Market Signal Briefing

Terrill Dicki
Oct 19, 2025 05:37

Polkadot trades at $2.93 after touching its 52-week low of $2.89, with DOT price showing weak momentum as technical indicators signal potential further downside ahead.

Quick Take
• DOT trading at $2.93 (up 1.0% in 24h)
• Price action near 52-week lows despite modest daily recovery
• Testing critical support zone around $2.89-$2.90 level
• Following broader crypto weakness alongside Bitcoin's mixed signals

Market Events Driving Polkadot Price Movement
Trading on technical factors in the absence of major catalysts, DOT price has been consolidating near multi-month lows over the past week. No significant news events have emerged in the past 48 hours to drive directional moves in Polkadot, leaving the token vulnerable to broader market sentiment and technical positioning.

The lack of ecosystem-specific catalysts has contributed to DOT's underperformance relative to the broader crypto market. With institutional interest remaining subdued based on the relatively modest $11.6 million in 24-hour Binance spot volume, Polkadot appears to be trading primarily on technical factors and correlation dynamics with Bitcoin.

Market participants are closely watching for any developments around Polkadot's parachain ecosystem or potential partnership announcements that could provide fundamental support for the current price levels.

DOT Technical Analysis: Bearish Structure Dominates
Price Action Context
DOT price currently sits well below all major moving averages, with the token trading at $2.93 compared to the 20-day SMA at $3.62 and the 200-day SMA at $3.96. This positioning indicates sustained selling pressure and suggests the broader trend remains bearish despite today's modest 0.96% gain.

The proximity to the 52-week low of $2.89 creates a precarious technical setup, with limited support visible on lower timeframes. Volume patterns on Binance spot data show diminished institutional participation, which could amplify volatility in either direction.

Key Technical Indicators
The RSI reading of 33.36 places DOT in oversold territory but hasn't yet shown signs of bullish divergence that typically precedes meaningful bounces. The MACD histogram at -0.0793 continues to print bearish momentum, though the rate of decline has moderated slightly.

Bollinger Bands positioning shows DOT price at just 0.1962 of the band width, indicating the token is trading very close to the lower band support at $2.48. This compressed positioning often precedes significant directional moves, though the direction remains uncertain given the broader technical context.

Critical Price Levels for Polkadot Traders
Immediate Levels (24-48 hours)
• Resistance: $3.08 (7-day moving average and psychological barrier)
• Support: $2.89 (52-week low and critical psychological level)

Breakout/Breakdown Scenarios
A break below $2.89 could trigger accelerated selling toward the Bollinger Band lower boundary at $2.48, representing roughly 15% downside risk. Conversely, a sustained move above $3.08 would need to contend with the 12-day EMA at $3.24 before any meaningful recovery could take hold.

DOT Correlation Analysis
Bitcoin's mixed price action today has provided little directional guidance for DOT, though Polkadot technical analysis suggests the token is trading with heightened sensitivity to broader crypto market sentiment. The correlation appears strongest during risk-off periods, when DOT price tends to amplify Bitcoin's downside moves.

Traditional market factors have shown limited direct impact on Polkadot's recent price action, with the token appearing more influenced by crypto-specific flows and technical positioning than broader risk asset performance.

Trading Outlook: Polkadot Near-Term Prospects
Bullish Case
A sustained break above $3.08 resistance could attract short covering and momentum buyers, potentially targeting the $3.24 EMA level. However, any rally would likely face significant resistance at the $3.62 20-day moving average, requiring substantial volume to overcome.

Bearish Case
The proximity to 52-week lows creates substantial breakdown risk if $2.89 support fails. Technical indicators suggest limited buying interest at current levels, with the potential for a move toward $2.48 if selling pressure intensifies.

Risk Management
Conservative traders should consider stop-losses below $2.85 to limit exposure to a potential breakdown. Given the current ATR of $0.36, position sizing should account for elevated volatility expectations as DOT price approaches critical technical junctures.

Image source: Shutterstock

dot price analysis
dot price prediction

BitMine boosts Ethereum holdings to 2.5% of total ETH supply in strategic dip-buying spree Christina Comben · 30 seconds ago · 2 min read

Tom Lee's BitMine Immersion Technologies has made yet another purchase of ETH as large investors position into weakness.

Oct. 19, 2025 at 6:00 am UTC

2 min read

Updated: Oct. 18, 2025 at 8:03 pm UTC

Cover art/illustration via CryptoSlate. Image includes combined content which may include AI-generated content.

Tom Lee’s BitMine has purchased another $281 million of ETH, taking the concept of ‘buying the dip’ to a whole new level. When the market sold off, BitMine accumulated. The company’s total Ethereum holdings now exceed 3.03 million ETH, roughly 2.5% of the entire supply, valued at around $12.9 billion.

