Ripple spent $1.25 billion to buy a prime broker that clears trillions of dollars a year, then wired it into the XRP Ledger and RLUSD. Here is what a prime broker actually does, what Ripple Prime offers, and whether any of it reaches XRP.
Summary
Ripple Prime is Ripple’s institutional prime brokerage arm, built from its $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road, offering clearing, financing, and trading across digital assets, foreign exchange, derivatives, swaps, and fixed income. A prime broker is the plumbing behind professional trading: it gives hedge funds and trading firms one account for execution, clearing, settlement, financing, and custody, with cross-margining that improves capital efficiency. The acquisition made Ripple the first crypto company to own and operate a global, multi-asset prime broker, and the business has grown roughly threefold since the deal was announced. Ripple has wired its own products into the platform: RLUSD is used as collateral, some derivatives clients hold balances in it, and Ripple plans to move post-trade activity onto the XRP Ledger. For XRP the token, the benefit is indirect and unproven, because Ripple Prime is institutional infrastructure, not a retail venue, and the token has not tracked the platform’s growth. Table of Contents
First, what is a prime broker?From Hidden Road to Ripple Prime: the $1.25 billion dealWhat Ripple Prime actually doesRLUSD as collateral: the cross-margining hookThe XRP Ledger connectionWhy Ripple Prime matters for cryptoDoes Ripple Prime actually help XRP?The risks and open questions for Ripple PrimeFrequently Asked Questions Ripple Prime is Ripple’s institutional prime brokerage platform, a one-stop service that lets large trading firms clear, finance, and trade across both traditional and digital assets through a single account. It exists because in 2025 Ripple paid $1.25 billion to acquire Hidden Road, one of the largest non-bank prime brokers in the world, and rebranded it. That deal turned Ripple from a payments and stablecoin company into an operator of the kind of core market infrastructure that hedge funds and banks have relied on for decades. This explainer covers what a prime broker is, how Ripple Prime works, how Ripple has connected it to RLUSD and the XRP Ledger, and the honest answer to the question every XRP holder asks: does it help the token?
First, what is a prime broker? Before Ripple Prime makes sense, the underlying concept has to. A prime broker is a firm that sits behind professional trading operations and bundles together the services those operations need to function. In traditional finance, a hedge fund does not open a separate relationship with every exchange, lender, and custodian it uses. Instead it routes much of that activity through a prime broker, which provides trade execution and access to markets, clearing and settlement of those trades, financing and securities lending so the fund can use leverage, and custody of the assets. The prime broker becomes the single hub through which capital and positions flow.
The reason this matters is capital efficiency. A prime broker can look at all of a client’s positions together and net them, so the client posts collateral against the combined risk of the book instead of against each trade in isolation. This is called cross-margining, and it frees up capital that would otherwise sit idle backing individual positions. A fund running many strategies at once can therefore do more with the same balance sheet. Prime brokers also extend credit, letting clients borrow to amplify positions, and manage the risk of that credit in real time.
In short, prime brokers are the professional-grade infrastructure that makes large-scale, multi-strategy trading possible. They bring credibility, credit, and operational scale, the things institutions expect from legacy finance. For years, crypto largely lacked a prime broker of this caliber, which was one reason big institutions hesitated to trade digital assets at scale. Filling that gap is exactly what Ripple set out to do.
Ripple did not build a prime broker from scratch. It bought one. In April 2025, at Paris Blockchain Week, Ripple announced an agreement to acquire Hidden Road for $1.25 billion, one of the largest deals the digital-asset industry had seen. Hidden Road was a fast-growing non-bank prime broker that cleared roughly $3 trillion a year across markets and served more than 300 institutional clients, including hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, and major liquidity providers. Ripple had been an investor in Hidden Road and a customer of its platform, so it knew the business from the inside before buying it.
The acquisition closed in October 2025, and Hidden Road was immediately rebranded as Ripple Prime. The move made Ripple the first crypto company to own and operate a global, multi-asset prime broker, giving it a financing and clearing engine of a type that had previously belonged only to traditional financial firms. Ripple committed to inject significant capital into the business to expand its capacity, and by its own account the platform grew roughly threefold in activity between the announcement and the close. Hidden Road founder Marc Asch stayed on to work alongside Ripple leadership through the integration.
The strategic logic was that core infrastructure is what unlocks the next phase of institutional crypto adoption. Payments and custody move value and store it, but a prime broker is where institutions actually trade and finance positions at scale. By owning one, Ripple positioned itself to sit at the center of institutional digital-asset activity instead of at the edges, and to bring its own assets, XRP and the RLUSD stablecoin, into that flow.
What Ripple Prime actually does Ripple Prime offers the full prime-brokerage stack across an unusually broad range of markets. Its services span clearing, prime brokerage, and financing across foreign exchange, digital assets, precious metals, exchange-traded derivatives, over-the-counter swaps, and fixed income repo. Clients can access markets through over-the-counter desks, sponsored access, and direct market access, with real-time risk management, cross-margining across their positions, and risk-based margin financing. That breadth is the point: an institution can manage exposures across traditional and digital assets from one platform instead of stitching together many providers.
In November 2025, shortly after the deal closed, Ripple launched digital-asset spot prime brokerage for the United States market under the Ripple Prime brand. This let US-based institutional clients execute over-the-counter spot transactions across dozens of major digital assets, including XRP and RLUSD, and cross-margin those spot positions alongside swaps and exchange-listed futures and options. It combined Ripple’s regulatory licenses with Hidden Road’s prime-brokerage infrastructure into a single US offering, complementing the derivatives services the platform already ran.
The platform has kept adding connectivity. Ripple Prime enabled support for Hyperliquid, a high-performance decentralized derivatives protocol, letting institutional clients reach on-chain derivatives liquidity while cross-margining their decentralized-finance exposure against all other asset classes on the platform. That combination, a regulated institutional prime broker reaching directly into on-chain markets, is a concrete example of the bridge between traditional finance and decentralized finance that Ripple describes as its goal.
RLUSD as collateral: the cross-margining hook One of the most important features of Ripple Prime is how it uses RLUSD, Ripple’s dollar-backed stablecoin. RLUSD is being used as collateral across a range of prime-brokerage products, and Ripple has positioned it as the first stablecoin to enable efficient cross-margining between digital assets and traditional markets. In practice, an institution can post RLUSD as margin and have it recognized across both its crypto and its traditional exposures, which is exactly the kind of capital efficiency prime brokers exist to provide.
Adoption of this feature has been concrete instead of theoretical. Some derivatives customers have chosen to hold their balances in RLUSD, and Ripple expects that to grow. RLUSD has been approved as margin collateral on the OKX exchange across more than 280 trading pairs, and Ripple Prime clients can trade Bitcoin options on the Bullish exchange using RLUSD as collateral. To support the stablecoin’s institutional credibility, Bank of New York Mellon serves as the primary reserve custodian of RLUSD, a signal aimed squarely at the compliance expectations of large institutions.
The reason this matters is that it gives RLUSD a real institutional job to do. Many stablecoins circulate mostly among crypto traders; RLUSD, through Ripple Prime, is being embedded into the margin and settlement plumbing that professional firms use. That is a more durable form of demand than speculative trading, because it ties the stablecoin to the operational needs of institutions rather than to market sentiment. It is also the clearest way that Ripple Prime strengthens one of Ripple’s own products, as distinct from the broader industry.
The XRP Ledger connection Ripple has also linked Ripple Prime to the XRP Ledger, the blockchain whose native asset is XRP. The plan Ripple has described is to migrate parts of Hidden Road’s post-trade activity, the clearing and settlement that happens after a trade is agreed, onto the XRP Ledger. The goal is to streamline settlement and lower operational costs, while showcasing the ledger as institutional-grade infrastructure for decentralized finance. If that migration proceeds at scale, real institutional settlement volume would run across the XRP Ledger.
That connection took a further step through traditional clearing infrastructure. Ripple Prime, still listed under the Hidden Road name in the relevant notice, was integrated into the participant directory of the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation’s National Securities Clearing Corporation, the backbone of US securities clearing. Ripple’s chief technology officer at the time flagged the development as significant, because it connects a crypto-owned prime broker to the same clearing rails that settle Wall Street’s equity trades. Ripple Prime also received an investment-grade rating from Kroll in April 2026, a distinction Ripple says no other crypto-affiliated prime broker holds, which opens the door to conservative institutions such as pension funds, banks, and insurers.
Taken together, these moves position the XRP Ledger and RLUSD as pieces of institutional market infrastructure instead of purely retail crypto assets. The migration of post-trade activity, the DTCC connection, and the investment-grade rating are all steps toward embedding Ripple’s technology into the machinery of regulated finance. Whether that machinery ends up generating meaningful demand for XRP the token is a separate question, and an important one.
Why Ripple Prime matters for crypto Zooming out, Ripple Prime matters because it imports a missing layer of financial infrastructure into digital assets. Crypto has never lacked exchanges or wallets, but it has lacked a large, credible, multi-asset prime broker of the kind institutions take for granted in traditional markets. By acquiring one that already cleared trillions of dollars a year and serving 300-plus institutional clients, Ripple gave the industry a bridge between the way hedge funds and banks already operate and the way digital assets trade and settle.
For Ripple itself, the deal marked a transformation. The company had been known primarily for cross-border payments and, more recently, for its RLUSD stablecoin and custody services. Ripple Prime added institutional trading and financing to that stack, so Ripple now spans payments, custody, a stablecoin, and a prime broker. That makes it one of the more vertically integrated firms in crypto, able to offer institutions a connected suite instead of a single product. It also gives Ripple multiple ways to weave XRP and RLUSD into institutional workflows.
The broader significance is about legitimacy. Institutional adoption of digital assets has been held back partly by the absence of familiar, trusted infrastructure. A prime broker with an investment-grade rating, a connection to DTCC clearing, and bank-grade custody speaks the language institutions understand. If Ripple Prime succeeds, it lowers a real barrier to large-scale institutional participation in crypto, which is a meaningful development regardless of what happens to any single token’s price.
Does Ripple Prime actually help XRP? Here is the question that matters most to XRP holders, and it deserves a straight answer instead of a hopeful one. The connection between Ripple Prime and XRP is infrastructure-driven, not retail-facing. Ripple Prime is a service for institutions; it does not change how ordinary users buy or trade XRP, which still happens on exchanges. The potential benefit to XRP is indirect: if institutional settlement volume grows on the XRP Ledger through Ripple Prime, that could raise network usage, and XRP, as the ledger’s native asset used for transaction fees and liquidity, might see more demand over time.
The trouble is that this benefit has not shown up in the token’s price. Over the year following the acquisition, Ripple Prime delivered on its roadmap, earning an investment-grade rating, launching US spot prime brokerage, and integrating RLUSD as collateral, while XRP fell rather than rose. The token dropped sharply even as the platform executed, which underlines a recurring pattern with Ripple news: the company’s commercial progress and the token’s price are only loosely connected. Much of the value Ripple Prime creates accrues to Ripple the company, to RLUSD, and to the institutions using the platform, not automatically to XRP.
That does not mean Ripple Prime is irrelevant to XRP. The post-trade migration to the XRP Ledger, if it reaches scale, is a genuine potential channel of demand, and a maturing institutional ecosystem around the ledger could matter over a long horizon. But the honest framing is that Ripple Prime is a strong development for Ripple and its institutional ambitions, an indirect and unproven one for XRP, and no substitute for the broad demand that actually moves the token. As with most Ripple news, the wise approach is to separate the company’s execution from the token’s price and to watch for real ledger usage rather than announcements.
The risks and open questions for Ripple Prime For all its promise, Ripple Prime is not a finished story, and a balanced view has to weigh what could go wrong or fail to materialize. The first question is integration. Merging a large prime broker into a crypto company is complex, and the value of the deal depends on combining Hidden Road’s infrastructure and client relationships with Ripple’s licenses, custody, and stablecoin without friction. Integrations of this size take time, and the benefits Ripple describes assume the two businesses knit together smoothly.
Prime brokerage itself carries inherent risks that Ripple now owns. A prime broker extends credit and holds client assets, which means it takes on counterparty and credit risk: if a large client fails or a market move is violent enough, the broker can be exposed. Managing that risk in real time is the core discipline of the business, and it is why prime brokers live or die on their risk engines and capital buffers. The business is also cyclical, tied to trading volumes and market conditions that rise and fall, so revenue is not guaranteed to grow in a straight line.
Competition is intensifying as well. Other crypto-native firms and incumbent traditional players are building or expanding their own institutional prime services, so Ripple Prime has to win and keep clients in a crowded field. Its differentiators, an investment-grade rating, a connection to traditional clearing, and the integration of RLUSD, are meaningful, but competitors will not stand still, and institutions can multi-home across several prime brokers.
The largest open question for XRP holders specifically is execution on the XRP Ledger. Ripple has said it plans to migrate post-trade activity onto the ledger, but plans and delivery are different things. The scale, timing, and real economic impact of that migration remain to be seen, and much of the token-level thesis rests on it actually happening at volume. Until the ledger is carrying meaningful institutional settlement, the connection between Ripple Prime’s growth and XRP demand stays more potential than proven. None of this makes Ripple Prime a weak business; it makes it a young one whose full impact, on Ripple and on XRP, will be judged over years, not announcements.
Frequently Asked Questions What is Ripple Prime in simple terms? Ripple Prime is Ripple’s institutional prime brokerage platform. It gives large trading firms and institutions a single service for clearing, financing, and trading across digital assets, foreign exchange, derivatives, swaps, and fixed income. It was created when Ripple acquired the prime broker Hidden Road for $1.25 billion in 2025 and rebranded it. It is built for professional institutions, not retail traders.
What is a prime broker? A prime broker is a firm that bundles the services professional traders need into one relationship: trade execution and market access, clearing and settlement, financing and lending for leverage, and custody. Its key advantage is cross-margining, which lets a client post collateral against the combined risk of all their positions instead of each trade separately, freeing up capital and improving efficiency.
How much did Ripple pay for Hidden Road? Ripple agreed to acquire Hidden Road for $1.25 billion, announced in April 2025 and closed in October 2025. Hidden Road was a non-bank prime broker that cleared roughly $3 trillion a year across markets and served more than 300 institutional clients. After closing, Ripple rebranded it as Ripple Prime, becoming the first crypto company to own and operate a global, multi-asset prime broker.
How does Ripple Prime use RLUSD? RLUSD, Ripple’s dollar-backed stablecoin, is used as collateral across Ripple Prime’s products, positioned as the first stablecoin to enable cross-margining between digital assets and traditional markets. Some derivatives clients hold balances in RLUSD, it is approved as margin collateral on OKX across 280-plus pairs, and Ripple Prime clients can trade Bitcoin options on Bullish using RLUSD. Bank of New York Mellon is its primary reserve custodian.
Does Ripple Prime run on the XRP Ledger? Not entirely, but Ripple plans to migrate parts of the platform’s post-trade activity, its clearing and settlement, onto the XRP Ledger to lower costs and showcase the ledger for institutional use. Ripple Prime has also been integrated into the DTCC’s securities clearing directory and received an investment-grade rating from Kroll, steps that position the ledger and RLUSD within regulated financial infrastructure.
Is Ripple Prime good for the XRP price? The benefit to XRP is indirect and, so far, unproven. Ripple Prime is institutional infrastructure, not a retail venue, so it does not change how people trade XRP. If settlement volume grows on the XRP Ledger through the platform, XRP demand could rise over time. But XRP fell during the year Ripple Prime executed its roadmap, showing how loosely Ripple’s progress and the token’s price are connected.
How is Ripple Prime different from a crypto exchange? An exchange is a venue where users, including retail traders, buy and sell assets directly. A prime broker sits behind professional institutions, providing credit, clearing, settlement, custody, and cross-margining across many venues and asset classes. Ripple Prime serves hedge funds, trading firms, and other institutions with portfolio-level financing and risk management, not everyday retail trading. The two operate at different layers of the market.
Why does Ripple Prime matter for crypto? It imports a missing layer of financial infrastructure into digital assets. Institutions rely on prime brokers in traditional markets, and crypto had lacked a large, credible one. By acquiring Hidden Road, Ripple gave the industry an investment-grade prime broker connected to traditional clearing rails and bank-grade custody, lowering a real barrier to institutional participation and transforming Ripple into a firm spanning payments, custody, a stablecoin, and prime brokerage.
Disclaimer: This article is for information and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or trading advice. Details of Ripple Prime’s services and integrations may change over time. Nothing here is a recommendation to buy or sell any asset. Always do your own research and consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions. Information is accurate as of July 2, 2026, and may change.
Cover image via depositphotos.com Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by our writers are their own and do not represent the views of U.Today. The financial and market information provided on U.Today is intended for informational purposes only. U.Today is not liable for any financial losses incurred while trading cryptocurrencies. Conduct your own research by contacting financial experts before making any investment decisions. We believe that all content is accurate as of the date of publication, but certain offers mentioned may no longer be available.
A mass liquidation of short positions has taken place on the cryptocurrency market. XRP’s long lull in the $1.02 to $1.06 range pushed bears to open large leveraged trades, but a sharp upward price impulse completely destroyed their plans.
The surge in activity amid the broader market rally led to the forced closure of margin positions worth more than $634 million across the entire crypto market over the past 24 hours. Against this backdrop, a strong imbalance emerged, as the lion’s share of total market losses — around 73% — fell specifically on short sellers, according to CoinGlass.
Liquidation heatmap over the 24 hours, Source: CoinGlassWithin the XRP ecosystem, the situation was even more one-sided: bears accounted for almost 80.6% of all local losses on the coin. Despite the liquidation wave that has already passed, the main point of maximum pain for large XRP sellers still remains above current values — at $1.30953, where $5.79 million in capital is concentrated.
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The path to $1.30: XRP key levels to watch nowNevertheless, the current price surge to $1.0829 has already reduced the distance to this critical mark to 20.93%, directly matching the breakout momentum and putting short sellers within the critical 20% threshold of their ultimate max pain zone. This rapid shift was enough to trigger the first protective stop orders at intermediate levels.
Technically, the breakout of the key resistance level at $1.0525 pushed XRP asset to its current values, but overbought indicators are already signaling local overheating. This suggests that the upward impulse has temporarily exhausted itself at this point, and buyers need a pause.
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Since the first wave of liquidations has been completed, the market needs short-term consolidation. The most likely scenario for the coming hours is a slight pullback toward the previous resistance level near $1.065 for XRP, with the aim of testing it as reliable support.
If this level holds, the asset will gain a strong foothold for a further medium-term move toward its main target at $1.30953.
Ripple (XRP) grinds higher on Thursday, trading above $1.07. This comes after the remittance token tested support at $1.03 amid heavy selling pressure that has dominated the crypto market in recent weeks.
Investors are showing fresh interest in risk assets amid reports that the just-concluded talks between the United States (US) and Iran yielded “positive progress” in Doha. According to Qatari mediators, progress was made on issues related to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), and both parties agreed to continue discussions.
XRP sustains capital outflowsInstitutional interest in XRP remains on the back foot, as evidenced by a two-day bearish streak. SoSoValue data show nearly $2 million in mild outflows on Wednesday, following roughly $3 million on Tuesday. Sustained outflow suggests that risk-averse sentiment is dominant, which may cap XRP’s ongoing rebound in the short term.
XRP ETF flows | Source: SoSoValueRetail demand continues to diminish, with futures Open Interest (OI) falling to $2.29 billion on Thursday, from $2.31 billion the day before. A broader scope cements a lack of investor confidence in XRP’s short to medium-term outlook. In other words, bears are willing to pay a premium to keep shorting XRP while bulls shun opening new long positions.
XRP Futures OI | Source: CoinGlassPrice analysis: XRP builds momentum for short-term breakoutXRP trades at $1.07, extending its recovery from support testes at $1.03. Despite the upswing, the token appears to maintain a bearish near-term bias as the price remains below the key Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs). The 50-day EMA at $1.19, the 100-period EMA at $1.30 and the 200-day EMA at $1.52 all sit overhead as dynamic resistance, reinforcing the broader downside structure.
