions make stablecoins especially popular in areas with limited banking access.
Growing interest in blockchain and stablecoin paymentsUNDP’s latest move coincides with surging interest in blockchain and stablecoin solutions for regions where banking services are sparse and transaction fees high. Ripple, for example, has invested in Africa-based fintech firm Flutterwave to expand the use of its RLUSD stablecoin and the XRP Ledger network. Countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, and Venezuela are also emerging as key targets for stablecoin issuers aiming to revolutionize local payments.
Former United Nations Under-Secretary-General Vera Songwe told the World Economic Forum that, in some developing countries, stablecoins have surpassed aid in importance by reaching people who do not have access to banks.
Songwe estimates some 650 million people in Africa remain unbanked, while many of them own smartphones and can readily access stablecoins. She noted that this infrastructure can offer a savings lifeline in more stable currencies, particularly attractive amid high inflation environments.
Under the agreement, both parties aim to establish a robust governance structure, operational guidelines, and deployment models for blockchain payments, making them a global standard across UNDP’s programs by 2027.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Visa stablecoin data shows fiat-pegged token monthly activity increased to a record $1.79 trillion in June. ((Media/Visa)Summary
Circle’s USDC accounted for about 70 percent of adjusted stablecoin transaction volume in the first half of 2026, widening its lead over Tether’s USDT, which held roughly 25 percent.Adjusted stablecoin transaction volume hit a record $1.79 trillion in June 2026, up 63 percent from May and 125 percent from June 2025, contributing to $8.82 trillion in volume for the first six months of the year.Growing adoption of stablecoins by banks and financial institutions, including new USDC services from Standard Chartered and BNY, reflects a broader shift toward established fiat-pegged digital asset networks.Circle’s USDC stablecoin widened its lead over competitor Tether’s USDT by transaction volume during the first half of 2026, according to fresh data from Visa’s onchain dashboard.
In June alone, stablecoin activity increased to a record $1.79 trillion in adjusted transaction volume, up 63% from May's $1.1 trillion and 125% from about $795 billion in June 2025. Visa removes bot activity, exchange transfers and other blockchain transactions that do not reflect real economic activity before calculating adjusted volume.
These figures come as banks and other financial institutions expand their use of stablecoins for payments, settlement and treasury operations. Standard Chartered and BNY recently added services around Circles’s USDC rather than building their own infrastructure which also reflects a broader shift toward using established stablecoin networks as activity and demand for fiat-pegged digital assets increases.
The first six months of the year totaled $8.82 trillion in adjusted stablecoin transaction volume. That is more than the $5.8 trillion recorded during all of 2024 and $2 trillion less than the record $10.8 trillion reported in 2025.
USDC accounted for about 70% of adjusted transaction volume during the first half of 2026. USDT represented roughly 25%..
In 2020, USDT made up nearly 90% of adjusted transaction volume. USDC accounted for less than 10%. By 2022, USDC accounted for about 45% of adjusted transaction volume.
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Building the Zcash Machine: Tachyon and Quantum Readiness
Building the Zcash Machine: Tachyon and Quantum Readiness
Zcash’s Tachyon upgrade aims to scale shielded payments, improve quantum readiness, and test whether its funding, security, and governance can hold.
Jun 30, 2026
Zcash’s Tachyon upgrade aims to scale shielded payments, improve quantum readiness, and test whether its funding, security, and governance can hold.
Why it matters:
Zcash’s Tachyon upgrade aims to scale shielded payments, improve quantum readiness, and test whether its funding, security, and governance can hold.
According to on-chain data from Visa, in the first half of 2026, Circle’s stablecoin USDC accounted for approximately 70% of adjusted stablecoin trading volume, further widening its lead over rival Tether’s USDT. In the same period, USDT held a roughly 25% share. The data shows adjusted stablecoin trading volume hit a record $1.79 trillion in June, up 63% from $1.1 trillion in May and 125% from around $795 billion in June 2025. When calculating adjusted trading volume, Visa excludes bot activity, exchange transfers, and other blockchain transactions that do not reflect genuine economic activity. The data release comes as banks and other financial institutions expand their use of stablecoins in payments, settlements, and fund management. Standard Chartered and BNY Mellon recently added services related to Circle’s USDC rather than building their own infrastructure, reflecting that amid rising activity and demand for fiat-pegged digital assets, financial institutions are increasingly leveraging established stablecoin networks. Adjusted stablecoin trading volume totaled $8.82 trillion in the first six months of this year, higher than the full-year 2024 figure of $5.8 trillion, but still roughly $2 trillion lower than the 2025 record of $10.8 trillion. In 2020, USDT once accounted for nearly 90% of adjusted trading volume, while USDC held less than 10%; by 2022, USDC’s share had risen to around 45%.
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USDC now handles 70% of adjusted stablecoin transaction volume as banks like Standard Chartered and BNY build on Circle's network.
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Coindesk reported that USDC extended its lead over Tether's USDT in the first half of 2026, cementing its role as the stablecoin of choice for banks, fintechs, and regulated institutions even as new rivals like OpenUSD raise questions about Circle’s long-term margins.
What's the Scoop?Institutional Adoption Driving the Shift: Standard Chartered and BNY both recently added USDC-based services rather than building their own stablecoin infrastructure. That matters because it shows banks are treating it as the stablecoin rail most ready to plug into existing financial infrastructure for custody, minting, redemption, settlement, and treasury use cases. They're not building their own.USDC’s First-Half Lead: USDC accounted for roughly 70% of adjusted stablecoin transaction volume in the first half of 2026, according to Visa's onchain dashboard, while USDT held about 25%.OpenUSD Concerns: OpenUSD’s launch sparked fears that Circle could face margin pressure from the new stablecoin backed by Stripe, Visa, Mastercard, Coinbase, BlackRock, and others, causing the stock to drop 20%. Yet, the selloff looked overdone: while OpenUSD is pitching free minting and redemption, shared reserve earnings, and governance rights, it still has to build adoption from scratch. USDC already has liquidity, integrations, institutional trust, and growing bank support.Open USD Is Coming for Circle’s Margins on Bankless
The newest major stablecoin consortium is offering businesses a better deal than Circle has. Will Circle be fazed?
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David is a writer/analyst at Bankless. Prior to joining Bankless, he worked for a series of early-stage crypto startups and on grants from the Ethereum, Solana, and Urbit Foundations. He graduated from Skidmore College in New York. He currently lives in the Midwest and enjoys NFTs, but no longer participates in them.
Summer Finance, a renowned DeFi platform, has recently undergone a significant exploit. In this respect, the Summer.fi exploiter has reportedly drained a staggering $6M in $DAI. As per the data from PeckShieldAlert, the incident majorly influenced the LazyVault LowerRisk USDC (LVUSDC). During this exploit, the displayed APY of the vault briefly jumped to a huge 2.08M%. It does not mean users could actually earn a 2.08 million% annual return. Instead, it is an artificially inflated APY caused by the exploit or a manipulation of the vault’s accounting.
Later on, Summer Finance officially acknowledged the attack in its tweet.
We are aware of the reported exploit a little earlier today and are investigating the root cause. The protocol guardians are currently pausing all Vaults across the Lazy Summer Protocol.
We will provide more updates as we have them.
— Summer.fi ☀ (@summerfinance_) July 6, 2026 Summer Finance Exploiter Drains $6M in DAI, Raising Vault APY to 2.08M% Based on the market data, the Summer.fi exploiter successfully drained a noteworthy $6M in $DAI. During this incident, the displayed APY of the vault reached the stunning 2.08M% mark. This has triggered immediate concerns regarding systemic risk and manipulation. The impacted vault’s biggest current holder is the address “0x874…4130.” The respective address is reportedly connected to UDHC’s Torben Jorgensen, with a cumulative deposit of nearly 8.6M $USDC.
Keeping this in view, the event highlights the DeFi protocols’ fragility amid the rise in sophisticated attacks. At the same time, the incident also underscores the requirement for more effective safeguards against such vulnerabilities. Specifically, the LVUSDC vault experienced manipulation that led to abnormal yield surges. Hence, this misled consumers by making them believe in the vault’s astronomical returns. Additionally, after the drainage of $6M, the sudden APY spike to 2.08M% emerged as a sign of malicious operations instead of a genuine yield generation.
Liquidity Manipulation and Contract Vulnerabilities Emerge as Red Flags According to PeckShieldAlert, such anomalies often play the role of red flags concerning contract-level vulnerabilities or liquidity manipulation. The involvement of Summer.fi’s risk-management partner Block Analitica makes the development more complicated. Overall, the incident signifies the urgent need for improved auditing, contingency planning, and real-time monitoring to secure consumers against such catastrophic losses.
AUTHOR
Umair Younas is a cryptocurrency-related content writer linked with this work since 2019. Here, at Blockchainreporter, he serves as a news and article writer. He is a crypto, blockchain, NFTs, DeFi, and FinTech enthusiast. He has strong command over writing authentic reviews about brokers and exchanges and he has collaborated with our education team to write educational content as well. He has a dream to raise awareness among people about digital currencies. His works are well-researched and brimmed with information hence they provide fresh insights. Stay tuned to his posts if you want to stay up-to-date with the crypto-verse.
Stablecoins just had their biggest month ever, and it wasn’t particularly close. Adjusted transaction volume hit $1.79 trillion in June 2026, narrowly eclipsing the previous record of $1.78 trillion set back in February.
The headline number is impressive on its own, but the composition underneath tells a more interesting story. Circle’s USDC accounted for roughly 67% of that volume, or about $1.21 trillion. Tether’s USDT, the longtime king of dollar-pegged tokens, managed around 32% with $576 billion.
In English: for every $3 moving through stablecoin rails in June, $2 went through USDC.
The numbers in context June’s $1.79 trillion represents a 63% jump from May’s $1.1 trillion and a 125% increase compared to the same month last year.
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Zoom out to the full first half of 2026, and the pattern becomes even more stark. USDC commanded roughly 70% of adjusted stablecoin volume across the six-month period, while USDT’s share hovered around 25%.
One important caveat worth noting: these figures come from Visa’s Allium-powered on-chain analytics, which strips out non-economic activity like bot transactions, exchange transfers, and other noise.
As of late June, USDC’s circulating supply stood at approximately $73.7 billion. The total stablecoin market capitalization, meanwhile, exceeded $315 billion. USDC turned over its entire supply roughly 16 times in a single month.
Why USDC is winning the volume war The US has spent the better part of two years building a clearer framework for stablecoin issuers. Circle, as a US-domiciled company that has leaned hard into compliance since its founding, has been the most obvious beneficiary. When banks, payment processors, and corporate treasuries need to move dollar-denominated value on-chain, they’re increasingly reaching for the token that comes with a regulatory seal of approval.
Tether remains the dominant stablecoin by market capitalization and continues to serve as the primary trading pair on many offshore exchanges. USDC’s lead suggests it’s winning the use case that arguably matters more for long-term adoption: payments and enterprise settlement.
What this means for investors For investors evaluating the broader digital asset landscape, the $315 billion total stablecoin market cap serves as a useful barometer. Stablecoins are the on-ramps, off-ramps, and settlement layer for the entire ecosystem.