Blockchain analytics from Lookonchain shows additional BitMine-linked wallets receiving over 72,000 ETH ($281 million) in transfers from FalconX and BitGo this week, reinforcing what’s looking like a coordinated strategy by the firm and other OTC desks to build positions into weakness.

Whales are back on the huntBitMine is not alone in its conviction. Analysts at WhaleMap and Arkham note that other large investors and institutions have been steadily accumulating Ethereum since early October, with more than 400,000 ETH flowing from exchanges into cold wallets.

Exchange reserves have fallen to a three-year low, suggesting that large players continue to hold long-term positions rather than trade short-term volatility. According to on-chain data, cumulative institutional holdings across corporate treasuries and Ethereum ETFs now exceed 12.8 million ETH, over 10% of the total supply.

Tom Lee remains one of the market’s most prominent Ethereum bulls. He recently reaffirmed his prediction that ETH could reach between $12,000 and $15,000 by the end of 2025, citing Ethereum’s expanding role in tokenization, decentralized finance, and AI-driven infrastructure.

His bullish case rests on liquidity dynamics: as rates fall and risk appetite returns, Ethereum’s utility and burn rate could push it into a genuine supply squeeze. Lee describes this phase as “real price discovery,” not speculation. In parallel, former BitMEX CEO Arthur Hayes has also doubled down, forecasting that Ethereum could reach $10,000 before the end of the year as macro headwinds ease and DeFi activity rebounds.

BitMine is strategically purchasing ETHThe timing of these buys is not lost on the market. BitMine’s October accumulation followed a sharp correction that wiped out more than $19 billion in leveraged positions across crypto. Ethereum briefly sank below $3,800 before rebounding above $4,100. BitMine’s strategic purchases helped steady confidence during those volatile sessions. As crypto investor Ted Pillows commented:

“Bitmine bought $279,640,000 in $ETH today. Big players are accumulating Ethereum.”

Behind the numbers, there’s a deeper narrative: institutional actors appear to be positioning for Ethereum’s next growth phase. With stablecoin settlement volumes on Ethereum surpassing $5 trillion in the third quarter (an all-time high), the network’s dominance as a settlement layer remains unchallenged.

For long-term investors like BitMine, this is less about timing the market and more about accumulating the infrastructure layer of a new financial system. In this context, each dip becomes a discount rather than a deterrent.

Mentioned in this article

Latest Ethereum Stories Press Releases

7h40 ▪
4
min read ▪ by
Luc Jose A.

Summarize this article with:

Prediction markets are now betting against bitcoin. On Polymarket, nearly 70 % of bettors believe that BTC will fall below 100,000 dollars before the end of this year. A strong signal, as crypto has just undergone a brutal correction. This shift in market sentiment, driven not by analysts but by the investors themselves, raises questions: is the bullish trend already behind us?

In brief

Nearly 70 % of bettors bet on a BTC below $100,000 before the end of 2025.
Bitcoin experienced a turbulent week, with a drop to $103,000 followed by a limited rebound, amid high volatility and massive liquidations.
Technical indicators confirm market nervousness, with increased trading volume and a decrease in long positions on futures contracts.
This climate of distrust raises questions about the future of the bullish cycle and BTC’s ability to regain positive momentum in the short term.

Prediction markets bet on a Bitcoin fall
While investors flee Bitcoin ETFs, on the decentralized prediction platform Polymarket, ongoing bets indicate a clear and mostly bearish trend : 69 % of participants believe bitcoin will fall below the 100,000 dollar threshold before the end of the year.

This sentiment arises as bitcoin has dropped 12.4 % over two weeks and remains about 14.9 % below its all-time high, estimated at over $126,000.

Polymarket data reveals several important signals :

69 % of bettors think bitcoin will not reach $100,000 before the end of this year ;
The 12.4 % drop over 14 days reflects persistent bearish pressure ;
There is nearly a 15 % gap between the current price and the last historic peak ;
The market anticipates a temporary ceiling, contradicting previous optimistic narratives.

This positioning highlights a more cautious dynamic than before. While some long-term forecasts aimed for peaks between $150,000 and $250,000, these bets indicate a tactical repositioning. By placing their money on a moderate hypothesis, Polymarket investors reflect a more realistic, even defensive, market climate, awaiting a possible macroeconomic or sectoral catalyst.

Bearish sentiment reinforced by technical signals
Beyond long-term bets, short-term indicators also trigger concern. Another prediction on Polymarket gives about a 60 % chance that bitcoin will fall below $100,000 as soon as this October, showing fears extend beyond a distant horizon.

Technical indicators point in the same direction. The RSI (Relative Strength Index) dropped to 37, a level generally interpreted as near an oversold zone. The 4-hour data chart shows a “death cross”, a well-known bearish signal among analysts, and the Fear & Greed index hovers around 30, which corresponds to a fear zone in markets.