XRP also hovers beneath the Bollinger Bands' middle boundary at $1.11, while the potential trendline break area around $1.22 adds another cap on recovery attempts.
Momentum is mixed, with the Relative Strength Index (RSI) above 40 on the daily chart still below the neutral 50 line even as the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) histogram turns marginally positive, hinting at a modest improvement in short-term pressure.
XRP/USDT daily chartInitial resistance lies at the Bollinger middle band at $1.11, followed by the 50-day EMA near $1.19 and the downward trendline region around $1.22. A stronger bullish extension would need a daily close above the Bollinger upper band at $1.24 to target the 100-day EMA at $1.30, with the 200-day EMA at $1.52 acting as a more distant structural ceiling.
On the flip side, the Bollinger lower band at $0.99 stands as the next notable support likely to attract fresh interest from buyers.
(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool.)
Open Interest, funding rate FAQs Higher Open Interest is associated with higher liquidity and new capital inflow to the market. This is considered the equivalent of increase in efficiency and the ongoing trend continues. When Open Interest decreases, it is considered a sign of liquidation in the market, investors are leaving and the overall demand for an asset is on a decline, fueling a bearish sentiment among investors.
Funding fees bridge the difference between spot prices and prices of futures contracts of an asset by increasing liquidation risks faced by traders. A consistently high and positive funding rate implies there is a bullish sentiment among market participants and there is an expectation of a price hike. A consistently negative funding rate for an asset implies a bearish sentiment, indicating that traders expect the cryptocurrency’s price to fall and a bearish trend reversal is likely to occur.
Ripple’s dollar-pegged stablecoin, RLUSD, is migrating to the XRP Ledger (XRPL) at a remarkable pace, with on-chain volume surging 40-fold over the last six months alone.
Cover image via www.freepik.com
Ripple's dollar-pegged stablecoin, RLUSD, keeps migrating to the native chain of the XRP cryptocurrency (at a rather remarkable pace).
According to recent on-chain data, the volume of RLUSD circulating on the XRP Ledger has surged 40-fold over the last six months alone.
A significant majority of Ripple's stablecoin used to reside on the Ethereum blockchain, and this fact would be constantly brought up by XRP detractors to showcase the alleged lack of utility of the cryptocurrency's native chain. This trend was rather lasting, given that only 17% of all RLUSD in circulation was sitting on the XRP Ledger as recently as April.
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However, the XRPL's share of the total supply has grown dramatically over the past few months. Now, the figure has skyrocketed to as much as 52%, which gives the XRPL a majority share of the total supply for the first time.
More competition As reported by U.Today, Ripple recently joined an unprecedented coalition of more than 140 financial and technological heavyweights, of the likes of Mastercard and BlackRock, to back "Open USD," which is a new US dollar-pegged stablecoin.
The consortium positions Open USD as a shared, highly efficient utility for global payments.
However, Ripple's participation has raised some eyebrows, given that it has its own heavily regulated stablecoin.
For Ripple, participating in the highly ambitious Open USD initiative ensures the company remains at the center of global liquidity flows, but it remains to be seen how RLUSD will be able to compete with this new upstart.
According to CoinGecko data, Tether (USDT) remains the biggest stablecoin with a market cap of $184 billion.
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) could be approaching the final phase of its current bear market, with historical cycle analysis suggesting a bottom within the next few months.
Late October Bear Market LowIn a Cantor Fitzgerald report on June 30, analysts led by Gareth Gacetta highlighted that Bitcoin was 252 days past from its late-2025 peak and had declined about 51% as of June 10.
Across the previous three market cycles, Bitcoin bottomed an average of 384 days after reaching its cycle high.
If the historical pattern repeats, Cantor estimates the current bear market could reach its low around late October.
The analysts cautioned that the framework should not be viewed as a precise market-timing tool. Regulatory developments, macroeconomic conditions and geopolitical events could alter the trajectory, reported CoinDesk
However, they argued crypto markets often become self-reinforcing as investors anchor expectations around historical cycles.
Bitcoin, Ethereum Lead Preferred NetworksCantor identified Hyperliquid (CRYPTO: HYPE) as one of the strongest examples of fee-driven token economics through its buyback-and-burn model.
The bank continues to view Bitcoin as the benchmark monetary asset within digital assets, while Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) remains the dominant collateral layer supporting decentralized finance.
Image: Shutterstock
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As RLUSD continues to see growing adoption, its supply across the crypto ecosystem has also continued to expand, especially on the XRP Ledger.
Recent data shared by an XRP-focused treasury firm shows that RLUSD has crossed a major milestone on the XRP Ledger as the Ripple-issued stablecoin continues to gain traction.
RLUSD shifts to XRP LedgerNotably, the on-chain data showcased by the firm shows that more than half of RLUSD's total circulating supply is now on the network, suggesting the stablecoin is increasingly being used on the XRP Ledger.
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It revealed that about 52% of all RLUSD in circulation is now on the network, marking a substantial increase from the 17% recorded as recently as April 2025.
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While the surge suggests that RLUSD is increasingly becoming more available on the XRP Ledger, the network has become its major hub for liquidity management and trading.
Meanwhile, the case has been the opposite for Ethereum, as the data further showed that the supply of RLUSD on Ethereum has declined from its February high of around $1.24 billion to about $700 million.
While Ethereum holds the remaining 48% of the total RLUSD in circulation, it appears that XRP Ledger is rapidly outperforming Ethereum as the dominant network for RLUSD issuance.
RLUSD trading volume on XRPL soarsThe firm confirmed that the surge in RLUSD trading activity has largely contributed to XRP's network growth, rather than replacing the altcoin.
It noted that every RLUSD transaction on XRPL ultimately becomes an XRP activity, as they typically generate network fees in XRP.
This is more evident in the RLUSD/XRP trading pair, as this alone has processed about $900 million in volume over the last six months, accounting for nearly 90% of all RLUSD trading activity on the network.
Following this surge in activity, RLUSD has emerged as one of the most actively traded assets on the XRP Ledger.
Recent momentum in the XRP price has prompted a wave of optimistic technical signals, suggesting a possible shift in the market. Market commentator Crypto With Gopal has pointed to the emergence of a classic falling wedge pattern on the four-hour chart, a formation that typically raises the probability of an upward reversal.
Key short-term resistance zoneDespite a recent sequence of lower highs and lower lows, there are early signs that selling pressure within the narrowing price range is beginning to lose steam. Buyers have consistently defended the lower trendline of the wedge, signaling that accumulating interest is providing gradual support at lower levels.
At this stage, the most critical level being monitored is the upper resistance line of the falling wedge. A decisive breakout above this line, backed by robust trading volumes, could confirm the bullish reversal and pave the way for a new upward move. Conversely, if the price loses the lower trendline, it would invalidate the current technical setup.
Crypto With Gopal notes that a breakout of the falling wedge on the XRP four-hour chart, especially with significant volume, could accelerate upward momentum.
Market data also supports the potential for a short-term recovery. According to CoinCodex figures, XRP has once again moved above the closely watched psychological threshold of $1.10. Maintaining this level may help sustain buying interest and reinforce the positive price outlook, provided demand holds up. CoinCodex is a market analytics platform known for its digital asset pricing and forecasting data.
Monthly RSI indicator draws attentionFrom a longer-term perspective, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) indicator highlighted by analyst EGRAG CRYPTO has become a focal point. EGRAG CRYPTO observes that XRP’s monthly RSI has dropped into the deepest oversold territory in its history, falling below the 42, 41, and 40 marks.
Glossary: The RSI is a technical indicator that measures the speed and strength of a price move. While low values often signal weak momentum, a bottoming RSI that starts to recover can increase expectations for a trend reversal.
Although such low RSI readings are typically seen during periods of heavy selling, historical data shows that these levels often precede major price reversals once momentum turns. EGRAG CRYPTO believes the RSI is starting to flatten at these low levels, which could indicate fading bearish pressure.
EGRAG CRYPTO argues that if the monthly RSI gradually recovers to retake the 40, 42, 46.5, and 47.8 bands—and later rises above 50—it would provide strong confirmation of renewed bullish momentum.
Ripple’s long-term plans add supportThe analyst also notes that while XRP’s price could create another lower low, a contrasting higher low on the RSI would produce classic bullish divergence. This long-term signal is often associated with major market bottoms.
Beyond the charts, Ripple’s institutional ambitions continue to bolster the longer-term picture. Ripple President Monica Long reaffirmed the company’s goal to make the XRP Ledger a leading blockchain infrastructure for enterprise payments. She also emphasized the focus on accelerating global adoption of both XRP and RLUSD. Ripple operates as a US-based financial technology firm specializing in cross-border payment solutions.
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 XRP community has been warned of a fake OUSD stablecoin scam on the XRP Ledger. This comes as on the XRPL, a suspicious wallet claiming to be the new stablecoin Open USD (OUSD) has emerged. It is a cause for concern among validators, who suspect it is a scam.
XRP Ledger Validators Flag OUSD Scam On The Network GrimmReaper, who is a validator operator on the XRP Ledger, posted a screenshot of his transaction-monitoring tool on Bithomp. The snapshot shows a page name that he detected was a new issuer using the “Open Standard” name and this triggered the alert.
Moreover, they have a website linked to their account: joinopenstandard.netlify.app. They also have an XRP Ledger address that has been recently activated.
There are also several red flags on the Bithomp screenshot that typically accompany crypto scams. The ads above the account promote “Earn 12% on XRP” and “Play Slots and win 70,000 XRP” and are typical of those that attract unwary players to bogus schemes.
Sharing the image on X, GrimmReaper wrote, “We might have our answer about OUSD being on the xrpl if this is legit. What do you guys think, Krippenreiter and Vet?” He added that he runs a tool monitoring transactions received by his validator.
He explained, “I have an app that [watches] my transactions coming into my validator and [makes] it very able to watch for any issuer for a token name so this came up today.”
We might have our answer about OUSD being on the xrpl if this is legit. What do you guys think @krippenreiter and @Vet_X0 ? I have an app that watched my transactions coming into my validator and made it very able to watch for any issuer for a token name so this came up today. pic.twitter.com/tdxgl6KHsq
— GrimmReaper (@jgrimm5) July 2, 2026
However, XRPL dUNL validator Vet responded by urging the community not to trust the issuer.
“[It’s] a scam and always is a scam by default until you get people to confirm from Open USD that this is their issuer,” Vet responded. The XRP Ledger validator also said that he is a valid issuer and they should have verifiable confirmation from both parties, but here they don’t. Vet added, “We always need a 2 way pointer. Issuer address points to Project and Project points to Issuer address. This is not the case here.”
Already, the XRPL v3.2.0 upgrade is registering complaints of several bugs. Hence, such potential scams seem to be exacerbating the situation.
About The OUSD Stablecoin Launch The XRP Ledger validators’ warning comes on the heels of OUSD Stablecoin launch on June 30 by the Open Standard consortium. It boasts backing from over 140 companies, including Ripple, Visa, Mastercard, BNY, Standard Chartered, BlackRock, Google, Shopify, Coinbase and Solana.
The consortium claims that OUSD will allow businesses to mint and redeem the stablecoin without any fees or set volume limits. It also will return money generated from reserves to partners participating in the consortium with a small management fee. Moreover, it will have governance shared by each partner in the consortium.
The announcement has garnered attention in the XRP ecosystem, as Ripple is among the founding participants. This could have made OUSD a potential target for bad actors to take advantage of by using fake issuer accounts on the XRP Ledger.
Ethereum is having a tough time at the moment, with sentiment at rock bottom, but underlying supply dynamics paint a different picture.
Ethereum has a “wall of worry” where negative sentiment is meeting staking absorption, reported CryptoQuant on Tuesday.
The Coinbase Premium, a measure of institutional interest, is 230% below its three-month average, while Binance funding rates are deeply negative, signaling caution from US institutions and leveraged traders, it added.
Despite this wall of negativity, ETH’s price has stayed stable over the past week rather than breaking down.
ETH Staking Hits Record 40M Meanwhile, the Ether supply is tightening as stablecoin balances on Binance are draining while staking inflows have surged 65%, “suggesting long-term holders are locking up supply even as short-term traders de-risk,” it stated.
“While traders are shorting or de-risking on Binance, long-term holders are actively locking supply into the staking contract.”
This combination of deep pessimism and a shrinking liquid/exchange supply is a classic pattern, which historically creates fragile conditions for short traders if selling pressure exhausts.
The analysts concluded that monitoring the reversal of the Coinbase Premium will be the primary signal for a shift in this regime.
Ethereum’s Wall of Worry: Negative Sentiment Meets Staking Absorption
“Historically, when speculative sentiment is this depressed while organic supply is being absorbed by staking, it creates a fragile environment for short-sellers.” – By @CryptoOnchain pic.twitter.com/C8XO4Omlmp
— CryptoQuant.com (@cryptoquant_com) June 30, 2026
You may also like: Ethereum Execs Launch Non-Profit to Accelerate Institutional Adoption Bitmine Buys Another 27,000 ETH Despite Market Slump, Nears 5% of Ethereum Supply ‘Engineers, Not Business Operators’: Why Loopring Is Shutting Down Its DEX The staking figures speak for themselves, with a record amount of ETH off the table and locked up.
ETH staking has hit an all-time high of 40 million, which equates to 33% of the entire supply, according to Ultrasound.Money.
Additionally, the validator exit queue is just 9,248 ETH, while more than 2.9 million ETH are in the entry queue.
Bitmine chair Tom Lee said that crypto is a hyper-volatile asset, and some macro headwinds are weighing on ETH, such as markets seeing a Fed hike, Clarity Act purgatory, AI FOMO, and private credit hurting flows.
However, there are also some tailwinds, including the tokenization megatrend, crypto downstream of AI, money becoming digital/software, and peak pain, he said in a recent interview.
ETH Price Outlook Despite these tailwinds, ETH prices remain depressed, with the asset dipping to an intraday low of $1,550 on Tuesday.
There was little momentum during Wednesday morning Asian trading, with ETH lifting to $1,585. The longer it stays at current levels, the greater the chances of another leg down, especially if Bitcoin loses support at $58,000.
A new nonprofit backed by Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin and top ETH treasury firms aims to give Wall Street a dedicated point of contact as the Ethereum Foundation narrows its role.
Posted July 2, 2026 at 6:54 am EST.
A new independent nonprofit called Ethereum Institutional launched Wednesday with the goal of accelerating institutional adoption of Ethereum, its layer-2 networks, and the broader ecosystem. The organization aims to give banks, asset managers, and other enterprises a “credible, independent front door” as they evaluate Ethereum for tokenization, stablecoins, and other onchain financial infrastructure.
The group is led by David Walsh, Marius Smith, and Matthew Dawson, with Walsh having previously headed the Ethereum Foundation’s enterprise efforts. It launched with backing from BitMine Immersion Technologies and Nasdaq-listed SharpLink Gaming, Ethereum’s two largest publicly traded treasury firms, along with Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin, who anchored funding alongside dozens of other individual and institutional contributors.
This story is an excerpt from the Unchained Daily newsletter.
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The launch reflects a broader restructuring of who speaks for Ethereum. The Ethereum Foundation has narrowed its focus toward stewarding the core protocol after a turbulent stretch that included nine senior staff departures this year and a sweeping restructuring that eliminated 54 positions and cut its budget by 40%. Ethereum Institutional is now the second independent nonprofit to launch in as many weeks, following EthLabs, a research and development organization backed by many of the same donors.
The response from the ecosystem was largely positive. Standard Chartered told CoinDesk the initiative addresses a “longstanding communications gap” between Ethereum and major financial institutions. Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan on X called it an example of “a decentralized system [healing] itself.”
Related Listen: How the New Ethlabs Plans to Make Ethereum More Intentional in Designing ETH
AI-assisted content: This article was produced with the assistance of AI tools and was reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by a member of the Unchained editorial team before publication.
Ethereum Price Prediction: Lubin, Bitmine, and Sharplink Launch Independent Non-Profit Institution to Bring Institutional Wealth Onchain Ethereum (ETH)
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Ethereum price is trading near $1,650, remaining below its major moving averages and preserving a bearish prediction. However, the biggest story this week is not the chart. Instead, Bitmine and SharpLink are betting that institutional Ethereum adoption could accelerate well before the price reflects it.
Ethereum Institutional has launched as an independent non-profit focused on institutional engagement. Backed by Bitmine, SharpLink, and Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin, it formalizes outreach previously handled within the Ethereum Foundation. The organization will focus on institutional education, market intelligence, ETH marketing, standards, and global events.
1/ Announcing Ethereum Institutional
An independent non-profit dedicated to accelerating the institutional adoption of Ethereum, its L2s, applications and overall ecosystem. pic.twitter.com/XUeViH6rrq
— Ethereum Institutional (@ethereuminsti) July 1, 2026 Its leadership includes Thomas Lee as chairman, Joseph Chalom, and Executive Director David Walsh, and the operations have already spanned to New York, London, Hong Kong, Singapore, Zurich, Frankfurt, Tokyo, and Abu Dhabi, giving the organization an international presence from launch.
The timing reflects Ethereum’s growing role in institutional finance. The network secures roughly 60% of the stablecoin supply and about two-thirds of tokenized real-world assets. Ethereum Institutional aims to strengthen relationships with financial firms before competing blockchain networks gain market share.
Discover: The Best Crypto to Diversify Your Portfolio
Ethereum Price Prediction: $1,750 or $2,000ETH is recovering at $1,650, trading below its 20-, 50-, and 100-day EMAs. That setup keeps the near-term trend bearish. Meanwhile, the RSI sits around 43, while the Stochastic oscillator remains neutral, suggesting selling pressure has eased without confirming a reversal.
At the same time, spot Ether ETFs have recorded persistent outflows since mid-June, limiting buying momentum. As a result, recent rallies have faded near resistance. Institutional interest remains intact, but it has yet to translate into sustained price strength.
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The first resistance sits near the 20-day EMA around $1,670, followed by the $1,750 level that traders continue to monitor. Above that, the 50-day EMA near $1,870 becomes the next key hurdle. On the downside, support rests around $1,520, followed by $1,400 and $1,150 if selling pressure intensifies.
A bullish scenario requires ETH to reclaim the 20-day EMA and break above $1,750 with strong volume. Otherwise, the base case remains range-bound trading between $1,520 and $1,670. If support near $1,500 fails, ETH could revisit lower levels before establishing a stronger recovery.
Discover: The Best Token Presales
LiquidChain Targets Early-Mover Upside as Ethereum Tests Key LevelsETH at $1,650 with stacked resistance overhead and ETF outflows still unresolved means the upside for spot holders is capped in the near term, even with the institutional narrative firmly in place. Traders looking for asymmetric exposure to the same Ethereum-adjacent infrastructure thesis are eyeing early-stage infrastructure plays where the entry math still works.
LiquidChain ($LIQUID) is a Layer 3 infrastructure project positioning itself as the cross-chain liquidity layer, fusing Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana liquidity into a single execution environment.
The architecture centers on a Unified Liquidity Layer, Single-Step Execution, Verifiable Settlement, and a Deploy-Once structure that lets developers build once and access all three ecosystems simultaneously. The project has already drawn attention as a direct infrastructure beneficiary of the multi-chain institutional expansion that entities like Ethereum Institutional are accelerating.
As of now, its presale is currently priced at $0.01475, with $880K raised to date.
Research LiquidChain here.
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The cryptocurrency market broadly rises on Thursday, reflecting improvement in risk sentiment following an extended period of selling pressure. Bitcoin (BTC) is back above $60,000 after testing support at $58,000 earlier in the week. Ethereum (ETH) aligns with BTC’s positive short-term outlook, rising above $1,600. Similarly, Ripple (XRP) has steadied its rebound, trading above $1.06 amid strengthening momentum indicators.
Qatar reports positive progress in indirect US-Iran talksIndirect peace talks between the United States (US) and Iran concluded on Wednesday. According to CNN, the Qatari mediators said that the negotiations made “positive progress” with issues related to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and that both sides agreed to continue discussions.
At the same time, low-level technical talks between US and Iran officials are underway indirectly through Qatar and Pakistan mediators. US Vice President J.D. Vance said that discussions on the nuclear issue are expected to start soon, CNN reported.