The USDC-specific angle matters for a different reason. Circle has been positioning itself as the institutional-grade stablecoin issuer, and the volume data suggests that bet is paying off. If and when Circle pursues a public listing, these numbers become the core of the investment thesis: not just supply growth, but velocity and genuine economic utility.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
ANSEM's market capitalization hits a new record high, briefly exceeding $440 million.
According to GMGN monitoring data, Solana ecosystem meme coin ANSEM has hit a new all-time high market capitalization, peaking at $449 million, currently trading at $420 million, with a 24-hour trading volume of $51.5 million. BlockBeats Note: Meme coin trading is highly volatile, largely reliant on market sentiment and concept hype, with no actual value or practical use cases. Investors should exercise caution regarding the associated risks.
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Well-known Ethereum bull James Fickel transfers 20,000 ETH.
According to Onchain Lens monitoring, prominent ETH bull James Fickel transferred 20,000 ETH (valued at $36.19 million) from Coinbase Prime to a new wallet two hours ago. Earlier this June, prior reports noted, Fickel — a well-known Ethereum long bull and crypto investor — moved 10,000 ETH from a Coinbase custodial address to a deposit address, worth roughly $18.62 million at current prices, likely for subsequent trading operations.
6 minutes ago
USDC accounted for around 70% of adjusted stablecoin trading volume in H1, further widening its lead over USDT.
According to on-chain data from Visa, in the first half of 2026, Circle’s stablecoin USDC accounted for approximately 70% of adjusted stablecoin trading volume, further widening its lead over rival Tether’s USDT. In the same period, USDT held a roughly 25% share. The data shows adjusted stablecoin trading volume hit a record $1.79 trillion in June, up 63% from $1.1 trillion in May and 125% from around $795 billion in June 2025. When calculating adjusted trading volume, Visa excludes bot activity, exchange transfers, and other blockchain transactions that do not reflect genuine economic activity. The data release comes as banks and other financial institutions expand their use of stablecoins in payments, settlements, and fund management. Standard Chartered and BNY Mellon recently added services related to Circle’s USDC rather than building their own infrastructure, reflecting that amid rising activity and demand for fiat-pegged digital assets, financial institutions are increasingly leveraging established stablecoin networks. Adjusted stablecoin trading volume totaled $8.82 trillion in the first six months of this year, higher than the full-year 2024 figure of $5.8 trillion, but still roughly $2 trillion lower than the 2025 record of $10.8 trillion. In 2020, USDT once accounted for nearly 90% of adjusted trading volume, while USDC held less than 10%; by 2022, USDC’s share had risen to around 45%.
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Trump: Short sellers are taking a heavy hit, and I've never liked short sellers.
US President Donald Trump said: "Some short sellers are in deep trouble and are being liquidated. I have never liked short sellers because they are betting against the country."
6 minutes ago
Federal Reserve Governor Waller: The Federal Reserve will not deliberately maintain low interest rates.
Federal Reserve Governor Waller said the Federal Reserve will not deliberately keep interest rates low to help the U.S. government finance its fiscal deficit, noting that it is reasonable to consider setting an inflation target range. Fed Chair Walsh is reaffirming the Fed’s commitment to the 2% inflation target, and favors setting an inflation target range, but adjusting the inflation target at this stage would undermine the central bank’s credibility. (Jinshi)
6 minutes ago
Ethereum breaks through $1,800
According to HTX market data, Ethereum has broken through the $1,800 threshold, posting a 1.4% gain in the past 24 hours.
GUADALAJARA, Mexico, July 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico, S.A.B. de C.V., (NYSE: PAC; BMV: GAP) (“the Company” or “GAP”) announces preliminary terminal passenger traffic figures for June 2026, compared with June 2025.
During June 2026, the 12 Mexican airports operated by GAP recorded a 3.5% decrease in total passenger traffic compared to June 2025. Guadalajara airport reported an increase of 6.0%, while Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos and Tijuana reported a decrease of 18.7%, 9.7%, and 4.6%, respectively, compared to June 2025. With respect to GAP’s airports in Jamaica, Montego Bay recorded a decrease of 23.4%, while Kingston recorded a decrease of 0.8%.
Domestic Terminal Passengers (in thousands):
AirportJun-25Jun-26% ChangeJan - Jun 25Jan - Jun 26% ChangeGuadalajara1,000.11,033.93.4%6,112.16,221.61.8%Tijuana*660.1637.5(3.4%)4,196.73,942.2(6.1%)Los Cabos240.1235.4(1.9%)1,408.61,351.6(4.0%)Puerto Vallarta273.8257.4(6.0%)1,484.01,424.0(4.0%)Montego Bay0.00.0N/A0.00.0N/AGuanajuato188.6173.4(8.1%)1,092.31,044.7(4.4%)Hermosillo176.6152.1(13.9%)1,054.2977.8(7.2%)Kingston0.00.08.3%0.20.8417.5%Morelia53.657.87.9%359.2364.71.5%La Paz109.3112.42.8%608.7671.510.3%Mexicali97.087.2(10.2%)598.8524.3(12.4%)Aguascalientes53.452.1(2.6%)319.2299.7(6.1%)Los Mochis54.853.3(2.8%)344.4338.8(1.6%)Manzanillo10.48.5(17.8%)66.161.3(7.3%)Total2,917.82,860.9(1.9%)17,644.517,222.8(2.4%)
International Terminal Passengers (in thousands):
AirportJun-25Jun-26% ChangeJan - Jun 25Jan - Jun 26% ChangeGuadalajara476.9531.911.5%2,894.22,991.13.3%Tijuana*364.1339.4(6.8%)2,066.71,847.7(10.6%)Los Cabos414.1355.4(14.2%)2,607.32,457.0(5.8%)Puerto Vallarta237.3157.9(33.4%)2,321.61,897.9(18.2%)Montego Bay438.9336.3(23.4%)2,603.61,909.3(26.7%)Guanajuato88.178.0(11.5%)515.7480.0(6.9%)Hermosillo6.46.74.6%40.143.37.9%Kingston152.2151.0(0.8%)881.5850.2(3.6%)Morelia50.264.127.7%330.1407.423.4%La Paz2.83.422.4%17.625.344.1%Mexicali0.70.7(9.3%)3.63.72.7%Aguascalientes26.326.50.6%156.2162.23.9%Los Mochis0.70.76.4%3.94.02.7%Manzanillo3.53.89.3%62.253.0(14.7%)Total2,262.12,055.6(9.1%)14,504.213,132.1(9.5%)
Total Terminal Passengers (in thousands):
AirportJun-25Jun-26% ChangeJan - Jun 25Jan - Jun 26% ChangeGuadalajara1,477.01,565.86.0%9,006.39,212.72.3%Tijuana*1,024.2976.8(4.6%)6,263.35,789.8(7.6%)Los Cabos654.2590.8(9.7%)4,015.93,808.6(5.2%)Puerto Vallarta511.1415.4(18.7%)3,805.63,321.9(12.7%)Montego Bay438.9336.3(23.4%)2,603.61,909.3(26.7%)Guanajuato276.7251.4(9.2%)1,608.11,524.6(5.2%)Hermosillo183.0158.8(13.2%)1,094.31,021.1(6.7%)Kingston152.2151.0(0.8%)881.7851.0(3.5%)Morelia103.8121.917.5%689.3772.112.0%La Paz112.1115.83.3%626.3696.811.3%Mexicali97.887.8(10.2%)602.4528.0(12.4%)Aguascalientes79.878.5(1.5%)475.3461.9(2.8%)Los Mochis55.554.0(2.7%)348.3342.8(1.6%)Manzanillo13.812.3(11.0%)128.3114.4(10.9%)Total5,179.84,916.5(5.1%)32,148.730,354.9(5.6%) *Passengers in Tijuana who use CBX in both directions are classified as international.
CBX users (in thousands):
AirportJun-25Jun-26% ChangeJan - Jun 25Jan - Jun 26% ChangeTijuana356.6333.0(6.6%)2,029.61,822.2(10.2%)
Highlights for the month:
Seats and load factors
The seats available during June 2026 decreased by 4.9%, compared to June 2025. The load factors for the month went from 82.2% in June 2025 to 82.0% in June 2026. New routes Aguascalientes – Monterrey: AerusAguascalientes - Santa Lucia: VivaAguascalientes – Puebla: VolarisAguascalientes - Puerto Vallarta: VolarisGuanajuato – Puebla: VolarisGuadalajara – Queretaro: VolarisGuadalajara – Reynosa: VolarisGuadalajara - San Luis Potosi: VolarisGuadalajara – Zacatecas: VolarisGuadalajara – Detroit: VolarisGuadalajara - Salt Lake City: VolarisPuerto Vallarta – Puebla: VolarisPuerto Vallarta – Aguascalientes: VolarisPuerto Vallarta - San Luis Potosi: VolarisLos Cabos – Puebla: VolarisLos Cabos - Las Vegas: SouthwestTijuana – Merida: VolarisTijuana - Puerto Escondido: VolarisMontego Bay – Medellin: Wingo Company Description
Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico, S.A.B. de C.V. (GAP) operates 12 airports throughout Mexico’s Pacific region, including the major cities of Guadalajara and Tijuana, the four tourist destinations of Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, La Paz and Manzanillo, and six other mid-sized cities: Hermosillo, Guanajuato, Morelia, Aguascalientes, Mexicali, and Los Mochis. In February 2006, GAP’s shares were listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “PAC” and on the Mexican Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “GAP”. In April 2015, GAP acquired 100% of Desarrollo de Concessioner Aeroportuarias, S.L., which owns a majority stake in MBJ Airports Limited, a company operating Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, Jamaica. In October 2018, GAP entered into a concession agreement for the Norman Manley International Airport operation in Kingston, Jamaica, and took control of the operation in October 2019.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements are statements that are not historical facts and are based on management’s current view and estimates of future economic circumstances, industry conditions, company performance, and financial results. The words “anticipates”, “believes”, “estimates”, “expects”, “plans” and similar expressions, as they relate to the company, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Statements regarding the declaration or payment of dividends, the implementation of principal operating and financing strategies and capital expenditure plans, the direction of future operations, and the factors or trends affecting financial condition, liquidity, or results of operations are examples of forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the current views of management and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. There is no guarantee that the expected events, trends, or results will occur. The statements are based on many assumptions and factors, including general economic and market conditions, industry conditions, and operating factors. Any changes in such assumptions or factors could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.
In accordance with Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and Article 42 of the “Ley del Mercado de Valores”, GAP has implemented a “whistleblower” program, which allows complainants to anonymously and confidentially report suspected activities that involve criminal conduct or violations. The telephone number in Mexico, facilitated by a third party responsible for collecting these complaints, is 800 04 ETICA (38422) or WhatsApp +52 55 6538 5504. The website is www.lineadedenunciagap.com or by email at [email protected]. GAP’s Audit Committee will be notified of all complaints for immediate investigation.
