Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

OMAHA, Neb.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Werner Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq: WERN), a premier transportation and logistics provider, is proud to celebrate the election of its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Derek J. Leathers, as Chairman of the Board of the American Trucking Associations (ATA). Leathers was elected during the ATA Management Conference & Exhibition and will serve a one-year term spanning October 2026 through October 2027. Werner has long set industry standards for fleet safety tech.

HTX, the crypto exchange controlled by Justin Sun, has left Britain under a High Court deal with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). UK customers can no longer deposit funds, and new users cannot sign up.

The deal ends a year-long lawsuit over illegal adverts. However, existing UK account holders still face a bigger problem, getting their money out of an exchange the government already treats as sanctioned.

How UK Users Get Money Out of HTXThe FCA says HTX, formerly Huobi, points remaining UK customers to its website to withdraw leftover assets.

That route runs into sanctions. Britain designated Huobi Global S.A., the Panama company behind HTX, on May 26 over alleged financial links to Russia.

The Treasury’s sanctions unit then said the exchange itself is covered. Its guidance says nothing about customer withdrawals.

In August, BeInCrypto reported a UK user who said their account was frozen pending sanctions permission. The same report found HTX nearing an FCA settlement, which has now landed.

Why the FCA Took an Overseas Exchange to CourtThe lawsuit, filed in October 2025, was the FCA’s first High Court case against a foreign crypto firm over UK marketing. The filing counted 4.6 million UK visits to HTX in 2023.

Under an October 27 court order, HTX promised not to knowingly promote crypto to UK consumers.

“Crypto firms should be under no illusion: being based overseas does not put them beyond the reach of UK law,” Steve Smart, FCA executive director of enforcement and market oversight, said.

The terms stay confidential, and the FCA says the deal is no admission of wrongdoing. HTX says it already acted to comply.

“We take local compliance requirements seriously and have proactively implemented measures to align with the UK’s financial promotion regulations,” HTX said in a statement.

What the UK Licence Deadline Means for Offshore ExchangesBritain’s crypto licensing regime starts in October 2027. Until then, the FCA says crypto stays largely unregulated beyond money-laundering and advertising rules.

Binance, which holds no UK authorisation, plans a UK return with licence before applications close in February 2027. HTX is heading the other way, and its UK customers still have no published sanctions guidance on withdrawals.

Huobi HTX announced that the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) had initiated legal proceedings against the exchange in the UK. Following a period of constructive communication between both parties, the matter has now been resolved. Huobi HTX has always sincerely cooperated with the FCA, actively collaborated with the regulator, and responded proactively to its concerns over the UK market. During this period, in line with its commitment to upholding compliance standards, Huobi HTX gradually strengthened restrictions related to the UK market and exit arrangements, and rolled out corresponding operational measures. These measures were already implemented before the settlement was reached. The settlement further reinforces the aforementioned measures, and does not constitute an admission by Huobi HTX of any legal liability, wrongdoing, or violation. The settlement eliminates relevant legal uncertainty, aligning with the exchange’s ongoing commitment to enhancing its compliance standards. This allows Huobi HTX to focus on its core priority: delivering high-value services to users and achieving long-term sustainable growth. Huobi HTX thanks all parties for their professional cooperation in resolving this matter, and will continue to focus on serving users responsibly. Looking ahead, Huobi HTX is willing to engage in constructive cooperation with all industry stakeholders, including partnering with regulators where appropriate, to jointly safeguard user interests and promote the healthy development of the digital asset ecosystem.

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Canton plans to launch tokenized US stock trading as early as November 2, and is expected to become the first such case under the SEC's new rules.

Nasdaq-listed Canton Strategic Holdings (CNTN) announced an agreement with TSV, a permissioned tokenized securities trading platform on the Canton Network, to offer its common stock for trading in issuer-initiated tokenized form. The target launch date is as early as November 2, and the company expects this to become the first compliant tokenized onshore U.S. equities case under the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s Innovation Exemption Framework. The tokenized shares are issued by Fairmint, an SEC-registered on-chain transfer agent that maintains ownership records, with holders entitled to the same rights as Nasdaq stockholders. The trading will run via the Tradecraft protocol as an automated market maker (AMM), enabling nearly 24/7 trading and atomic settlement. Participants must complete identity verification and sanctions screening. The issuer-initiated model avoids the objection and notification processes typical of third-party tokenization schemes.

2 hours ago

HYPE continues its rally, breaking through $97, and is just $1 away from hitting a new all-time high.

According to HTX market data, HYPE has continued its rally, breaking through the $97 mark, surging over 20% in 7 hours, and is only $1 away from hitting a new all-time high. Earlier news, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, plans to partner with Trade.xyz to introduce perpetual contract products into the U.S. regulated market.

2 hours ago

Strategy Perpetual Preferred Stock (STRC) rises to $99.95.

Strategy’s third-quarter financial results are upcoming, and its perpetual preferred stock STRC has climbed to $99.95, its highest level in 165 days. STRC is designed to trade around $100 via a floating dividend mechanism. When STRC nears par value, the company can raise capital through at-the-market (ATM) share issuances to purchase bitcoin — a route the market commonly dubs the "bitcoin money printer". Previously, after STRC fell below par value, such ATM offerings were temporarily halted.

2 hours ago

Axis Robotics Responds to AXIS Token Sell-Off: Suspects Over-the-Counter (OTC) Counterparties Defaulted on Sell Orders, Team and Investor Tokens Remain Untouched

Axis Robotics has issued a statement addressing the massive on-chain sell-off of AXIS tokens that took place between October 28 and 29. The project clarified that a total of 835 million AXIS tokens—accounting for 83.5% of the total supply, held by its core team, investors, and other locked allocations—remain stored in a vesting contract co-managed with Binance, which is verifiable on-chain. No tokens from these locked pools will be unlocked before the 12-month cliff period, and the recent sell-off was not driven by the team or investors exiting positions. The project added that the sold tokens originated from the initial circulating supply outlined in its publicly released token economics, part of the ecosystem allocation. Given that some ecosystem recipients are not crypto-native users, the allocation was delivered via a single over-the-counter (OTC) counterparty under a written agreement with lock-up clauses. The sales were processed through exchange deposit routes and executed across hundreds of new addresses within hours of delivery. The project suspects the counterparty likely offloaded the tokens on the open market. Earlier, on-chain detective ZachXBT disclosed that insider addresses linked to Axis Robotics (AXIS) dumped tokens, triggering a roughly 40% plunge in the token’s price.

2 hours ago

The Canadian government and Nvidia have participated in Cohere's financing round, with the latter's valuation exceeding $20 billion.

Canadian AI model startup Cohere is undertaking a large-scale financing round, with a valuation of $20.5 billion — roughly triple its value a year ago. Cohere announced Thursday that it has completed the first tranche of this financing round, with a total expected size of up to $50 billion. It has secured investment commitments from backers including the Canadian government and NVIDIA, and the $6 billion investment from European retail giant Schwarz Group, previously disclosed, is also included. The Canadian government has agreed to invest up to $1.14 billion in Cohere. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that Cohere plans to retain its headquarters in Canada and expects to build new computing infrastructure in the country by 2030, with an investment of around $1.2 billion. If the financing round is successfully completed, it will become the largest private financing in Canadian history, far exceeding previous records.

2 hours ago

Alphabet’s quarterly report filings disclose its AI exposure exceeds $1 trillion, with over one-third of the growth in its unfulfilled cloud contracts coming from joint ventures.

According to Bloomberg, Google parent company Alphabet's quarterly filing submitted on Thursday revealed artificial intelligence-related risk exposures not covered in the prior day's earnings call, and showed its AI risk exposure surpassed $1 trillion. Alphabet cited rapid growth in cloud service demand, with the expansion of its unfulfilled cloud contracts as evidence. Bloomberg noted that over a third of the growth in the quarter's unfulfilled cloud contracts came from a joint venture in which Alphabet holds a partial stake.

2 hours ago

HTX has settled a UK legal case over its crypto promotions, with court commitments running until October 2031. The Financial Conduct Authority announced the agreement on October 29, following proceedings against the exchange that was formerly known as Huobi.

The FCA says users can no longer deposit funds, new customers cannot register, and HTX has stopped actively seeking business in the country.

What changes for UK customers? The FCA said HTX is no longer active in the UK and will stop targeting or soliciting UK consumers. It said existing customers with assets with the exchange should get in touch with the exchange’s support notice for withdrawal information.

But HTX said its UK exit arrangements and strengthened restrictions had started before the settlement that was announced.

Documents observed showed that the FCA started proceedings on October 21, 2025, and it was publicly announced in February 2026.

The regulator said HTX began to leave the UK market after proceedings started.

Court commitments extend to 2031 An October 27 High Court order records the settlement with Huobi Global S.A., the company named as the first defendant.

With the order, it can’t knowingly communicate or cause others to communicate, and there are no financial promotions that breach UK law through websites, apps, and social media.

What this means is that unlawful messages encouraging people to use crypto services or invest can’t be sent.

The settlement remains confidential, and there was no admission of liability or wrongdoing.

HTX gives its account of the agreement In its October 29 response, HTX described the resolution as following constructive engagement. It said it had worked collaboratively to address the regulator’s concerns.

In its original court filing, the body gave an example of the access the exchange had that it didn’t want it to have. The filing showed that an FCA employee used a UK internet address and driving license to verify an account, purchase crypto, and trade futures.

Those allegations were part of the case that has now been settled.

Customers with balances have been directed to the exchange’s withdrawal guidance.

Final Summary HTX settled the FCA’s crypto promotions case, with court commitments lasting until October 2031.

The FCA says UK deposits and new registrations are blocked. Users are encouraged to look at the withdrawal guidance.

Crypto exchange HTX will leave the United Kingdom following a settlement with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), closing the regulator’s first legal action against a crypto firm over unlawful financial promotions. The settlement, announced on October 29, 2026, requires the company to halt all deposit activity and new registrations from UK residents and gives existing UK account holders just 48 hours to withdraw their assets before their accounts are closed.

FCA secures undertakings from HTXThe FCA confirmed it has received legally binding commitments in the High Court, ensuring that HTX, previously known as Huobi, will no longer market crypto services unlawfully to consumers in the United Kingdom. Huobi Global S.A., the Panama-registered company operating HTX, committed not to communicate UK law-breaching promotions via its digital channels.

The legally binding pledge, according to Cointelegraph’s reporting, will remain in force until October 2031. Terms of the settlement have not been made public, and the FCA emphasized that it does not constitute an admission of wrongdoing by HTX or Huobi Global. No information has been disclosed regarding a potential financial penalty.

Crypto firms should be under no illusion: being based overseas does not put them beyond the reach of UK law. Our action means HTX is leaving the UK and can no longer target UK consumers. The message to other firms is clear: follow the rules or face the consequences.

HTX, for its part, stated to the Financial Times that it had proactively taken steps to comply with the UK’s regulations on financial promotions. The FCA previously stated that the company had not meaningfully engaged during earlier stages of the process.

Timeline and regulatory contextThe FCA initiated the High Court lawsuit in October 2025, naming Huobi Global S.A. and individuals controlling HTX’s accounts across major social and messaging platforms. This marked the first enforcement case since the UK’s financial promotion rules for crypto marketing came into effect in October 2023.

When the case became public in February 2026, the FCA also requested that social media companies restrict HTX’s accounts for UK users and called on Apple and Google to remove HTX’s apps from their UK stores. Negotiations over the settlement began in March 2026 and continued through June as detailed in various court orders.