Meanwhile, Iran has warned of an “immediate powerful response” to attacks by Israeli Forces, calling on the US to restrain its ally. This development comes in the wake of remarks from Israel’s defense minister, who declared that Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is now a direct target.
The crypto market has sprung up as risk-off sentiment marginally eases, with Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP logging in the second straight day of gains. The crypto Fear & Greed Index continues to signal Extreme Fear, but a rise from 11 to 19 suggests an incremental shift in market sentiment. While the uptick is modest, it indicates that investors may be regaining a cautious appetite for risk, improving the outlook for a sustained crypto market rebound.
Crypto Fear & Greed Index | Source: Alternative“What we are witnessing is not the end of Bitcoin's long-term bull cycle but rather a necessary repricing phase that mirrors the evolving global macroeconomic landscape, where cryptocurrencies have become far more sensitive to economic fundamentals than they were just a few years ago,” Simon-Peter Massabni, XS.com Head of Business Development, said in a comment.
Price analysis: Bitcoin tests its recovery potentialBitcoin is edging higher above $60,000 after respecting support around $58,000, which prompted bulls to reengage. Although the overall technical structure is bearish, indicators signal a potential positive turnaround. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) histogram has turned positive on the daily chart, hinting at a tentative recovery attempt, while the Relative Strength Index (RSI) near 39 still reflects subdued momentum rather than a decisive bullish shift.
BTC/USDT daily chartOverhead, the latest Parabolic SAR reading at $62,523 reinforces the notion that the rebound is unfolding within a broader downside context. Above this barrier, the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) near $66,157, caps the short-term trend. Higher up, the 100-day EMA at roughly $69,963 precedes a more significant hurdle at the downtrend resistance trendline around $75,208, with the 200-day EMA near $75,923 forming a dense structural zone that would need to be reclaimed to neutralize the prevailing bearish bias.
Altcoins technical outlook: Ethereum and XRP gain momentumEthereum trades at $1,623 following a brief rebound from the demand range between $1,500 and $1,600. Despite the upswing, ETH maintains a bearish near-term bias as the price holds well below the 50-day, 100-day and 200-day EMAs at $1,808, $1,987 and $2,256 respectively.
Meanwhile, the MACD histogram has turned positive on the daily chart, hinting at an attempt to stabilize losses rather than a decisive bullish reversal. The RSI around 41 on the same chart, reflects subdued demand despite recovering from near oversold conditions.
ETH/USDT daily chartInitial resistance emerges at the 50-day EMA near $1,808, ahead of the break level of the descending trendline at about $1,936, where sellers could reassert control. Further up, the 100-day EMA at roughly $1,987 and the 200-day EMA near $2,256 form a broader supply zone that would need to be reclaimed to negate the current bearish setup and open the way for a more sustained recovery.
As for XRP, the price holds above $1.06, marking a mild increase from the immediate psychological support at $1.03. Despite the uptick in the price, the remittance token sustains a bearish near-term bias as it holds well below the key moving averages.
Momentum is mixed, with the MACD just above zero and slightly positive on the daily chart, hinting at modest stabilisation, while the RSI near 38 still reflects subdued buying interest rather than a decisive recovery.
XRP/USDT daily chartOn the topside, immediate resistance lies at the 50-day EMA ($1.19), followed by the 100-day EMA at $1.30, where any advance would likely face renewed selling pressure. A sustained break above these barriers would be needed to challenge the higher structural cap at the 200-day EMA around $1.52 and to ease the prevailing bearish tone.
(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool.)
Bitcoin, altcoins, stablecoins FAQs Bitcoin is the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, a virtual currency designed to serve as money. This form of payment cannot be controlled by any one person, group, or entity, which eliminates the need for third-party participation during financial transactions.
Altcoins are any cryptocurrency apart from Bitcoin, but some also regard Ethereum as a non-altcoin because it is from these two cryptocurrencies that forking happens. If this is true, then Litecoin is the first altcoin, forked from the Bitcoin protocol and, therefore, an “improved” version of it.
Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies designed to have a stable price, with their value backed by a reserve of the asset it represents. To achieve this, the value of any one stablecoin is pegged to a commodity or financial instrument, such as the US Dollar (USD), with its supply regulated by an algorithm or demand. The main goal of stablecoins is to provide an on/off-ramp for investors willing to trade and invest in cryptocurrencies. Stablecoins also allow investors to store value since cryptocurrencies, in general, are subject to volatility.
Bitcoin dominance is the ratio of Bitcoin's market capitalization to the total market capitalization of all cryptocurrencies combined. It provides a clear picture of Bitcoin’s interest among investors. A high BTC dominance typically happens before and during a bull run, in which investors resort to investing in relatively stable and high market capitalization cryptocurrency like Bitcoin. A drop in BTC dominance usually means that investors are moving their capital and/or profits to altcoins in a quest for higher returns, which usually triggers an explosion of altcoin rallies.
Ethereum is currently trading in a critical area, as technical indicators present two interconnected yet divergent scenarios. On the one hand, the weekly chart identifies $1,100 as a principal support level. On the other hand, another technical perspective suggests the latest pullback could be the final correction before a powerful upward surge.
Key support level on the weekly chartWith ETH fluctuating around $1,570, the weekly technical outlook highlights $1,100 as the primary support zone for buyers to monitor. The inability of the price to hold above $2,900 in early 2026, followed by a continued downward move, points to weak short-term momentum.
Since 2021, the $1,100 level has served as a notable long-term support for Ethereum. Should prices return to this area and establish a base, it may offer a particularly attractive entry point for long-term spot investors.
If the $1,100 level is preserved, the first recovery target is $2,000. Should this region be surpassed, attention would then turn to $2,900 as the next significant resistance.
However, ETH has not yet tested the $1,100 threshold. Entering positions at the current $1,570 level exposes traders to uncertainty about whether lower support will hold. For a more robust technical setup, analysts seek a confirmed bounce near $1,100, a strong weekly close, or the formation of a higher low.
Unless such confirmation materializes, the risk of further downside is seen to persist. If $1,100 holds as support, $2,000 and subsequently $2,900 could come back into focus. Should momentum strengthen further, even $3,900 and $4,800 may once again become relevant targets.
Potential third wave in Elliott Wave analysisIn an alternative technical scenario, Ethereum, positioned near $1,623, is assessed by one analyst as undergoing a correction that forms part of a larger Elliott Wave structure. By this account, ETH completed a five-wave advance from the 2022 lows to the 2025 highs, finishing a primary first wave, and then entered an A-B-C corrective phase.
Glossary: Elliott Wave is a technical analysis method that interprets price actions as waves influenced by investor psychology. In this model, the third wave is usually the strongest segment of a bullish trend.
Current chart readings place ETH close to the bottom of the C wave. According to Elliott Wave principles, the completion of the second corrective wave could pave the way for a third, typically marked by robust upward momentum.
However, this bullish scenario has not yet been confirmed. The price remains near structural support after a sharp decline from $2,300. Signs of strength would involve a recovery above $1,700, followed by sustained moves targeting $1,900 and $2,300.
If ETH holds its current floor and weekly candles begin to close higher, confidence in the end of the second wave correction may grow. Conversely, if support fails and the price falls below the recent C wave bottom, this would weaken the bullish outlook, suggesting the correction is not yet over.
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.
Ethereum, the largest altcoin, surpassed its previous all-time high (ATH) in August 2025, reaching a new all-time high of over $4,900. However, this rise from its previous ATH of $4,891 to its new ATH pales in comparison to Bitcoin’s break above its previous ATH of $69,000 and its new ATH of $126,000.
Although Ethereum hit a new price record at this point, its rise was very limited, and it failed to break through the psychological barrier of $5,000.
This situation has made investors more cautious about ETH, with a former Ethereum Foundation researcher stating that ETH lacks a clear value narrative.
Ansgar Dietrichs, a former Ethereum Foundation researcher and current director of Ethlabs, who appeared on journalist Laura Shin’s Unchained podcast, stated that Ethereum has been unable to surpass the $5,000 mark for five years.
He stated that the main reason it couldn’t surpass $5,000 was the lack of a clear value narrative for ETH.
Dietrichs also noted that he found it difficult to clearly articulate the true role ETH plays as an entity today.
He also added that one of the core goals of Ethlabs, which he founded along with five other former researchers at the Ethereum Foundation, is to provide clear direction on what ETH’s purpose is and what it should be.
Podcast host Laura Shin noted that the most surprising part of her conversation with Dietrichs was his statement that ETH, despite failing to surpass $5,000 in five years, still lacks a clear value narrative.
*This is not investment advice.
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While Ethereum’s overall market structure is still dominated by the sellers, recent price action suggests sellers may be losing momentum after the market was held by the $1.5K support region twice. The emergence of a potential double bottom and improving short-term momentum could pave the way for a relief rally if buyers reclaim the next resistance cluster.
Ethereum Price Analysis: The Daily Chart On the daily timeframe, ETH is still trading within the same long-term descending channel that has remained intact for months, with both the long-term moving averages sloping lower just above the channel’s higher boundary. The price remains well below the 100-day and 200-day moving averages, which are currently positioned around the $2K to $2.2K region, confirming that the macro trend is still bearish.
After the sharp sell-off a few weeks ago, the cryptocurrency found strong demand inside the $1.5K support zone. The price has now tested this area twice, raising the possibility of a double-bottom formation. Although the pattern is not confirmed yet, the repeated defense of this support suggests that bearish momentum is fading.
The RSI has also recovered from near-oversold conditions and is gradually pushing higher toward the midline, indicating improving momentum without reaching overbought territory.
For the bullish scenario to gain credibility, ETH needs to reclaim the $1.8K resistance zone to validate the double bottom setup. A successful move above that level would also expose the next major supply area around $2K to $2.2K, where the 100-day and 200-day moving averages converge.
Conversely, losing the $1.5K support zone could likely prove catastrophic, as it would invalidate the potential reversal structure and likely trigger a deeper leg lower within the broader downtrend.
Source: TradingView ETH/USDT 4-Hour Chart The 4-hour chart presents a clearer short-term picture. The price has built liquidity beneath the $1.5K lows, as buyers stepped back into the market, preventing a lower low. This demand is gradually pushing ETH toward the first area of overhead supply.
The price is currently approaching a key fair value gap at approximately $1.7k. This imbalance coincides with the latest bearish impulse and is likely to attract selling interest. A decisive breakout above this zone would signal improving short-term strength and could open the path toward the $1.85K resistance.
Momentum has also noticeably improved on the lower timeframe, with the RSI climbing toward bullish territory while printing higher lows alongside price. This suggests buyers have regained some control after the recent rebound.
However, unless ETH successfully clears the fair value gap and establishes higher highs, the current advance could still develop into nothing more than a corrective rally within the larger bearish trend.
Source: TradingView Sentiment Analysis The distribution of open interest in options contracts shows that the largest concentration is positioned around the late December 2026 expiry, where call open interest significantly outweighs put open interest. Several other major expiries, including late September and late July, also display a clear dominance of call positioning.
This skew toward call options suggests that derivatives participants continue positioning for higher prices over the medium to long term despite Ethereum’s recent weakness. At the same time, the substantial notional value concentrated around the larger expiries indicates that these dates could become important volatility catalysts as expiration approaches.
While options positioning alone does not guarantee a bullish outcome, the current distribution reflects a market that still maintains longer-term upside expectations even as spot price remains trapped below major technical resistance. If ETH confirms the developing double-bottom structure and breaks above the nearby resistance cluster, the optimistic options positioning could provide additional tailwinds through improved market sentiment.
A Regulated First for On-Chain U.S. Equities@OndoFinance and @Broadridge (NYSE: BR) have taken a significant step in bringing U.S. equity markets on-chain, launching what they describe as the first regulated solution for third-party tokenized U.S. securities. The collaboration places shares of Micron ($MU) and BlackRock's iShares Core S&P 500 ETF on the @Ethereum blockchain, while keeping the underlying assets firmly within the existing domestic regulated custody chain.
The key distinction here is compliance. Previous tokenized equity products have largely sidestepped U.S. regulation by targeting offshore investors. This structure is different. For the first time, holders of third-party tokenized stocks and ETFs are able to participate in proxy voting , with token holders receiving the same legal protections and governance rights as conventional brokerage clients.
Proxy Voting, Oasis Pro, and the Regulatory Architecture The feature, built with Broadridge Financial Solutions, allows holders of more than 250 tokenized securities on Ondo's platform to review company filings and submit voting preferences through Broadridge's ProxyVote system. Token holders can log in with their crypto wallets to access voting materials, receive prospectuses and regulatory filings when a company calls a shareholder meeting, and submit votes directly through wallet signatures.
The regulatory backbone for the U.S. issuance side comes from Oasis Pro. Oasis Pro operates as a FINRA-member broker-dealer and SEC-registered transfer agent, and was among the first firms authorized to support digital securities settlement in both fiat and stablecoins such as USDC and DAI. The deal gives Ondo Finance SEC-registered broker-dealer, ATS, and transfer agent licenses to operate regulated tokenized securities markets. By routing token issuance through Oasis Pro as the registered transfer agent, the system achieves 1:1-backed token issuance that operates entirely within the existing U.S. regulatory perimeter.
Ondo Finance now operates the largest tokenized stocks platform in the market, holding roughly 70% of total market share in the tokenized equities sector, with over $700 million in total value locked across 250+ tokenized stocks and ETFs. The Broadridge integration extends that lead by adding institutional-grade governance infrastructure. As Doug DeSchutter, President of Investor Communication Solutions at Broadridge, said in the official announcement: "Broadridge is proud to expand its voting infrastructure to connect our new Web3-enabled platform with the governance, disclosure, and investor participation standards that underpin modern capital markets."
Together, the two partnerships, Broadridge for governance and Oasis Pro for regulated issuance, give Ondo a full-stack compliance architecture that could serve as a template for how tokenized U.S. equities are structured going forward.
Sources
Broadridge Official Press Release: Ondo Finance Brings Shareholder Voting Capabilities to Tokenized Securities
CoinDesk: Ondo Finance Adds Proxy Voting for Holders of Its $700 Million Tokenized Equities
Blockworks: Ondo Finance Finalizes Oasis Pro Acquisition
Ethereum (ETH) has rebounded from its recent lows, but the recovery may not be enough to reverse a prolonged exodus from spot Ethereum ETFs, highlighting a growing disconnect between the cryptocurrency’s price action and institutional investor sentiment.
ETH has climbed back above the psychologically important $1,500 level and was recently trading in the $1,600-$1,620 range after briefly dipping to around $1,500. However, Simon-Peter Massabni, Head of Business Development at global multi-asset broker XS.com, cautioned that the move appears to be more of a technical rebound than the beginning of a sustained rally.
“The current rebound is still not enough to confirm a clear reversal,” Massabni said. “Instead, it mainly appears to be a corrective move after selling pressure had persisted for several sessions.”
ETF Flows Remain the Biggest HeadwindWhile Ethereum’s price has stabilized, spot Ethereum ETFs continue to paint a less encouraging picture.
According to Massabni, the funds have logged seven consecutive weeks of net outflows totaling roughly $1.18 billion, underscoring continued institutional caution toward the second-largest cryptocurrency. If withdrawals continue this week, Ethereum ETFs would extend their losing streak to eight straight weeks.
“Spot Ethereum ETFs have faced seven consecutive weeks of net outflows, with the total value reaching around $1.18 billion, clearly reflecting institutional investors’ cautious stance toward ETH,” he said.
The persistent outflows stand in sharp contrast to the optimism surrounding the launch of spot Ethereum ETFs, which many market participants expected would unlock a fresh wave of institutional demand, similar to the record inflows seen in spot Bitcoin ETFs.
Instead, Ethereum funds have struggled to establish sustained momentum as investors remain selective amid elevated interest rates, macroeconomic uncertainty and mixed sentiment across digital assets.
Macro Environment Still Weighs on CryptoMassabni believes the broader macro backdrop continues to limit risk appetite.
“The macro backdrop is still not truly supportive of risk assets,” he said, pointing to uncertainty surrounding the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate path. “In an environment where interest rates may stay higher for longer, capital tends to be more cautious toward highly volatile assets such as cryptocurrencies.”
He added that weak ETF demand has become a key signal of institutional positioning.
“The lack of positive ETF flows reflects cautious sentiment among large investors and reduces ETH’s short-term appeal compared with initial expectations,” Massabni said.
Ethereum also remains closely tied to broader crypto market sentiment, with Bitcoin yet to establish a decisive upward trend. As a result, ETH could struggle to outperform independently unless market conditions improve.
What Could Turn the Tide?Massabni said ETF flows may ultimately determine whether Ethereum’s rebound develops into a sustained recovery.
“If ETH manages to stay above the $1,500 area and ETF flows show signs of stabilizing, price could continue to recover toward higher zones around $1,700-$1,800,” he said.
However, he warned that renewed macro pressure or continued investor withdrawals from spot Ethereum ETFs could send the cryptocurrency back toward the $1,500 support level. A decisive break below that threshold, he added, could extend the broader downtrend before the market finds a new equilibrium.
Image: Shutterstock
This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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Ethereum Layer 2 network Taiko has resumed its bridge service following a recent security breach. The project team announced that asset transfers between the Ethereum and Taiko networks are once again operational, marking the completion of their post-attack recovery process.
Bridge operations back onlineTaiko reported that all users impacted by the attack have been fully compensated. The team emphasized that the bridge is now functioning with a complete 1:1 asset backing, ensuring every token on the Taiko network is matched by an equivalent locked asset on Ethereum.
The Taiko team stated that all affected users have been made whole and that the bridge is once again operating with full 1:1 asset backing on the Ethereum side.
As a Layer 2 scaling network on Ethereum, Taiko aims to provide faster and cheaper transactions. With the reopening of the bridge, the project confirmed that the network is fully operational once again.
Mini Glossary: 1:1 asset backing means that every token on a network is supported by an equivalent asset locked on another chain. This balance is fundamental for the security of cross-chain bridges, allowing users to transfer assets safely.
Details of the June attackThe security incident took place on June 21, when the attacker compromised the mechanism that verifies the chain’s state, managing to inject fraudulent proofs into the system. As the protocol accepted these false proofs as valid, unauthorized withdrawals were made from Ethereum’s bridge vault.
Blockchain security firms estimated that up to $1.7 million worth of crypto assets were stolen in the attack. Following the breach, the Taiko team halted bridge operations and redirected efforts toward restoring network security.
The project team highlighted that the finalized chain state was thoroughly reviewed, ensuring that no fake checkpoints or unprocessed malicious claims remained in the system.
Recovery plan executed in four phasesEarlier, Taiko had published a four-phase recovery strategy to bring the network back online safely. The team confirmed that every stage of the plan has now been completed. Security patches have been implemented, the chain’s final state has been examined, and the upgrades have been reviewed first by the Security Council, then by independent security experts.
Although the bridge has been reopened, temporary withdrawal limits will remain in place as an additional precaution. Taiko stated these limits have been set conservatively and are not expected to disrupt normal usage. However, specific thresholds have not yet been disclosed.
EventDetailsAttack dateJune 21Time to reopen11 daysEstimated loss$1.7 millionCollateral status1:1 asset backing restoredMarket reaction and industry impactFollowing the announcement that the bridge was operational again, Taiko’s native token TAIKO briefly surged to $0.35 before retreating to around $0.14. The project team also revealed plans to publish a detailed technical review in the coming days, covering the attack, the recovery process, and additional safeguards introduced to prevent future incidents.
Separately, blockchain security firm PeckShield reported that crypto projects collectively lost $75.87 million to major security breaches in June, with 40 significant incidents identified over the month.
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.
Major cryptocurrencies are broadly in the green Thursday with Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and other top coins showing gains as crypto liquidations climb—with short positions making up the majority of the carnage.
Bitcoin topped the $62,000 mark Thursday morning for the first time in more than a week, rebounding to $62,078 after falling to a 21-month low under $58,000 earlier in the week. At a recent price of $61,808, Bitcoin is up about 3% on the day and 4% in the last week.