Alejandra Soto, Investor Relations and Social Responsibility [email protected] Gisela Murillo, Investor [email protected]
+52 33 3880 1100 ext. 20294
Bitcoin’s blockchain is fully transparent, publicly recording every transaction, amount, and address, while Zcash offers optional shielded transactions using zk-SNARK zero-knowledge proof cryptography. Both cryptocurrencies share a 21 million coin supply cap and a halving mechanism, but Zcash allocates a portion of block rewards to ecosystem development funding. Approximately 30% of all circulating ZEC is held in shielded pools as of mid-2026, up from roughly 8% in 2024, signaling genuine growth in privacy adoption. Zcash’s market cap reached nearly $10 billion in 2026, making it the largest privacy coin and overtaking Monero, though still a fraction of Bitcoin’s market value. Bitcoin uses the SHA-256 mining algorithm, while Zcash uses Equihash, originally designed to resist ASIC mining hardware but now also supporting ASIC miners. The most fundamental difference between Bitcoin and Zcash is how each network handles transaction privacy. Bitcoin operates a fully transparent blockchain. Every transaction, wallet address, and amount transferred is permanently visible on the public ledger. Blockchain analysis services like Chainalysis can link wallet activity and trace fund flows across the entire Bitcoin network.
Zcash uses zero-knowledge proofs, specifically a construction called zk-SNARKs, to enable shielded transactions. The Zcash documentation describes two address types: transparent t-addresses that function identically to Bitcoin addresses, and shielded z-addresses that encrypt sender, receiver, and transaction amounts. Transactions between two z-addresses are fully private, while transactions involving t-addresses remain publicly visible.
Edward Snowden has stated that Bitcoin’s lack of privacy represents its biggest structural weakness. BeInCrypto reported his remarks in November 2025, where he argued that Bitcoin was failing as an electronic cash system because cash is largely intended to be anonymous. This perspective gained traction as blockchain surveillance tools became more sophisticated through 2025 and 2026.
CryptoTimes reported that approximately 30% of all circulating ZEC sits in shielded pools as of mid-2026, up from roughly 8% in 2024. The publication noted that this growth matters for two reasons: it signals genuine privacy adoption rather than speculative holding, and it effectively removes those coins from liquid trading markets.
Supply Economics and Mining Algorithm Differences Bitcoin and Zcash share the same supply cap of 21 million coins, and both employ proof-of-work consensus with periodic halving events. Bitcoin launched in January 2009 and has completed four halvings. Zcash launched in October 2016 and follows a similar halving schedule with roughly four-year intervals.
The mining algorithms differ significantly. Bitcoin uses SHA-256, which is now dominated by specialized ASIC mining hardware produced by companies like Bitmain. Zcash uses Equihash, an algorithm originally designed to be ASIC-resistant and favor GPU mining.
However, ASIC miners for Equihash now exist, and the Zcash community voted against ASIC-resistant protocol updates in 2018, citing security concerns, as documented by Commodity.com.
Zcash diverges from Bitcoin in its funding model. A portion of each mined block reward is allocated to ecosystem development funds. During the first four years, 10% of block rewards went to the Founders’ Reward fund distributed among the Electric Coin Company, the Zcash Foundation, and initial investors.
This structure ensures ongoing protocol development but reduces the share of rewards available to miners compared to Bitcoin.
Analysis: Bitcoin’s lack of a development fund creates a decentralization advantage in governance but introduces dependency on voluntary contributions and corporate sponsorship for protocol maintenance. Zcash’s funded approach guarantees development resources but introduces a risk of governance centralization.
The trade-off reflects fundamentally different philosophies about how open-source monetary networks should sustain themselves.
Institutional Adoption and Market Position in 2026 Bitcoin holds a dominant position in institutional adoption. Spot Bitcoin ETFs launched in January 2024 and pulled in $87 billion since inception, according to Plisio research. Bitcoin’s market cap sits near $1.5 trillion, and it trades on every major exchange with deep derivatives markets.
The Motley Fool noted that Iran’s parliament named Bitcoin specifically as an accepted settlement asset for its Strait of Hormuz toll system in late March 2026.
Zcash occupies a different market position entirely. Its market cap reached approximately $10 billion in 2026 after a 1,200% rally from pre-halving lows, CryptoTimes reported. Multicoin Capital co-founder Tushar Jain disclosed the firm had been building a significant ZEC position since February 2026.
Grayscale filed to convert its Zcash Trust into a spot ETF, which held 391,103.89 ZEC worth approximately $99.4 million as of March 2026.
The Bitcoin Foundation reported that the privacy coin sector’s total market capitalization surpassed $30 billion by mid-2026, with over 70 exchange delistings and bans occurring across the EU, Dubai, Japan, and South Korea over the prior five years.
Despite these restrictions, Zcash’s opt-in privacy model has made it more palatable to institutions than Monero’s mandatory privacy, according to Investing News coverage.
Analysis: The institutional gap between Bitcoin and Zcash reflects regulatory reality more than technological merit. Bitcoin’s transparency enables compliance with anti-money laundering frameworks, while Zcash’s optional privacy creates a middle ground. Grayscale’s ETF filing represents the first test of whether regulators will approve a privacy-coin investment product for U.S. retail investors.
Regulatory Implications Regulatory risk remains Zcash’s primary structural challenge. Multiple exchanges have restricted or delisted privacy coins due to AML compliance concerns. The EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets framework and travel rule implementations have intensified scrutiny of privacy-preserving transactions.
Zcash’s selective disclosure feature, which allows users to share transaction details with auditors while maintaining default privacy, may offer a compliance pathway that fully opaque protocols cannot match.
What’s Next? Zcash is actively developing quantum-resistant protections under its FCMP++ upgrade and working on quantum recovery mechanisms for shielded funds. Grayscale’s spot Zcash ETF application remains pending with the SEC.
Bitcoin’s institutional adoption trajectory continues, driven by ETF inflows and sovereign-level recognition. The two assets serve fundamentally different use cases: Bitcoin as a transparent reserve asset and Zcash as a privacy-preserving transaction layer. All price projections are speculative and should not be treated as financial guidance.
FAQs What is the main difference between Zcash and Bitcoin?
Bitcoin records all transactions publicly on a transparent ledger, while Zcash offers optional shielded transactions using zk-SNARK cryptography that hides sender, receiver, and amounts.
Do Zcash and Bitcoin have the same supply cap?
Both cryptocurrencies cap their maximum supply at 21 million coins and use proof-of-work consensus with periodic halving events that reduce mining rewards approximately every four years.
What mining algorithm does Zcash use, compared to Bitcoin?
Bitcoin uses SHA-256 dominated by ASIC miners, while Zcash uses Equihash, originally designed for GPU resistance but now also supporting ASIC mining hardware after a community vote.
Is Zcash fully private by default in all transactions?
Zcash privacy is optional; users choose between transparent t-addresses that work like Bitcoin and shielded z-addresses that encrypt transaction details using zero-knowledge proofs.
Can institutions invest in Zcash as they invest in Bitcoin?
Institutional Zcash access remains limited compared to Bitcoin, though Grayscale filed to convert its Zcash Trust into a spot ETF in 2026, holding approximately $99.4 million.
Why have exchanges delisted privacy coins like Zcash in some regions?
Exchanges in the EU, Japan, South Korea, and Dubai restricted privacy coins due to anti-money laundering compliance concerns, though Zcash’s optional privacy model faces fewer restrictions.
What percentage of Zcash supply is held in shielded pools?
Approximately 30% of circulating ZEC sits in shielded pools as of mid-2026, a significant increase from roughly 8% in 2024, indicating growing privacy adoption among users.
References Zcash Documentation, ‘Zcash Basics’ CryptoTimes, ‘What Is Zcash? How the Leading Privacy Coin Works,’ May 2026 BeInCrypto, ‘Could Zcash Overtake Bitcoin in the Privacy Era?,’ November 2025 The Motley Fool, ‘Better Store of Value: Bitcoin vs. Zcash,’ April 2026
FinTechs are treating banking licenses as strategic infrastructure. Klarna’s decision to apply to establish Klarna Bank USA, a Utah-chartered industrial bank, illustrates that shift.
The Swedish company filed applications with both the Utah Department of Financial Institutions and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., seeking authority to operate a federally insured industrial bank in the United States.
The company said Monday (July 6) that the proposed institution would allow it to internalize banking functions that today are provided through partners while supporting payments, savings, lending and merchant services.
Klarna already operates as a licensed bank across Europe. Today, much of Klarna’s U.S. banking activity depends on partner institutions. A charter would allow it to assume greater responsibility for deposits, funding and payment operations while remaining subject to banking regulation.
Reached for comment Monday, a Klarna spokesperson referred PYMNTS back to the charter announcement and said, as detailed in the company’s latest earnings release, consumer deposits represented more than 90% of the firm’s total funding.
The Utah filing also arrives as interest in de novo banking charters has revived after several quiet years. Regulatory guidance from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency issued in June attempted to provide applicants with greater clarity about licensing standards, while federal regulators have shown renewed willingness to evaluate new applications on their merits.
An Industrial Bank Opens Doors and Brings New Obligations An industrial bank, also known as an industrial loan company, differs from a traditional commercial bank primarily because its parent company is exempt from becoming a bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act, provided statutory conditions continue to be met.
At the bank level, however, Utah industrial banks remain FDIC-insured depository institutions that may accept insured deposits, make loans, participate in the federal payments system and issue payment products while complying with capital, consumer protection, anti-money laundering and Community Reinvestment Act requirements.
The charter has long appealed to specialty finance companies and FinTechs. It allows a company to fund lending with insured deposits rather than relying exclusively on warehouse facilities or capital markets. It also permits greater control over payment processing, deposit accounts and product development.
Obtaining the authority is neither quick nor automatic.
Applicants must first receive state charter approval before securing FDIC deposit insurance. Regulators evaluate capital adequacy, management experience, governance, risk controls, business plans, liquidity, cybersecurity, compliance systems and long-term financial viability. Parent companies must also agree to ongoing reporting, examinations and commitments under the FDIC’s Part 354 framework governing industrial banks.
Those obligations continue after approval. Changes to business strategy, senior management and governance frequently require regulatory review, while ongoing examinations subject the institution to the same supervisory expectations that apply to other insured banks. The charter therefore offers greater operational control, but it also replaces much of the flexibility associated with operating through banking partners.
For Klarna, direct ownership of the banking infrastructure could improve funding stability, simplify product expansion and reduce dependence on outside institutions as the company broadens beyond buy now, pay later.
A charter could also give Klarna greater latitude to combine deposit accounts, payments, lending and merchant services within a single regulated institution rather than distributing those functions across multiple banking relationships.
Klarna would not be entering unexplored territory.
Square Financial Services, now part of Block, received approval for its Utah industrial bank in 2020 and uses the institution to support business banking, commercial lending and payment services for sellers. Nelnet Bank also received approval in 2020 and operates primarily in education finance and consumer deposits. Thrivent Bank received FDIC approval in 2024 and began operations in 2025 as an online bank serving a broader customer base beyond its former credit union structure.
Other companies continue to view the charter as attractive. GM Financial ultimately secured approval for its industrial bank after revising and refiling its application, demonstrating that the regulatory process can require multiple rounds of review before regulators are satisfied.