Sanctions and industry responseHTX faces further regulatory challenges. The United Kingdom sanctioned Huobi Global in May over its alleged links with Russia’s financial sector, and the European Union included the company in its 21st Russia sanctions package in July, citing actions that frustrated their restrictions. The EU banned transactions with Huobi Global but stopped short of freezing assets entirely. HTX maintains that Huobi Global S.A. operates separately from the online HTX platform.

Several exchanges adjusted their operations in response to these sanctions. In August, Binance ceased processing transactions related to HTX and ten other companies, referencing the regulatory environment. That same month, Kraken temporarily blocked access for some clients after a series of small transfers were reported from a wallet linked to HTX. Kraken later restored access but retained the relevant funds.

With UK access now closed, British users are urged to withdraw their funds within the stipulated 48-hour period, as new sign-ups and deposits remain blocked.

For crypto participants who need to react quickly when exchanges change access rules or regulatory actions target platforms, fast information is vital. CryptoAppsy’s live news monitoring and real-time asset alerts allow users to track critical exchange changes across the market, giving them an advantage when withdrawal windows or compliance shifts put assets at risk.

Market responseCurrently, there is no HTX-specific token to track for price movement. Most large-cap cryptocurrencies saw modest gains over the past 24 hours as of 15:13 UTC on October 29, 2026, according to CoinGecko, while XRP fell during the same period. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index displayed a neutral reading of 51. At the time of the announcement, Bitcoin stood at $81,352, representing a 35% decline from its record high of $126,080 set in October 2025.

AssetPrice (USD)24h change30d changeBitcoin (BTC)$81,352+0.97%-3.75%Ethereum (ETH)$2,357.46+1.05%-14.15%BNB$750.80+0.27%-2.32%XRP$1.31-0.33%-15.89%Solana (SOL)$102.34+1.39%-16.01%HTX says UK customers now have 48 hours to withdraw assets before their accounts are closed, with deposits and new registrations from the UK disabled.

Crypto asset prices remain volatile, and recent performance does not predict future movements.

OutlookThe immediate concern for UK customers is to complete withdrawals within the 48-hour window. Users should remain vigilant against common risks such as network delays, incorrect withdrawal addresses, and fraudulent schemes impersonating exchange support. For the wider industry, the FCA’s approach provides a likely template for future enforcement, demonstrating the ability of UK regulators to take action against non-domestic crypto companies using court orders, platform restrictions, and app store removals.

Existing sanctions by the UK and EU continue to limit Huobi Global’s ability to operate in Europe, and additional compliance actions from other market participants may follow as firms reassess their dealings with entities linked to HTX.

Polygon Labs announced it has integrated Solana into its Open Money Stack payment platform, allowing enterprises to complete bank acceptance, cross-chain fund transfers, and payee disbursements via a single integration. The first clients include payment service provider Kira, whose CEO said the firm has already been using Solana to transfer stablecoins, and the Polygon integration will let it convert funds to U.S. dollars and deposit them into clients’ bank accounts for supplier payments. The stack connects Polygon, Ethereum, and TRON, which was integrated earlier this month. The integration comes as Solana completed its Alpenglow consensus upgrade last week, cutting transaction finalization time from around 12.8 seconds to 150 milliseconds. A product lead at the Solana Foundation said the network has processed over $5.5 trillion in stablecoin transaction volume in 2026. Earlier this month, Polygon also completed its acquisition of Coinme, securing money transmission licenses and exemptions covering 48 U.S. states.

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Canton plans to launch tokenized US stock trading as early as November 2, and is expected to become the first such case under the SEC's new rules.

Nasdaq-listed Canton Strategic Holdings (CNTN) announced an agreement with TSV, a permissioned tokenized securities trading platform on the Canton Network, to offer its common stock for trading in issuer-initiated tokenized form. The target launch date is as early as November 2, and the company expects this to become the first compliant tokenized onshore U.S. equities case under the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s Innovation Exemption Framework. The tokenized shares are issued by Fairmint, an SEC-registered on-chain transfer agent that maintains ownership records, with holders entitled to the same rights as Nasdaq stockholders. The trading will run via the Tradecraft protocol as an automated market maker (AMM), enabling nearly 24/7 trading and atomic settlement. Participants must complete identity verification and sanctions screening. The issuer-initiated model avoids the objection and notification processes typical of third-party tokenization schemes.

2 hours ago

HYPE continues its rally, breaking through $97, and is just $1 away from hitting a new all-time high.

According to HTX market data, HYPE has continued its rally, breaking through the $97 mark, surging over 20% in 7 hours, and is only $1 away from hitting a new all-time high. Earlier news, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, plans to partner with Trade.xyz to introduce perpetual contract products into the U.S. regulated market.

2 hours ago

Strategy Perpetual Preferred Stock (STRC) rises to $99.95.

Strategy’s third-quarter financial results are upcoming, and its perpetual preferred stock STRC has climbed to $99.95, its highest level in 165 days. STRC is designed to trade around $100 via a floating dividend mechanism. When STRC nears par value, the company can raise capital through at-the-market (ATM) share issuances to purchase bitcoin — a route the market commonly dubs the "bitcoin money printer". Previously, after STRC fell below par value, such ATM offerings were temporarily halted.

2 hours ago

Axis Robotics Responds to AXIS Token Sell-Off: Suspects Over-the-Counter (OTC) Counterparties Defaulted on Sell Orders, Team and Investor Tokens Remain Untouched

Axis Robotics has issued a statement addressing the massive on-chain sell-off of AXIS tokens that took place between October 28 and 29. The project clarified that a total of 835 million AXIS tokens—accounting for 83.5% of the total supply, held by its core team, investors, and other locked allocations—remain stored in a vesting contract co-managed with Binance, which is verifiable on-chain. No tokens from these locked pools will be unlocked before the 12-month cliff period, and the recent sell-off was not driven by the team or investors exiting positions. The project added that the sold tokens originated from the initial circulating supply outlined in its publicly released token economics, part of the ecosystem allocation. Given that some ecosystem recipients are not crypto-native users, the allocation was delivered via a single over-the-counter (OTC) counterparty under a written agreement with lock-up clauses. The sales were processed through exchange deposit routes and executed across hundreds of new addresses within hours of delivery. The project suspects the counterparty likely offloaded the tokens on the open market. Earlier, on-chain detective ZachXBT disclosed that insider addresses linked to Axis Robotics (AXIS) dumped tokens, triggering a roughly 40% plunge in the token’s price.

2 hours ago

The Canadian government and Nvidia have participated in Cohere's financing round, with the latter's valuation exceeding $20 billion.

Canadian AI model startup Cohere is undertaking a large-scale financing round, with a valuation of $20.5 billion — roughly triple its value a year ago. Cohere announced Thursday that it has completed the first tranche of this financing round, with a total expected size of up to $50 billion. It has secured investment commitments from backers including the Canadian government and NVIDIA, and the $6 billion investment from European retail giant Schwarz Group, previously disclosed, is also included. The Canadian government has agreed to invest up to $1.14 billion in Cohere. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that Cohere plans to retain its headquarters in Canada and expects to build new computing infrastructure in the country by 2030, with an investment of around $1.2 billion. If the financing round is successfully completed, it will become the largest private financing in Canadian history, far exceeding previous records.

2 hours ago

Alphabet’s quarterly report filings disclose its AI exposure exceeds $1 trillion, with over one-third of the growth in its unfulfilled cloud contracts coming from joint ventures.

According to Bloomberg, Google parent company Alphabet's quarterly filing submitted on Thursday revealed artificial intelligence-related risk exposures not covered in the prior day's earnings call, and showed its AI risk exposure surpassed $1 trillion. Alphabet cited rapid growth in cloud service demand, with the expansion of its unfulfilled cloud contracts as evidence. Bloomberg noted that over a third of the growth in the quarter's unfulfilled cloud contracts came from a joint venture in which Alphabet holds a partial stake.

2 hours ago

On October 29, 2026, Polygon announced Solana support for Open Money Stack, extending its payments infrastructure to bank payins, customer accounts, embedded wallets and fiat payouts around Solana balances. Polygon says those functions are live now, alongside routing between Solana, TRON and EVM chains.

The release covers the money flow around a Solana application: accepting a deposit, identifying its owner, holding funds, moving them to another asset or chain, and paying them out. Solana can remain the application’s settlement layer. Polygon supplies the surrounding banking, wallet and routing services. Applications can use them without first moving their balances onto Polygon.

From bank money to a Solana account
Customers can enter through bank transfers, cards, cash or crypto. Polygon says the fiat on- and off-ramp infrastructure is backed by money transmitter licenses across 48 US states and supports conversion between dollars and stablecoins on Solana. The licenses describe the ramp infrastructure’s regulatory footprint; availability of individual payment methods still depends on the jurisdiction.

Virtual accounts identify the owner of incoming bank money. Each customer or business receives an account into which transfers can arrive, allowing the operator to identify whose money it has received. The virtual account handles bank intake. After conversion, the funds sit in a Solana account, separate from the account used to receive the bank transfer.

Polygon offers custodial or embedded wallets for those balances. Its embedded wallets now support Solana through the same API used for EVM wallets. An application can create and manage customer accounts through that interface, keeping the wallet and chain operations behind its own product screens. The announcement also lists programmable controls over when and where money moves as available now.

The routing component supports $USDC, $USDT, $PYUSD, $SOL and wrapped $SOL. Polygon gives an example: an application can receive $USDC from an Ethereum wallet and settle in $SOL for a Solana user, or run the flow in reverse. The source asset, source chain and asset delivered to the recipient can differ within the payment flow.

At the other end, customers can convert Solana stablecoins into fiat dollars and receive money through a bank account, card or cash collection at a store. Polygon says that off-ramp stays inside the business’s product experience. A customer receiving a stablecoin payment can choose a fiat exit or keep the balance in a wallet.

Routing uses existing liquidity infrastructure
Polygon’s separate explanation of Solana routing identifies Trails as the cross-chain component of OMS. It describes routes between Solana and more than 20 EVM chains in either direction. Named destinations include Polygon, Ethereum, Base, Arbitrum, Optimism and Avalanche. The page links to a live swap application and an interactive demo where developers can inspect the transaction experience.

The Trails documentation explains what sits beneath that interface. Trails aggregates a user’s wallet balances across chains and sources liquidity from existing infrastructure, including bridges, fillers and solvers. Its routing service sends flow to those systems. An application can remove the bridge-selection screen, but the underlying bridge or liquidity provider remains in the execution path when the chosen route requires it.

An application begins by defining an intent: the transaction it wants to complete, its destination chain and the token involved. Trails checks whether the transaction can succeed with assets already held on the current chain. If it can, the documented path is a direct call. Otherwise, Trails presents the user’s aggregated balances so the user can select a funding route.

The wallet confirmation deposits the requested amount into what Trails calls an intent address. Trails then handles the required swaps, bridges and execution. Developers can also supply calldata for an arbitrary smart-contract function at the destination. The documented mechanism can orchestrate that transaction as well as handle transfers of the same asset between wallets.

Trails also documents alternative gas payments for permit-compatible tokens. Where that mechanism is available, the widget offers fee-token choices alongside native gas. The user signs an off-chain permit, and the relayer deducts the fee from the selected token balance without a separate on-chain approval transaction. This permit mechanism applies to compatible tokens; the documentation does not describe it as a general method for handling Solana gas.