Other major cryptocurrencies are showing similar gains, with Ethereum and Solana both up nearly 5% on the day, hitting recent prices of $1,701 and $81 respectively. Solana is the biggest gainer among the top 10 cryptocurrencies in the last week, rising more than 22% during that span. XRP is up more than 3% on the day at a recent price of $1.09.
Crypto liquidations have surged to $602 million over the last 24 hours, per data from CoinGlass, with Ethereum flipping Bitcoin to become the biggest contributor with $187 million in liquidations compared to $184 million for BTC. Overall, short liquidations make up $400 million of the pile.
The bullish rebound comes following comments Wednesday from Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh, who declined to say whether the agency planned rate hikes later this year. As of this writing, interest rate traders foresee roughly even odds of the Fed either holding rates steady or raising them at its September meeting, though they project a 64% chance of some kind of rate hike by the FOMC's October meeting, per CME's FedWatch.
On Thursday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that employers reported adding significantly fewer jobs in June than expected—57,000 vs. a target of 115,000, down from a revised figure of 129,000 jobs added in May.
Stocks are mixed following the news, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq both down for the day, but the Dow still green, per Yahoo Finance.
Major crypto stocks are showing gains on the day, with Strategy (MSTR) up nearly 7% to $100 per share—after falling to nearly $80 last week—while Coinbase (COIN) is up 3.35% to $165 and USDC stablecoin issuer Circle (CRCL) has gained almost 5% to $65.
Daily Debrief NewsletterStart every day with the top news stories right now, plus original features, a podcast, videos and more.
Major cryptocurrencies are broadly in the green Thursday with Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and other top coins showing gains as crypto liquidations climb—with short positions making up the majority of the carnage.
Bitcoin topped the $62,000 mark Thursday morning for the first time in more than a week, rebounding to $62,078 after falling to a 21-month low under $58,000 earlier in the week. At a recent price of $61,808, Bitcoin is up about 3% on the day and 4% in the last week.
Other major cryptocurrencies are showing similar gains, with Ethereum and Solana both up nearly 5% on the day, hitting recent prices of $1,701 and $81 respectively. Solana is the biggest gainer among the top 10 cryptocurrencies in the last week, rising more than 22% during that span. XRP is up more than 3% on the day at a recent price of $1.09.
Crypto liquidations have surged to $602 million over the last 24 hours, per data from CoinGlass, with Ethereum flipping Bitcoin to become the biggest contributor with $187 million in liquidations compared to $184 million for BTC. Overall, short liquidations make up $400 million of the pile.
The bullish rebound comes following comments Wednesday from Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh, who declined to say whether the agency planned rate hikes later this year. As of this writing, interest rate traders foresee roughly even odds of the Fed either holding rates steady or raising them at its September meeting, though they project a 64% chance of some kind of rate hike by the FOMC's October meeting, per CME's FedWatch.
On Thursday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that employers reported adding significantly fewer jobs in June than expected—57,000 vs. a target of 115,000, down from a revised figure of 129,000 jobs added in May.
Stocks are mixed following the news, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq both down for the day, but the Dow still green, per Yahoo Finance.
Major crypto stocks are showing gains on the day, with Strategy (MSTR) up nearly 7% to $100 per share—after falling to nearly $80 last week—while Coinbase (COIN) is up 3.35% to $165 and USDC stablecoin issuer Circle (CRCL) has gained almost 5% to $65.
Daily Debrief NewsletterStart every day with the top news stories right now, plus original features, a podcast, videos and more.
TLDROndo Finance Uses SEC Custodial FrameworkBlackRock IVV ETF Enters Ondo Tokenized OfferingMicron Stock Gets Tokenized Under Same ModelOndo Finance Expands Tokenized Securities MarketGet 3 Free Stock Ebooks Ondo Finance launched tokenized versions of BlackRock’s IVV ETF and Micron stock in the U.S. The products use a third-party custodial model outlined by the SEC in January. Oasis Pro TA mints the tokens with 1:1 backing from the underlying securities. The tokenized IVV and Micron products are issued on Ethereum and held by regulated custodians. Token holders receive shareholder rights, issuer communications, and onchain proxy voting access. Ondo Finance launched tokenized versions of BlackRock’s IVV ETF and Micron stock in the U.S. on Thursday. The products use a custodial model outlined by the SEC in January. The launch expands Ondo Finance’s regulated tokenized securities push.
Ondo Finance Uses SEC Custodial Framework Ondo Finance said the products mark a new step for tokenized U.S.-listed securities. The firm tokenized BlackRock’s iShares Core S&P 500 ETF and Micron shares. Both products trade as blockchain-based representations of traditional securities.
The SEC described this structure in January guidance on tokenized securities. Under that model, a third party holds the underlying securities. It then issues crypto assets that represent investor entitlement to those holdings.
Ondo Finance said its IVV and MU tokens follow that structure. The underlying shares remain inside the normal U.S. custody chain. Oasis Pro TA mints tokens backed 1:1 by those securities.
BlackRock IVV ETF Enters Ondo Tokenized Offering Ondo Finance issued the tokenized IVV product on Ethereum. Regulated custodians hold the related tokens for eligible users. The company said this structure keeps the product inside existing market systems.
The IVV ETF tracks the S&P 500 and remains a major U.S. equity fund. Ondo Finance now offers blockchain access to that exposure through tokenized ownership. However, the product still depends on traditional custody links.
Ondo Finance CEO Ian De Bode called the launch a regulatory and market milestone. “Today’s milestone shows we can tokenize securities in ways that meet both market and regulatory requirements,” he said.
He added that it supports broader onchain investment access.
Micron Stock Gets Tokenized Under Same Model Ondo Finance also tokenized Micron shares under the same U.S. custodial setup. The MU-backed token gives eligible holders exposure to the chipmaker’s stock. The token uses the same 1:1 backing process.
Token holders receive shareholder rights linked to traditional brokerage accounts. These rights include issuer communications and proxy voting. Ondo Finance said Broadridge’s ProxyVote.com supports onchain proxy voting for the products.
Transfer limits also apply through broker-dealers, transfer agents, and custodians. These controls align the tokens with current regulatory requirements. Ondo Finance said the framework supports U.S. and global access.
Ondo Finance Expands Tokenized Securities Market Ondo Finance focuses on tokenized real-world assets and institutional financial products. Its Global Markets platform outside the U.S. supports more than $1 billion in tokenized securities. The platform covers more than 430 stocks and ETFs.
The firm also expanded through a June partnership with Exodus. That deal launched Exodus Markets for eligible users through the Exodus app. The platform offers more than 200 tokenized stocks, ETFs, and real-world assets.
The tokenized equities sector reached a $5.5 billion market cap on June 8. That marked a 147% rise from $2.23 billion at year-start. Ondo Finance now adds U.S.-structured IVV and MU products to that market.
The IOTA Foundation has published its report for the second quarter of 2026, reporting significant progress in the expansion of TWIN.
The main focus was on the activation of the Starfish consensus protocol, trade projects in Africa and the United Kingdom, and a stronger organizational alignment toward institutional use cases.
The IOTA Foundation is a non-profit organization that developed IOTA, a distributed ledger network. It was originally built for machine-to-machine transactions and IoT data integrity, with its native token IOTA trading on major crypto exchanges.
IOTA focuses on TWINAccording to the foundation, its development, research, design, and product teams have been brought closer together. As recently announced by co-founder Dominik Schiener, the IOTA Foundation intends to focus more strongly on TWIN following an organizational restructuring and layoffs, rather than continuing to pursue several separate initiatives. The quarterly report states,
“The Foundation is fully focused on supporting and scaling TWIN...By moving past isolated, general-purpose blockchain lines, we’re concentrating our talent on building a resilient, compliant, and production-grade network for the global economy."
The most important technical milestone was the activation of the Starfish consensus protocol on April 23. The upgrade is designed to improve the stability of the IOTA mainnet under real-world network conditions and ensure continuous operation even with limited connectivity.
At the same time, the team completed Protocol Version 29. This version includes additional security mechanisms for smart contracts. The core development of Starfish-Speed was also completed, with the aim of reducing latency.
IOTA also reported progress on the P-COOL transaction flow. The approach is intended to deliver higher performance while requiring roughly half the resources previously needed. The report states:
“Q2 was a success in making IOTA more capable for the people building on it and cheaper for the people running it...Core storage optimizations have successfully reduced the active node data footprint by approximately one-third in testing environments, significantly lowering long-term infrastructure and maintenance costs for operators."
TWIN expands in Africa and the United KingdomAt the application level, the Foundation primarily focused on trade infrastructure. Together with TradeMark Africa, the team worked on a business and fee model for deployment in Kenya.
Implementation of the ADAPT initiative also began in the second quarter. Developed together with the AfCFTA Secretariat, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, and the World Economic Forum, the project aims to enable digital identities, data exchange, and digital payments initially in Kenya, Nigeria, and Morocco.
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“Kenya, Nigeria, and Morocco have been selected as the first countries to implement ADAPT - the Africa Digital Access and Public Infrastructure for Trade initiative," the company wrote.
For the Trade Logistics Information Pipeline (TLIP), version 1.3.9 achieved a 95% success rate across all active test profiles, according to the report. Document channels between authorities in Kenya were also successfully tested from node to node.
In the United Kingdom, TWIN secured five key supporters for a letter of intent regarding the International Supply Network. Further integrations with port authorities, freight forwarders, and trade organizations are currently being prepared.
The TWIN Foundation recently announced that more than 30 countries are expected to go live by 2030. In Argentina, IOTA technology has also been implemented in a government project for transplant processes.
Trending on TheStreet RoundtableXRP eys bigger move as Binance open interest hits 2026 highMark Cuban has a blunt response to Coinbase CEORipple wants AI agents to pay with XRP and RLUSDNpm downloads point to growing developer activity around TWINBeyond the official country projects, there are also signs that TWIN is attracting more attention. On the Node Package Manager (npm) package platform, key components of the framework have recently been downloaded significantly more often.
The core package currently reaches 18,222 installations within seven days. The IOTA-specific module, which connects the framework to IOTA technology, records 3,711 weekly installations.
The statistics show the latest npm download figures for the IOTA package used for TWIN integration.
These figures are not direct proof of active users or companies operating in production. However, they show how often TWIN’s technical components are being installed in development, testing, or build environments.
For a specialized framework in the field of digital trade infrastructure, the current level is nevertheless notable. It suggests that TWIN is not only being expanded strategically, but is also gaining increasing attention in technical practice.
Hollywood director Carl Rinsch, best known for the 2013 film "47 Ronin," has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison after a Manhattan court found he diverted $11 million in Netflix production funds into $DOGE trades, speculative stock bets, and personal luxury purchases.
From Production Budget to Personal Bets In 2018, Netflix commissioned Rinsch to produce a science-fiction series originally titled "White Horse," later renamed "Conquest." Over 2018 and 2019, the streaming company invested $44 million in his production company to support the project. Between late 2019 and early 2020, Rinsch sought an additional $11 million, claiming the funds were needed to finish production. The streaming company approved the request and transferred the money to a company under his control on March 6, 2020. Within days, prosecutors say the money began moving through multiple bank accounts before landing in a personal brokerage account.
Rinsch moved the funds to personal brokerage accounts and lost most of it betting on COVID-related market trades. He was eventually left with $4 million and decided to spend it all on Dogecoin. The move paid off, and he managed to make $27 million from the investment. Despite that windfall, federal prosecutors maintained that the cryptocurrency windfall was irrelevant to the underlying criminal conduct. The money had been secured through fraudulent representations and deployed for unauthorized purposes.
The trading profits were spent on luxury goods including five Rolls-Royces, a Ferrari, antique furniture, mattresses, bedding, watches, clothing, and stays at Four Seasons hotels and other rental properties.
Sentence and Court Reaction Rinsch, known for directing the 2013 film "47 Ronin," was convicted in December 2025 after a one-week trial. He was convicted of one count of wire fraud, one count of money laundering, and five counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from unlawful activity. Wire fraud and money laundering each carried a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, while the five other counts each carried a maximum of 10 years.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, Rinsch was sentenced to three years of supervised release, $11 million in forfeiture, and $700 in mandatory special assessments. Judge Jed Rakoff settled on 30 months, half what prosecutors wanted, after hearing testimony about Rinsch's mental health. Keanu Reeves, who starred in Rinsch's only major feature film, submitted a letter to the court urging leniency.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said: "Carl Erik Rinsch promised to make a television show. Instead, he used $11 million meant for production as his personal casino and luxury fund." The judge reportedly added his own note on crypto, joking that he did not recommend Rinsch keep investing in cryptocurrency, calling it "just a market for gambling."
Sources:
Carl Rinsch sentenced over Netflix funds used on Dogecoin (Crypto.news)
Netflix director sentenced for blowing sci-fi series funds on Dogecoin (Protos)
Carl Rinsch (Wikipedia)
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - July 2, 2026) - Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, a nationally recognized investor-rights law firm, announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE: BTU) and certain of its officers.
This lawsuit seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Peabody Energy securities between October 14, 2024 and May 4, 2026, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/BTU.
Peabody Energy Case Details
The Complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose:
The true state of Centurion mine's commissioning challenges, including unanticipated electrical and mechanical problems, roof control deterioration, and floor softening that made the March 2026 longwall production deadline unachievable.That Defendants' repeated assurances that Centurion was "on time and on budget" and "ahead of schedule" were materially false and misleading.That the mine's production shortfalls would materially impact Peabody's full-year 2026 financial results, including an $80 million EBITDA impact in the first quarter alone.On March 30, 2026 and May 5, 2026, Peabody disclosed the true scope of Centurion's problems, slashing its full-year sales outlook from 3.5 million to 2.5 million tons and increasing cost guidance to $123-$133 per ton.
Following this news, BTU fell approximately 9.7% on March 30, 2026, and an additional 5.7% on May 5, 2026, declining from $39.50 to $25.00 per share, a cumulative decline of approximately 37%.
What's Next for Peabody Energy Investors?
A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint, you can visit the firm's site: bgandg.com/BTU. or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Client Relations Manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 917-590-0911. If you suffered a loss in Peabody Energy you have until August 24, 2026, to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff.
No Cost to Peabody Energy Investors
We, Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman LLC, represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.
Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC for Peabody Energy Securities Class Action?
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide. More at www.bgandg.com.
"Our practice centers on restoring investor capital and ensuring corporate accountability, which serves to uphold the essential integrity of the marketplace," said Peretz Bronstein, Founding Partner of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC.
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Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/303061
Source: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC
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LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP, a leading national shareholder rights law firm, today announced that it has commenced an investigation on behalf of Peabody Energy Corporation (“Peabody” or the “Company”) (NYSE: BTU) investors concerning the Company’s possible violations of the federal securities laws.
IF YOU ARE AN INVESTOR WHO LOST MONEY ON PEABODY ENERGY CORPORATION (BTU), CLICK HERE TO INQUIRE ABOUT POTENTIALLY PURSUING CLAIMS TO RECOVER YOUR LOSS.
What Happened?
On March 30, 2026, Peabody issued a press release lowered guidance concerning its Centurion mine’s first quarter 2026 output due to mining commissioning challenges.
On this news, Peabody’s stock price fell $3.82, or 9.7%, to close at $35.68 per share on March 30, 2026, thereby injuring investors.
Then, on May 5, 2026, Peabody disclosed that it had failed to complete its goal to fully ramp-up Centurion by March 2026 and that it was cutting guidance related to full year metallurgical segment volumes to reflect the increased cost and substantial volume decrease.
On this news, Peabody’s stock price fell $1.52, or 5.7%, to close at $25.00 per share on May 5, 2026, thereby injuring investors further.
Contact Us To Participate or Learn More:
If you wish to learn more about this action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact us.
Charles Linehan, Esq.,
Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP,
1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100,
Los Angeles California 90067
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 310-201-9150 (Toll-Free: 888-773-9224)
Visit our website at www.glancylaw.com.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.
Whistleblower Notice
Persons with non-public information regarding Peabody should consider their options to aid the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower Program. Under the program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Charles H. Linehan at 310-201-9150 or 888-773-9224 or email [email protected].
About Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP
GPWR is a premier law firm with decades of experience representing investors and consumers in securities litigation and other complex class action litigation. Recognizing the firm’s recent successes, GPWR was named one of Law360’s Securities Groups of the Year and ranked second-highest in total investor recoveries by Institutional Shareholder Services Securities Class Action Services in 2025. GPWR’s lawyers have handled cases covering a wide spectrum of corporate misconduct and relating to nearly all industries and sectors. GPWR’s past successes have been widely covered by leading news and industry publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, Reuters, the Associated Press, Barron’s, Investor’s Business Daily, Forbes, and Money. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
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Key Takeaways Verisk added KatRisk to Model Exchange, expanding independent catastrophe risk modeling options. VRSK launched an upgraded U.S. Tropical Cyclone Model with enhanced climate and cloud analytics. VRSK supported growth via acquisitions, dividends, share repurchases and expanded insurance solutions. Verisk Analytics’ (VRSK - Free Report) agreement to bring KatRisk onto its Model Exchange strengthens the platform’s position as an open, multi-vendor catastrophe risk modeling ecosystem. By adding KatRisk’s climate-informed models covering perils, such as inland flood, wildfire, tropical cyclone, storm surge and earthquake, VRSK broadens the range of independent risk perspectives available to insurers and reinsurers.
The move comes as the insurance industry faces rising climate-related losses and increasing regulatory scrutiny, increasing the importance of transparent, comparable and defensible catastrophe models. Expanding the platform’s portfolio of third-party models is expected to enhance underwriting, portfolio management and capital planning while reinforcing Verisk’s role as a key provider of risk analytics and decision-support solutions for the global insurance market.
The company’s reengineered U.S. Tropical Cyclone Model, delivered through its cloud-native Synergy Studio platform, represents a significant enhancement to its catastrophe risk analytics capabilities. By integrating updated climate science, refined hazard and vulnerability modeling, and a reengineered stochastic event catalog, the model provides insurers, reinsurers and capital market participants with a more realistic assessment of hurricane-related risks and potential losses.
The launch also strengthens VRSK’s competitive position by combining advanced scientific modeling with scalable cloud-based analytics, enabling faster risk assessments, improved portfolio management and more transparent, defensible decision-making as climate-related weather events become more frequent and severe.
VRSK continues to reward shareholders through consistent dividend payments and share repurchases. The company paid out dividends of $195.2 million, $196.8 million, $221.3 million and $251.3 million, while repurchasing shares worth $1.7 billion, $2.8 billion, $1 billion and $624 million in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, respectively.
The company’s growth strategy is also driven by its strong focus on innovation and acquisitions, as it rapidly invests in global companies to enhance its data and analytical capabilities. Recently, the company acquired SuranceBay, a leading provider of producer licensing, onboarding, appointment and compliance solutions, which is expected to expand VRSK’s life and annuity offerings.
Other Factors That Make VRSK an Attractive PickSolid Rank: VRSK carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
Our research shows that stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 offer attractive investment opportunities. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Positive Earnings Surprise History: VRSK has an impressive earnings surprise history. The company outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters and missed once, delivering an earnings surprise of 6.29%, on average.
Strong Growth Prospects: The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Verisk’s 2026 revenues is pinned at $3.22 billion, reflecting 5% year-over-year growth. The consensus estimate for 2026 earnings is pegged at $7.63 per share, indicating a 6.6% year-over-year increase.
Bullish Industry Rank: The industry to which VRSK belongs currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 18 (out of 243). Such a favorable rank places it in the top 7% of Zacks Industries. Studies show that 50% of a stock’s price movement is directly related to the performance of the industry group to which it belongs.
A mediocre stock within a strong group is likely to outperform a robust stock in a weak industry. Reckoning the industry’s performance becomes imperative.
Other Stocks to ConsiderSome other top-ranked stocks for investors’ consideration are Dave Inc. (DAVE - Free Report) and Coherent Corp. (COHR - Free Report) .
Dave currently sports a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy). The company has an expected earnings growth rate of 10.5% and 24.5% for 2026 and 2027, respectively.
DAVE has an encouraging earnings surprise history as it has surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average beat of 54.2%.