For regulators, each application raises familiar policy questions about governance, supervision and the relationship between banking and commercial enterprises. For applicants, the decision reflects something more practical. Sponsor-bank relationships remain valuable, but they also impose commercial, operational and strategic constraints.
Klarna’s application suggests that for some large FinTechs, owning the banking infrastructure has become worth the additional regulation.
In the latest close session, GigaCloud Technology Inc. (GCT - Free Report) was up +2.62% at $34.08. The stock's performance was ahead of the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.72%. At the same time, the Dow added 0.3%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 1.12%.
Shares of the company have appreciated by 5.33% over the course of the past month, underperforming the Business Services sector's gain of 5.48%, and outperforming the S&P 500's loss of 0.9%.
Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance of GigaCloud Technology Inc. in its upcoming earnings disclosure. On that day, GigaCloud Technology Inc. is projected to report earnings of $0.85 per share, which would represent a year-over-year decline of 6.59%. Meanwhile, the latest consensus estimate predicts the revenue to be $383.7 million, indicating a 18.94% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year.
For the annual period, the Zacks Consensus Estimates anticipate earnings of $4.18 per share and a revenue of $1.53 billion, signifying shifts of +16.43% and +18.96%, respectively, from the last year.
It's also important for investors to be aware of any recent modifications to analyst estimates for GigaCloud Technology Inc. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. With this in mind, we can consider positive estimate revisions a sign of optimism about the business outlook.
Empirical research indicates that these revisions in estimates have a direct correlation with impending stock price performance. To benefit from this, we have developed the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model which takes these estimate changes into account and provides an actionable rating system.
Ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), the Zacks Rank system has a proven, outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks returning an average of +25% annually since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has remained steady. As of now, GigaCloud Technology Inc. holds a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
Digging into valuation, GigaCloud Technology Inc. currently has a Forward P/E ratio of 7.95. This valuation marks a discount compared to its industry average Forward P/E of 17.66.
The Technology Services industry is part of the Business Services sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 107, which puts it in the top 44% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the strength of our separate industry groups by calculating the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks contained within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
You can find more information on all of these metrics, and much more, on Zacks.com.
Oscar Health, Inc. (OSCR - Free Report) closed at $31.44 in the latest trading session, marking a -2.3% move from the prior day. The stock's performance was behind the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.72%. At the same time, the Dow added 0.3%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 1.12%.
Shares of the company witnessed a gain of 31.29% over the previous month, beating the performance of the Finance sector with its gain of 5.36%, and the S&P 500's loss of 0.9%.
Market participants will be closely following the financial results of Oscar Health, Inc. in its upcoming release. The company is expected to report EPS of $0.34, up 138.2% from the prior-year quarter. At the same time, our most recent consensus estimate is projecting a revenue of $4.83 billion, reflecting a 68.58% rise from the equivalent quarter last year.
For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $0.47 per share and revenue of $18.7 billion, which would represent changes of +127.81% and +59.85%, respectively, from the prior year.
It's also important for investors to be aware of any recent modifications to analyst estimates for Oscar Health, Inc. These latest adjustments often mirror the shifting dynamics of short-term business patterns. As such, positive estimate revisions reflect analyst optimism about the business and profitability.
Our research demonstrates that these adjustments in estimates directly associate with imminent stock price performance. To capitalize on this, we've crafted the Zacks Rank, a unique model that incorporates these estimate changes and offers a practical rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, which varies between #1 (Strong Buy) and #5 (Strong Sell), carries an impressive track record of exceeding expectations, confirmed by external audits, with stocks at #1 delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, there's been no change in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. Oscar Health, Inc. is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
Digging into valuation, Oscar Health, Inc. currently has a Forward P/E ratio of 68.47. This represents a premium compared to its industry average Forward P/E of 9.94.
Investors should also note that OSCR has a PEG ratio of 2.25 right now. Comparable to the widely accepted P/E ratio, the PEG ratio also accounts for the company's projected earnings growth. The average PEG ratio for the Insurance - Multi line industry stood at 1.03 at the close of the market yesterday.
The Insurance - Multi line industry is part of the Finance sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 167, which puts it in the bottom 33% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our individual industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Ensure to harness Zacks.com to stay updated with all these stock-shifting metrics, among others, in the next trading sessions.
VivoPower PLC (NASDAQ:VIVO, FRA:51J) announced on Monday that it is conducting a technical and commercial feasibility study to evaluate the integration of a battery energy storage system at its 41.5-megawatt Mo i Rana data center in Northern Norway, targeting up to approximately $4 million in incremental annualized EBITDA.
The company said the projected earnings would come from enabling participation in additional Nordic grid reserve markets, including Frequency Containment Reserve for Normal operation, expanded Frequency Containment Reserve for Disturbances, and Fast Frequency Response.
According to VivoPower, the estimate is based on internal analysis using prevailing 2025-2026 Nordic reserve market clearing prices and remains subject to external feasibility validation, prequalification, capital availability, market conditions, and other approvals.
The company said a co-located battery system would allow the site to access reserve products that are not economically available through its compute load alone because of endurance, symmetry, and response-speed requirements. Capacity payments would be earned on a pay-for-availability basis, with additional activation payments available separately.
VivoPower said the Mo i Rana facility is located in Norway's NO4 bidding zone, where it cited average day-ahead power prices of approximately $0.009 per kilowatt-hour in 2025. The company noted that the combination of low power costs and participation in the Nordic Balancing Model positions the site as an attractive location for industrial demand response and battery storage.
If implemented, the battery system would also be designed to preserve the data center's full 41.5 MW leasable capacity for artificial intelligence compute tenants while improving power quality, ride-through capability, and operational flexibility, according to the company.
VivoPower said the feasibility study will assess factors including electrical headroom, transformer and switchgear capacity, protection systems, metering and settlement architecture, the prequalification process with Statnett, and the interaction between battery operations and tenant service level agreements.
Any final investment decision will be subject to completion of the feasibility study, board approval, tenant consultation, and applicable Norwegian regulatory and grid-connection approvals.
The company said it will provide updates as the project reaches future milestones.
SpaceX Corp (NASDAQ:SPCX) is scheduled to join the Nasdaq-100 index before US markets open on Tuesday, marking one of the fastest additions to the benchmark following its recent initial public offering.
The inclusion follows a change to Nasdaq's eligibility rules that allows certain large-cap IPOs to enter the index after 15 trading days, rather than waiting for the next annual reconstitution.
The move is expected to trigger billions of dollars in passive buying as exchange-traded funds and mutual funds that track the Nasdaq-100 rebalance their portfolios. JPMorgan has estimated that approximately $4.3 billion of SpaceX shares could be purchased by index-tracking funds, including the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ: QQQ) and Invesco Nasdaq 100 ETF (NASDAQ: QQQM).
Despite SpaceX's roughly $2.1 trillion market valuation, the company is expected to receive an index weighting of around 1%. The Nasdaq-100 is weighted by free-float market capitalization, meaning only shares available for public trading are included in the calculation. With less than 5% of SpaceX's outstanding shares publicly available following its IPO, the company's weighting is expected to remain relatively modest.
The addition also comes as SpaceX's post-IPO quiet period expires, allowing investment banks and research firms involved in the offering to begin publishing analyst coverage and price targets.
Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote, wrote that investors will continue debating whether technology stock valuations are justified as SpaceX joins the Nasdaq-100.
"Remember, Nasdaq changed the inclusion rules to include SpaceX, which would normally not make its way so quickly into such a broadly watched and traded index, given its extremely low free float, its governance – Elon Musk has more than 80% of voting rights – and its fundamentals, as the company went public at a valuation of more than 100 times last year's sales," Ozkardeskaya wrote.
She added that "SpaceX's inclusion will increase the Nasdaq 100's volatility, challenge its capacity to represent underlying economic and financial fundamentals, and potentially hurt its credibility."
Ozkardeskaya also noted that the end of the quiet period will bring the first wave of Wall Street research on the stock, while "the early enthusiasm faded fast, with the price coming close to its IPO level after a more than 50% surge in the early days."
SpaceX shares have experienced volatile trading since their market debut. The stock closed at $162 late last week, above its IPO opening price of $150 but more than 20% below its post-listing high. Shares fell another almost 4% to about $156.
Unlike the S&P 500, which generally requires companies to trade publicly for at least a year before becoming eligible for inclusion, the Nasdaq-100's revised fast-track rules were designed to accommodate large IPOs more quickly. SpaceX will be added to the index in a single rebalancing event rather than in phased installments.
Space Exploration Technologies' (SPCX 0.99%) first few weeks as a public company have already reminded investors that even great businesses can become volatile stocks. SpaceX shares surged in the days after the company went public in early June 2026, hitting an intraday high of $225.64.
Image source: Getty Images.
Since then, the stock has pulled back and is down to around $162. The stock remains above its $135 IPO price and is still far from cheap. But the sell-off has made the risk-reward question more interesting.
Here are a few factors for investors to consider before buying a stake in this dominant space, satellite internet, and AI infrastructure company.
Starlink is a profitable business The clearest reason supporting the contrarian case for SpaceX is its Starlink satellite internet business. Starlink-powered connectivity business contributed about 60% of SpaceX's $18.7 billion in revenue and generated $4.4 billion in operating income in 2025. Starlink also had 10.3 million users at the end of the first quarter of 2026. Although SpaceX posted a $4.94 billion net loss in 2025, Starlink gives the company a profitable business that can help fund its broader growth ambitions.
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Additionally, the Federal Communications Commission approved SpaceX to deploy 7,500 additional second-generation Starlink satellites, bringing the authorized Gen2 satellite count to 15,000. This approval should help the company increase broadband capacity, expand mobile connectivity services, and improve global coverage over time.
AI-powered demand and index addition SpaceX's AI infrastructure business is already securing major customer commitments. Alphabet agreed to pay SpaceX $920 million per month from October 2026 through June 2029 for compute capacity, including access to about 110,000 Nvidia GPUs. Anthropic has also agreed to use the full computing power of SpaceX's Colossus 1 facility, which houses more than 220,000 Nvidia processors and will provide the Claude maker with 300 megawatts of new capacity. According to Reuters, the two compute deals are worth about $26 billion annually if contracts are not terminated before their scheduled end dates.
SpaceX is also set to join the Nasdaq-100 on July 7, giving it a place in an index of major nonfinancial companies listed on the Nasdaq. According to estimates from J.P. Morgan cited by Reuters, funds tracking the index may need to buy about $4.3 billion of SpaceX shares to reflect the company's addition.
Short interest has also climbed to 196 million shares, or about 31% of the shares available for public trading. While these investors are betting against SpaceX, if the stock starts rising again, some of those short sellers may have to buy shares to close their positions. This could further fuel the stock's rebound.
Certain risks cannot be ignored SpaceX is trading at nearly 81 times trailing-12-month sales. This is a demanding multiple for a company that is still loss-making and spending heavily on several growth initiatives.
The next-generation reusable rocket system, Starship, could become a major long-term growth driver for SpaceX. But NASA's inspector general has warned that delays and the challenge of refueling the vehicle in space still make it a major execution risk.
SpaceX may be worth considering for investors comfortable with a premium valuation and significant execution risk.