These elements add to the behavioral analysis of prediction markets, forming a cluster of consistent signs pointing to a possible sharper correction.

While these signals accumulate, their interpretation must remain nuanced. On one hand, they may reflect a strategic repositioning of investors ahead of the next halving or massive profit-taking after previous rises. On the other, these moves may also signal a deeper market cycle change. In any case, this conjunction of indicators shows that the trajectory of the bitcoin price remains highly uncertain.

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Luc Jose A.

Diplômé de Sciences Po Toulouse et titulaire d'une certification consultant blockchain délivrée par Alyra, j'ai rejoint l'aventure Cointribune en 2019.
Convaincu du potentiel de la blockchain pour transformer de nombreux secteurs de l'économie, j'ai pris l'engagement de sensibiliser et d'informer le grand public sur cet écosystème en constante évolution. Mon objectif est de permettre à chacun de mieux comprendre la blockchain et de saisir les opportunités qu'elle offre. Je m'efforce chaque jour de fournir une analyse objective de l'actualité, de décrypter les tendances du marché, de relayer les dernières innovations technologiques et de mettre en perspective les enjeux économiques et sociétaux de cette révolution en marche.

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.

NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Fluor Corporation (NYSE: FLR) between February 18, 2025 and July 31, 2025, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”), of the important November 14, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Fluor securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Fluor class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=44864 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than November 14, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs’ Bar. Many of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, throughout the Class Period, defendants made false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) costs associated with the Gordie Howe International Bridge (“Gordie Howe”), the Interstate 365 Lyndon B. Johnson (“I-635/LBJ”) and Interstate 35E (“I-35”) highways in Texas projects were growing because of, inter alia, subcontractor design errors, price increases, and scheduling delays; (2) the foregoing, as well as customer reduction in capital spending and client hesitation around economic uncertainty, was having, or was likely to have, a significant negative impact on Fluor’s business and financial results; (3) accordingly, Fluor’s financial guidance for the full year 2025 was unreliable and/or unrealistic, the effectiveness of Fluor’s risk mitigation strategy was overstated, and the impact of economic uncertainty on Fluor’s business and financial results was understated; and (4) as a result, defendants’ public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Fluor class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=44864 call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor’s ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

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Contact Information:

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        The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
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On October 17, 2025, hedge fund TB Alternative Assets Ltd. disclosed a new position in Strategy (MSTR 2.12%), formerly known as MicroStrategy, acquiring 126,000 shares for an estimated $40.6 million.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES.

What happenedAccording to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission dated October 17, 2025, TB Alternative Assets Ltd. disclosed a new position in Strategy during the third quarter ended September 30, 2025. The fund reported owning 126,000 shares worth $40.6 million. The purchase corresponds to an estimated $40.6 million transaction value, calculated using average prices for the reporting period ended September 30, 2025.

What else to knowThis new position represents 6.1% of TB Alternative Assets Ltd.'s reportable U.S. equity AUM as of September 30, 2025.

TB Alternative Assets' top holdings after the filing are:

META: $76.97 million (11.5% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025GOOG: $58.56 million (8.8% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025INTC: $51.26 million (7.7% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025PDD: $45.72 million (6.8% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025MSTR: $40.60 million (6.1% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025As of October 16, 2025, shares were priced at $283.84, up 34.3% over the past year and outperforming the S&P 500 by 32.8 percentage points during the same period.

Company OverviewMetricValueRevenue (TTM)$462.32 millionNet Income (TTM)$4.73 billionPrice (as of market close October 16, 2025)$283.84One-Year Price Change34.3%Company SnapshotStrategy provides enterprise analytics solutions, enabling organizations to derive insights from data at scale. The company leverages its robust software platform and specialized services to address complex business intelligence needs for large enterprises.

Strategy offers enterprise analytics software, including a software platform with features such as hyperintelligence, data visualization, reporting, and mobile analytics.

The company generates revenue primarily through software licensing, support services, consulting, and education offerings for enterprise clients. It serves a diversified customer base across industries such as retail, finance, technology, healthcare, and the public sector.

Foolish takeHedge fund TB Alternative Assets' investment in Strategy shares is noteworthy for a few reasons. The buy represents an initial position in the stock. Moreover, the hedge fund went big with the purchase, putting Strategy shares into its top five holdings. Lastly, those top holdings are dominated by tech stocks, and although Strategy began as a data analytics software platform, it's now more of a cryptocurrency play.

Strategy became the first publicly-traded company to buy Bitcoin as part of its capital allocation strategy back in 2020. Since then, it has transformed into "the world's first and largest Bitcoin Treasury Company," according to Strategy.