Coherent Corp. sports a Zacks Rank of #1. COHR has an expected earnings growth rate of 55% and 51.04% for 2026 and 2027, respectively.
The company has an encouraging earnings surprise history as it has topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average earnings surprise of 6.20%.
Have you been searching for a stock that might be well-positioned to maintain its earnings-beat streak in its upcoming report? It is worth considering Valero Energy (VLO - Free Report) , which belongs to the Zacks Oil and Gas - Refining and Marketing industry.
This oil refiner has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The average surprise for the last two quarters was 28.05%.
For the most recent quarter, Valero Energy was expected to post earnings of $3.07 per share, but it reported $4.22 per share instead, representing a surprise of 37.46%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $3.22 per share, while it actually produced $3.82 per share, a surprise of 18.63%.
Price and EPS Surprise
For Valero Energy, estimates have been trending higher, thanks in part to this earnings surprise history. And when you look at the stock's positive Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction), it's a great indicator of a future earnings beat, especially when combined with its solid Zacks Rank.
Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Valero Energy has an Earnings ESP of +12.93% at the moment, suggesting that analysts have grown bullish on its near-term earnings potential. When you combine this positive Earnings ESP with the stock's Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), it shows that another beat is possibly around the corner. The company's next earnings report is expected to be released on July 30, 2026.
When the Earnings ESP comes up negative, investors should note that this will reduce the predictive power of the metric. But, a negative value is not indicative of a stock's earnings miss.
Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, though this is not the only reason why their shares gain. Additionally, some stocks may remain stable even if they end up missing the consensus estimate.
Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Clear Secure (YOU - Free Report) could be a solid addition to your portfolio given its recent upgrade to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). This rating change essentially reflects an upward trend in earnings estimates -- one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices.
The Zacks rating relies solely on a company's changing earnings picture. It tracks EPS estimates for the current and following years from the sell-side analysts covering the stock through a consensus measure -- the Zacks Consensus Estimate.
Since a changing earnings picture is a powerful factor influencing near-term stock price movements, the Zacks rating system is very useful for individual investors. They may find it difficult to make decisions based on rating upgrades by Wall Street analysts, as these are mostly driven by subjective factors that are hard to see and measure in real time.
As such, the Zacks rating upgrade for Clear Secure is essentially a positive comment on its earnings outlook that could have a favorable impact on its stock price.
Most Powerful Force Impacting Stock PricesThe change in a company's future earnings potential, as reflected in earnings estimate revisions, has proven to be strongly correlated with the near-term price movement of its stock. That's partly because of the influence of institutional investors that use earnings and earnings estimates for calculating the fair value of a company's shares. An increase or decrease in earnings estimates in their valuation models simply results in higher or lower fair value for a stock, and institutional investors typically buy or sell it. Their transaction of large amounts of shares then leads to price movement for the stock.
Fundamentally speaking, rising earnings estimates and the consequent rating upgrade for Clear Secure imply an improvement in the company's underlying business. Investors should show their appreciation for this improving business trend by pushing the stock higher.
Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate RevisionsEmpirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock movements, so it could be truly rewarding if such revisions are tracked for making an investment decision. Here is where the tried-and-tested Zacks Rank stock-rating system plays an important role, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions.
The Zacks Rank stock-rating system, which uses four factors related to earnings estimates to classify stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive externally-audited track record, with Zacks Rank #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
Earnings Estimate Revisions for Clear SecureFor the fiscal year ending December 2026, this airport security company is expected to earn $1.79 per share, which is unchanged compared with the year-ago reported number.
Analysts have been steadily raising their estimates for Clear Secure. Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company has increased 10.6%.
Bottom LineUnlike the overly optimistic Wall Street analysts whose rating systems tend to be weighted toward favorable recommendations, the Zacks rating system maintains an equal proportion of "buy" and "sell" ratings for its entire universe of more than 4,000 stocks at any point in time. Irrespective of market conditions, only the top 5% of the Zacks-covered stocks get a "Strong Buy" rating and the next 15% get a "Buy" rating. So, the placement of a stock in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks indicates its superior earnings estimate revision feature, making it a solid candidate for producing market-beating returns in the near term.
You can learn more about the Zacks Rank here >>>
The upgrade of Clear Secure to a Zacks Rank #1 positions it in the top 5% of the Zacks-covered stocks in terms of estimate revisions, implying that the stock might move higher in the near term.
Growth stocks are attractive to many investors, as above-average financial growth helps these stocks easily grab the market's attention and produce exceptional returns. However, it isn't easy to find a great growth stock.
By their very nature, these stocks carry above-average risk and volatility. Moreover, if a company's growth story is over or nearing its end, betting on it could lead to significant loss.
However, it's pretty easy to find cutting-edge growth stocks with the help of the Zacks Growth Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which looks beyond the traditional growth attributes to analyze a company's real growth prospects.
Our proprietary system currently recommends Clear Secure (YOU - Free Report) as one such stock. This company not only has a favorable Growth Score, but also carries a top Zacks Rank.
Studies have shown that stocks with the best growth features consistently outperform the market. And for stocks that have a combination of a Growth Score of A or B and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy), returns are even better.
Here are three of the most important factors that make the stock of this airport security company a great growth pick right now.
Earnings GrowthArguably nothing is more important than earnings growth, as surging profit levels is what most investors are after. And for growth investors, double-digit earnings growth is definitely preferable, and often an indication of strong prospects (and stock price gains) for the company under consideration.
While the historical EPS growth rate for Clear Secure is 137.3%, investors should actually focus on the projected growth. The company's EPS is expected to grow 59.4% this year, crushing the industry average, which calls for EPS growth of 23.7%.
Impressive Asset Utilization RatioGrowth investors often overlook asset utilization ratio, also known as sales-to-total-assets (S/TA) ratio, but it is an important feature of a real growth stock. This metric shows how efficiently a firm is utilizing its assets to generate sales.
Right now, Clear Secure has an S/TA ratio of 0.75, which means that the company gets $0.75 in sales for each dollar in assets. Comparing this to the industry average of 0.61, it can be said that the company is more efficient.
While the level of efficiency in generating sales matters a lot, so does the sales growth of a company. And Clear Secure looks attractive from a sales growth perspective as well. The company's sales are expected to grow 22.2% this year versus the industry average of 8.4%.
Promising Earnings Estimate RevisionsSuperiority of a stock in terms of the metrics outlined above can be further validated by looking at the trend in earnings estimate revisions. A positive trend is of course favorable here. Empirical research shows that there is a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
There have been upward revisions in current-year earnings estimates for Clear Secure. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has surged 0.3% over the past month.
Bottom LineWhile the overall earnings estimate revisions have made Clear Secure a Zacks Rank #1 stock, it has earned itself a Growth Score of A based on a number of factors, including the ones discussed above.
You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
This combination positions Clear Secure well for outperformance, so growth investors may want to bet on it.
BILL Holdings (BILL - Free Report) could be a solid addition to your portfolio given a notable revision in the company's earnings estimates. While the stock has been gaining lately, the trend might continue since its earnings outlook is still improving.
The rising trend in estimate revisions, which is a result of growing analyst optimism on the earnings prospects of this payment processing software company, should get reflected in its stock price. After all, empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements. Our stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- has this insight at its core.
The five-grade Zacks Rank system, which ranges from a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive externally-audited track record of outperformance, with Zacks #1 Ranked stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 2008.
For BILL Holdings, strong agreement among the covering analysts in revising earnings estimates upward has resulted in meaningful improvement in consensus estimates for the next quarter and full year.
The chart below shows the evolution of forward 12-month Zacks Consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Current-Quarter Estimate RevisionsThe company is expected to earn $0.69 per share for the current quarter, which represents a year-over-year change of +30.2%.
Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for BILL Holdings has increased 15.7% because one estimate has moved higher compared to no negative revisions.
Current-Year Estimate RevisionsFor the full year, the earnings estimate of $2.64 per share represents a change of +19.5% from the year-ago number.
In terms of estimate revisions, the trend for the current year also appears quite encouraging for BILL Holdings. Over the past month, two estimates have moved higher compared to no negative revisions, helping the consensus estimate increase 8.58%.
Favorable Zacks RankThanks to promising estimate revisions, BILL Holdings currently carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). The Zacks Rank is a tried-and-tested rating tool that helps investors effectively harness the power of earnings estimate revisions and make the right investment decision.
You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Our research shows that stocks with Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and 2 (Buy) significantly outperform the S&P 500.
Bottom LineBILL Holdings shares have added 10.2% over the past four weeks, suggesting that investors are betting on its impressive estimate revisions. So, you may consider adding it to your portfolio right away to benefit from its earnings growth prospects.
A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Ulta Beauty (ULTA - Free Report) . Shares have lost about 3.5% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500.
Will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Ulta due for a breakout? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.
Ulta Beauty Lifts FY26 View as Q1 Earnings Beat, Comps Rise 5.3%Ulta Beauty reported first-quarter fiscal 2026 results, wherein both earnings and revenues surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The company delivered double-digit sales and earnings growth, driven by broad-based strength across channels and product categories, along with contributions from the Space NK acquisition.
The beauty retailer reported first-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings per share of $7.74, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.90. The bottom line increased 15.5% from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure of $6.70.
Net sales rose 11.1% year over year to $3,163.9 million and surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3,113 million. Growth was primarily driven by higher comparable sales, contributions from the Space NK acquisition and sales from new stores. Comparable sales increased 5.3%, supported by a 3.7% rise in average ticket and a 1.6% jump in transactions.
ULTA’s Quarterly Results: Key Metrics & InsightsUlta Beauty’s gross profit increased 13.8% year over year to $1,267.6 million. Gross margin expanded 100 basis points to 40.1% from 39.1%, primarily due to lower inventory shrink and higher merchandise margin. Improvements in inventory productivity and favorable category mix also aided profitability.
Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses increased 14.6% to $814.7 million from $710.6 million reported in the prior-year quarter. As a percentage of net sales, SG&A expenses rose to 25.8% from 24.9%. The increase was primarily due to the acquisition of Space NK, strategic enterprise investments and higher store-related expenses, partially offset by leverage in advertising expenses.
Operating income surged 11.6% to $448.3 million from $401.8 million in the year-ago quarter. As a percentage of net sales, operating income improved slightly to 14.2% from 14.1% in the prior-year period.
ULTA’s Category Performance Remains Broad-BasedPerformance was broad-based across all major categories in the quarter. Fragrance remained the strongest category, delivering high-teens comparable sales growth, driven by newness from luxury brands such as YSL, Carolina Herrera, Valentino and Balmain, as well as innovation from exclusive fragrance brand NOYZ.
Haircare generated high-single-digit comparable growth, supported by strength in prestige haircare, new and exclusive brands, and healthy demand for hair-treatment products.
Makeup posted low-single-digit comparable sales growth, aided by prestige makeup performance and the successful launch of Rare Beauty. Skincare and wellness delivered low-single-digit comparable growth, benefiting from prestige skincare, mass skincare and continued momentum in supplements and self-care products. Services revenues increased in the mid-single-digit range, supported by strong member engagement.
Ulta Beauty’s Strategic Initiatives Gain TractionUlta Beauty continued to advance its “Ulta Beauty Unleashed” strategy during the quarter. The company launched TikTok Shop, positioning itself as a key beauty discovery platform and strengthening engagement with younger consumers. Ulta Beauty also added more than 20 new brands during the quarter, expanded its marketplace assortment to more than 325 brands and 8,000 SKUs and grew its loyalty program to approximately 46.9 million members, up 4% year over year.
The company continued expanding its international presence through Space NK, Mexico and the Middle East. Management also announced plans for a highly experiential flagship location in Times Square, NY, which is expected to open in late 2027.
ULTA’s Financial Health Snapshot & Store UpdateThe company ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $166.3 million and short-term investments of $55 million. Merchandise inventories increased 12.5% year over year to $2.4 billion. Short-term debt totaled $144.9 million, while stockholders’ equity stood at $2.58 billion at quarter-end.
Net cash provided by operating activities was $261.9 million in the first quarter. Capital expenditures totaled $58.3 million, primarily related to investments in new and existing stores.
During the quarter, Ulta Beauty repurchased 958,323 shares of its common stock for $555 million. As of May 2, 2026, approximately $1.3 billion was available under the company’s $3 billion share buyback authorization announced in October 2024.
Ulta Beauty opened 16 net new stores in the United States and one net new Space NK store during the quarter. The company ended the period with 1,521 Ulta Beauty stores and 87 Space NK stores.
What to Expect From ULTA in FY26?Following its better-than-expected first-quarter performance, Ulta Beauty updated its fiscal 2026 outlook.
The company continues to expect net sales growth of 6% to 7% and comparable sales growth of 2.5% to 3.5%. Management now anticipates operating income growth of 6.5% to 9% compared with its previous expectation of 6% to 9%.
Ulta Beauty raised its fiscal 2026 earnings per share guidance to the range of $28.36-$28.80 from the prior range of $28.05-$28.55.
How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?It turns out, estimates review have trended downward during the past month.
VGM ScoresAt this time, Ulta has a great Growth Score of A, though it is lagging a bit on the Momentum Score front with a B. Following the exact same course, the stock was allocated a score of B on the value side, putting it in the second quintile for this investment strategy.
Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of A. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.
OutlookEstimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. Interestingly, Ulta has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.
Performance of an Industry PlayerUlta is part of the Zacks Retail - Miscellaneous industry. Over the past month, Bath & Body Works (BBWI - Free Report) , a stock from the same industry, has gained 24.1%. The company reported its results for the quarter ended April 2026 more than a month ago.
Bath & Body Works reported revenues of $1.38 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -3.2%. EPS of $0.32 for the same period compares with $0.49 a year ago.
For the current quarter, Bath & Body Works is expected to post earnings of $0.23 per share, indicating a change of -37.8% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +0.7% over the last 30 days.
The overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions translate into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Bath & Body Works. Also, the stock has a VGM Score of A.
Charles Hoskinson has pushed back against criticism surrounding Cardano’s absence from the Open USD (OUSD) stablecoin consortium.
During a recent exchange on X, Hoskinson argued that ecosystem participants cannot criticize Cardano’s lack of involvement in major commercial initiatives while simultaneously voting against proposals specifically designed to create those opportunities.
Hoskinson’s remarks came in response to criticism from prominent Cardano DRep YODA. The DRep questioned why major Cardano-related organizations, including EMURGO, Cardano Foundation, and Input Output Global (IOG), were absent from the newly formed Open USD Consortium.
Notably, the consortium includes more than 140 institutional partners, among them Ripple, Mastercard, OKX, MoonPay, and Visa.
Hoskinson Calls for Governance Accountability In response, Hoskinson stressed that governance participants must accept responsibility for the consequences of their voting decisions. According to him, the development teams invested hundreds of hours designing proposals intended to accelerate Cardano’s commercialization efforts. However, once those proposals entered the governance process, DReps voted them down.
“We put hundreds of hours, carefully proposing direct routes to commercialize Cardano. We brought it to a vote. You voted against it,” the Carano founder noted.
Hoskinson added that he does not care about the reasons behind those decisions because DReps ultimately own the outcome of their votes.
“I don’t care about your reasons. You own the vote,” he remarked.
Commercial Partnerships Require More Than Membership: Hoskinson Meanwhile, Hoskinson argued that joining initiatives such as the Open USD Consortium is relatively straightforward. The more difficult challenge, he said, involves deploying capital and building the financial infrastructure necessary to support those partnerships.
As part of that effort, he pointed to his proposal for a managed sovereign wealth fund capable of providing liquidity, minting stablecoins, and financing ecosystem growth initiatives. Hoskinson also highlighted several projects that he believes form the commercial backbone of the Cardano ecosystem, including RealFi, Midnight, Blockfrost, and Pogan.
According to him, these initiatives provide the infrastructure upon which larger commercial integrations can be built.
Governance Tensions Continue Across the Ecosystem The latest dispute further highlights the governance tensions that have dominated much of the year within the Cardano ecosystem.
The disagreements contributed to the cancellation of several IOG funding proposals, including research and development funding for Blockfrost and the Cardano Summit 2026.
Amid the ongoing debate, Hoskinson recently advocated for governance reforms. His proposals include moving Cardano governance discussions to a moderated Discord server, becoming a DRep himself to participate directly in voting and improve accountability, and revising the ecosystem’s constitution.
DisClamier: This content is informational and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author's personal opinions and do not reflect The Crypto Basic opinion. Readers are encouraged to do thorough research before making any investment decisions. The Crypto Basic is not responsible for any financial losses.
Cardano (ADA) price extends mild recovery on Thursday after a 6% rebound the previous day, an early signal of a potential bullish trend reversal. Retail demand rises as ADA takes a soft bullish turn after a roughly 40% drop last month, with increases in Open Interest, funding rate, and trading volume. The technical outlook supports a mild recovery in Cardano, with trend momentum rising.
Cardano shows early signs of rebuilding retail strength Cardano’s price and retail demand dropped sharply last month, starting with its founder Charles Hoskinson’s plan to take a social media break, followed by the 16 million ADA exploitation from its ecosystem project, SecondFi. However, with the short-term broader crypto market recovery linked to Kevin Warsh’s “prices are too high” comment, Cardano took a quick bullish turnaround.
CoinGlass data shows the ADA futures volume increased by over 4% in 24 hours, reaching $535.33 million, reflecting increased trading interest. However, the Open Interest (OI) barely increased by 2%, to $374.58 million, reflecting a largely stable positional buildup.
Still, the positive surge in funding rate to 0.0093% indicates that traders prefer to buy long positions for a premium, anticipating further upside.
ADA derivatives data. Source: CoinGlassCardano stages a potential bullish trend reversalCardano holds above $0.1500 at press time on Thursday, reflecting a short-term recovery amid a broader bearish bias. ADA crosses above the 50-period Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at $0.1501 on the 4-hour chart but remains below the 200-period EMA at $0.1726.
From a technical perspective, ADA heads higher toward the 50% retracement level at $0.1620, measured over the recent downswing from $0.1900 to $0.1382. If ADA clears this zone, it could target the 200-period EMA at $0.1726, followed by the 78.6% Fibonacci retracement at $0.1774.
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) on the 4-hour chart at 66 shows heightened buying pressure, approaching overbought territory. At the same time, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) maintains a positive slope above its signal with a constructive histogram, which hints at strong but potentially stretched upside momentum.
ADA/USDT daily price chart.On the downside, immediate support sits at the 50-period EMA at $0.1501, reinforced by the 23.6% Fibonacci level at $0.1289. A deeper pullback would expose the structural Fibonacci anchor at $0.1382, with the horizontal support at $0.1000 remaining a more distant bearish objective if selling pressure resumes.
(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool.)
Despite broader market uncertainty, Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has emphasized that the network’s underlying fundamentals remain strong.
He made this known in a recent update to Cardano enthusiasts. According to Hoskinson, network reliability remains one of the most important indicators of blockchain health, and Cardano continues to excel in that area.
He stressed that the network has never been hacked, while block production continues uninterrupted and at a consistent pace. In his view, these operational metrics demonstrate that Cardano’s core infrastructure remains dependable regardless of short-term market sentiment or price fluctuations.
Update https://t.co/VGYNjGrBl0
— Charles Hoskinson (@IOHK_Charles) June 29, 2026
Cardano Prepares for Its Largest Upgrade Yet Meanwhile, Hoskinson revealed that Cardano is approaching the largest upgrade in its history. He suggested that the network is entering a major new phase characterized by significant technological advancements and scalability improvements.
The upcoming upgrade is expected to strengthen Cardano’s infrastructure and further expand its capabilities as the ecosystem matures. Interestingly, he highlighted the ongoing progress surrounding Cardano’s RealFi. This project aims to bridge decentralized finance (DeFi) with the real-world economy by putting idle on-chain liquidity to work in lending and credit markets.
According to Hoskinson, RealFi is now transitioning from concept to implementation. Notably, he disclosed that the RealFi testnet is scheduled to launch on July 6, with a mainnet deployment expected shortly afterward.
The milestone represents a significant step toward Cardano’s long-standing mission of bringing financial services to unbanked populations while connecting blockchain liquidity with real-world economic activity.