Polygon’s routing disclosure retains the infrastructure risks. Cross-chain functionality can depend on blockchain networks, smart contracts and third-party bridges outside Polygon’s control. The same disclosure says licensed partners may carry out regulated money services, including fiat ramps. A route can involve a provider handling the fiat payment and separate infrastructure executing the on-chain transaction.

Components can be adopted separately
Solana businesses can use the entire stack or select individual components while retaining their existing wallet, compliance provider, ledger or settlement rail. An operator can add routing or account infrastructure without replacing every provider in its payments system. Polygon offers the stack to fintechs, payment applications, marketplaces and other platforms building on Solana.

Its creator-payment example starts with a fan paying by dollar debit card. OMS converts the payment into a stablecoin on Solana and routes it across borders; the creator receives crypto or cashes out to a bank account. The announcement presents this as an illustrative workflow, not a named customer’s production transaction. It combines a card-funded payment with the recipient’s choice of bank or crypto delivery.

Polygon’s broader OMS product page qualifies the stack’s rollout. Its FAQ says many components are live while more components, including a single API for easy integration, are forthcoming. The Solana announcement says the listed payment functions are live now. Polygon has not reconciled the two descriptions on those pages, leaving the scope of the unified integration interface unclear.

Want to Own a Piece of Professional Sports? This ETF Could Be Your TicketChurchill Downs NASDAQ: CHDN reported record third-quarter net revenue of $696 million and record adjusted EBITDA of $264 million, led by gains in its wagering services and solutions and gaming segments. The company also outlined plans to sell nine wholly owned regional gaming properties, expand its horse-racing and historical racing machine businesses, and launch a new Thoroughbred Championship Series in 2027.

Chief Executive Officer Bill Carstanjen said the company expects to announce executed transactions for the regional gaming properties by year-end. He said the assets are generally newer and better maintained than comparable properties and produce strong cash flow. Churchill Downs plans to use proceeds from the sales to reduce leverage, repurchase shares and selectively invest in Churchill Downs Racetrack and other growth projects.

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Churchill Downs: The Derby Is Just the BeginningThe board authorized a new $750 million share-repurchase program during the week of the earnings call. Chief Financial Officer Marcia Dall said the company repurchased more than $48 million of shares during the third quarter and another $76 million between Oct. 1 and Oct. 27. The board also approved a 7% dividend increase payable Jan. 5, 2027, marking the company’s 16th consecutive year of dividend-per-share increases.

Regional Gaming Sale and Capital Position Carstanjen said the regional gaming divestiture process, being managed with Macquarie Capital, was progressing well despite higher interest rates and consumer uncertainty affecting the broader mergers-and-acquisitions market. Each of the nine properties has been marketed individually, he said, meaning the outcome is expected to consist of several smaller transactions rather than a single sale.

Why Flutter Entertainment May Be a Resilient Sports Betting StockDall said the company generated $603 million in free cash flow, or $8.59 per share, through the first nine months of 2026. Churchill Downs spent $57 million on maintenance capital and $119 million on project capital during that period. It now expects full-year maintenance capital spending of $90 million to $100 million and project capital spending of $160 million to $180 million. Project capital spending is expected to total $200 million to $250 million in 2027.

Bank leverage was 3.8 times at quarter-end. The company expects leverage to remain about 3.8 to 3.9 times through year-end before declining below 3.0 times after completing the regional gaming asset sales, Dall said.

Kentucky Derby Growth and Thoroughbred Championship Series Carstanjen described Churchill Downs Racetrack and the Kentucky Derby as the company’s “crown jewel” and said the company is working to broaden the event’s reach and earnings power through capital projects, guest-experience improvements, sponsorships, media engagement and new wagering products.

Ticket demand for the 153rd Kentucky Derby, scheduled for early May 2027, was ahead of the comparable pace for the prior year’s Derby, according to Carstanjen. In closing remarks, he clarified that ticket sales were up about 25% year over year and that roughly 40% of overall ticket inventory had been sold at that stage of the sales cycle.

Construction is underway on Victory Run, a new seating and hospitality development located just past the finish line. The project is scheduled for completion ahead of the 2028 Derby. For 2027, the area will include interim covered stadium seating and enhanced amenities. The completed development is planned to feature private suites, indoor and outdoor dining, and covered box seats.

The company also announced a multiyear partnership with Visa, which will become the preferred payment partner of Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby. Carstanjen said the arrangement includes sponsorship and hospitality elements as well as exclusive Derby Week offers and experiences for Visa clients and cardholders.

In 2027, Churchill Downs plans to launch the Thoroughbred Championship Series, or TCS, in partnership with the New York Racing Association. The Derby division will include six races beginning with the Kentucky Derby and continuing through the Belmont Stakes, a July race at Churchill Downs, two Saratoga races and a September championship race at Churchill Downs. The series will provide an additional $5 million in prize money beyond the individual race purses.

The Oaks division will include four races for fillies, beginning with the Kentucky Oaks. The top three horses will share a $1 million prize pool, and the winner will be invited to compete in the Derby division’s championship race for an opportunity to earn an additional $1 million bonus.

Carstanjen said the TCS is intended to create a season-long narrative around horse racing, with potential revenue opportunities from wagering, admissions, sponsorships, licensing, media rights and hospitality. He said the company expects wagering to contribute early, while media-rights development will take longer.

HRM Expansion and Gaming Trends In the live and historical racing segment, Kentucky HRM properties delivered record revenue, while adjusted EBITDA increased 10% from the prior-year quarter. Dall said Southwestern and Northern Kentucky locations posted double-digit adjusted EBITDA growth, and Louisville venues also produced a strong quarter.

Virginia adjusted EBITDA declined by $6 million excluding a one-time business interruption insurance recovery recorded in the prior-year period. Central Virginia venues faced competition from the temporary Petersburg casino, which opened in January, along with approximately $5 million in expenses tied to a new tax on live racing days that took effect July 1.

In Northern Virginia, The Rose continued to grow both year over year and sequentially, driven by rated and unrated play, customer awareness, marketing and higher spending per visit. Carstanjen said the company believes the market has significant room for further development.

Churchill Downs received final county approval to relocate and expand its Collinsville HRM venue to Henry County, closer to the North Carolina border. The company expects to acquire land for a 150-unit venue. It is also awaiting referendum results in Pulaski and Amherst County that could allow two additional 150-machine locations. The company currently operates about 4,700 HRMs in Virginia and has the right to deploy up to 5,000 across 10 sites.

The company is also expanding electronic table games. Roulette games have attracted new customers and reactivated inactive HRM customers in Kentucky, Carstanjen said. Churchill Downs expects to introduce craps electronic table games near year-end and is developing blackjack games for 2027.

In New Hampshire, Rockingham Grand Casino remains on schedule and on budget for a mid-2027 opening at The Mall at Rockingham Park in Salem. The property is expected to include roughly 800 to 850 HRMs and slots, 32 table games and an event center.

TwinSpires and Consumer Trends TwinSpires, the company’s online horse-racing wagering platform, continued to post wagering and EBITDA growth, Carstanjen said. Recent product additions include Jackpot 8, which requires bettors to select the first eight finishers in exact order, and Easy Bets, which allows wagers on odd- or even-numbered horses. The platform also introduced AI-based features including Paddock PRO AI and AI Race Preview.

Within the gaming segment, adjusted EBITDA increased 4% from the prior-year quarter. Nearly all wholly owned regional gaming properties grew compared with the same period a year earlier, while same-store margins were consistent with the prior-year quarter. Dall said consumer trends improved both year over year and sequentially, with higher-value rated play supporting growth and lower-value unrated play remaining resilient.

About Churchill Downs (NASDAQ:CHDN)Churchill Downs Incorporated NASDAQ: CHDN is a gaming, racing and entertainment company best known for operating Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky, the home of the Kentucky Derby. The company traces its history to the opening of Churchill Downs in 1875 and has expanded its operations beyond traditional Thoroughbred racing.

Its business activities include live and historical horse racing, pari-mutuel wagering, casino gaming, video lottery and related entertainment offerings.

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Harley-Davidson, Inc. (NYSE:HOG) stock declined on Thursday after the motorcycle maker reported weaker-than-expected fiscal 2026 third-quarter results that missed Wall Street expectations.

However, the company raised its full-year outlook for global motorcycle retail sales as well as operating income for its Motorcycle and Financial Services segment.

• Harley-Davidson shares are testing new highs. Why did HOG hit a new high?

Third-Quarter Results Miss ExpectationsThe company reported diluted earnings of 40 cents per share, missing the analyst consensus estimate of 48 cents.

Revenue from Harley-Davidson Motor Co. (HDMC), its motorcycle business, declined 10% to $964.02 million, missing the Street estimate of $1.06 billion.

Artie Starrs, president and CEO, said the company is executing its Back to the Bricks strategy, focusing on dealer profitability, inventory management and product launches such as the Super Glide and Deadwood, which have been successful in boosting market share.

Motorcycle Sales and Operating PerformanceHDMC global motorcycle shipments declined 8% year over year to 33,616 units in alignment with the company’s Back to the Bricks strategy.

Worldwide retail motorcycle sales edged up 5% to 35,833 units, driven by growth in North America and Asia-Pacific. North America grew by 9%, Asia-Pacific grew by 1% overall, while Australia and New Zealand grew by 15%. Retail sales in Europe, the Middle East and Africa declined by 5%, while in Latin America they declined by 7%.

North America retail sales, with 25,603 units, represented the company’s fourth consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth, demonstrating continued progress in Harley-Davidson’s core market.

Global dealer inventory of new motorcycles was down 26% year over year and down 6% sequentially.

Motorcycle revenue decreased 11% to $822 million. Parts and accessories revenue declined 9% to $167 million, while apparel and licensing revenue fell 3% to $62 million.

Gross margin expanded by 173 basis points to 28.1%, driven favorably by manufacturing and foreign exchange, partially offset by unfavorable product mix, net pricing, and raw materials costs.

HDMC adjusted EBITDA increased 0.3% to $93.9 million, with the adjusted EBITDA margin expanding to 9.7% from 8.7%.

Harley-Davidson Financial Services PerformanceAt Harley-Davidson Financial Services, revenue fell 58% to $111 million and operating income dropped 98% to $11 million as the company continued transitioning to its capital-light financing model.

Operating margin declined to 9.7% from 168% a year earlier, while total retail loan originations were up 4%.

Consolidated Revenue and Profit DeclineOn a consolidated basis, Harley-Davidson reported revenue of $1.08 billion, down 19% year over year, while net income attributable to the company declined 89% to $43 million.

The decline was primarily as a result of Harley-Davidson Financial Services’ sale of the majority of its securitization beneficial interests and retail finance receivables in the prior year.

Diluted earnings per share fell 87% from a year earlier to 40 cents.

Cash and cash equivalents as of Sept. 30 increased to $2.08 billion from $1.78 billion a year earlier.

During the quarter, the company returned $110 million in total capital, including $91 million in shares repurchases and $19 million in cash dividends.

Harley-Davidson Raises 2026 Sales and Profit OutlookHarley-Davidson raised its fiscal 2026 outlook for HDMC global motorcycle retail sales to 135,500 to 139,000 units from its previous forecast of 133,500 to 138,500 units.

The company also lifted its wholesale shipment guidance to the same range of 135,500 to 139,000 units.

The company now expects HDMC operating income of $25 million to $55 million, compared with its previous guidance ranging from $10 million to $50 million.

Harley-Davidson also increased its HDFS operating income outlook to $60 million to $70 million.