Elon Musk is leading a group of investors making a bid for OpenAI. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images xAI is no more.
The AI company founded by Elon Musk and acquired by his rocket company earlier this year has officially rebranded to SpaceXAI, debuting a new logo and an update to its username on X.
SpaceX acquired xAI — including its flagship chatbot, Grok, as well as X — in February, putting the billionaire's space, AI, and social media products all under one roof.
The handle for the xAI account changed to SpaceXAI on Monday. The account also shared a video of the xAI logo getting folded into a new SpaceXAI logo.
Musk said in May that xAI would be dissolved as a separate company and folded into SpaceX, with the company's AI products branded as SpaceXAI.
The rebrand comes after SpaceX's blockbuster IPO in June. SpaceX made history as the largest public offering ever, raising $75 billion with a valuation of around $1.77 trillion, briefly making Musk the world's first trillionaire.
While SpaceX is best known for its rockets and extraterrestrial ambitions, its IPO filings revealed just how much it was investing in AI.
The company's capital expenditures on AI were $12.7 billion in 2025, or more than three times what it spent on its space and connectivity segments, which include Starlink, its satellite internet service.
Its AI segment has been a net loss for the company, but SpaceX believes it has the most potential, saying the total addressable market is the largest "in human history." SpaceX said it plans to deploy "AI compute satellites," or data centers in space, as early as 2028.
The company has also landed some big AI infrastructure deals, with Anthropic agreeing to pay SpaceX $1.25 billion a month for access to compute power at its Colossus data centers and Google agreeing to pay $920 million a month.
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Kelsey Vlamis You're currently following this author! Want to unfollow? Unsubscribe via the link in your email.
Kelsey is a senior reporter for Business Insider, where she covers business and tech news as well as stories about travel, luxury, and consulting.Her feature story "Disaster at 18,200 feet" received awards from the New York Press Club and the North American Travel Journalists Association, as well as honorable mention from the Society of American Travel Writers. It was also included on Longreads' and Pocket's best of 2022 lists. She has also received an American Journalism Online Award for her coverage on missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming.She's appeared on CBS, NPR, NBC, and other outlets to discuss her work. She previously worked on the world news desk at the BBC in London and received a master's in journalism from Northwestern University.She can be reached by email at [email protected] or via the encrypted-messaging app Signal @kelseyv.21.Popular storiesDisaster on Denali: Inside a 1,000-foot fall on America's highest peakThrifting is more popular than ever. It's also never been worse.Rolex wouldn't service the vintage watch my mom inherited. Watchmakers say it happens all the time.A tiny, invasive bug and the climate crisis are changing how guitars are made, and shifting the course of music historyThe tourism free-for-all is overGovernment-run boarding schools were founded to 'civilize' Native Americans. Hundreds of dead children remain buried in the schoolyard graves.Meet the Texas minister who helps fly dozens of women to New Mexico every month to get abortionsPeople are flocking to Colorado for the great outdoors, but the air pollution is so bad, it's forcing many to stay insideInside Kabul: An aid worker reveals the devastating chaos that erupted during the US exit from Afghanistan
The trading activity of members of Congress continues to be closely followed by retail traders, especially when stocks related to committee assignments are traded.
• SpaceX stock is showing downward pressure. What’s ahead for SPCX stock?
Congressman Gil Cisneros (D-Calif.) is no stranger to buying up stocks, with thousands of trades made over the past two years. A recent disclosure, reported by the Benzinga Government Trades page, could spark conflict of interest complaints.
The latest disclosure includes hundreds of trades made in June, mostly purchases, but some sales as well. The transactions are in the $1,000 to $15,000 and $15,000 to $50,000 range.
Out of the numerous trades, the one that stands out in the latest round is the congressman buying shares of SpaceX (NASDAQ:SPCX).
Cisneros disclosed buying $1,000 to $15,000 in SpaceX stock on June 18. The purchase came when shares traded between $172.11 and $190, higher than the current $160.42 price.
The congressman serves on the Armed Services Committee, which makes the purchase of SpaceX stock a questionable one.
SpaceX has multiple federal government contracts, including those with the Pentagon, NASA and Space Force.
As a member of the committee, Cisneros may know of government contracts ahead of time. Cisneros may also vote on contracts directly related to the company he owns stock in.
Cisneros’ Trading HistoryCisnero is an active trader among members of Congress.
The congressman has made over 2,500 stock transactions according to data from Quiver Quantitative.
Benzinga previously flagged that Cisneros owning stocks such as Palantir and Lockheed Martin had attracted attention due to his committee assignment for the House Armed Services.
Being a member of the committee that knows about government contracts and helps with the budgets and awards of contracts could lead to members of Congress having inside information on which defense stocks will benefit in the future.
In 2025, Cisneros made $22.26 million in trades. So far in 2026, the congressman’s trading volume is $11.38 million.
Photo: Thrive Studios ID / Shutterstock
Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
"The U.S. outperformance story remains resilient," says Jayme Colosimo, who talks about tech broadening beyond the Mag 7 as a sign of strength. A signal of weakness she sees: the jobs market, highlighted by recent data.
Space Exploration Technologies (SPCX 0.99%) was an IPO of superlatives. From its unparalleled $75 billion raise to its enormous day-one trading volume, it broke so many records that it probably even broke the record for breaking the most records. With a heady mix of space travel, artificial intelligence (AI), and proposals to take tourists to the moon, it's natural to wonder if SpaceX has a place in your portfolio.
The trouble is that it is hard to justify a valuation of over $2 trillion for a firm that reported a net loss of $4.9 billion last year and had total 2025 revenue of $18.7 billion. Plus, many of the claims in its prospectus -- including the potential total addressable market of $28.5 trillion -- don't stand up to scrutiny. If you're thinking of buying SpaceX today, here are three things to know.
Image source: Getty Images.
1. You may already own it Several major indexes fast-tracked SpaceX's entry, causing index funds to automatically add the stock. The Russell 1000 added SpaceX on June 27, and the Nasdaq-100 followed on July 7, so investors who hold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that mirror those indexes, such as the iShares Russell 1000 ETF or the Invesco QQQ Trust, already own a small stake in SpaceX.
Other technology- and space-themed ETFs also give exposure to SpaceX. These include Ark Space & Defense Innovation ETF and iShares AI Innovation and Tech Active ETF. Think about what percentage of your portfolio you want to allocate to SpaceX and what you'll get through your existing investments.
2. SpaceX is burning through a lot of cash Last year, SpaceX's capital expenditure (capex) totaled $21 billion for its space, connectivity, and AI segments. This year, it is spending money even faster: It burned through over $10 billion in Q1 alone. SpaceX is different from the AI hyperscalers racing for dominance because big tech firms like Alphabet have pretty solid financial cushions and are generating significant revenue to justify some of the costs.
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In fairness, SpaceX has already landed three major AI deals, and its Starlink internet arm does generate cash. Even so, it is borrowing heavily to fund its expansion into two high-risk areas -- space and AI -- and it isn't clear when they will start to pay off. In fact, some of its forays into unproven technologies may never generate revenue.
3. Elon Musk is part of SpaceX's DNA SpaceX Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk is part of why the company's IPO broke so many records. Some invested in SpaceX purely because they believed Musk could deliver, regardless of the risks. But his reputation is not the only reason Musk and SpaceX are tied; the firm is structured around his leadership.
Musk's Class B shares have 10 times the voting power of the Class A shares investors bought in its IPO, giving him control of around 80% of SpaceX's votes. Among other things, if shareholders lose faith in his leadership, they can't force his dismissal. That raises some interesting governance questions that will likely play out in the coming years.
It also raises a practical issue because Musk has other commitments, and any distractions could delay SpaceX's ambitious timelines. Moreover, without a clear succession plan, SpaceX may not survive if ill health or other issues remove Musk from the helm.
The period after high-profile IPOs is always volatile. Throw in the high risks, heavy spending, debt, and structural challenges, and it makes sense for long-term investors to wait and reevaluate SpaceX once the frenzy has passed.
For years, the only investors who owned a slice of Space Exploration Technologies (SPCX 0.99%) were employees, venture funds, and a small circle of the wealthy. That barrier is breaking apart. Over the next 18 months, exposure to Elon Musk's rocket and satellite maker will reach everyday 401(k) and IRA balances through three distinct channels. Each arrives on its own schedule, and each carries a different set of trade-offs worth understanding before you chase the story.
To better understand the company's path to the public markets, it's worth reviewing the SpaceX IPO prospectus and important things investors should know.
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Wave 1: The funds that hold SpaceX shares The first wave has been in motion for a while, and most people missed it. A cluster of funds hold private SpaceX stock and sit inside common retirement menus. Destiny Tech100, a closed-end fund, counts SpaceX as its largest position. The ARK Venture Fund holds a comparable weight, and large mutual funds such as Fidelity Contrafund and the Baron Partners Fund carry meaningful stakes. Millions of savers own a sliver of SpaceX and have no idea, because these funds appear as options in workplace plans and brokerage IRAs.
The catch is that private shares are hard to value between funding rounds, and a vehicle like Destiny Tech100 has at times traded at a steep premium to the worth of what it holds. You could pay more than a dollar for a dollar of assets.
Wave 2: Private assets move into 401(k) plans The second wave is a rule change. In August 2025, an executive order directed the Department of Labor to open 401(k) plans to alternative assets -- private equity, private credit, real estate, and digital assets. That decision opens a door for target-date funds, the default choice for most workers, to add private-market sleeves that could include names like SpaceX.
Image source: Getty Images.
The promise is access to growth that used to sit off-limits to regular savers. The concern is cost and structure. Private-equity vehicles charge a 2% management fee plus 20% of profits, lock money up for years, and price holdings on a schedule rather than by the minute. Those features fit a pension better than they fit a saver who might need to move money on short notice. If a private sleeve appears in your plan menu, read the fine print before it becomes your default fund.
Wave 3: The 2026 SpaceX IPO puts shares in your hands The third wave has arrived. On June 12, SpaceX went public on the Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX, and the debut broke records. The company priced its shares at $135 and raised about $86 billion, the largest initial public offering (IPO) in history. The stock opened at $150, touched $176 during the session, and closed near $161 for a first-day gain of about 19%. By the closing bell, SpaceX carried a market value close to $2.1 trillion, which placed it among the most valuable companies listed in the United States and turned Musk into the world's first trillionaire on paper.
For retirement savers, the mechanics have changed in a real way. Before June, owning a piece of SpaceX meant buying a fund that held private shares and trusting its markup. Now the stock trades on an exchange, so any brokerage account, IRA, or self-directed 401(k) can buy a single share just as it would any listed stock. No fund wrapper, no premium-to-net asset value, no multiyear lockup between you and the position.
That access is the good news. The price is the hard part. A market cap above $2 trillion bakes in a future of moon bases, a high Starship flight rate, and the orbital data centers the company keeps describing -- outcomes that could take a decade to prove. SpaceX funds much of that vision with losses, Musk holds voting control that limits what outside shareholders can influence, and the first-day pop means anyone who bought after the open paid more than the institutions that received the $135 allocation.
A stock that jumps 19% on day one can drift for months while the business grows into the story. The wrapper risk from the first wave is gone, but valuation risk has taken its place.