Bitcoin DeFi and Midnight Gain Momentum on Cardano In addition, Hoskinson pointed to the growing momentum behind Bitcoin decentralized finance on Cardano through the Pogun initiative.
He believes Bitcoin DeFi could unlock access to a substantially larger pool of liquidity and users by enabling BTC holders to participate in decentralized financial services within the Cardano ecosystem without leaving the Bitcoin economy entirely.
Another initiative receiving considerable attention is Midnight, Cardano’s privacy-focused partner chain, according to Hoskinson.
Hoskinson described 2026 as the “beta year” for Midnight, explaining that the primary objective has been to prepare the network for broader public adoption. He added that development is progressing at an impressive pace and argued that Midnight’s rollout validates Cardano’s partner-chain model.
According to Hoskinson, the project’s progress demonstrates that specialized chains can operate alongside Cardano while benefiting from its broader ecosystem and security model.
Hoskinson Pushes Back Against “Cardano Is Dead” Narrative Hoskinson’s comments come amid growing criticism that Cardano is losing relevance following recent price underperformance and governance tensions.
For context, ADA continues to trade below the $0.20 psychological level and remains the 15th-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization on CoinMarketCap. Its weak price performance, combined with ongoing governance tensions and the departure of key entities from Cardano, has fueled claims that the project is dead. However, Charles Hoskinson has rejected this narrative.
He argued that Cardano would continue to survive and evolve even without his involvement. Furthermore, he maintained that market sentiment does not determine a project’s long-term future and that a token’s trajectory can change rapidly.
Strong Fundamentals Continue to Drive the Ecosystem Forward Ultimately, Hoskinson reiterated that Cardano’s long-term fundamentals remain intact. He pointed to continued progress across key initiatives, including Midnight, RealFi, and Bitcoin DeFi, as evidence that the ecosystem continues to expand despite temporary setbacks and negative sentiment.
For Hoskinson, these developments reinforce the argument that Cardano’s value lies not in short-term price performance but in the steady growth of its technology and real-world utility.
DisClamier: This content is informational and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author's personal opinions and do not reflect The Crypto Basic opinion. Readers are encouraged to do thorough research before making any investment decisions. The Crypto Basic is not responsible for any financial losses.
Market corrections often change the way investors evaluate opportunities. Instead of chasing assets after strong rallies, many begin looking for projects that either appear undervalued or are still developing before reaching wider adoption.
That has become especially relevant in 2026, as several established cryptocurrencies continue trading below important resistance levels while AI-powered presales attract fresh attention.
Crypto analyst Michaël van de Poppe recently observed that bearish sentiment across major cryptocurrencies has reached levels commonly associated with long-term accumulation phases before broader market recoveries.
Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Cardano remain among the industry’s most recognized digital assets. At the same time, MemeToro ($MT) is taking a different route by expanding its ecosystem during the presale stage rather than after exchange listings.
Comparing these projects highlights how different investment strategies can fit into the current market environment.
Bitcoin and Ethereum Continue Defending Key Levels Bitcoin remains the benchmark cryptocurrency despite recent weakness.
The asset has fallen below $59,000, placing greater attention on the important support range between $56,200 and $58,200. Although short-term momentum remains cautious, Bitcoin continues serving as the reference point for institutional participation across the wider digital asset market.
Ethereum has experienced an even more challenging period.
The network entered July trading near $1,570, completing its first-ever streak of three consecutive negative quarters. Even with this difficult price performance, Ethereum continues supporting the largest decentralized application ecosystem in crypto, giving many investors confidence in its long-term relevance.
Rather than abandoning these assets, many long-term holders continue viewing the current market as a period of accumulation.
XRP and Cardano Are Waiting for Stronger Catalysts XRP and Cardano have also struggled to generate sustained momentum.
XRP remains tightly consolidated around $1.05, relying on strong support between $1.00 and $1.06 while investors continue monitoring regulatory developments. Delays surrounding the CLARITY Act have reduced expectations for immediate policy changes, leaving technical price levels as the primary focus.
Cardano continues facing its own technical challenges.
The token remains below both its 50-day and 200-day exponential moving averages, making it difficult for buyers to establish a convincing recovery despite continued ecosystem development.
Both projects retain active communities and established blockchain infrastructure, but neither has fully escaped the broader market slowdown affecting large-cap cryptocurrencies.
MemeToro Offers a Different Entry Point Unlike established cryptocurrencies that already trade on major exchanges, MemeToro ($MT) is still expanding during its public presale.
The platform combines artificial intelligence with several blockchain products instead of relying on one standalone application. Its AI Agent continuously analyzes online discussions, market narratives, social trends, and cultural developments before autonomously supporting fair no-code memecoin launches.
The ecosystem extends far beyond token creation.
Users can participate in decentralized prediction markets covering cryptocurrencies, politics, sports, entertainment, and global events using $MT and BNB. The platform also includes SocialFi participation, behavioral finance tools, and staking rewards of up to 35% APR, encouraging continued activity throughout the ecosystem.
Rather than waiting until after launch to introduce utility, MemeToro is building those products during the presale itself.
Early $MT Token Buyers Still Get the Better Deal Stage 3 of MemeToro’s presale keeps rolling forward, currently sitting at $44,714.54 raised against an $80,644.11 target. The per-token price of $0.00171 won’t hold forever, it’s set to increase as upcoming milestones are reached, rewarding those who act sooner rather than later.
With a hard cap of 1.2 billion $MT, the lion’s share, 71% or 857,936,900 tokens, goes to public participants. The remaining supply is divided between exchange liquidity (10%), marketing and partnership efforts (7.56%), platform operations (5%), ecosystem rewards (4.44%), and core team holdings (2%), all supporting the project beyond launch.
BNB, ETH, USDT, USDC, and bank cards are all accepted through the official presale portal.
Market Conditions Are Changing Investor Behavior Bear markets often encourage investors to look beyond short-term price movements.
Meanwhile, He Yi, co-founder of Binance, has emphasized that projects capable of delivering real infrastructure during difficult conditions are more likely to succeed than those focused primarily on speculative price appreciation.
Those observations help explain why investors continue comparing established cryptocurrencies with earlier-stage AI ecosystems instead of treating them as competing investments.
Many portfolios now include both categories.
More Information on MemeToro ($MT) Presale Here:
Website: https://memetoro.com/
X: https://x.com/memetoro_mt
Telegram: https://t.me/memetoro_mt
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There is a reason this one is worth separating from the usual market noise. Cardano Price Stuck in Consolidation as Devs Push Back on 'Ghost Chain' Accusations gives NewsBTC readers a clean angle on Cardano at a point where the market is trying to separate durable signals from short-lived noise.
According to the source material reviewed for this report, the story turns on a few concrete details rather than vague sentiment. That matters because crypto headlines can move quickly, but the pieces that tend to last are the ones backed by filings, official releases, data dashboards, or protocol-level records.
TL;DR
ADA has been trading in a tight range between $0.1344 and $0.1521. Development data shows high commit rates on GitHub, countering popular social media narratives labeling it a 'ghost chain'. On-chain transaction counts remain stable despite rangebound price action. What Changed The immediate relevance is that this development fits into one of the market’s main themes for the day: institutional positioning, network usage, regulatory pressure, protocol development, or asset-specific rotation. In this case, the key topic is Cardano, which is why it deserves a dedicated read rather than being buried inside a broader market recap.
For traders, the useful part is not simply that the headline exists. It is the way the facts line up with the current market backdrop. When official sources, market data, or protocol records show a fresh shift, readers get a better sense of whether the move is just a one-day reaction or part of something more structural.
Why It Stands Out The core source for this story is essentialcardano.io with supporting data from github.com. That source trail is important because the final article should not rely on discovery-only media links or second-hand summaries.
ADA has been trading in a tight range between $0.1344 and $0.1521.
Development data shows high commit rates on GitHub, countering popular social media narratives labeling it a 'ghost chain'.
The numerical claims in the pack were tied back to specific source material before writing. '$0.1344' sourced from TradingView ADA/USD spot market historical support; '$0.1521' sourced from TradingView ADA/USD spot market historical resistance
What Comes Next The caution is just as important as the headline. Do not claim Cardano has solved all transaction throughput issues; present the facts as a balance between developer commits and market price lag.
That means the cleaner read is to treat this as a confirmed development with a defined scope, not as proof of a guaranteed price move or a sweeping market shift. In crypto, the difference matters. A verified data point can strengthen a thesis, but it does not remove execution risk, liquidity risk, regulatory uncertainty, or the possibility that traders fade the initial reaction.
For now, the story gives the market another piece of evidence to weigh. If follow-up filings, dashboard updates, protocol records, or official statements confirm further momentum, the angle can develop into something larger. If not, it still stands as a useful snapshot of where activity is concentrating today.
This report is based on information from essentialcardano.io and github.com.
This article was written by the News Desk and edited by Samuel Rae.
The US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned 134 cryptocurrency wallet addresses identified as belonging to ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K), which has been a Specially Designated Global Terrorist since September 2015.
The wallet addresses were added to the OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list on Wednesday, which includes individuals, entities and digital asset addresses linked to terrorism, narcotics trafficking and other illicit activity.
Stablecoin issuer Tether has frozen the balances associated with 131 Tron addresses, while the remaining three sanctioned addresses were on the Monero network, blockchain forensics company Chainalysis said in a Wednesday report.
The development comes over a week after the OFAC’s previous round of sanctions against ISIS-supporting financiers using cryptocurrency. On June 22, the OFAC sanctioned three individuals and six entities across Europe, the Middle East and West Africa, including Syria-based MSB Bitcoin Xchange and Turkish MSB Spider.
OFAC said the previous round of sanctions targeted “key facilitators who enable ISIS to move funds among its regional affiliates.”
OFAC update to SDN list, new wallets included. Source: OFAC
131 wallets linked to ISIS-K received $1.4 million in donationsISIS-K has historically solicited crypto through donation campaigns on various websites and messaging platforms, Chainalysis said.
The report said that the 131 Tron addresses in the latest round of sanctions received over $1.4 million in crypto donations since 2023 and sent over $880,000.
Network of ISIS-K funding entities sanctioned by OFAC. Source: Chainalysis
Chainalysis identified multiple such donation addresses used by the group on Tron, Monero and the Bitcoin network. It found significant exposure to mainstream services, including some wallets that sent funds to Syria-based cryptocurrency exchanges.
Blockchain analytics tools are playing an increasingly prominent role in financial sanctions targeting illicit activity.
Earlier in April, blockchain intelligence company TRM Labs said that onchain evidence was key to securing the conviction of three individuals for terrorism financing in Indonesia in 2024 and 2025.
“Indonesian courts have demonstrated that cryptocurrency evidence — wallet addresses, transaction histories, on-chain flows — is not only admissible but can anchor a terrorism financing prosecution,” TRM said in a statement.
Magazine: Are DeFi devs liable for the illegal activity of others on their platforms?
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 US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned 134 cryptocurrency wallet addresses identified as belonging to ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K), which has been a Specially Designated Global Terrorist since September 2015.
The wallet addresses were added to the OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list on Wednesday, which includes individuals, entities and digital asset addresses linked to terrorism, narcotics trafficking and other illicit activity.
Stablecoin issuer Tether has frozen the balances associated with 131 Tron addresses, while the remaining three sanctioned addresses were on the Monero network, blockchain forensics company Chainalysis said in a Wednesday report.
The development comes over a week after the OFAC’s previous round of sanctions against ISIS-supporting financiers using cryptocurrency. On June 22, the OFAC sanctioned three individuals and six entities across Europe, the Middle East and West Africa, including Syria-based MSB Bitcoin Xchange and Turkish MSB Spider.
OFAC said the previous round of sanctions targeted “key facilitators who enable ISIS to move funds among its regional affiliates.”
OFAC update to SDN list, new wallets included. Source: OFAC
131 wallets linked to ISIS-K received $1.4 million in donationsISIS-K has historically solicited crypto through donation campaigns on various websites and messaging platforms, Chainalysis said.
The report said that the 131 Tron addresses in the latest round of sanctions received over $1.4 million in crypto donations since 2023 and sent over $880,000.
Network of ISIS-K funding entities sanctioned by OFAC. Source: Chainalysis
Chainalysis identified multiple such donation addresses used by the group on Tron, Monero and the Bitcoin network. It found significant exposure to mainstream services, including some wallets that sent funds to Syria-based cryptocurrency exchanges.
Blockchain analytics tools are playing an increasingly prominent role in financial sanctions targeting illicit activity.
Earlier in April, blockchain intelligence company TRM Labs said that onchain evidence was key to securing the conviction of three individuals for terrorism financing in Indonesia in 2024 and 2025.
“Indonesian courts have demonstrated that cryptocurrency evidence — wallet addresses, transaction histories, on-chain flows — is not only admissible but can anchor a terrorism financing prosecution,” TRM said in a statement.
Magazine: Are DeFi devs liable for the illegal activity of others on their platforms?
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.
Tether and Circle built their businesses by keeping the interest on the dollars behind their coins. A new kind of stablecoin, run and owned by a group instead of a single company, shares that money instead. Here is how the consortium model works and why it is spreading.
Summary
A consortium stablecoin is a fiat-backed token issued and governed by a group of companies instead of a single issuer, with two defining features: shared governance and shared reserve income. It contrasts with single-issuer stablecoins such as Tether’s USDT and Circle’s USDC, where one company controls the network and keeps the interest earned on reserves. The model is spreading because stablecoin regulation has clarified, the market has grown past $300 billion, and partners increasingly want a share of the reserve income that has made incumbents enormously profitable. Leading examples include Open USD, backed by more than 140 companies, the Paxos-led Global Dollar Network, and Europe’s bank-led Qivalis, while the earlier Centre Consortium behind USDC shows the model can also fracture. The consortium approach aligns incentives and challenges incumbent economics, but it faces real risks around coordination, governance, and the difficulty of shipping a product agreed on by many stakeholders. Table of Contents
Consortium versus single-issuer stablecoinsThe two defining features: shared governance and shared economicsWhy consortium stablecoins are emerging nowThe leading examplesA cautionary precedent: the Centre ConsortiumWhy the model mattersThe risks of the consortium modelWhere consortium stablecoins fit among stablecoin typesFrequently Asked Questions A consortium stablecoin is a digital dollar, or other fiat-pegged token, that is issued and governed collectively by a group of companies rather than controlled by one. The defining idea is shared ownership of both the decisions and the economics: a board drawn from the partner companies sets the rules, and the income earned on the reserves backing the coin is distributed among those partners instead of kept by a single issuer. That structure is a deliberate break from the model that built the stablecoin giants, and it has become one of the most important trends in digital money.
This explainer covers what makes a stablecoin a consortium stablecoin, why the model is emerging now, the leading examples, and the risks that come with running a coin by committee.
Consortium versus single-issuer stablecoins To understand the consortium model, start with the model it is reacting against. Most of today’s major stablecoins are single-issuer coins. One company creates the token, holds the dollar reserves that back it, collects the interest those reserves earn, and keeps the profit. Tether, which issues USDT, and Circle, which issues USDC, are the dominant examples, and together they control roughly 80 percent of a stablecoin market worth more than $300 billion. Their businesses are simple and enormously profitable: take in dollars, park them in safe assets like Treasury bills, and keep the yield while the token circulates freely.
That reserve income is the heart of the matter. When interest rates are meaningful, the interest on billions of dollars of reserves adds up to billions in revenue. The single issuer keeps that money, which is what makes issuing a large stablecoin one of the best businesses in finance. A partial exception is USDC, where Circle shares a large portion of the economics with Coinbase in exchange for distribution, a hint of the shared-economics idea taken further by the consortium model.
A consortium stablecoin rearranges this in two ways. First, no single company controls the network; a group governs it collectively through a shared board. Second, the reserve income is not kept by one issuer but distributed among the participating companies, usually after a management fee that funds operations. The coin still works the same way for a user, redeemable one-for-one for a dollar held in reserve, but the ownership of the decisions and the money behind it is spread across many hands instead of being concentrated in one. That is the essential difference.
Every consortium stablecoin rests on the same two pillars, and it is worth being precise about each. The first is shared, neutral governance. Instead of one company setting the token’s rules, its reserve policy, its supported chains, and its product roadmap, a board made up of the partner companies makes those decisions collectively. The stated aim is neutrality: no single participant can steer the coin to serve its own interests at the expense of the others, which is meant to make the token trustworthy as shared infrastructure rather than one firm’s product. For businesses wary of building on a competitor’s rails, that neutrality is a selling point.
The second pillar is shared economics. In a consortium model, the interest earned on the reserves is returned to the partners who adopt and distribute the coin, minus a management fee for operating costs. This directly inverts the incumbent arrangement where the issuer keeps the yield. The logic is incentive alignment: if a payment company, bank, or platform earns a share of the reserve income by supporting the coin, it has a direct financial reason to promote adoption. The coin’s growth becomes a shared commercial project instead of one issuer’s private revenue stream.
Together, these two features aim to solve problems the consortium model’s backers say businesses face with existing stablecoins. Companies often pay fees to mint or redeem at scale, do not share in the reserve revenue their volume helps generate, and have little influence over an issuer’s roadmap. A neutral, revenue-sharing, collectively governed coin is pitched as the answer to all three. Whether it delivers depends on execution, but the structure is a coherent response to the incumbents’ weaknesses.
Why consortium stablecoins are emerging now The consortium model is not new in concept, but it has gained momentum for specific reasons in the mid-2020s. The first is regulation. In the United States, the GENIUS Act, signed into law in 2025, created a federal framework for dollar-backed stablecoins, setting standards for reserves and licensing. That clarity lowered the legal uncertainty that had kept large, regulated institutions on the sidelines, and it drew banks, payment networks, and major enterprises into a market they had previously watched from a distance. A consortium of household-name financial firms is far more plausible once the rules of the road are defined.
The second reason is the sheer size and trajectory of the market. The stablecoin sector has grown past $300 billion, and some projections see it reaching into the trillions by the end of the decade as tokens move from crypto trading into cross-border payments, merchant settlement, and corporate treasury operations. A market that large attracts competitors who want a share, and it makes the reserve income at stake enormous.
When the prize is that big, the incentive to build an alternative to the incumbents grows accordingly.
The third reason is the economics itself. As the interest income earned by single issuers has become widely understood, partners have increasingly asked why they should drive adoption of a coin whose reserve revenue flows entirely to one company. The competitive frontier has shifted from simply issuing a token to controlling the underlying network and sharing its economics. Consortium stablecoins are the natural expression of that shift, giving a broad group of participants both a say in the network and a cut of the money it generates. The result has been a wave of consortium and shared-revenue projects entering the market.
The leading examples The clearest way to understand the model is through the projects putting it into practice. The most prominent is Open USD, or OUSD, announced in 2026 by an independent company called Open Standard and backed by a consortium of more than 140 businesses spanning payments, banking, technology, and crypto, including Visa, Mastercard, Stripe, BlackRock, BNY, Coinbase, and Google. Open USD lets businesses mint and redeem the token with no fees and no volume limits, and it shares the reserve income with participating partners after a management fee, governed by a board drawn from those partners. It is positioned as a direct challenge to Tether and Circle, and its announcement sent Circle’s stock down sharply as the market priced in the competitive threat.
Open USD is not the first of its kind. The Global Dollar Network, built around the USDG token and led by the regulated issuer Paxos, uses a similar shared-revenue structure, distributing reserve income to partners such as Robinhood, Kraken, and Galaxy Digital to encourage broad adoption. In Europe, a group of major banks including BNP Paribas, ING, UniCredit, and SEB formed a venture called Qivalis to launch a euro-pegged stablecoin, initially focused on crypto trading before expanding, as financial institutions seek shared digital-payment infrastructure they collectively control. These projects differ in detail, but they share the consortium DNA of collective governance and shared economics.
What unites the examples is a strategic bet: that the future of stablecoins is a fight over infrastructure and network control rather than individual tokens, and that a broad, aligned coalition can win it against entrenched single issuers. The breadth of the coalitions, spanning card networks, banks, technology platforms, and crypto firms, is meant to translate into real-world acceptance that a lone issuer would struggle to build. Whether that bet pays off is the open question, and history offers a cautionary example.