The company withdrew guidance for LiveWire, its electric motorcycle segment, announcing financial difficulties and no plan to fund its operating losses.

During the earnings call, management highlighted challenges including underperformance in Europe, supplier issues and tariff uncertainties, though the company is actively addressing these with strategic adjustments.

HOG Price Action: Harley-Davidson shares were down 0.61% at $29.68 at the time of publication on Thursday. The stock is trading near its 52-week high of $31.12, according to Benzinga Pro data.

Image via Shutterstock

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© 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Key Takeaways JBHT's shares fell 17.8% in 12 weeks, but margin pressures and a premium valuation favor a cautious approach.
J.B. Hunt's intermodal volumes rose 8%, while brokerage volumes jumped 22% in the third quarter of 2026.
JBHT's revenues climbed 20.4% to $3.68 billion, but operating margin narrowed to 6.7% from 7.9%.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. ((JBHT - Free Report) ) has lost 17.8% over the last three months, underperforming its industry and renewing the question of whether the retreat offers an attractive entry point. The latest operating trends provide reasons for optimism, especially in intermodal and brokerage demand.

3-Month Price ComparisonImage Source: Zacks Investment Research

The other side of the case is less comfortable. Costs are still limiting margin expansion, while the stock trades above key valuation benchmarks. That combination suggests investors should distinguish an improving freight backdrop from a fully repaired earnings profile.

JBHT Freight Demand Shows Improving Momentum

Intermodal volumes increased 8% year over year in the third quarter of 2026, with Eastern network loads up 18%. Management cited strong road-to-rail conversion demand, particularly in the East, as customers sought reliable capacity and favorable intermodal economics.

Integrated Capacity Solutions volumes rose 22%, adding another sign that freight activity is strengthening. Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. ((ODFL - Free Report) ) is a major North American less-than-truckload carrier, giving investors a useful comparison with a freight model centered more heavily on LTL services.

J.B. Hunt Pricing Gains Support Revenue Growth

Third-quarter revenues increased 20.4% year over year to $3.68 billion. Intermodal revenue per load rose 11%, although the gain excluding fuel surcharge revenues was 2%, showing that both pricing and fuel-related revenue contributed to the headline increase.

Truckload revenue per load excluding fuel surcharges advanced 29%, while Integrated Capacity Solutions revenue per load increased 29%. Another trucking company, ArcBest (ARCB - Free Report) , provides freight transportation services and solutions. The company is based in Fort Smith, AR.

JBHT Costs Keep the Earnings Recovery Uneven

Companywide operating margin narrowed to 6.7% from 7.9% a year earlier even as revenues climbed. Higher purchased transportation, professional driver personnel expenses, equipment-related costs and insurance and group medical claims limited the benefit from stronger demand and productivity improvements.

Dedicated Contract Services operating income fell 22% to $81.7 million as driver, medical, insurance, equipment and onboarding expenses rose. Final Mile Services operating income dropped 76% to $1.6 million, reflecting lower revenues and higher purchased transportation expense.

J.B. Hunt Valuation Leaves Less Room for ErrorJBHT trades at 25.03X forward 12-month earnings, above the Zacks sub-industry multiple of 24.32X and its five-year median of 22.98X. The premium means the recent share-price decline has not pushed the stock into an obviously discounted valuation range.

That matters because margin recovery remains a work in progress. Stronger pricing can help absorb higher operating costs, but the current multiple leaves less room for execution setbacks if driver, insurance or purchased transportation expenses stay elevated.

JBHT Signals Favor Patience After the PullbackThe pullback has improved the entry price, but the evidence still supports a patient stance rather than an aggressive buying call. Demand, volume growth and pricing are moving in the right direction, while margin pressure and valuation continue to offset part of that progress.

JBHT currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It also has a Growth Score of B, Value Score of C, Momentum Score of F and VGM Score of C. The favorable Growth Score supports the earnings-growth profile, but the midrange Value and VGM readings and weak Momentum Score point to a mixed setup. The Hold rank reinforces a wait-and-watch approach while investors look for more consistent margin improvement.

The Waste Management industry is experiencing positive trends in government regulations, adoption of advanced technologies and an increasing awareness of environmental issues. Despite rising operating costs, the industry does not shy away from swift industrialization and urbanization. Per Mordor Intelligence, the global waste management sector is expected to see a 6.2% CAGR through 2032. The potential expansion of the global waste management sector can be attributed to better waste collection methods and rising volumes of waste in emerging markets.

Three promising stocks from the Waste Removal Services market are H2O America (HTO - Free Report) , Clean Harbors (CLH - Free Report) and Concrete Pumping Holdings (BBCP - Free Report) .

About the Industry
Companies in the Zacks Waste Removal Services industry play a vital role in the collection, treatment and responsible management of diverse waste types, aiming to minimize their impacts on the environment and public health. This market is categorized into distinct segments based on the kind of waste, including industrial, commercial, domestic and agricultural waste. The Industrial waste segment has gained significance due to the ongoing industrial expansion, creating a substantial demand for efficient waste management solutions. The market encompasses Collection and Disposal services. The Disposal services segment, primarily fueled by the growing need for waste recycling to mitigate environmental impacts, stands as the primary revenue-generating category.

What's Shaping the Future of the Business Services Industry?
Rising Importance of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Goals: Waste management is a cornerstone of ESG principles, as it helps companies improve their ESG ratings by promoting environmental sustainability, fostering social well-being and upholding good governance. Per Grand View Research, the average ESG disclosure score for the waste management industry lies at 50-60%. Embracing responsible waste management meets legal requirements and aligns with consumer and investor desires for sustainable and ethical business practices. At present, waste management is not only a duty but also a chance for businesses to showcase their dedication to ESG values, which underpin lasting success and resilience.

Technology Drives Waste Management Industry Growth: Technology has become a vital component in waste management, addressing the challenges of waste generation and environmental impacts. This transformative correlation promises a more sustainable future. For instance, AI is emerging as a crucial tool to sort waste and keep recyclable materials from going into landfills. Advancing technology results in more effective, eco-friendly waste management, lowering the ecological footprint and promoting sustainability. Waste challenges can be mitigated using technology that leads us toward responsible waste management and a cleaner planet.

Innovations in Waste-to-Energy (WTE)Technology Aid: WTE comprises thermal (pyrolysis, incineration and gasification) and biological solutions (composting and anaerobic digestion), which play crucial roles in sustainable waste management. This technology transforms waste into energy via methods like incineration or gasification. Per a report by Fortune Business Insights, the Waste-to-Energy Market size is estimated to be $38.9 billion in 2026, expected to see a 3.6% CAGR through 2034. The rise is expected to be fuelled by the surge in the amount of waste generation, growing waste management concerns to meet sustainable living standards and increased focus on non-fossil fuels. The industry holds an important position in the era of clean energy, offering a renewable energy source and addressing the mounting challenges around waste management.

Increasing Operating Costs Are Concerning: Waste management is a time-consuming and complex process. It requires higher capital and operating costs to manage waste collection vehicles, bins and processing equipment, along with a huge number of workers. Such high operational expenses are anticipated to keep the bottom line of the companies in this industrial cohort under pressure.

Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Bright Near-Term Prospects
The Zacks Waste Removal Services industry, which is housed within the Zacks Business Services sector, currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #75. This rank places it in the top 30% of 247 Zacks industries.

The group’s Zacks Industry Rank, which is the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates a continued outperformance in the near term. Our research shows that the top 50% of Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than two to one.

Before we present a few stocks that you may want to consider for your portfolio, let us take a look at the industry’s recent stock market performance and current valuation.

Industry & S&P 500 Rises While Sector Plunges
The Zacks Waste Removal Services industry has moved up marginally over the past year. It outpaced the broader sector’s 12% dip but lagged the S&P 500’s 14.5% rally.

1-Year Price Performance

Industry's Trades Pricier Than Sector, Cheaper Than S&P 500
Based on EV-to-EBITDA (enterprise value to earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization), which is commonly used for valuing waste removal services stocks because of their high debt levels, the industry is currently trading at 12.52X compared with the S&P 500’s 17.88X and the sector’s 10.31X.

Over the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 15.31X and as low as 11.43X, the median being 13.29X, as the charts below show.

EV-to-EBITDA

3 Waste Removal Services Stocks to Bet On
H2O America: This is a water utility, processing, distribution, wholesale and retail company. HTO’s Quadvest buyout solidifies its Texas operations and expands its customer base. During the first nine months of 2026, this acquired company’s active connections gained 14% year over year, while its development pipeline supports continued customer growth. Management anticipates this buyout to deliver earnings-accretive beginning in 2028.

HTO’s capital investment plan from 2026 through 2030 amounts to $2.7 billion and is anticipated to strengthen water infrastructure and operational prowess. This plan, accompanied by the Quadvest acquisition, is expected to fuel a 13% CAGR in rate base.

The ongoing rate cases in Connecticut and Maine seek recovery of infrastructure investments. Management anticipates nearly 80% of planned CapEx through 2030 to qualify for timely regulatory recovery, further raising top-line visibility. The organic earnings growth target set by management is at 6-8%, supported by customer wins, infrastructure modernization and regulatory rate relief.

HTO sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s 2026 earnings has been pinned at $2.8 and has been unchanged in the past 60 days. Its shares have risen 37% in a year.

Clean Harbors: This company provides hazardous and non-hazardous waste management services. CLH benefits from rising hazardous waste volumes, prudent pricing and an upsurge in demand for comprehensive waste management solutions. A recently commenced 10-year $600 million contract and manufacturing reshoring are expected to provide a clear view of revenue.

Rising demand for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) remediation, water treatment and disposal services acts as a growth catalyst. Management anticipates PFAS-related revenues to increase 30% in 2026, aided by a solid project pipeline.

CLH is increasing its dedicated data center investment target to $70 million. Additional growth in revenues from an escalation in demand for chemical cleaning, cooling system maintenance and recycling services is expected.

The recent EnviroServe and ES&H buyout expands service capabilities and offers synergies from integration. Meanwhile, higher production of premium Group III base oil, favorable re-refining spreads and operational prowess boost profitability and cash flow generation.

CLH carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its 2026 bottom line has been kept at $9.94, moving up 2.3% in the past 60 days. Its shares have risen 43.7% in a year.

Concrete Pumping Holdings: This is a concrete pumping and concrete waste management services provider. BBCP benefits from rising demand for large-scale commercial and infrastructure projects, mainly data centers. An upsurge in education activity, accompanied by utilities and energy-related construction, supports fleet utilization and top-line growth.

Robust organic growth from Eco-Pan's concrete waste management business, driven by higher volumes, effective pricing and customer wins. BBCP’s profitability is strengthened by its operating model, which diversifies its revenues as well.

The company’s U.K. operations are strengthened by Templant temporary power acquisition, further broadening its offerings. Additional support is expected from the Republic of Ireland expansion, supporting long-term growth opportunities.

Improving profitability and prudent capital allocation aid growth investments. A liquidity position of $357 million and a dip in net leverage to 3.6X support the company for organic expansion, fleet investments and strategic buyouts.

BBCP carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its 2026 bottom line has been pegged at 19 cents, rising 11.8% in the past 60 days. Its shares have rallied 58% in a year.

7 hours ago

According to official news, ListaDAO announced in a post that its smart lending markets and StableSwap v3 pools are fully launched, covering 8 pools and 18 markets on BNB Chain and Ethereum. Lista DAO stated that concentrated liquidity allows deposits of the same size to earn more trading fees, and liquidity providers (LPs) can borrow while generating fees, with a maximum liquidation loan-to-value (LLTV) ratio of 96.5%.