The takeaway for retirement savers Three waves, one company, and a different job for each. Wave 1, the funds that hold SpaceX, remains an option for anyone who wants a small position, though the premium fades once the stock trades on its own. Wave 2 will reach your plan menu as private-asset sleeves land in target-date funds, so weigh the fees against the promise of private growth. Wave 3 is complete: You can own SpaceX shares inside a retirement account for the first time.
I would treat the opening weeks as noise rather than signal, size any position to match a bet that needs years to play out, and let the valuation cool before deciding what a trillion-dollar rocket company is worth to you.
HomeMarketsU.S. & CanadaMarket ExtraMarket ExtraWhile SpaceX is due to join the Nasdaq-100 on Tuesday, it isn’t eligible to become part of the S&P 500 for at least another year — likely furthering the volatility spread between those two indexesJuly 6, 2026, 6:39 p.m. ET
The Nasdaq-100 has already been unusually volatile relative to the S&P 500 — and now it’s about to gain exposure to a stock known for making dramatic moves.
The Cboe Nasdaq-100 Volatility Index XX:VXN, which trades under the ticker symbol “VXN,” has surged around 43% this year through Thursday, as U.S. investors headed into the three-day holiday weekend, according to FactSet data. That’s a far bigger jump than the 8% one seen for the Cboe Volatility Index VIX, a measure of options activity linked to the S&P 500, which indicates volatility expected over the next month.
Toll Brothers (TOL - Free Report) ended the recent trading session at $155.13, demonstrating a -1.28% change from the preceding day's closing price. The stock's change was less than the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.72%. At the same time, the Dow added 0.3%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 1.12%.
Coming into today, shares of the home builder had gained 13.94% in the past month. In that same time, the Construction sector gained 0.11%, while the S&P 500 lost 0.9%.
The investment community will be closely monitoring the performance of Toll Brothers in its forthcoming earnings report. The company's earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be $2.9, reflecting a 22.25% decrease from the same quarter last year. In the meantime, our current consensus estimate forecasts the revenue to be $2.6 billion, indicating a 11.81% decline compared to the corresponding quarter of the prior year.
In terms of the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates predict earnings of $12.69 per share and a revenue of $10.7 billion, indicating changes of -5.93% and -2.44%, respectively, from the former year.
Additionally, investors should keep an eye on any recent revisions to analyst forecasts for Toll Brothers. These recent revisions tend to reflect the evolving nature of short-term business trends. As a result, we can interpret positive estimate revisions as a good sign for the business outlook.
Research indicates that these estimate revisions are directly correlated with near-term share price momentum. To exploit this, we've formed the Zacks Rank, a quantitative model that includes these estimate changes and presents a viable rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, spanning from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), boasts an impressive track record of outperformance, audited externally, with #1 ranked stocks yielding an average annual return of +25% since 1988. The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.18% higher within the past month. Currently, Toll Brothers is carrying a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
In terms of valuation, Toll Brothers is presently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 12.38. This valuation marks a discount compared to its industry average Forward P/E of 15.51.
We can additionally observe that TOL currently boasts a PEG ratio of 1.3. The PEG ratio is akin to the commonly utilized P/E ratio, but this measure also incorporates the company's anticipated earnings growth rate. The Building Products - Home Builders industry currently had an average PEG ratio of 2.58 as of yesterday's close.
The Building Products - Home Builders industry is part of the Construction sector. This industry, currently bearing a Zacks Industry Rank of 225, finds itself in the bottom 9% echelons of all 250+ industries.
The strength of our individual industry groups is measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, which is calculated based on the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within these groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Remember to apply Zacks.com to follow these and more stock-moving metrics during the upcoming trading sessions.
CoreWeave (CRWV +5.82%) stock plunged 18% over two trading sessions after Bloomberg revealed that Meta Platforms (META +3.12%) is entering the neocloud business. Admittedly, one can understand the concerns, as Meta is a "Magnificent Seven" company with a massive cash hoard and 32 large-scale data centers across the planet.
Although CoreWeave is a smaller enterprise with challenges investors should watch, the cloud stock may not be as vulnerable as some investors have assumed. CoreWeave investors should probably not worry about competition from Meta, and here is why.
Image source: The Motley Fool.
How Meta's entrance into the market may affect CoreWeave Admittedly, CoreWeave stock has struggled despite investor interest from Nvidia, annual revenue growth in the triple digits, and a $99.4 billion backlog. The company has had to dilute its shares and borrow heavily to build the infrastructure needed to meet its current and future contractual obligations. Consequently, it holds almost $25 billion in debt on its balance sheet, a heavy burden for a company with less than $4.8 billion in stockholders' equity.
Also, since the company has incurred ongoing net losses during this growth process, investors are likely to see higher debt and more stock dilution. In that situation, either the failure to meet its obligations or significant slowdowns in its build-out could break its investment thesis.
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However, Mordor Intelligence forecasts a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the neocloud of 46% through 2031. That type of growth likely convinced Meta to enter this business. Still, CoreWeave's 112% yearly revenue increase in the first quarter of 2026 far exceeds that CAGR and makes it less likely Meta will derail its investment thesis.
Additionally, Nvidia's interest in the company goes well beyond investing and includes a partnership. That deal gives CoreWeave access to Nvidia's most advanced platforms, including Vera Rubin, giving it a competitive advantage that was likely a factor in its joining the Nasdaq-100 index less than 15 months after the stock's IPO.
Furthermore, its challenges appear to have left CoreWeave with an attractive valuation, despite the aforementioned net losses, which leave it without a P/E ratio. Currently, its price-to-sales (P/S) ratio is about 6.5. That's above the average P/S ratio of 3.7 for the S&P 500 but far below the double-digit P/S ratios often found with growth tech stocks. That low valuation could persuade more investors to take a chance on CoreWeave.
Moving forward with CoreWeave If you can tolerate the risks of buying a company like CoreWeave, the entrance of Meta is more likely to be a buying opportunity than a reason to sell.
Indeed, the idea of competing with a tech giant like Meta seems intimidating. Fortunately, this industry is growing so fast that there is probably room for Meta to enter without significantly hurting CoreWeave.
Moreover, CoreWeave's Nvidia partnership serves as a competitive advantage, and the current P/S ratio allows investors to buy the stock at a low valuation. Thus, instead of fretting about the competition, interested investors should probably take this opportunity to add CoreWeave shares.
In the latest trading session, Coca-Cola (KO - Free Report) closed at $82.96, marking a -1.4% move from the previous day. This change lagged the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.72%. Elsewhere, the Dow gained 0.3%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq added 1.12%.
Prior to today's trading, shares of the world's largest beverage maker had gained 5.86% lagged the Consumer Staples sector's gain of 5.91% and outpaced the S&P 500's loss of 0.9%.
The investment community will be paying close attention to the earnings performance of Coca-Cola in its upcoming release. The company is slated to reveal its earnings on July 28, 2026. On that day, Coca-Cola is projected to report earnings of $0.92 per share, which would represent year-over-year growth of 5.75%. At the same time, our most recent consensus estimate is projecting a revenue of $13.05 billion, reflecting a 4.15% rise from the equivalent quarter last year.
For the annual period, the Zacks Consensus Estimates anticipate earnings of $3.26 per share and a revenue of $49.33 billion, signifying shifts of +8.67% and +3%, respectively, from the last year.
It's also important for investors to be aware of any recent modifications to analyst estimates for Coca-Cola. These latest adjustments often mirror the shifting dynamics of short-term business patterns. Therefore, positive revisions in estimates convey analysts' confidence in the business performance and profit potential.
Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. To capitalize on this, we've crafted the Zacks Rank, a unique model that incorporates these estimate changes and offers a practical rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), possesses a remarkable history of outdoing, externally audited, with #1 stocks returning an average annual gain of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has shifted 0.03% upward. As of now, Coca-Cola holds a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
Looking at its valuation, Coca-Cola is holding a Forward P/E ratio of 25.8. This denotes a premium relative to the industry average Forward P/E of 20.45.
Investors should also note that KO has a PEG ratio of 3.36 right now. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. The Beverages - Soft drinks industry currently had an average PEG ratio of 2.23 as of yesterday's close.
The Beverages - Soft drinks industry is part of the Consumer Staples sector. With its current Zacks Industry Rank of 107, this industry ranks in the top 44% of all industries, numbering over 250.
The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our individual industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Keep in mind to rely on Zacks.com to watch all these stock-impacting metrics, and more, in the succeeding trading sessions.
Seeking Alpha reported Monday (July 6) that Uber Technologies CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has stepped down from the board of directors at Grab Holdings Limited, effective immediately. The executive’s departure from the board of the prominent ride-hailing and delivery network prompted a swift market reaction, with Grab’s shares declining by about 3% during Monday’s trading session.
Despite this high-profile exit from its corporate leadership team, Grab emphasized that the underlying financial relationship between the two multinational mobility companies will not be altered. Uber Technologies’ economic interest in the Singapore-based platform remains unchanged following the board transition, according to the report.
The structural adjustments to Grab’s corporate governance leave the company with a slightly smaller but predominantly independent leadership committee. Following Khosrowshahi’s departure, Grab announced that its board of directors now comprises six members. To assure stakeholders of continued objective oversight, the company noted that four of the six remaining directors hold independent seats.
Grab continues to navigate broader economic dynamics alongside this leadership shift, with Seeking Alpha noting that potential impacts brought on by an earnings cap are expected to be offset by strengths in other business segments.
Uber’s economic interest in Grab originates from a landmark 2018 regional consolidation. As reported by PYMNTS at that time, Uber sold its Southeast Asian operations to Grab in a strategic deal that granted the U.S. company a 27.5% stake in its local rival. The historic merger significantly altered the competitive landscape, granting Grab an 80% market share and drawing antitrust scrutiny and fines from Singapore regulators. Despite these regulatory challenges, Grab has reportedly strengthened its regional market position, with recent coverage from Seeking Alpha characterizing the company as Southeast Asia’s “super app.”
According to recent PYMNTS coverage, Grab is leveraging its 14-year data repository to deploy AI-driven experiences, a strategy that has helped insulate it against regional regulatory headwinds. Furthermore, the company is shifting toward financial services, evidenced by its agreement to acquire Stash Financial to expand high-margin subscription revenues.
Uber Technologies (UBER - Free Report) closed the most recent trading day at $72.42, moving -2.7% from the previous trading session. This change lagged the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.72%. Elsewhere, the Dow gained 0.3%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq added 1.12%.
The ride-hailing company's stock has climbed by 5.26% in the past month, exceeding the Computer and Technology sector's loss of 6.12% and the S&P 500's loss of 0.9%.
The investment community will be paying close attention to the earnings performance of Uber Technologies in its upcoming release. The company's earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be $0.83, reflecting a 31.75% increase from the same quarter last year. Simultaneously, our latest consensus estimate expects the revenue to be $14.19 billion, showing a 12.18% escalation compared to the year-ago quarter.
For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $2.95 per share and revenue of $57.86 billion, which would represent changes of -44.34% and +11.23%, respectively, from the prior year.