A cautionary precedent: the Centre Consortium The consortium model has been tried before at the heart of the industry, and the result is instructive. When USDC launched in 2018, it was governed not by Circle alone but by the Centre Consortium, a governance body co-founded by Circle and Coinbase to oversee the coin as a neutral standard. In its early years, USDC was the shared project of two of crypto’s most important companies, with governance and economics split between them, a genuine consortium arrangement at the center of the stablecoin market.
That arrangement did not last. By 2023, Circle and Coinbase dissolved the Centre Consortium, with Circle taking full control of USDC’s issuance and governance and buying out Coinbase’s stake, replacing the shared structure with a revenue-sharing commercial agreement instead. The neutral, jointly governed body gave way to a single issuer with a distribution partner. The episode showed that a consortium can fracture, that aligning even two large partners over the long term is hard, and that the pull toward single-issuer control is strong once a coin becomes valuable.
The lesson for today’s consortium stablecoins is sobering but not disqualifying. Coordinating two founding partners proved difficult; coordinating 140 is a far larger challenge. At the same time, the Centre experience taught the industry a great deal about how to structure governance and economics, and the newer projects are designed with that history in mind. The precedent is a warning about durability, not a verdict that the model cannot work. It simply means the hardest part of a consortium stablecoin may not be launching it, but keeping the coalition together as the stakes rise.
Why the model matters Consortium stablecoins matter because they attack the core economics of the incumbents and could reshape how digital dollars are built. By sharing reserve income, they threaten the single-issuer business model that has made Tether and Circle so profitable, and they put pressure on every issuer to justify keeping the float that stablecoins quietly earn. If businesses can earn a share of that income by supporting a shared coin, the competitive logic of the whole sector shifts, and that pressure is real regardless of which specific consortium succeeds.
The model also changes the incentives around adoption. A single issuer has to persuade partners to distribute its coin; a consortium gives those partners a financial stake in the coin’s success, turning distribution into a shared interest. Combined with neutral governance, this can make a consortium coin more attractive to businesses that do not want to depend on, or enrich, a single competitor. The breadth of backers in projects like Open USD is meant to convert that aligned interest into faster real-world acceptance across payments, banking, and commerce.
For the broader market, the rise of consortium stablecoins is part of a larger story in which crypto is replaying the history of banking, where whoever holds the deposit, or the digital dollar, ends up with more durable economics than whoever merely moves the transaction. The consortium model is an attempt to distribute that durable position across a coalition instead of concentrating it in one firm. That makes it a structurally significant development, not just another product launch, even though its ultimate success is far from guaranteed.
The risks of the consortium model For all its appeal, the consortium model carries distinct risks that anyone evaluating it should weigh. The most fundamental is coordination. Aligning the interests of a large group of companies, each with its own priorities and competitors within the same coalition, is genuinely hard, and decision-making by committee can be slow and prone to deadlock. The Centre Consortium fractured with only two partners; a coalition of many faces a much steeper coordination challenge, and governance disputes could stall the roadmap or splinter the group.
A second risk is that consortiums have historically struggled to ship and sustain products. A launch-day roster of famous names is not the same as a working, widely adopted coin, and many industry consortiums across finance and technology have announced ambitious shared ventures that underdelivered. At announcement, a new consortium stablecoin typically has unproven contracts, reserves, and real-world usage, so the gap between a strong partner list and durable adoption is wide. The coin still has to win against the deep liquidity and entrenched network effects of incumbents like USDT and USDC, which will not stand still.
There are subtler concerns too. Concentrating governance among a group of large, powerful incumbents raises its own questions about who really controls the network and whose interests it ultimately serves. Regulatory clarity that favors well-capitalized entrants can entrench the biggest players instead of broadening competition. And a win for the consortium as a business does not automatically translate into benefits for the users, chains, or tokens associated with it. The consortium model is a serious and well-reasoned challenge to the single-issuer status quo, but it is an experiment whose durability will be settled by execution and by whether coalitions can hold together once the money at stake grows large.
Where consortium stablecoins fit among stablecoin types To place the consortium model correctly, it helps to see the wider map of stablecoin designs, because the consortium approach is a variation on one branch of that map instead of a wholly separate species. The most common type is the fiat-backed stablecoin, where each token is backed by reserves of cash and safe assets like Treasury bills held by an issuer. Within that category sit the familiar single-issuer coins such as Tether’s USDT and Circle’s USDC, where one company holds the reserves and keeps the income. A consortium stablecoin is still a fiat-backed stablecoin; what changes is who governs it and who receives the reserve income, not what backs it.
Other branches of the map work differently. Crypto-collateralized stablecoins, such as those built on decentralized protocols, are backed not by dollars in a bank but by other cryptocurrencies locked in smart contracts, usually over-collateralized to absorb volatility. Algorithmic stablecoins attempt to hold their peg through supply-adjusting mechanisms instead of full reserves, a design that has repeatedly proven fragile and, in notable cases, collapsed. Yield-bearing stablecoins add a return for the holder on top of the peg, sharing reserve income or on-chain yield directly with users. These are distinct mechanisms for achieving or funding a stable value.
Seen against that backdrop, the consortium model is best understood as a governance-and-economics innovation layered onto the fiat-backed design. It does not change the fundamental promise, one token redeemable for one dollar held in reserve, and it does not introduce a new stability mechanism. What it changes is the ownership of the network: collective governance instead of a single controller, and shared reserve income instead of a single beneficiary. In that sense it sits alongside, not opposite, the single-issuer fiat-backed coins, offering the same product with a different distribution of power and profit.
This placement matters for how users should evaluate a consortium stablecoin. Because the backing is the same fiat-reserve model, the safety questions are the same ones that apply to any fiat-backed coin: what exactly is in the reserves, who holds and audits them, and what regulatory framework governs them. The consortium structure adds considerations about coordination and governance, but it does not remove the need to scrutinize reserves and compliance. A consortium coin is not safer or riskier by virtue of its governance alone; it is a fiat-backed stablecoin whose distinctive feature is shared control, and it should be judged on the fundamentals every stablecoin shares.
Frequently Asked Questions What is a consortium stablecoin? A consortium stablecoin is a fiat-backed token issued and governed by a group of companies instead of a single issuer. Its two defining features are shared governance, where a board drawn from the partners makes decisions collectively, and shared economics, where the interest earned on reserves is distributed among partners after a management fee, instead of kept by one company.
How is it different from USDT or USDC? USDT and USDC are single-issuer stablecoins: one company, Tether or Circle, controls the network, holds the reserves, and keeps the interest those reserves earn. A consortium stablecoin spreads both control and reserve income across many partner companies. USDC is a partial hybrid, since Circle shares a large share of the economics with Coinbase, but Circle still controls issuance and governance.
What is an example of a consortium stablecoin? The most prominent example is Open USD, backed by more than 140 companies including Visa, Mastercard, Stripe, BlackRock, and Coinbase, and governed by an independent body called Open Standard. Others include the Paxos-led Global Dollar Network, which shares reserve income with partners like Robinhood and Kraken, and Qivalis, a euro stablecoin venture formed by major European banks.
Why are consortium stablecoins becoming popular? Three forces are driving them: clearer regulation, such as the 2025 GENIUS Act, which brought large regulated institutions into the market; the growth of the stablecoin sector past $300 billion, which raised the stakes; and a growing desire among partners to share in the reserve income that single issuers have kept. Competition has shifted from issuing tokens to controlling and sharing the underlying network.
How do consortium stablecoins make money for partners? They share the interest earned on the reserves. A stablecoin holds dollars in safe assets like Treasury bills that earn interest, and in the consortium model that income is distributed among the participating companies after a management fee covers operating costs. This gives each partner a direct financial incentive to promote adoption, unlike single-issuer coins where the issuer keeps the reserve income.
What happened to the Centre Consortium? The Centre Consortium was a governance body co-founded by Circle and Coinbase in 2018 to oversee USDC as a neutral standard. It was dissolved in 2023, when Circle took full control of USDC’s issuance and governance and bought out Coinbase’s stake, replacing the shared structure with a revenue-sharing agreement. It is a cautionary example that even a two-partner consortium can fracture over time.
Are consortium stablecoins safer than single-issuer ones? Not inherently. Safety depends on the quality of the reserves, the regulatory framework, and the operator, not on whether governance is shared. A consortium can add neutrality and distributed control, but it also adds coordination risk and, at launch, unproven contracts and reserves. Users should evaluate any stablecoin on its reserve backing, regulatory standing, and transparency instead of assuming a governance model makes it safer.
What are the main risks of the consortium model? The biggest risk is coordination: aligning many companies, some of them competitors, is hard, and committee governance can be slow or prone to disputes. Consortiums have also historically struggled to ship and sustain products, so a strong partner list may not translate into adoption. New consortium coins must also overcome the deep liquidity and network effects of entrenched incumbents like USDT and USDC.
Disclaimer: This article is for information and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. The stablecoin sector is evolving rapidly, and the status of specific projects can change. Nothing here is a recommendation to buy, sell, or use any asset or product. Always do your own research and consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions. Information is accurate as of July 2, 2026, and may change.
Manchester United is preparing to sit down with Bruno Fernandes and hammer out a new deal before the Portuguese midfielder’s current contract runs its course.
Fernandes’s current deal is worth £250,000 per week and is set to expire in June 2026, though it includes a clause for an optional one-year extension that could push it into June 2027. The club reportedly aims to open negotiations before the end of 2026, with a new offer that could reach £375,000 per week plus performance bonuses.
That is a 50% raise.
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The Fernandes factor Fernandes joined Manchester United from Sporting CP in January 2020 for a fee of £47 million. He was handed the captain’s armband and signed a contract extension in April 2022.
Where crypto enters the picture Manchester United has a sponsorship deal with blockchain platform Tezos valued at over £20 million annually, a partnership confirmed in February 2022. That deal made Tezos the club’s official training kit partner.
Fernandes’s contract negotiations themselves have no direct digital asset component. No digital asset ties have been reported in relation to Fernandes’s contract discussions.
Tezos maintained its relationship with United through the broader crypto market downturn in 2022 and into 2023.
What this means for investors The renewal status of deals like the Tezos-United partnership matters. If United renegotiates its blockchain sponsorship at a higher valuation alongside player contract extensions, it signals that the club views crypto partnerships as stable, bankable revenue.
When one top club maintains a blockchain partnership worth over £20 million per year, it creates pressure on rival clubs to seek similar deals. That competition can inflate sponsorship values, which in turn means more capital flowing from crypto treasuries into sports marketing.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
On its eighth anniversary, Ontology puts ONTO Wallet at the centre of its strategy, adding an identity and verified human data platform to its multi-chain wallet, with a four-part Ontology EVM upgrade keeping the infrastructure underneath fast and current.
Ontology, the Layer 1 blockchain for decentralised identity and data, marked the eighth anniversary of its MainNet by setting out the next chapter of its strategy: building the trusted identity and verified human data layer for the AI economy. At the centre is ONTO Wallet, the ecosystem’s datawallet, which is adding an identity and data platform that lets people own the data they create and put it to work, exactly as AI’s demand for high-quality, consent-based human data accelerates.
Eight years of building identity and data infrastructure have prepared Ontology for an AI economy that increasingly depends on trusted, consent-based human data.
The data problem AI is about to hit
AI has a data problem. As models become more capable, the supply of high-quality, consent-based human data is becoming one of the industry’s biggest constraints. Synthetic data can scale human judgement, but it cannot replace it. What AI increasingly needs is verified human data: information that is high-quality, consent-based, and provably created by a real person, sourced in a way enterprises can stand behind.
The supply of that data is the problem. Today the people who create data rarely share in its value. By Ontology’s own analysis, Meta, Alphabet and Amazon alone have earned more than 1.3 trillion US dollars from user-generated data, while the individuals behind it receive nothing. Regulation is moving the other way: frameworks such as the EU Data Act are pushing enterprises toward first-party, user-consented data. The missing piece has been a way to prove data is authentic and human without exposing it. That is the gap Ontology has spent eight years preparing to fill.
ONTO Wallet: from holding assets to owning data
ONTO Wallet is the centre of the strategy. It remains a multi-chain Web3 wallet, and is now building on that foundation to add an identity and verified human data platform. People own the data they create, build a verified profile, and earn rewards by contributing data on their own terms. On the other side of the marketplace, projects in AI, gaming and Web3 gain access to verified human data, a resource that is in growing demand and hard to source responsibly.
The platform rests on capabilities Ontology has built over its eight years, now native to the wallet: decentralised identity through ONT ID, and software-only verification that confirms data is authentic and human without exposing the underlying information. No special hardware is required.
It is organised around four ideas: ownership of personal data, verifiable identity as the core differentiator, real utility through rewards and a working data marketplace, and trust carried by the network underneath. Identity is the through-line: it is what lets a person prove who they are and what they have done, and what turns raw data into verified human data that the AI economy can use.
Eight years of building the foundation
Ontology comes to this moment with infrastructure already in production, not a whitepaper:
Eight years of stable operation: the Ontology MainNet has run without interruption since 30 June 2018. An identity pioneer: ONT ID is one of the earliest decentralised identity frameworks aligned with the W3C DID standard, with 1.65 million decentralised identities issued. Global reach through ONTO Wallet: more than 2 million users, across 70+ blockchains and 170+ countries. A proven network: more than 20 million transactions processed, ~900 active nodes, and 216 million ONT staked The infrastructure underneath: a four-part EVM upgrade
A data platform that asks people to contribute often needs transactions that are fast and inexpensive. The anniversary release upgrades the network that makes that possible, bringing four widely adopted Ethereum opcodes to the Ontology EVM. The changes reduce transaction costs, shrink smart contract sizes, and bring the network in line with the current Ethereum standard, while removing friction for teams porting existing Ethereum contracts across.
PUSH0 (EIP-3855): places the value zero onto the stack, reducing contract size and lowering the gas cost of almost every transaction. BASEFEE (EIP-3198): lets a contract read the network’s current base fee directly on-chain, with no external data source. MCOPY (EIP-5656): copies memory in a single step, speeding up data-heavy operations such as encoding and cryptography. Transient storage, TSTORE and TLOAD (EIP-1153): a low-cost storage that lasts for a single transaction, well suited to temporary state such as reentrancy protection. Together these bring the Ontology EVM in line with the opcodes introduced in Ethereum’s Shanghai and Cancun upgrades, so the latest output from compilers such as Solidity and Vyper runs without special handling. Alongside the EVM enhancements, Ontology has continued its ongoing technical review process, introducing a series of performance optimisations and bug fixes that further improve network stability, efficiency and overall reliability.
“For eight years we have built the infrastructure for trusted identity and user-owned data. The next eight are about putting it to work for the defining technology of our time,” said Li Jun, Founder of Ontology. “AI runs on data, and it increasingly needs data that is high-quality, consented, and provably human. Ontology and ONTO Wallet let people own that data and decide how it is used, turning verified human data into the foundation of a fairer AI economy.”
Where Ontology goes next
This anniversary is less a celebration of what Ontology has built than a statement of where it is going. As AI resets the value of data, Ontology intends to be the place where identity is owned, data is given with consent, and verified human data becomes infrastructure the whole industry can build on. The work of the next chapter starts now.
About Ontology
Ontology is building the trusted identity and verified human data layer for the AI economy. Through decentralised identity and verifiable data, Ontology gives individuals control over their information and enables enterprises to access verified, user-consented data at scale. For more information, visit ont.io.
About ONTO Wallet
ONTO Wallet is evolving from a multi-chain wallet into a multi-chain data wallet for the AI economy. It lets people own their digital identity, build a verified profile from the data they already create, and earn rewards by contributing that data on their own terms, while giving projects access to verified human data. Learn more at onto.app.
Shares of high-flying photonics names are sliding at midday Thursday. Applied Optoelectronics (NASDAQ:AAOI) stock is down 17% to $114.93, the biggest decliner in the group and easily the sharpest single-session drop of the three. Coherent (NYSE:COHR | COHR Price Prediction) stock is off 10% to $331.57, while Lumentum (NASDAQ:LITE) stock is down 10% to $720.91.
The moves interrupt some of the best runs anywhere in tech this year. Applied Optoelectronics stock is up 233% year to date (YTD), Lumentum stock is up 98% YTD, and Coherent stock is up 80% YTD. Even after today’s selling, all three remain massive 2026 winners tied to the AI optical-networking build-out, and that kind of vertical price action carries built-in vulnerability to a single risk-off session.
Our news feed shows no stock-specific catalyst behind the drop in Applied Optoelectronics, Coherent, or Lumentum. The action reads as a valuation-driven, sector-wide reset in high-beta AI-infrastructure names, with the underlying businesses still intact.
The Valuation Reset After a Blistering Rally The setup for a fast unwind was already in place across Applied Optoelectronics, Coherent, and Lumentum. Per Yahoo Finance, Coherent stock trades at a P/E ratio of 158.42x and Lumentum stock at a P/E ratio of 128.05x. Applied Optoelectronics carries no P/E because the company is unprofitable, with a trailing EPS of -$0.65.
Today’s sell-off fits the broader AI-hardware pullback pressuring other high-flyers. NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) stock was down 2% midday Thursday, and Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) stock was down 6%. Inverse semiconductor ETFs jumped sharply, a tell that positioning turned defensive across the chip and networking complex heading into July.
The Business Case Under the Sell-Off The fundamentals under the drop in Applied Optoelectronics, Coherent, and Lumentum haven’t cracked. Coherent’s fiscal Q3 2026 revenue rose 21% year over year (YoY) to $1.8 billion, with datacenter and communications revenue jumping 41% YoY as the company deepened its NVIDIA optical-networking partnership. Coherent’s average analyst price target of $384 sits well above the current level, with 12 Buy and 4 Strong Buy ratings against 4 Holds.
Lumentum’s Q3 FY2026 revenue jumped 90% YoY to $808 million, and management guided Q4 revenue to a range of $960 million to $1.01 billion. Lumentum also disclosed a co-packaged optics order for H1 CY27 delivery and an optical-circuit-switch backlog above $400 million, signaling continued design-in traction with hyperscale AI customers.
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Applied Optoelectronics is smaller but scaling fast, with datacenter revenue more than doubling YoY in Q1 FY2026 on 800G transceiver demand tied to a large hyperscale customer. CEO Thompson Lin has previously guided full-year 2026 revenue to potentially exceed $1 billion. That growth story is exactly why the stock rallied so hard in the first place.
Bulls and Bears Split on the Optical Trade The community around Applied Optoelectronics, Coherent, and Lumentum is split after today’s drop. One camp treats the pullback as a tactical entry into a multi-year optical and AI-scaling cycle, citing hyperscaler capex on 800G and 1.6T transceivers, co-packaged optics, and optical circuit switches. The other camp flags stretched multiples and points to recent insider sales as a caution signal.
There’s also insider selling to consider. Executive dispositions at Applied Optoelectronics, Coherent, and Lumentum in May and June appear consistent with pre-scheduled Rule 10b5-1 plans and equity-compensation timing, not directional calls on the businesses. Shareholders watching their exposure to photonics should think about keeping their position sizes modest, given how quickly these high-beta names can move in either direction.
What to Watch Now Traders can watch for whether Applied Optoelectronics stock holds the $115 area and whether Coherent stock and Lumentum stock stabilize into the afternoon. A bounce off of session lows would signal dip-buyers stepping in, while a slide into the close would keep the sector-reset thesis alive for tomorrow’s open.
The next catalyst path is calendar-driven. Coherent and Lumentum will report their fiscal Q4 2026 results later this summer, and hyperscaler capex commentary from mega-cap tech earnings arrives within weeks. Investors weighing their photonics allocation may want to track how AAOI, COHR, and LITE shares trade against the broader semiconductor group over the next several sessions before making any position changes.
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If you are looking for a stock that has a solid history of beating earnings estimates and is in a good position to maintain the trend in its next quarterly report, you should consider Comcast (CMCSA - Free Report) . This company, which is in the Zacks Cable Television industry, shows potential for another earnings beat.