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Cysic has announced that its cross-chain bridge has fully recovered following the security incident, allowing users to resume bridging CYS between the Cysic mainnet and other supported chains. A total of 7,200,002 CYS tokens have been permanently burned on BNB Smart Chain.
On October 17, an attacker exploited a vulnerability in the cross-chain bridge’s message processing to mint 10 million CYS tokens without authorization. The attacker then sold approximately 7.2 million tokens and transferred around $727,000 in proceeds to Ethereum. Cysic subsequently suspended bridging services and blacklisted the attacker’s address to freeze the remaining ~2.8 million CYS. The project confirmed that assets in the mainnet and user wallets were unharmed.
The foundation previously announced plans to burn ~7.2 million CYS from reserves to offset the unauthorized minting and recalibrate token economics, and two burn transactions have now been completed.

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Canton plans to launch tokenized US stock trading as early as November 2, and is expected to become the first such case under the SEC's new rules.

Nasdaq-listed Canton Strategic Holdings (CNTN) announced an agreement with TSV, a permissioned tokenized securities trading platform on the Canton Network, to offer its common stock for trading in issuer-initiated tokenized form. The target launch date is as early as November 2, and the company expects this to become the first compliant tokenized onshore U.S. equities case under the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s Innovation Exemption Framework. The tokenized shares are issued by Fairmint, an SEC-registered on-chain transfer agent that maintains ownership records, with holders entitled to the same rights as Nasdaq stockholders. The trading will run via the Tradecraft protocol as an automated market maker (AMM), enabling nearly 24/7 trading and atomic settlement. Participants must complete identity verification and sanctions screening. The issuer-initiated model avoids the objection and notification processes typical of third-party tokenization schemes.

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HYPE continues its rally, breaking through $97, and is just $1 away from hitting a new all-time high.

According to HTX market data, HYPE has continued its rally, breaking through the $97 mark, surging over 20% in 7 hours, and is only $1 away from hitting a new all-time high. Earlier news, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, plans to partner with Trade.xyz to introduce perpetual contract products into the U.S. regulated market.

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Strategy Perpetual Preferred Stock (STRC) rises to $99.95.

Strategy’s third-quarter financial results are upcoming, and its perpetual preferred stock STRC has climbed to $99.95, its highest level in 165 days. STRC is designed to trade around $100 via a floating dividend mechanism. When STRC nears par value, the company can raise capital through at-the-market (ATM) share issuances to purchase bitcoin — a route the market commonly dubs the "bitcoin money printer". Previously, after STRC fell below par value, such ATM offerings were temporarily halted.

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Axis Robotics Responds to AXIS Token Sell-Off: Suspects Over-the-Counter (OTC) Counterparties Defaulted on Sell Orders, Team and Investor Tokens Remain Untouched

Axis Robotics has issued a statement addressing the massive on-chain sell-off of AXIS tokens that took place between October 28 and 29. The project clarified that a total of 835 million AXIS tokens—accounting for 83.5% of the total supply, held by its core team, investors, and other locked allocations—remain stored in a vesting contract co-managed with Binance, which is verifiable on-chain. No tokens from these locked pools will be unlocked before the 12-month cliff period, and the recent sell-off was not driven by the team or investors exiting positions.
The project added that the sold tokens originated from the initial circulating supply outlined in its publicly released token economics, part of the ecosystem allocation. Given that some ecosystem recipients are not crypto-native users, the allocation was delivered via a single over-the-counter (OTC) counterparty under a written agreement with lock-up clauses. The sales were processed through exchange deposit routes and executed across hundreds of new addresses within hours of delivery. The project suspects the counterparty likely offloaded the tokens on the open market.
Earlier, on-chain detective ZachXBT disclosed that insider addresses linked to Axis Robotics (AXIS) dumped tokens, triggering a roughly 40% plunge in the token’s price.

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The Canadian government and Nvidia have participated in Cohere's financing round, with the latter's valuation exceeding $20 billion.

Canadian AI model startup Cohere is undertaking a large-scale financing round, with a valuation of $20.5 billion — roughly triple its value a year ago. Cohere announced Thursday that it has completed the first tranche of this financing round, with a total expected size of up to $50 billion. It has secured investment commitments from backers including the Canadian government and NVIDIA, and the $6 billion investment from European retail giant Schwarz Group, previously disclosed, is also included. The Canadian government has agreed to invest up to $1.14 billion in Cohere. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that Cohere plans to retain its headquarters in Canada and expects to build new computing infrastructure in the country by 2030, with an investment of around $1.2 billion. If the financing round is successfully completed, it will become the largest private financing in Canadian history, far exceeding previous records.

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Alphabet’s quarterly report filings disclose its AI exposure exceeds $1 trillion, with over one-third of the growth in its unfulfilled cloud contracts coming from joint ventures.

According to Bloomberg, Google parent company Alphabet's quarterly filing submitted on Thursday revealed artificial intelligence-related risk exposures not covered in the prior day's earnings call, and showed its AI risk exposure surpassed $1 trillion. Alphabet cited rapid growth in cloud service demand, with the expansion of its unfulfilled cloud contracts as evidence. Bloomberg noted that over a third of the growth in the quarter's unfulfilled cloud contracts came from a joint venture in which Alphabet holds a partial stake.

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DeFi protocol Curve Finance and the Stellar Development Foundation announced that Curve has launched on the Stellar mainnet, marking its first non-EVM native deployment. The StableSwap feature is now available, enabling users to permissionlessly create liquidity pools, swap assets, and provide liquidity. Curve founder Michael Egorov stated that the expansion to non-EVM chains is partially driven by institutional demand, adding that Stellar is relatively aligned with existing EVM usage habits. The project also plans to roll out FXSwap after an audit is completed, though no timeline has been provided. According to DeFiLlama data, Curve’s current total value locked stands at approximately $1.27 billion.

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Canton plans to launch tokenized US stock trading as early as November 2, and is expected to become the first such case under the SEC's new rules.

Nasdaq-listed Canton Strategic Holdings (CNTN) announced an agreement with TSV, a permissioned tokenized securities trading platform on the Canton Network, to offer its common stock for trading in issuer-initiated tokenized form. The target launch date is as early as November 2, and the company expects this to become the first compliant tokenized onshore U.S. equities case under the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s Innovation Exemption Framework. The tokenized shares are issued by Fairmint, an SEC-registered on-chain transfer agent that maintains ownership records, with holders entitled to the same rights as Nasdaq stockholders. The trading will run via the Tradecraft protocol as an automated market maker (AMM), enabling nearly 24/7 trading and atomic settlement. Participants must complete identity verification and sanctions screening. The issuer-initiated model avoids the objection and notification processes typical of third-party tokenization schemes.

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HYPE continues its rally, breaking through $97, and is just $1 away from hitting a new all-time high.

According to HTX market data, HYPE has continued its rally, breaking through the $97 mark, surging over 20% in 7 hours, and is only $1 away from hitting a new all-time high. Earlier news, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, plans to partner with Trade.xyz to introduce perpetual contract products into the U.S. regulated market.

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Strategy Perpetual Preferred Stock (STRC) rises to $99.95.

Strategy’s third-quarter financial results are upcoming, and its perpetual preferred stock STRC has climbed to $99.95, its highest level in 165 days. STRC is designed to trade around $100 via a floating dividend mechanism. When STRC nears par value, the company can raise capital through at-the-market (ATM) share issuances to purchase bitcoin — a route the market commonly dubs the "bitcoin money printer". Previously, after STRC fell below par value, such ATM offerings were temporarily halted.

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Axis Robotics Responds to AXIS Token Sell-Off: Suspects Over-the-Counter (OTC) Counterparties Defaulted on Sell Orders, Team and Investor Tokens Remain Untouched

Axis Robotics has issued a statement addressing the massive on-chain sell-off of AXIS tokens that took place between October 28 and 29. The project clarified that a total of 835 million AXIS tokens—accounting for 83.5% of the total supply, held by its core team, investors, and other locked allocations—remain stored in a vesting contract co-managed with Binance, which is verifiable on-chain. No tokens from these locked pools will be unlocked before the 12-month cliff period, and the recent sell-off was not driven by the team or investors exiting positions.
The project added that the sold tokens originated from the initial circulating supply outlined in its publicly released token economics, part of the ecosystem allocation. Given that some ecosystem recipients are not crypto-native users, the allocation was delivered via a single over-the-counter (OTC) counterparty under a written agreement with lock-up clauses. The sales were processed through exchange deposit routes and executed across hundreds of new addresses within hours of delivery. The project suspects the counterparty likely offloaded the tokens on the open market.
Earlier, on-chain detective ZachXBT disclosed that insider addresses linked to Axis Robotics (AXIS) dumped tokens, triggering a roughly 40% plunge in the token’s price.

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The Canadian government and Nvidia have participated in Cohere's financing round, with the latter's valuation exceeding $20 billion.

Canadian AI model startup Cohere is undertaking a large-scale financing round, with a valuation of $20.5 billion — roughly triple its value a year ago. Cohere announced Thursday that it has completed the first tranche of this financing round, with a total expected size of up to $50 billion. It has secured investment commitments from backers including the Canadian government and NVIDIA, and the $6 billion investment from European retail giant Schwarz Group, previously disclosed, is also included. The Canadian government has agreed to invest up to $1.14 billion in Cohere. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that Cohere plans to retain its headquarters in Canada and expects to build new computing infrastructure in the country by 2030, with an investment of around $1.2 billion. If the financing round is successfully completed, it will become the largest private financing in Canadian history, far exceeding previous records.

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Alphabet’s quarterly report filings disclose its AI exposure exceeds $1 trillion, with over one-third of the growth in its unfulfilled cloud contracts coming from joint ventures.

According to Bloomberg, Google parent company Alphabet's quarterly filing submitted on Thursday revealed artificial intelligence-related risk exposures not covered in the prior day's earnings call, and showed its AI risk exposure surpassed $1 trillion. Alphabet cited rapid growth in cloud service demand, with the expansion of its unfulfilled cloud contracts as evidence. Bloomberg noted that over a third of the growth in the quarter's unfulfilled cloud contracts came from a joint venture in which Alphabet holds a partial stake.

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Airtm has partnered with Mastercard-owned stablecoin infrastructure provider BVNK to introduce wallet-based payments for users in emerging markets through a new integration built on the Stellar blockchain.

Summary

Airtm has partnered with Mastercard’s BVNK to allow users in emerging markets to pay participating retailers directly from their digital wallets. The integration will operate through the newly launched Airtm Connect platform, which connects digital asset companies with Airtm’s existing user network. Stellar will serve as the blockchain payment network for the integration, with the companies planning to begin rolling out the service in Q4 2026. The partnership will give Airtm access to Mastercard’s Global Money Platform, which supports traditional currency accounts, stablecoin payments and international money transfers. BVNK will become another infrastructure provider for Airtm, giving the company more options for handling customer deposits, incoming transfers and payments across different markets. According to an announcement made at the Stellar Meridian Conference on Oct. 29, the partnership will allow Airtm customers to pay participating retailers directly from their digital wallets using BVNK’s payment infrastructure.

The service will operate through Airtm Connect, a newly launched product that allows digital asset companies to connect their services with Airtm’s existing user network.