Additionally, investors should keep an eye on any recent revisions to analyst forecasts for Uber Technologies. These recent revisions tend to reflect the evolving nature of short-term business trends. As such, positive estimate revisions reflect analyst optimism about the business and profitability.
Our research suggests that these changes in estimates have a direct relationship with upcoming stock price performance. To exploit this, we've formed the Zacks Rank, a quantitative model that includes these estimate changes and presents a viable rating system.
Ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), the Zacks Rank system has a proven, outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks returning an average of +25% annually since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.08% higher. Currently, Uber Technologies is carrying a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
Digging into valuation, Uber Technologies currently has a Forward P/E ratio of 25.23. This represents a premium compared to its industry average Forward P/E of 15.37.
One should further note that UBER currently holds a PEG ratio of 6.32. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. As the market closed yesterday, the Internet - Services industry was having an average PEG ratio of 1.6.
The Internet - Services industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 107, putting it in the top 44% of all 250+ industries.
The strength of our individual industry groups is measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, which is calculated based on the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within these groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
To follow UBER in the coming trading sessions, be sure to utilize Zacks.com.
Google has expanded the scope of data it collects to train its artificial intelligence models, now incorporating media uploaded by users across several of its primary search-related services.
The policy change, Engadget reported Monday (July 6), was implemented without much public fanfare and allows the technology giant to use images, audio, video and other files submitted through tools such as Google Lens and Google Translate.
Google’s move highlights the demand for high-quality datasets as generative AI developers confront a scarcity of fresh information to feed their large language models.
Under the updated terms, any photo uploaded to Google Lens for visual identification or audio captured during a voice-activated search may be harvested for training purposes. The data collection also extends to any files processed through Google Translate, encompassing “images, files and audio and video recordings,” according to the report.
For professionals in the digital economy and banking sectors concerned with data privacy or corporate security, it is notable that users are automatically opted into this training program. Engadget, citing earlier findings by TechCrunch, notes that the current policy is restricted to search-related products; personal repositories such as Google Photos are currently excluded from this specific training data sweep.
As generative AI seeks new data sources, Google has provided a manual mechanism for users to restrict their data from being used in this manner. To opt out, users must navigate to their dedicated Search Services History page to uncheck the “Save Media” box. Additionally, users are advised to review their Search Services Personalization settings to ensure no further media is being retained for AI training.
For those seeking to limit their interaction with Google’s AI outputs entirely, the report also highlights a technical workaround: appending “-AI” to a search query will effectively remove AI-generated overview results from the interface.
The shift underscores a broader trend among Big Tech firms seeking to leverage proprietary user interactions to maintain a competitive edge in the AI race, even as questions regarding user permission and data ownership persist. Google itself highlighted this trend earlier this year, when the company pressured news organizations to allow its AI to train on their articles or risk losing the annual payment for being featured in Google News.
Alphabet (GOOGL - Free Report) ended the recent trading session at $366.46, demonstrating a +1.82% change from the preceding day's closing price. This change outpaced the S&P 500's 0.72% gain on the day. On the other hand, the Dow registered a gain of 0.3%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq increased by 1.12%.
The internet search leader's stock has dropped by 2.34% in the past month, exceeding the Computer and Technology sector's loss of 6.12% and lagging the S&P 500's loss of 0.9%.
Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance of Alphabet in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company is predicted to post an EPS of $2.86, indicating a 23.81% growth compared to the equivalent quarter last year. Meanwhile, our latest consensus estimate is calling for revenue of $101.22 billion, up 23.86% from the prior-year quarter.
For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $14.32 per share and revenue of $423.63 billion, which would represent changes of +32.47% and +23.54%, respectively, from the prior year.
Any recent changes to analyst estimates for Alphabet should also be noted by investors. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. Hence, positive alterations in estimates signify analyst optimism regarding the business and profitability.
Our research reveals that these estimate alterations are directly linked with the stock price performance in the near future. To take advantage of this, we've established the Zacks Rank, an exclusive model that considers these estimated changes and delivers an operational rating system.
Ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), the Zacks Rank system has a proven, outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks returning an average of +25% annually since 1988. Within the past 30 days, our consensus EPS projection has moved 0.18% higher. Alphabet is holding a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) right now.
In terms of valuation, Alphabet is presently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 25.13. For comparison, its industry has an average Forward P/E of 15.37, which means Alphabet is trading at a premium to the group.
Also, we should mention that GOOGL has a PEG ratio of 1.54. Comparable to the widely accepted P/E ratio, the PEG ratio also accounts for the company's projected earnings growth. Internet - Services stocks are, on average, holding a PEG ratio of 1.6 based on yesterday's closing prices.
The Internet - Services industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 107, which puts it in the top 44% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Don't forget to use Zacks.com to keep track of all these stock-moving metrics, and others, in the upcoming trading sessions.
Anthropic and OpenAI are preparing for their initial public offerings (IPOs). Both companies filed confidentially with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to make sure everything was in order, but are waiting to go public with the details. OpenAI is reportedly considering waiting until 2027, but Anthropic, which has made huge product advances in 2026, could come to market sooner.
Anthropic's last equity raise in May valued the company at $965 billion, surpassing OpenAI's most recent valuation of $852 billion back in March. The AI company reported a $47 billion revenue run rate, driven by the success of its Claude Code agent and its various iterations and implementations. Indeed, Anthropic has seen massive market share gains in business adoption of its models since the start of 2025, according to data from business fintech Ramp.
Investors looking to get a stake in the business before its public debut have a few options as they wait for more details on when the AI stock will be available for direct purchase.
Image source: Getty Images.
Buy a fund that holds shares There are a few publicly traded closed-end funds with shares of Anthropic.
The Destiny Tech100 (DXYZ +2.66%) launched in 2024 with the aim of building a 100-company portfolio of the top venture-backed private technology companies. As of the end of the first quarter, the portfolio held 36 companies, and Anthropic was its largest holding, accounting for 18% of its net asset value. Given the massive increase in its value since the end of March in its last equity raise, the Anthropic stake could now account for an even greater portion of the portfolio.
Other key holdings in the Destiny Tech100 portfolio include exposures to Space Exploration Technologies (SPCX 0.99%), known as SpaceX, and OpenAI. The fund may continue to hold its SpaceX investment, even though SpaceX stock now trades publicly. However, it could have the opportunity to liquidate its assets and reinvest in more pre-IPO companies over the next year.
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Another option is Ark Invests' Ark Venture Fund. The closed-end fund aims to invest in 25 to 50 public and private companies that are creating "disruptive innovation." Its top holding is SpaceX, but 6.33% of its portfolio is invested in OpenAI, and 4.6% is invested in Anthropic as of the end of June.
There are some downsides to investing in a closed-end fund investing in private companies. First of all, these funds charge high fees. Destiny charges 2.5%, and Ark charges a net fee of 2.9%. Those fees can eat into returns. The second downside is that it's hard to know the value of what you're buying. While a large business like Anthropic will provide periodic updates on its progress despite no legal requirement to do so, finding those details for smaller start-ups isn't so easy. That makes these investments significantly more volatile. The Ark Venture Fund also offers limited redemption and exchange options and can only be bought on certain platforms, which adds liquidity risk.
Buy some of Anthropic's largest shareholders and partners Another option for investors seeking slightly more transparency and lower fees is to invest in publicly traded companies with substantial stakes in Anthropic.
Amazon (AMZN +0.61%) made a $4 billion investment in Anthropic in 2023, bringing the AI lab's development to its cloud computing platform Amazon Web Services (AWS). It added another $4 billion in 2024 and $5 billion more earlier this year, with the potential to invest up to $20 billion later.
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As of March 31, before its most recent investment, Amazon said its stake in Anthropic was worth about $74 billion. That stake could be worth much more at this point after the most recent funding round increased Anthropic's valuation by roughly 2.5 times. If Amazon's stake is worth about $200 billion, that's roughly 7.5% of the company's current market cap.
Plus, investors gain exposure to additional upside from Anthropic's relationship with Amazon's cloud computing business, which is bolstering its AI services and custom chip business. That includes a $100 billion commitment to spend on AWS over the next decade.
Alphabet (GOOG +2.44%) (GOOGL +1.87%) is another big investor in Anthropic. It also started investing in 2023, committing about $3 billion total through 2025. It added $10 billion earlier this year with the potential to add $30 billion more. Alphabet is limited to owning no more than 15% of Anthropic, and its current investments appear to push it right up against that limit.
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At a 14% stake in the business, Alphabet's Anthropic shares are worth about $135 billion, about 3% of Alphabet's total value. It's also worth noting that Alphabet has a significant stake in SpaceX. Anthropic has also made a huge $200 billion commitment to spend on Google Cloud over the next five years, and it could be a major customer for the company's custom AI accelerator, the tensor processing unit (TPU).
Both publicly traded tech giants offer compelling ways to gain exposure to Anthropic while buying stellar core businesses at good values, given today's stock prices.
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD +6.74%) has been a fantastic stock to own in 2026. It's up around 142% so far this year, easily outpacing the 4.5% growth put up by Nvidia, which it's commonly compared to.
This rise has brought it close to a $1 trillion valuation, currently around $850 billion. That means it only needs to rise about 18% more, which doesn't seem like a whole lot after the year that it has had so far.
So, will AMD get into the $1 trillion club before 2026 is over? Let's take a look.
Image source: The Motley Fool.
Not all of the run-up has come from its business success AMD is a bit more diversified than its counterpart Nvidia. While nearly all of the latter's business comes from data center sales, AMD's data center segment accounts for about half.
The company also has an embedded process division and exposure to the consumer market through its Client & Gaming division. However, neither of these is putting up the growth that the data center division is. In the first quarter, data center revenue was up 57% year over year, while Client & Gaming rose 23%.
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Those are strong figures, but I wouldn't project a stock to rise 142% in half a year based on those figures alone. Net income rose 45% year over year in the first quarter, slightly more than its 38% overall revenue increase, indicating expanding margins. Once again, that's not exactly what I would expect from a company with a skyrocketing stock like AMD's.
The last item to check is whether the stock was undervalued at the start of the year. AMD spends a lot of time in Nvidia's shadow, and it's easy to overlook. However, it also spends a lot of time valued at a higher premium than Nvidia, and now trades for more than triple its price a year ago.
Data by YCharts; P/E = price to earnings.
That seems a bit odd to me, since Nvidia is growing much faster and expects to continue doing so. So, will AMD be a $1 trillion company by the end of 2026? I'd say maybe. It depends on how irrational the market wants to get with AMD's stock.
But I don't think it's the best artificial intelligence (AI) stock to buy, since the run-up has already occurred, and now it must grow into its lofty valuation. In the meantime, countless AI stocks are trading for reasonable price tags (like Nvidia) that make for far better investments than AMD.
Netflix (NFLX - Free Report) closed at $76.05 in the latest trading session, marking a -2.06% move from the prior day. The stock's performance was behind the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.72%. Elsewhere, the Dow gained 0.3%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq added 1.12%.
Shares of the internet video service have depreciated by 5.51% over the course of the past month, underperforming the Consumer Discretionary sector's gain of 2.31%, and the S&P 500's loss of 0.9%.
Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance of Netflix in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company's earnings report is set to be unveiled on July 16, 2026. The company is forecasted to report an EPS of $0.79, showcasing a 9.72% upward movement from the corresponding quarter of the prior year. Meanwhile, the latest consensus estimate predicts the revenue to be $12.57 billion, indicating a 13.48% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year.
For the annual period, the Zacks Consensus Estimates anticipate earnings of $3.6 per share and a revenue of $51.41 billion, signifying shifts of +42.29% and +13.77%, respectively, from the last year.
It is also important to note the recent changes to analyst estimates for Netflix. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. With this in mind, we can consider positive estimate revisions a sign of optimism about the business outlook.
Research indicates that these estimate revisions are directly correlated with near-term share price momentum. We developed the Zacks Rank to capitalize on this phenomenon. Our system takes these estimate changes into account and delivers a clear, actionable rating model.
The Zacks Rank system, which varies between #1 (Strong Buy) and #5 (Strong Sell), carries an impressive track record of exceeding expectations, confirmed by external audits, with stocks at #1 delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Within the past 30 days, our consensus EPS projection remained stagnant. Right now, Netflix possesses a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
In terms of valuation, Netflix is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 21.58. This valuation marks a premium compared to its industry average Forward P/E of 13.93.
Also, we should mention that NFLX has a PEG ratio of 0.99. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. The average PEG ratio for the Broadcast Radio and Television industry stood at 1.14 at the close of the market yesterday.
The Broadcast Radio and Television industry is part of the Consumer Discretionary sector. At present, this industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 170, placing it within the bottom 31% of over 250 industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Don't forget to use Zacks.com to keep track of all these stock-moving metrics, and others, in the upcoming trading sessions.
MasterCard (MA - Free Report) closed at $533.10 in the latest trading session, marking a -1.17% move from the prior day. This move lagged the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.72%. Elsewhere, the Dow saw an upswing of 0.3%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq appreciated by 1.12%.
The processor of debit and credit card payments's shares have seen an increase of 9.84% over the last month, surpassing the Business Services sector's gain of 5.48% and the S&P 500's loss of 0.9%.
The investment community will be paying close attention to the earnings performance of MasterCard in its upcoming release. In that report, analysts expect MasterCard to post earnings of $4.75 per share. This would mark year-over-year growth of 14.46%. Meanwhile, the latest consensus estimate predicts the revenue to be $9.06 billion, indicating a 11.45% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year.
MA's full-year Zacks Consensus Estimates are calling for earnings of $19.61 per share and revenue of $37 billion. These results would represent year-over-year changes of +15.29% and +12.85%, respectively.
Investors should also take note of any recent adjustments to analyst estimates for MasterCard. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. As a result, we can interpret positive estimate revisions as a good sign for the business outlook.
Based on our research, we believe these estimate revisions are directly related to near-term stock moves. To capitalize on this, we've crafted the Zacks Rank, a unique model that incorporates these estimate changes and offers a practical rating system.
Ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), the Zacks Rank system has a proven, outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks returning an average of +25% annually since 1988. The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.08% higher within the past month. MasterCard is holding a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now.
Digging into valuation, MasterCard currently has a Forward P/E ratio of 27.5. For comparison, its industry has an average Forward P/E of 11.1, which means MasterCard is trading at a premium to the group.
Investors should also note that MA has a PEG ratio of 1.68 right now. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. Financial Transaction Services stocks are, on average, holding a PEG ratio of 0.83 based on yesterday's closing prices.
The Financial Transaction Services industry is part of the Business Services sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 50, putting it in the top 21% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the strength of our separate industry groups by calculating the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks contained within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Be sure to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and many more, on Zacks.com.
BENTONVILLE, Ark.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--This summer, Walmart and Sam's Club are helping customers and members save more with thousands of lower prices through Walmart's signature Rollbacks and Sam's Club offers across stores and clubs nationwide. From backyard barbecues and family vacations to pool days and neighborhood gatherings, the savings are designed to help customers and members make the most of the season while spending less on the products they need, want and love most. Customers can expec.
Trump says Walmart will lower prices after White House request By You're currently following this author! Want to unfollow? Unsubscribe via the link in your email.
Donald Trump said Walmart cut prices on a selection of products, including ground beef, for the US's 250th anniversary. Scott Olson/Getty Images President Donald Trump said Monday that Walmart has agreed to lower prices on a range of products after a request from his administration tied to the nation's 250th anniversary celebrations.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Walmart would reduce the price of a pound of ground beef by "almost" 15%. He did not provide details on when the discounts would begin or which other products would be included.
"This is a huge deal for the many millions of Americans who, smartly, shop at Walmart," Trump wrote. He called the retailer "a truly patriotic Company who loves the U.S.A."
Walmart confirmed after Trump's post that it was lowering prices. The company's press release did not mention Trump or the White House; in a possible nod to the anniversary, it said it will make price cuts across "250 items."
It was the second time on Monday that the president promoted a specific company. "Go out and buy a Dell computer," he said at the White House on Monday morning, as he highlighted Michael and Susan Dell's $6.25 billion donation to Trump Accounts. The comments raise questions about how much politics is influencing business decisions.
Walmart declined to comment on whether the sales are the result of a meeting with the White House. A person familiar with the issue told Business Insider that some of the price reductions were rolled out last week.
Here is a list of products that will have lower prices, according to Walmart's statement:
1 lb. 73% Ground Beef Roll, Fresh ($5.94, was $6.74)Fresh Sweet Corn on the Cobb ($0.25 each, was $0.68)Fresh Red Cherries 2.25 lb. bag ($5.63, was $11.18)Great Value Ice Cream 48 fl. oz ($2.50, was $2.97)Lay's Classic Potato Chips 8 oz bag ($2.50, was $2.97)Frito-Lay Family Fun Variety Pack, 18-count ($8.97, was $9.97)Great Value Disposable Paper Plates, 200-count ($8.97, was $9.97)Coca-Cola, Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar 24-packs ($9.97, was $14.97)Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Dr. Pepper and Diet Mountain Dew 24-packs ($9.97, was $13.97)"This summer, we're making even more investments in price, with thousands of Rollbacks across the products customers are shopping for most including beef, fresh produce and beverages, grills, pools, toys and summer fashion apparel," Julie Barber, Walmart's Executive Vice President and Chief Merchant US, said in the statement.
The price cuts will also extend to Sam's Club, according to Walmart's statement.
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Katherine Li You're currently following this author! Want to unfollow? Unsubscribe via the link in your email.
Walmart (WMT - Free Report) closed at $110.65 in the latest trading session, marking a -1.06% move from the prior day. The stock's change was less than the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.72%. On the other hand, the Dow registered a gain of 0.3%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq increased by 1.12%.
Heading into today, shares of the world's largest retailer had lost 5.92% over the past month, lagging the Retail-Wholesale sector's loss of 0.64% and the S&P 500's loss of 0.9%.
Market participants will be closely following the financial results of Walmart in its upcoming release. The company plans to announce its earnings on August 20, 2026. It is anticipated that the company will report an EPS of $0.74, marking a 8.82% rise compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $186.4 billion, up 5.07% from the year-ago period.
For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $2.89 per share and revenue of $750 billion, which would represent changes of +9.47% and +5.17%, respectively, from the prior year.
Investors might also notice recent changes to analyst estimates for Walmart. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. Hence, positive alterations in estimates signify analyst optimism regarding the business and profitability.
Based on our research, we believe these estimate revisions are directly related to near-term stock moves. To benefit from this, we have developed the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model which takes these estimate changes into account and provides an actionable rating system.
Ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), the Zacks Rank system has a proven, outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks returning an average of +25% annually since 1988. The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.11% higher within the past month. Walmart is holding a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now.
With respect to valuation, Walmart is currently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 38.72. This signifies a premium in comparison to the average Forward P/E of 13.96 for its industry.
Also, we should mention that WMT has a PEG ratio of 4.17. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. As the market closed yesterday, the Retail - Supermarkets industry was having an average PEG ratio of 1.91.
The Retail - Supermarkets industry is part of the Retail-Wholesale sector. Currently, this industry holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 198, positioning it in the bottom 20% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
To follow WMT in the coming trading sessions, be sure to utilize Zacks.com.
HomeIndustriesRetail/WholesaleThe president hasn’t always approved of Walmart’s moves, having criticized the chain’s response to tariffs last yearJuly 6, 2026, 7:27 p.m. ET
President Donald Trump on Monday said Walmart would cut prices for ground beef and other items, saying the move was made in response to a “request” from his administration and calling the retailer “patriotic” for doing so.
A separate price-cut announcement from the big-box chain on Monday did not mention the government. The prices announced in that release went into effect last week, a company representative said.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is adding a new operations chief at a moment when the agency is trying to move faster on crypto, market structure and investor protection.
The Securities and Exchange Commission said Monday (July 6) that Paul Knight has been named chief operating officer, putting a former SEC official and JPMorgan Chase executive in charge of the agency’s operational and administrative machinery.
As COO, Knight will oversee a wide range of internal offices, including human resources, acquisitions, financial management, the EDGAR Business Office, the chief data officer, the chief risk officer and support operations, which include FOIA, records management and facilities management.
That may sound like back-office work. It is also the plumbing that determines how quickly a regulator can execute. For banks, FinTechs, payments companies and crypto firms, the appointment comes as the SEC is signaling a more active role in defining the rules for digital markets.
Knight joins the SEC from JPMorgan Chase, where he most recently worked as principal lead for driving growth across U.S. lines of business. Before that, he managed the program office for Chase Bank’s expansion into 25 new states. He also served at the Treasury Department from 2012 to 2014 and previously worked at the SEC from 2008 to 2012, including as interim managing executive for the Division of Economic and Risk Analysis.
“It’s an honor to come back and join the professional staff at the SEC as we support the work of the Commission,” Knight said in the release.
Knight’s appointment follows a stretch of SEC activity closely watched by the payments and digital asset sectors. PYMNTS recently reported that SEC Chairman Paul Atkins urged clearer rules for on-chain trading and encouraged Congress to pass the CLARITY Act. PYMNTS also covered the SEC’s position that certain crypto interfaces can operate without broker-dealer registration, a development that could affect how wallets, trading tools and crypto platforms interact with users.
The agency has also been moving on stablecoins. PYMNTS reported that new SEC guidance pushed stablecoins closer to cash-like treatment in some broker-dealer contexts, while noting that the guidance was narrow and did not eliminate liquidity, custody or operational risk. Earlier coverage also noted that the SEC and Commodity Futures Trading Commission had provided more clarity around their respective roles in crypto oversight.
Fiserv logo is seen in this illustration taken March 26, 2026. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
July 6 (Reuters) - U.S. banks including JPMorgan (JPM.N), opens new tab and Bank of America (BAC.N), opens new tab have in recent months held preliminary discussions about a deal to acquire a network owned by the financial-technology company Fiserv (FISV.O), opens new tab, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing sources.
The report sent Fiserv's shares up 4.3% in after-hours trading.
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Reuters could not immediately verify the report.
Reporting by Natalia Bueno Rebolledo in Mexico City; Editing by Maju Samuel
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