This cable provider has an established record of topping earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The company boasts an average surprise for the past two quarters of 10.11%.
For the last reported quarter, Comcast came out with earnings of $0.79 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.73 per share, representing a surprise of 8.22%. For the previous quarter, the company was expected to post earnings of $0.75 per share and it actually produced earnings of $0.84 per share, delivering a surprise of 12.00%.
Price and EPS Surprise
Thanks in part to this history, there has been a favorable change in earnings estimates for Comcast lately. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the stock is positive, which is a great indicator of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with its solid Zacks Rank.
Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Comcast currently has an Earnings ESP of +1.77%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner. We expect the company's next earnings report to be released on July 23, 2026.
With the Earnings ESP metric, it's important to note that a negative value reduces its predictive power; however, a negative Earnings ESP does not indicate an earnings miss.
Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, but that may not be the sole basis for their stocks moving higher. On the other hand, some stocks may hold their ground even if they end up missing the consensus estimate.
Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Investors interested in stocks from the Computer - Software sector have probably already heard of Progress Software (PRGS - Free Report) and Cadence Design Systems (CDNS - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks offers value investors a better bang for their buck right now? We'll need to take a closer look.
We have found that the best way to discover great value opportunities is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with a great grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system. The Zacks Rank is a proven strategy that targets companies with positive earnings estimate revision trends, while our Style Scores work to grade companies based on specific traits.
Currently, both Progress Software and Cadence Design Systems are holding a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy). This system places an emphasis on companies that have seen positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that these stocks have improving earnings outlooks. But this is just one piece of the puzzle for value investors.
Value investors are also interested in a number of tried-and-true valuation metrics that help show when a company is undervalued at its current share price levels.
Our Value category highlights undervalued companies by looking at a variety of key metrics, including the popular P/E ratio, as well as the P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a variety of other fundamentals that have been used by value investors for years.
PRGS currently has a forward P/E ratio of 6.48, while CDNS has a forward P/E of 47.58. We also note that PRGS has a PEG ratio of 1.30. This popular figure is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also considers a company's expected EPS growth rate. CDNS currently has a PEG ratio of 3.51.
Another notable valuation metric for PRGS is its P/B ratio of 3.17. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. For comparison, CDNS has a P/B of 15.88.
These metrics, and several others, help PRGS earn a Value grade of A, while CDNS has been given a Value grade of F.
Both PRGS and CDNS are impressive stocks with solid earnings outlooks, but based on these valuation figures, we feel that PRGS is the superior value option right now.
Shares of Marvell Technology MRVL have surged 154% in the past three months, outperforming the Zacks Computer and Technology sector and the Zacks Electronics - Semiconductors industry's growth of 26% and 56.9%, respectively.
Investors with an interest in Technology Services stocks have likely encountered both Parsons (PSN) and Ralliant (RAL). But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now?
Key Takeaways Communications Solutions generated $4.53B in sales, up 88% and about 60% of APH revenues.AI-related IT datacom demand drove 99%-dollar growth and 81% organic growth for APH.APH expects second-quarter 2026 sales of $8.1B-$8.2B and adjusted EPS of $1.14-$1.16. Amphenol’s (APH - Free Report) Communications Solutions segment is becoming the company’s primary growth engine. In first-quarter 2026, the segment generated $4.53 billion in sales, up 88% year over year and 47% organically, making up about 60% of APH’s revenues. This growth was driven primarily by strong demand in IT datacom, especially AI-related applications, along with strength in industrial markets and contributions from acquisitions.
Moreover, the Communications Solutions segment’s operating income rose to $1.39 billion from $660.8 million reported in the year-ago quarter. Operating margin expanded to 30.6% from 27.4%, driven by higher volumes, although recent acquisitions are still somewhat margin-dilutive. The segment is also benefiting from Amphenol’s acquisition strategy. The CommScope deal added fiber optic interconnect capabilities for IT datacom and communications networks, as well as building infrastructure connectivity products. This strengthens Amphenol’s exposure to AI data centers, upgraded networks and broader connectivity demand.
Amphenol management’s comments reinforce the growth outlook. IT datacom represented 41% of sales, with revenues rising 99% in dollar terms and 81% organically, driven by AI-related products. With CommScope, Amphenol now has a broader portfolio of high-speed copper, power and fiber optic interconnect products, which management sees as critical for next-generation AI systems. The segment is driving Amphenol’s prospects by combining AI data center demand, network upgrades, acquisition-led portfolio expansion and rising margins. This gives APH a stronger growth profile and better earnings leverage, although integration costs and acquisition-related margin dilution remain near-term factors to watch.
For the second quarter of 2026, APH expects sales of $8.1-$8.2 billion. Adjusted earnings are projected at $1.14-$1.16 per share for the second quarter.
How Rivals Stack Up Against APHAmphenol is increasingly challenged by major rivals such as TE Connectivity (TEL - Free Report) and Bel Fuse (BELFB - Free Report) .
TE Connectivity remains Amphenol’s most formidable rival, matching APH across connectors, sensors and advanced interconnect solutions spanning automotive, industrial, aerospace and high-speed communications. With a vast global footprint, deep customer relationships and a broad product portfolio, TE Connectivity leverages targeted acquisitions and strong AI and EV design wins, especially in hyperscale platforms, to reinforce its leadership and keep pace with APH in the accelerating communications race.
Bel Fuse’s outlook is increasingly supported by rising AI infrastructure spending and the recovery in enterprise networking demand. The Industrial Technology & Data Solutions segment continues to benefit from healthy demand for networking and data infrastructure, with improving momentum in data center connectivity and high-performance computing applications. BELFB is seeing robust bookings from AI-focused customers and enterprise networking clients as hyperscalers invest in next-generation AI architectures, boosting demand for its power conversion, power protection and high-speed interconnect solutions.
APH’s Share Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesAmphenol’s shares have surged 27.5% year to date, outperforming the broader Zacks Computer & Technology sector’s return of 18.2%.
APH Stock’s Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Amphenol shares are trading at a premium, as suggested by a Value Score of D. In terms of the forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E), APH is trading at 33.18X, higher than the sector’s 24.14.
APH Stock Is Overvalued
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Amphenol’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $4.76 per share, unchanged over the past 30 days. The figure indicates a 42.51% jump year over year.
APH currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The logo of energy services firm Baker Hughes is displayed during the LNG 2023 energy trade show in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, July 12, 2023. REUTERS/Chris Helgren Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
CompaniesJuly 2 (Reuters) - U.S. energy firms this week added rigs for a third week in a row, energy services firm Baker Hughes (BKR.O), opens new tab said in its closely followed report on Thursday.
The total oil and gas rig count, an early indicator of future output, rose by 7 to 580 in the week to July 2, its highest since May 2025. , , , (USGSRC=ECI), opens new tab, (USOIRC=ECI), opens new tab
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Baker Hughes released the rig count report a day earlier than usual due to the U.S. July 4th holiday, which is being recognized on Friday, July 3.
Baker Hughes said this week's increase puts the total rig count up 41 rigs, or 7.6% above this time last year.
Baker Hughes said oil rigs rose by five to 445 this week, their highest since late May, 2025, while gas rigs rose one to 126, their highest since mid-May 2026, and other miscellaneous rigs rose by one to nine.
The oil and gas rig count declined by 7% in 2025, 5% in 2024, and 20% in 2023 as lower U.S. oil prices prompted energy firms to focus more on boosting shareholder returns and paying down debt rather than increasing output.
But now with spot U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude prices expected to rise in 2026 due to supply disruptions from the Iran war after declining in 2023, 2024, and 2025, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) projected crude output would rise from a record 13.6 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2025 to 13.7 million bpd in 2026.
On the gas side, EIA projected output would jump from a record 107.7 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) in 2025 to 111.0 bcfd in 2026 as demand for the fuel rises to produce electricity for power-hungry data centers and for export as liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Reporting by Scott DiSavino and Anjana Anil; Editing by Daniel Wallis
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Covers the North American power and natural gas markets.
Ce partenariat associe l'infrastructure d'IA souveraine de Domyn, qui va de la puce jusqu'à l'application, à l'expertise de Cognizant en intégration d'entreprise et à sa présence sectorielle dans la région EMEA, permettant ainsi aux organisations soumises à une réglementation de déployer l'IA en toute sécurité sur site et au sein d'environnements souverains
, /PRNewswire/ -- Cognizant (NASDAQ : CTSH) et Domyn, leader européen des infrastructures d'IA souveraine pour les secteurs réglementés, ont annoncé un partenariat stratégique visant à mettre à la disposition des entreprises de la région EMEA des capacités d'IA souveraine. Ce partenariat aidera les organisations évoluant dans des secteurs fortement réglementés à déployer des solutions d'IA performantes qui garantissent le maintien des données au sein d'environnements contrôlés par les clients et facilitent la mise en conformité avec les cadres réglementaires européens.
Le système d'IA de bout en bout de Domyn (qui englobe la puissance de calcul, les modèles propriétaires, la gouvernance et les agents) a été spécialement conçu pour relever ce défi. Le rôle de Cognizant en tant que développeur d'IA et intégrateur de systèmes mondial de confiance, fort de relations solides avec les entreprises de la région EMEA, en fait le partenaire idéal pour déployer ces capacités à grande échelle.
Dans le cadre de ce partenariat, Domyn fournira la couche d'infrastructure d'IA, en proposant des LLM pouvant être déployés dans les environnements des clients, que ce soit sur site ou dans des configurations de cloud privé, tandis que Cognizant assurera la couche d'exécution des applications, de l'intégration et des domaines. Cognizant se chargera de former et d'adapter les modèles de Domyn pour en faire des modèles plus petits et spécifiques à un domaine (SLM), de développer des agents et des applications sur mesure pour des cas d'utilisation sectoriels précis, et de gérer la mise en place du pipeline de données existant, le nettoyage des données et les travaux d'alignement des modèles nécessaires au déploiement en entreprise. Ensemble, les deux entreprises mettront en œuvre une stratégie commerciale commune ciblant les entreprises du Royaume-Uni et d'Irlande, de la région DACH, d'Europe du Nord, d'Europe du Sud et du Moyen-Orient.
Pour les entreprises, ce partenariat leur donne accès à une offre d'IA souveraine entièrement intégrée. Les entreprises ont ainsi accès à des modèles d'IA et à une infrastructure de pointe sans pour autant renoncer au contrôle de leurs données, tout en bénéficiant de la capacité avérée de Cognizant à gérer les transformations complexes au sein des entreprises, à mettre en place des cadres de conformité intégrant l'intervention humaine et à générer des résultats commerciaux mesurables à grande échelle. Selon Gartner®, « la géopolitique est le principal moteur de la demande en solutions et services d'IA véritablement souverains, ce qui a un impact négatif sur les fournisseurs de cloud mondiaux proposant des services d'IA, tels que les fournisseurs de cloud hyperscale. Compte tenu de la situation géopolitique actuelle, les fournisseurs de cloud locaux proposant des services d'IA deviendront des concurrents de plus en plus importants et gagneront des parts de marché. » D'ici 2029, la géopolitique poussera 50% des charges de travail d'IA sur le cloud vers des modèles de déploiement d'IA sur des clouds souverains, contre 5% en 2025.1
« L'IA souveraine représente l'une des opportunités de croissance les plus importantes dans la région EMEA, et Cognizant a toutes les cartes en main pour en être le fer de lance », déclare Manoj Mehta, président de Cognizant pour la région EMEA. « Les organisations soumises à une réglementation dans toute l'Europe ont besoin d'une IA capable de générer des résultats transformateurs sans compromettre la souveraineté des données, la conformité réglementaire ou la sécurité. Notre partenariat avec Domyn allie une infrastructure d'IA de classe mondiale à l'expertise approfondie de Cognizant, qui permet de transformer cette infrastructure en solutions concrètes et adaptées à chaque secteur d'activité. Ensemble, nous donnons aux entreprises la confiance nécessaire pour aller de l'avant rapidement dans le domaine de l'IA, selon leurs propres conditions et dans le respect de leurs frontières. »
« La prochaine vague d'IA en Europe sera remportée par ceux qui possèdent et contrôlent l'intelligence au cœur de leur activité », déclare Uljan Sharka, CEO de Domyn. « Grâce au vaste réseau de partenariats sectoriels de Cognizant dans la région EMEA, nous serons en mesure de développer notre vision et d'offrir aux organismes les plus exigeants les bases nécessaires pour s'engager résolument dans l'IA et s'approprier pleinement l'intelligence sur laquelle ils s'appuient. »
Ce partenariat s'inscrit dans le cadre de la stratégie AI Builder en trois volets de Cognizant (permettre l'hyperproductivité, industrialiser l'IA et agentifier l'entreprise) et apporte plus de 60 brevets liés à l'IA, plus de 1 500 agents spécifiques à différents secteurs d'activité, ainsi qu'un laboratoire dédié à l'IA réparti entre San Francisco et Bangalore. Cela marque également une étape importante dans la mission de Domyn, qui consiste à aider les entreprises soumises à une réglementation à détenir, gérer et faire confiance aux données intelligentes qui alimentent leurs processus les plus critiques. Ce partenariat se concentrera dans un premier temps sur les clients de la région EMEA.
À propos de Cognizant
Cognizant (NASDAQ : CTSH) est un développeur en IA et un fournisseur de services technologiques qui établit une passerelle entre l'investissement en IA et la valeur d'entreprise en mettant au point des solutions d'IA complètes pour nos clients. Notre expertise approfondie du secteur, des procédés et de l'ingénierie nous permet d'intégrer le contexte unique d'une organisation à des systèmes technologiques qui exploitent pleinement le potentiel humain, génèrent des bénéfices tangibles et maintiennent les entreprises internationales au premier plan dans un monde en constante évolution. Plus d'informations sur www.cognizant.ai ou @cognizant.
À propos de Domyn
Domyn développe des solutions d'IA responsables destinées aux secteurs réglementés, notamment les services financiers, le secteur public et l'industrie lourde. Domyn accompagne les entreprises grâce à des solutions propriétaires et entièrement contrôlables, reposant sur une architecture d'IA modulable, comprenant notamment de grands modèles de langage et des agents d'IA spécialisés dans des domaines spécifiques. L'entreprise construit l'un des plus grands supercalculateurs basés sur l'IA dans les secteurs réglementés, en partenariat avec NVIDIA et les Émirats arabes unis.
1 Gartner, AI Vendor Race: True Sovereign AI Will Define Winners and Losers in the Cloud AI Race by Rene Buest, Fernando Pereiro, 24 février 2026. GARTNER est une marque déposée et une marque de service de Gartner, Inc. et/ou de ses filiales aux États-Unis et dans le monde. Sa mention est ici autorisée. Tous droits réservés.
Als lid van het OpenAI Daybreak Cyber Partner Program brengt Cognizant de diensten, beveiligingsexpertise en implementatieschaal om ondernemingen te helpen de grensoverschrijdende AI-capaciteit te verplaatsen naar verdediging op productief niveau.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) heeft vandaag aangekondigd dat het GPT-5.5 met Trusted Access for Cyber, via zijn Frontier AI Cyber Defense-diensten, toepast om ondernemingen te helpen sneller van kwetsbaarheidsontdekking naar gevalideerde, geteste oplossingen te gaan. Als lid van het OpenAI Daybreak Cyber Partner Program plaatst Cognizant de frontier AI-capaciteit in de handen van zijn beveiligingsexperts en helpt zo te versterken hoe klanten de software die ze bouwen en gebruiken verdedigen.
Frontier AI verandert de economie van cyberverdediging. AI kan nu helpen om kwetsbaarheden op te sporen in grote, complexe codebases met grotere snelheid en schaal. Maar ontdekking is slechts het begin. Het beschermen van de onderneming hangt af van wat er vervolgens komt: valideren welke bevindingen echt zijn, begrijpen van hun impact, het ontwikkelen en testen van een patch en het aanbrengen van de oplossing voordat een aanvaller kan handelen.
De saneringsgat is waar ondernemingen hun inspanningen moeten richten, en waar Cognizant het domein en de institutionele diepte heeft om aan de verwachtingen te helpen voldoen, waardoor een cyberbeveiligingspraktijk wordt opgebouwd over meer dan een decennium, met meer dan 5.000 beveiligingsprofessionals. Cognizant's diepgaande ervaring in gereguleerde industrieën is bedoeld om klanten de institutionele kracht te geven om frontier-capaciteit op grote schaal te laten werken.
"Frontier AI heeft de vergelijking voor cyberverdediging veranderd, maar de kracht van een model is alleen belangrijk in hoe het binnen een echte onderneming wordt toegepast", zei Sandra Notardonato, Global Head of Partner Development and Influencer Relations, Cognizant. "Dat is waar Cognizant's AI Builder-benadering is ontworpen om aan de verwachtingen te voldoen. Onze beveiligingsteams brengen deze mogelijkheden in de code en beveiligingsoperaties van onze klanten, waardoor ze kunnen overgaan van het vinden van blootstellingen tot het valideren en corrigeren ervan. Het voordeel ligt bij verdedigers die frontier capaciteit kunnen koppelen aan mensen en context om het op een verantwoorde manier toe te passen, en dat is wat we willen leveren op ondernemingsniveau."
Via zijn Frontier AI Cyber Defense-diensten passen de beveiligingsprofessionals van Cognizant GPT-5.5 toe met Trusted Access for Cyber in geautoriseerde defensieve workflows, waaronder beveiligde codebeoordeling, dreigingsmodellering, ontdekking en validering van kwetsbaarheden, detectie-engineering, threat hunting en incidentenonderzoek en -reactie. Deze mogelijkheden zijn ontworpen om te worden ingebed in de werkstromen die cliënten al uitvoeren, met menselijke validatie en toezicht bij elke stap. Ze versterken de deterministische controles en bewakingsondernemingen waarop ze afhankelijk zijn in plaats van ze te vervangen, waardoor ze sneller vinden en repareren terwijl verdedigers de controle behouden.
"Frontier cybercapaciteit bereikt meer verdedigers wanneer partners het kunnen operationaliseren binnen de vertrouwde workflows die ondernemingen al elke dag gebruiken", zei Colleen Kapase, Vice President of Strategic Global Partnerships and Ecosystems, OpenAI. "Cognizant brengt cybersecurity domeindiepte en leveringsschaal om bedrijven te helpen deze mogelijkheden op een verantwoorde manier toe te passen, met het toezicht en de governance die nodig zijn om van ontdekking naar gevalideerde remediatie te gaan".
Cognizant past deze mogelijkheden toe binnen zijn eigen beveiligingsoperaties voordat hij ze naar klanten brengt, en werkt als zijn eigen Client Zero. De beveiligingsteams gebruiken GPT-5.5 met Trusted Access for Cyber voor interne defensieve workflows, waaronder beveiligde code review, vulnerability triage en validatie en pull-request en CI/CD beveiliging review, met menselijke validatie en toezicht bij elke stap.
In zijn eigen omgeving past Cognizant deze mogelijkheden toe op zijn reeks producten, platforms en interne repositories om de levenscyclus van kwetsbaarheidsbeheer te versnellen, van ontdekking tot validatie via remediatie. Deze operationele ervaring, opgedaan op eigen terrein, is wat Cognizant brengt naar klantengagements.
Cognizant en OpenAI werken samen binnen een kader dat is gebouwd voor verantwoordelijke implementatie, met omvangrijke toegang, monitoring en menselijk toezicht om deze mogelijkheden in handen van vertrouwde verdedigers te houden. Het is de basis voor een uitbreidende samenwerking, aangezien beide bedrijven werken om grenscyberverdediging naar meer ondernemingen te brengen.
Over Cognizant
Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) is een AI-ontwikkelaar en leverancier van technologische diensten die de brug bouwt tussen AI-investeringen en bedrijfswaarde door full-stack AI-oplossingen voor onze klanten te bouwen. Onze diepgaande sector-, proces- en technische expertise stelt ons in staat om de unieke context van een organisatie te integreren in technologische systemen die het menselijk potentieel versterken, tastbare rendementen realiseren en wereldwijde ondernemingen voorop houden in een snel veranderende wereld. Zie hoe op www.cognizant.com of @cognizant.