Both companies expect to begin rolling out the integration in the fourth quarter of 2026, with new options for customers to fund their wallets, receive payments and spend their balances at supported merchants.

Airtm Connect will support direct wallet payments Under the agreement, Airtm users will be able to make purchases at retailers supported by BVNK without having to move their funds to a separate payment service first.

Airtm Connect will provide the connection between the company’s digital wallet network and external financial service providers, including BVNK.

The integration will use Stellar as its underlying blockchain payment network, allowing transactions to be processed through infrastructure designed for low-cost transfers.

Airtm operates in emerging markets where customers often use digital dollars and alternative financial services to receive international payments, hold funds and access global commerce.

The company said its partnership with BVNK would help address difficulties customers face when moving money between digital wallets and conventional payment systems.

Rubén Galindo Steckel, CEO of Airtm, said the company has spent the past decade developing financial infrastructure that connects users in underserved markets with the global dollar economy.

“We believe payments should move natively on-chain – it’s simply a better way to move money,” Steckel said.

He explained that reliable funding services need to work alongside payment options that allow customers to spend their money.

According to Steckel, BVNK’s existing banking connections and stablecoin funding infrastructure will complement Airtm’s network of users and local payment services.

The partnership will provide Airtm with another infrastructure provider as it continues operating across jurisdictions with different banking systems, stablecoin regulations and access to liquidity.

Mastercard Global Money Platform joins the integration Airtm will gain access to Mastercard’s recently launched Global Money Platform through its partnership with BVNK.

The platform allows financial technology companies and businesses to manage traditional currencies, stablecoins, international transfers and payment accounts through a single application programming interface.

As previously reported by crypto.news, Mastercard introduced the service in October following its acquisition of BVNK earlier this year.

Nuvei, Marqeta, Ontop, Beem and Almond FinTech were among the first companies preparing to integrate the platform.

Its services include multicurrency accounts, currency conversion, payment cards and local bank transfers, allowing participating companies to select the functions they need.

Mastercard expects local bank payouts through Mastercard Move to support more than 40 currencies across over 200 countries and territories in 2027.

For Airtm, access to the platform will provide additional payment and banking infrastructure while allowing the company to maintain its existing relationships with customers.

Mastercard completed its BVNK acquisition in August under a deal valued at up to $1.8 billion.

The acquisition brought BVNK’s technology for stablecoin settlements, international payouts and treasury operations into Mastercard’s payments business.

Kimberly Mescal Julien, global head of partnerships at BVNK, said the Airtm agreement demonstrates how financial technology companies can connect digital wallets with everyday commerce.

She described Airtm Connect as a way for wallet providers to offer customers more opportunities to spend their funds through existing payment infrastructure.

Stellar will handle blockchain transactions The Airtm integration will use Stellar, which BVNK added to its stablecoin payments platform in September.

BVNK’s Stellar network integration made the blockchain available to business customers through its existing API, supporting payments, remittances and treasury transfers across more than 130 markets.

Customers can access Stellar without developing separate blockchain connections or replacing their current payment systems.

The network supports transfers between blockchain accounts and provides infrastructure for businesses handling digital asset payments across different markets.

BVNK’s existing Stellar connection will serve as the blockchain component of its arrangement with Airtm, while the companies’ respective services will handle wallet access and payment connectivity.

The announcement did not identify the stablecoins that Airtm customers will initially be able to spend through the integration.

Airtm plans to expand its payment infrastructure Beyond merchant payments, the partnership will give Airtm additional options for handling customer deposits and incoming transfers across its supported markets.

The company currently works with multiple financial infrastructure providers to serve users across different countries and payment systems.

According to Airtm, BVNK will become another provider within that network, allowing the company to offer different funding routes depending on customer needs and local availability.

Steckel said Airtm does not intend to depend on a single payment provider or blockchain network as it develops its international services.

“Our infrastructure strategy has always been about choice for Airtm and for our users,” he said.

The companies have scheduled the initial rollout for Q4 2026, although they have not announced which countries or participating retailers will receive access first.

TLDR:

Curve Finance has launched on Stellar, marking its first native deployment outside the EVM ecosystem.
Stellar users can create permissionless pools, swap assets, and provide liquidity through Curve’s interface.
The Stellar Development Foundation supported the deployment to expand stablecoin and tokenized asset trading.
Curve plans to introduce FXSwap on Stellar after its audit, targeting efficient cross-currency asset trading.

Curve Finance has launched on the Stellar mainnet, marking its first native deployment outside the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) ecosystem.

The release brings the protocol’s audited StableSwap implementation to Stellar. Users can create pools permissionlessly, discover existing pools, swap assets, and provide liquidity.

The Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) supported the deployment, which was built for the network’s smart-contract environment.

The launch brings stablecoin-focused trading to a new network. The interface is now available at stellar.curve.finance for users.

StableSwap Brings Low-Slippage Trading to Stellar
Curve Finance is among the leading DeFi protocols for stablecoin trading. StableSwap is designed for low-slippage trading between stablecoins pegged to the same currency.

The model also covers other closely correlated assets. Curve Finance’s audited StableSwap implementation now operates on the network.

Michael Egorov, founder of Curve Finance, spoke about the move beyond EVM chains. He said, “

Egorov then addressed demand on the network. He continued, “

The use cases extend beyond standalone swaps. As liquidity develops, other applications can integrate these pools. The pools can then serve as trading venues for collateral liquidations.

They can also support exits from positions in lending and other financial applications. This gives asset issuers a way to develop trading venues for supported assets on the Stellar network. Users can create these pools permissionlessly, without needing approval.

SDF Backs the Deployment as FXSwap Plans Emerge
Denelle Dixon, CEO and Executive Director of the Stellar Development Foundation, commented on the launch. She said,

Dixon added, “ The SDF supported the deployment of the protocol on the network.

Curve also plans to bring FXSwap to the Stellar network once its audit is complete. FXSwap is designed for efficient trading between assets whose relative prices change. Examples include stablecoins pegged to different currencies.

FXSwap concentrates liquidity around market prices. This provides dedicated infrastructure for onchain currency conversion.

Meanwhile, Curve Finance’s integration gives developers and asset issuers new ways to build onchain markets. It also adds utility to stablecoins and tokenized assets. Users can access the deployment through stellar.curve.finance.

Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) announced a strategic investment in Asia-Pacific digital market infrastructure operator Marketnode, aiming to expand institutional investors’ access to tokenized real-world financial assets on the Stellar network. Backed by entities including Euroclear, HSBC, Singapore Exchange Group and Temasek, Marketnode covers the issuance, distribution and servicing of funds, credit and structured products, connecting asset managers, issuers, distributors and qualified investors.

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The project added that the sold tokens originated from the initial circulating supply outlined in its publicly released token economics, part of the ecosystem allocation. Given that some ecosystem recipients are not crypto-native users, the allocation was delivered via a single over-the-counter (OTC) counterparty under a written agreement with lock-up clauses. The sales were processed through exchange deposit routes and executed across hundreds of new addresses within hours of delivery. The project suspects the counterparty likely offloaded the tokens on the open market.
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TL;DR: Tokenization platform Securitize announced plans on October 28 to integrate the Stellar network into the infrastructure it offers institutional asset managers. For market participants following XLM, the news provides an institutional adoption narrative but no automatic revenue calculation for the network’s native asset.

Tokenization platform Securitize announced plans on October 28 to integrate the Stellar network into the infrastructure it offers institutional asset managers. The company says the connection will support future issuance and management of tokenized financial assets, extending choices for clients bringing traditional products onto blockchains. The announcement was made during Meridian 2026 in Lisbon. It describes an intended integration, not the immediate launch of a named new fund, and the firms have said further asset-level details will be released later.

The event and the market response Securitize operates in a part of the market where the token is only one layer of the product. Issuers must also organize investor eligibility, ownership records, subscriptions, redemptions and ongoing regulatory obligations. Stellar offers asset issuance and transfer functionality along with features that can support regulated controls. Its existing ecosystem includes financial-asset initiatives and cross-border payment providers. The proposed combination is designed to give managers more flexibility in choosing networks that match a particular distribution and operating model.

Why the development matters to the crypto market For market participants following XLM, the news provides an institutional adoption narrative but no automatic revenue calculation for the network’s native asset. A manager may choose Stellar because of operational attributes while end investors hold tokenized securities rather than buying XLM for exposure. What would strengthen the story is a named live issuance, measurable assets, and secondary workflows that show the integration is being used. The announcement highlights growing competition for institutional tokenization activity across public and controlled networks.

An institutional buyer will evaluate the cost of connecting a new rail to its existing systems before celebrating the technology. That includes identity checks, transaction reporting, asset servicing, reconciliation and recovery procedures when something goes wrong. A smaller but repeatable workflow can be commercially more valuable than an enormous theoretical market size. In this case, progress should be measured against the promised operational improvement and the conditions attached to it. Without usage figures, no one can reliably turn a partnership or infrastructure milestone into a forecast of investment returns.

Tokenized finance is often described as a single market, but it covers quite different instruments: cash-like balances, securities, private credit and other claims. Each has different settlement and counterparty risks. Institutional adoption becomes meaningful when service providers can explain who owes what, how a holder exits a position and what happens during a dispute. The detail matters as much as speed. A sound launch can be the beginning of a larger change, although the step from successful integration to widespread, economically useful activity is rarely automatic.

What the headline does not establish It is important not to equate a new blockchain option with unrestricted secondary-market trading. Tokenized shares in regulated funds may remain available only to approved investors, with transfers and settlement subject to rules. Fees, custody choices, liquidity and interoperability will matter as much as the chain itself. Securitize did not announce a launch date for any specific Stellar-issued product in this release. The milestone is the planned expansion of institutional infrastructure rather than a complete account of the products that will eventually use it.

What to watch next The firms have not named the first Stellar-based product. That announcement, together with an operational timetable and evidence of real subscriptions or redemptions, is the logical next checkpoint for this story.

Primary source: Official statement / source documentation.

written by the News Desk and edited by Samuel Rae.

Stellar Development Foundation has unveiled Project Thruput, a breakthrough execution model designed to address a key scalability challenge for blockchain networks. According to crypto researcher SMQKE, Stellar’s new system recently completed a major benchmark test, handling 7.02 million payments per second on eight machines, marking a significant leap forward for the network.

The challenge of blockchain scalabilityTraditional blockchain networks process transactions in a single global order. When multiple transactions seek to update the same data, they are forced into a queue, limiting the system’s ability to expand, regardless of the hardware available. Adding more machines does not increase transaction capacity under these models, creating a fundamental ceiling for network throughput.

Project Thruput introduces a model where transactions can be executed without a strict global order, even if they contend for similar data. This advancement makes it possible for capacity to increase simply by scaling hardware, allowing transaction throughput to rise linearly as more machines are added to the network.

Early performance benchmarks show execution capacity rising from 1.18 million payments per second on a single machine to 7.02 million on eight machines, representing nearly a sixfold increase.

Mini dictionary: Stellar Development Foundation is the non-profit behind the Stellar network, focusing on creating equitable access to the global financial system through decentralized technologies.

Number of MachinesPayments per Second11.18 million87.02 millionPreparing for institutional and AI-driven growthWith interest in blockchain solutions from institutions increasing, networks capable of handling millions of transactions per second have the potential to reshape how value and data are exchanged globally. Project Thruput differentiates itself by not only targeting higher transaction volumes but by anticipating the integration of AI-driven agents. Stellar has stated its ambition to build a network ready to serve up to 10 billion people as well as billions of AI agents transacting on their behalf.

Project Thruput is designed with future scalability in mind and aims to enable both human users and AI agents to interact seamlessly with the network.

This upgrade positions Stellar among a small group of networks focused on institutional applications and future-facing technologies, signaling a shift in how scalability is approached across the blockchain sector.

Recent milestones and regulatory developmentsThe introduction of Project Thruput follows a period of notable momentum for the Stellar network. In May 2026, the DTCC, a central post-trade settlement provider in the United States, announced it would connect its tokenized securities platform with Stellar, with an official launch scheduled for the first half of 2027. This partnership is regarded as a major institutional milestone for Stellar’s ecosystem.

Additionally, in March 2026, both the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) jointly designated Stellar’s native token, XLM, as a digital commodity. This clarification removed previous regulatory uncertainty and has been cited as a key factor in increasing institutional participation in the network.

Mini dictionary: The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) is a major US-based post-trade services provider, responsible for clearing and settlement of securities transactions.

Next steps for Project ThruputProject Thruput was released as a technology preview on FutureNet, Stellar’s dedicated test environment. The Stellar Development Foundation has published benchmarks and made the reference code publicly available. The focus now shifts to broader testing under real-world conditions and evaluation by external developers to validate and potentially enhance performance before full integration into the main network.

MetaMask has made Stellar (XLM) a default network in its mobile app and browser extension, giving eligible accounts a Stellar address derived from their existing recovery phrase.

MetaMask has added Stellar as a default network in its mobile app and browser extension. The move was announced at the Stellar Development Foundation's Meridian conference in Lisbon, with MetaMask saying the integration is live. @MetaMask and @StellarOrg both marked the launch on Oct. 29.

Eligible accounts now include a Stellar address tied to the recovery phrase users already hold. They can hold, send and swap $XLM and other Stellar tokens alongside assets on other networks without setting up a separate wallet.

What MetaMask Users GetAccording to MetaMask's announcement, users can manage XLM, trustline assets and Soroban tokens next to holdings on other networks. They can also swap between Stellar and other supported networks. Soroban is Stellar's smart contract platform.

MetaMask describes itself as the first major self-custodial platform to make Stellar a default network. It said that until now, users who wanted to transact on Stellar needed a separate wallet. Reporting from TokenPost adds that users who already hold Stellar accounts can import their recovery phrases into MetaMask to move those accounts across.

The same report says MetaMask Chief Product Officer Gal Eldar framed the integration as part of the company's "Open Money" strategy, which aims to extend the same payment infrastructure to all users.

Stellar's Payments Track RecordStellar has operated as a public payments network since 2014. Stellar's own figures cite a settlement time of about five seconds and an average transaction cost below a tenth of a cent. MetaMask's release also cites the Stellar Development Foundation as saying the network processed $55.6 billion in payment volume in 2025, up 52% year over year.

A new Stellar address becomes active only once it receives a minimum balance. Cointelegraph's explainer puts that minimum at 1 XLM. Adding a token such as USDC also requires a trustline, which carries an additional reserve of 0.5 XLM, according to PrimeXBT's glossary.

Market reaction has been muted so far. Crypto News Flash reported XLM trading near $0.1727 on Thursday, almost flat on the day, and noted that wallet access alone does not create on-chain demand for the token.

SourcesMetaMask: MetaMask makes Stellar a default network

TokenPost: MetaMask Adds Stellar as a Default Network in Its Wallet

Stellar: Network overview

Chainlink’s LINK token was priced at $11.44 on October 29, 2026, following a 24.19% decline over the past month. Despite Chainlink’s ongoing institutional collaborations, including fresh deals, LINK remained around 78% below its May 2021 all-time high of $52.70 as it entered the final two months of the year.

LINK 2026 price outlook: Forecasts and targetsPrice predictions for LINK by the end of 2026 largely fall within the $8.38 to $19.27 range. Key projections include an end-year target of $13 from Standard Chartered, while sources such as LiteFinance, Changelly, and CoinStats format their estimates between $11.00 and $15.78. On October 29, LINK’s market capitalization stood at $8.77 billion, positioning it at number 16 among cryptocurrencies, with a circulating supply of 766.85 million LINK out of a maximum of 1 billion.

ScenarioYear-end 2026 rangeMain assumptionsBearish$8.40 – $10.50Continued selling pressure, flat ETF demand, breaks below $11 supportBase$11.00 – $13.50Stabilization, tracks consensus analyst targets, steady ETF activityBullish$14.50 – $16.20Renewed ETF inflows, successful staking or institutional integrations drive demandInstitutional moves and ETF trendsChainlink expanded its ecosystem through new partnerships in late 2026, including the launch of CustodySync with Anchorage Digital, an extended collaboration with S&P Global Ratings, and an agreement with LG CNS on Korean digital asset projects. The Grayscale Chainlink Trust ETF launched in December 2025, followed by Bitwise’s spot ETF debut on NYSE Arca in January 2026. Bitwise later filed a proposal allowing up to 20% of its Chainlink fund to be staked, while Grayscale accumulated another 629,100 LINK for its holdings.

However, US spot Chainlink ETFs reported eight consecutive trading days without net inflows, highlighting tepid demand during the latest price decline. The last notable fund movement was an outflow of roughly $397,000 on October 16. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index stood at 51, indicating neutral sentiment among market participants.

Mini dictionary: Anchorage Digital is a regulated crypto custodian known for providing secure storage solutions to institutional investors in the digital asset sector.

Key drivers and risk factors for LINKSector analysts pointed to several factors influencing LINK’s price direction. New launches like CCIP Vault Adapters allowed DeFi vaults to accept deposits from more than 80 blockchains. Partnerships with firms such as LG CNS and S&P Global Ratings were designed to deepen institutional engagement, particularly for services tied to stablecoins and tokenized securities.

Despite these developments, several risks remain. Uncirculated supply represents about 23% of the token’s maximum, posing the risk of future dilution. Additionally, some high-profile announcements have not yet translated into substantial new lending or integration commitments. Technical models marked downside targets near $8.38 to $8.89, while market watchers noted that recent outflows from Binance, the result of large deposits being reallocated, had yet to spark sustained buying interest.

Analyst MorenoDV_ commented that ongoing outflows may simply be a redistribution of previously deposited LINK and have not yet resulted in consistent market demand.

Chainlink Reserve’s recent purchase of 431,900 LINK signaled confidence within its treasury operations, even as total exchange reserves fell to 124.2 million LINK. On the upside, targets to watch include the 24-hour high of $11.95, followed by $14.43 and $15.80.

Historical context and major technical levelsAfter climbing to a 2026 peak of $15.80 in September, LINK experienced a notable decline in October, shedding over 20% for the month. The all-time high set in May 2021 remains distant, with none of the reviewed forecasts expecting a return to that level within 2026. Downside reference points remain at $11.29 and further support near the $11 threshold.

Published estimates from LiteFinance, Changelly, CoinStats, and Standard Chartered reflect consensus ranges, but market conditions and ETF flows may shift future projections.

13h18 ▪ 5 min read ▪ by Lydie M.

Summarize this article with:

Chainlink (LINK) loses 20.8% since early October despite a decrease in reserves on crypto platforms. Binance records 18 consecutive days of net token outflows, while reserves tracked by CryptoQuant have dropped to 124.2 million LINK. Usually considered bullish, this movement does not produce any sustained rebound. US Chainlink ETFs also show signs of slowing down.

In brief Chainlink declines 20.8% in October despite 18 days of net withdrawals on Binance. LINK reserves on exchanges decrease to 124.2 million tokens. US Chainlink ETFs record eight consecutive sessions without net flows. Chainlink loses 21% despite crypto withdrawals on Binance On-chain data shows an unusual situation. For 18 days, more LINK have left Binance than arrived. Investors often interpret these withdrawals as a sign of accumulation, especially when tokens are transferred to private wallets.

The decrease in reserves is not new. In August 2025, 33 million LINK had already left exchange reserves, which dropped from 180 to 147 million tokens. This time, the figures do not accompany an increase. According to CryptoRank, the Chainlink crypto shows a loss of 20.8% since the beginning of the month. In a reading taken on October 29 around 11:40 UTC, LINK traded around 11.58 dollars on Binance, after a low of 11.29 dollars in the last 24 hours.

Analyst MorenoDV_ however calls for caution. Before this withdrawal streak, Binance had recorded a net inflow of about 8.7 million LINK. Part of the subsequent outflows could thus correspond to a redistribution of these tokens to other wallets.

In other words, the transfers do not prove that new investors are accumulating LINK. Aggregate reserves tracked by CryptoQuant have returned to 124.2 million tokens, a level close to that observed before significant inflows on Binance. The market still lacks buyers capable of sustainably reversing the decline.

LINK ETFs lose 40 million $ in net assets US investment products do not offset this weakness. According to SoSoValue, spot Chainlink ETFs have recorded eight consecutive sessions without net inflows or outflows. Their last movement dates back to October 16, with a withdrawal of around 397,000 dollars.

On October 9, these funds had attracted 9.48 million dollars in a single session. Since then, flows have stopped. Their total net assets fell from 249.4 million dollars on September 28 to 209.5 million on October 28. This represents a decline of 39.9 million dollars, or about 16%.

Beware not to confuse the two indicators. This valuation drop does not mean investors have withdrawn 39.9 million dollars. The drop in LINK also reduces the value of tokens already held by the funds.

This distinction had already been noted regarding the Grayscale Chainlink ETF, whose assets declined with the fall of LINK. October’s situation presents an additional challenge: funds no longer record new net inflows. Even when reserves available on exchanges decrease, the price can continue to fall if demand remains insufficient.

Chainlink’s advances do not yet support the price The crypto project continues its technological development. On September 28, Chainlink launched CCIP 2.0, a new version of its interoperability protocol between blockchains. It notably brings additional verification mechanisms, compliance controls, and more flexibility in executing transfers.

Another recent announcement: on October 27, Further Asset Management, a company based in Abu Dhabi, announced the adoption of the Chainlink ACE compliance engine for its Anubis platform. The tool aims to verify certain regulatory conditions before executing transactions involving tokenized assets. Its initial deployment concerns the Abu Dhabi Global Market.

This partnership is a commercial advance announced without yet proof of a direct effect on LINK demand. Chainlink had several catalysts at the beginning of the month. The project was among the five cryptos to watch in October 2026, notably thanks to CCIP 2.0 and its ambitions in tokenized finance.

On the market, analysts now monitor resistance at 12.30 dollars and support at 10.87 dollars. Another area of interest lies between 9.50 and 10.50 dollars. These are technical levels proposed by analysts, not guaranteed prices.

For Chainlink, withdrawals on Binance are data to watch, not proof of a reversal. The next sessions will show if buyers really return, both on the spot market and in ETFs.

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Lydie M.

Enseignante et ingénieure IT, Lydie découvre le Bitcoin en 2022 et plonge dans l’univers des cryptomonnaies. Elle vulgarise des sujets complexes, décrypte les enjeux du Web3 et défend une vision d’un futur numérique ouvert, inclusif et décentralisé.

DISCLAIMER

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and should not be taken as investment advice. Do your own research before taking any investment decisions.

AST SpaceMobile has shed more than 40% this year, but a funded constellation, 60-plus carrier partners, and potential billion-dollar government contracts suggest the selloff may have punished the stock far beyond what the fundamentals warrant.

Our 24/7 Wall St. price target for AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ:ASTS) is $52.16. That implies 26.5% upside from the current $41.22.

Metric
Value

Current Price
$41.22

24/7 Wall St. Price Target
$52.16

Upside/Downside
26.5%

Recommendation
BUY

Confidence Level
55%

ASTS earns a buy rating with moderate confidence of 55%, which shows real execution risk.

AST SpaceMobile is moving from prototype to scaled constellation. They have 13 spacecraft in orbit, BlueBirds 17 through 46 in production, and a target of 45 satellites in orbit by early 2027. In my view, the recent sell-off places too much weight on the risks and too little on the build-out.

A 33% Monthly Slide Resets the Entry Point
ASTS fell 33.31% over the past month and 43.25% year to date, though it has steadied with a 0.22% gain this week. Shares trade 69.2% below the 52-week high of $133.86 and 12.3% above the $36.72 low.

Second-quarter revenue of $31.52M missed the $34.40M consensus, and GAAP EPS of -$0.77 missed the -$0.2873 estimate. Several securities class actions now cover a class period from March 4, 2025 to July 15, 2026, and the lead-plaintiff deadline falls on November 13, 2026.

Why Bulls See $75 and Beyond
AST SpaceMobile has 60+ MNO partners covering >3B subscribers and about $1.30B in signed backlog. Japan’s J-LEO project could bring in up to approximately USD 1 billion in non-dilutive, non-debt government capital.

The company’s president said government work could scale into “a recurring multibillion dollar a year opportunity starting in 2027.” Management also expects revenue approaching $1 billion in the first full year of commercial service, supported by pro forma liquidity above $3.70B.

Five analysts have bullish ratings on the stock. My bull case is the $74.68 consensus target.

What Could Push ASTS Back to Its Lows
Revenue has missed estimates in two straight quarters, which puts pressure on the $150M-$200M full-year guidance. Spending is also heavy: capex was about $610 million in the second quarter, with another $350 million to $425 million guided for the third.

The GAAP loss looks better on closer inspection, though. It included a $125.9M BB7 involuntary-conversion loss and $88.7M in induced conversion expense, and both are non-recurring. Seven analysts rate the stock a Hold and two rate it bearish. My bear case is a retest of $36.72.

Is ASTS Too Expensive Next to Iridium and Viasat?

Company
Price/Sales
EV/Revenue

AST SpaceMobile
133.16
109.58

Iridium
5.22
7.11

Viasat
1.977
2.951

Iridium Communications (NASDAQ:IRDM | IRDM Price Prediction) is the mature, profitable version of direct satellite connectivity. The stock is valued at 23x forward earnings on $902.97M in trailing revenue. That revenue base is close to where AST SpaceMobile hopes to be in its first full year of commercial service.

Viasat (NASDAQ:VSAT) competes for the same government and mobility dollars and brings in $4.63B in trailing revenue. Yet its market cap of $9.15B sits below AST SpaceMobile’s. This group shows that ASTS is priced on its future network. Our target makes sense only if that revenue ramp shows up, and with that condition I see the target as reasonable.

Growth Phase Tilts the Scale Toward Upside
I rate ASTS a buy, with a 24/7 Wall St. price target of $52.16 and 55% confidence. The funded constellation ramp is the key reason for my call.

I would turn more constructive if beta service launches on schedule and fourth-quarter revenue lands within guidance. I would get cautious if launches slip again or MNO agreements stall before becoming final contracts. On balance, I think the decline has gone further than the fundamentals justify.

AST SpaceMobile Price Prediction 2026-2030
Looking further out, here is where the 24/7 Wall St. price target model projects ASTS could trade if current growth trends and market conditions hold.

Year
24/7 Wall St. Price Target

2026
$46.69

2027
$52.16

2028
$65.20

2029
$81.50

2030
$101.88

The projections rest on AST SpaceMobile continuing to execute on its constellation plan. Results could swing sharply higher or lower depending on when commercial service starts, how government contracts scale, and how the litigation is resolved.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Chainlink 24/7 is now live, providing always-on market data for stocks, commodities, and many other traditional assets to blockchain markets. Aave, the largest DeFi lending market with over $34 billion in total value secured (TVL), is actively adopting Chainlink 24/7 to securely manage collateral around the clock.

Earlier this year, Chainlink 24/5 U.S. Equities Streams launched, delivering market data for U.S. equities and ETFs across every weekday trading session: pre-market, regular, post-market, and overnight. Now, Chainlink 24/7 is extending pricing coverage to weekends and holidays. Markets powered by Chainlink 24/7 never sleep, giving users the ability to trade, borrow, and manage their positions at any time while ensuring asset issuers and DeFi applications can properly manage risk at all times. 

Chainlink 24/7 is delivered through Data Feeds and Data Streams, built on Chainlink’s industry-standard decentralized oracle infrastructure that secures ~70% of DeFi, powers over 80% of lending markets on Ethereum and Solana, supports over 81% of tokenized RWA value, and has enabled over $1 trillion in perpetuals trading volume in 2026. This battle-tested infrastructure has proven secure and reliable during the most extreme market volatility, blockchain network congestion, and major cloud infrastructure outages.

Chainlink 24/7 is critical infrastructure for a financial transformation that goes far beyond extended trading hours, ultimately unifying the world’s financial markets onchain. Stocks, commodities, funds, and other assets from all over the world are being tokenized at an accelerating rate, opening them to a global investor pool that can access them to trade, obtain liquidity, manage risk, and put their capital to work wherever they are, at any time of the day. Breaking news in Asia, a weekend opportunity in Europe, or a financing need in the Americas no longer waits for an opening bell. Chainlink is underpinning this shift with the continuous market data that makes 24/7 global markets a reality.

Reach out to a Chainlink expert to learn more and start building today.

The Barrier Preventing Around-the-Clock Asset TradingTokenization brings traditional assets such as equities and commodities onto blockchains that operate around the clock. However, the gap between traditional market operating hours (e.g., Mon-Fri; 9:30AM – 4:00PM ET in the U.S.) and onchain market hours (24/7) makes it difficult to reliably price and manage these types of assets when traditional markets are closed. 

Chainlink 24/5 Streams closed the weekday gap by providing trusted market data onchain across regular, pre-market, post-market, and overnight sessions. Yet a gap remained from 8PM ET Friday to 8PM ET Sunday, as well as on market holidays. 

Onchain applications have historically had to manage these gaps themselves, forcing them into difficult trade-offs: pause markets, rely on the last available price, or build their own off-hours methodology and switching logic. These limitations make it harder to provide a consistent trading experience and manage the value of tokenized collateral during market closures. 

For onchain finance to reach its full potential, applications require unified pricing infrastructure to support traditional assets throughout the week. Not only does this make new markets possible, but it's critical to managing risk, especially in applications with automated liquidations and risk parameters. For example, lending protocols assume risk by holding tokenized RWAs as collateral over the weekend and holidays when the underlying markets are closed, making off-hours pricing a DeFi solvency risk that must be addressed.

How Chainlink 24/7 Unlocks Always-On Markets for RWAsChainlink 24/7 stitches together prices from active trading sessions with an off-hours reference to create a single continuous price series for each supported asset. As a result, applications gain a consistent foundation for pricing and risk management without having to assemble it themselves.

During regular, extended, and overnight trading sessions, the price draws on existing Chainlink 24/5 session data. When the underlying traditional market closes, it uses quotes from multiple top perp venues. This off-hours engine reflects fresh trading in derivatives linked to the asset; it is not a live quote from the closed traditional exchange.

Chainlink connects these sources using session-aware stitching, which manages transitions between pricing sources as market sessions change. Built on the established blending engine behind Chainlink’s 24/5 tokenized equity pricing, this approach enables applications to maintain continuity across the week while preserving immediate price discovery at the regular-session opening bell.

Chainlink 24//7 deliver continuous, context-rich market data across blockchains to unlock always-on onchain markets for tokenized RWAs.Chainlink 24/7 InnovationsOne Continuous Reference Per Asset: Chainlink handles the transition between session-specific data and off-hours pricing, so developers can spend less time building feed-selection logic and more time bringing utility to RWAs.Off-Hours Pricing Informed by Multiple Perps Venues: The reference aggregates quotes from multiple perps venues, filters out stale inputs, and limits the influence of outlier prices, improving resilience and reducing reliance on any single off-hours venue. Supported assets must meet Chainlink’s high standards for market coverage, liquidity, and pricing consistency.Two Onchain Delivery Paths: Each application gets the delivery model suited to its use case. Prediction markets and perpetual exchanges can retrieve low-latency pricing offchain directly through Data Streams when needed. Lending protocols can read prices published directly onchain through Data Feeds.Market Context for Informed Risk Decisions: Data Streams reports identify the current market session and include bid and ask prices during open sessions. Applications can use this context to adapt risk settings as market conditions change. New Markets for RWAsContinuous pricing expands the range of financial products developers can build onchain around traditional assets, including:

Perpetuals and Derivatives: Price, fund, and settle perpetual markets on traditional assets through weekends and holidays, with a reference price that keeps moving when markets are closed. Lending Against Tokenized Assets: Value eligible collateral around the clock with a price designed for liquidations, allowing protocols to maintain their risk parameters beyond traditional market hours.Short-Duration Prediction Markets: Establish markets based on asset price movements using time-weighted average pricing (TWAP) as a consistent reference to determine outcomes and help prevent price manipulation.Industry Leader Aave Adopts Chainlink 24/7Aave is using Chainlink 24/7 Data Feeds to price tokenized RWAs used as collateral within its institutional lending platform Horizon, starting with high-volume U.S. Equities.

“Bringing assets onchain should increase the number of ways users can put capital to work. With Chainlink 24/7, Aave can reliably value RWA collateral through weekends and holidays, enabling institutions to realize the full potential of always-on lending backed by the robust risk management they require.” — Stani Kulechov, Founder and CEO, AaveThe Future of Finance Is Markets That Never SleepGlobal demand for U.S. markets is surging. According to Nasdaq, foreign holdings of U.S. equities nearly doubled between 2019 and mid-2024, reaching $17 trillion. Yet markets still run on a schedule set by a single time zone. An investor in Seoul shouldn’t have to wait for New York to wake up to capitalize on an opportunity. Chainlink is providing the mission-critical infrastructure for the next era of finance, where opportunity is accessible across borders and around the clock.

Chainlink 24/5 broke the first barrier by extending onchain equity markets on weekdays beyond standard trading hours. Chainlink 24/5 has already extended markets beyond standard trading hours for nearly half of the tokenized equities, powering pricing for more than $1.6 billion in tokenized stocks across six blockchains for Ondo, xStocks, Robinhood, and Coinbase. 

Now, Chainlink 24/7 breaks the last barrier by bringing continuous pricing data to onchain markets for real-world assets throughout weekends and holidays. As coverage expands, builders can now bring more traditional assets into always-on trading and lending markets, giving investors greater freedom to deploy capital, access liquidity, and manage exposure throughout the week at any hour.

Teams building onchain applications can contact Chainlink about integrating 24/7.

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Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only and contains statements about the future, including anticipated product features, development, and timelines for the rollout of these features. These statements are only predictions and reflect current beliefs and expectations with respect to future events; they are based on assumptions and are subject to risk, uncertainties, and changes at any time. There can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from those expressed in these statements, although we believe them to be based on reasonable assumptions. All statements are valid only as of the date first posted. These statements may not reflect future developments due to user feedback or later events, and we may not update this post in response. Please review the Chainlink Terms of Service, which provides important information and disclosures.