As of July 29, the company holds 3% of all Bitcoin in existence. This brought its Q2 total assets to $64.8 billion with $64.4 billion of that in digital assets. As a result, Strategy's fortunes rise and fall with the value of the cryptocurrency rather than its software products.

So far, the gamble has paid off. As Bitcoin's value has risen, so has Strategy's stock. And now, the company is leveraging its cryptocurrency holdings to offer various Bitcoin-related investment vehicles.

TB Alternative Assets may have found this new direction for the former MicroStrategy a compelling case for investing in the stock. If you're seeking exposure to Bitcoin, Strategy offers a unique take, and with the stock down from its 52-week high of $543 reached last November, now may be a good time to buy.

Glossary13F AUM: The total market value of U.S. equity securities reported by an institutional investment manager in quarterly SEC filings.
Position: The amount of a particular security or asset held by an investor or fund.
Stake: The ownership interest or share held in a company by an investor or fund.
Holding: A security or asset owned by an investor or fund, often listed in portfolio disclosures.
Outperforming: Achieving a higher return compared to a specific benchmark or index over a given period.
Enterprise analytics: Software and tools that help organizations analyze large-scale data to support business decision-making.
Business intelligence: Technologies and strategies used to analyze business data and support better decision-making.
Software licensing: The practice of granting customers the right to use software under specific terms and conditions.
Support services: Assistance provided to customers for software maintenance, troubleshooting, and technical issues.
Consulting: Professional advisory services that help organizations implement and optimize software or business processes.
TTM: The 12-month period ending with the most recent quarterly report.
Reportable U.S. equity AUM: The portion of assets under management invested in U.S. stocks that must be disclosed in regulatory filings.

Robert Izquierdo has positions in Alphabet, Intel, and Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Bitcoin, Intel, and Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: short November 2025 $21 puts on Intel. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Joel R Mogy Investment Counsel (JMIC) disclosed in an October 16, 2025, SEC filing that it sold 20,929 Adobe shares during Q3 2025.

This was an estimated $7.51 million trade based on the average price for Q3 2025.

What happenedJoel R Mogy Investment Counsel reported a reduction in its position in Adobe (ADBE 1.22%), selling 20,929 shares during Q3 2025.

The estimated value of the sale, based on the average closing price for Q3 2025, was approximately $7.51 million.

The position now stands at 50,664 shares as of Q3 2025, according to the firm's SEC Form 13-F filed on October 16, 2025.

What else to knowThe fund's post-sale Adobe stake represents 0.98% of its $1.83 billion reportable U.S. equity AUM as of September 30, 2025, down from 1.60% in the previous period

JMIC's top holdings after the filing:

Nvidia: $257.28 million (14.1% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025Alphabet: $158.37 million (8.68% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025Apple: $155.49 million (8.52% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025Microsoft: $148.56 million (8.14% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025Costco Wholesale: $91.43 million (5.0% of AUM)As of October 15, 2025, Adobe shares were priced at $330.63, marking a one-year decline of 34.9% and underperforming the S&P 500 by 49 percentage points.

Company OverviewMetricValueRevenue (TTM)$23.18 billionNet Income (TTM)$6.96 billionPrice (as of market close 10/15/25)$330.63One-Year Price Change-34.92%Company SnapshotAdobe offers software solutions, including Creative Cloud, Document Cloud, and a suite of digital experience and publishing tools; primary revenue is generated through recurring subscription services.

It operates a cloud-based, subscription-driven business model, selling directly to enterprises and end users as well as through a global partner network.

The company serves content creators, marketers, enterprises, and creative professionals across industries worldwide.

Adobe Inc. is a leading global software company specializing in creative, document, and digital experience solutions.

Foolish takeJoel R Mogy Investment Counsel (JMIC) had been steadily accumulating shares over the last few years, with the firm having a 2.5% portfolio allocation in Adobe just two years ago.

However, the company has sold shares of Adobe in the last two quarters -- and heavily in its latest quarter.

With Adobe's stock down 52% from its all-time high, it certainly seems as though JMIC is worried about the long-term future of the company.

Adobe has become an artificial intelligence (AI) battleground stock lately. The market seems torn as to whether the AI revolution will empower -- or completely disrupt -- the company's creative operations.

For instance, OpenAI recently launched its Sora 2 model that lets users create short video clips from text. It doesn't take a wild leap to imagine how this could directly hinder Adobe's video editing and software businesses.

That said, Adobe has grown sales by 11% over the last year and is seeing the professional use cases for its video capabilities remain as robust as ever. Furthermore, the company has its Adobe Firefly unit, which is its own generative AI offering for creators -- so it's not exactly being blindsided by peers like OpenAI.

Trading at just 15 times free cash flow, Adobe could be a tremendous value investment at today's price, but it looks like JMIC doesn't want to risk waiting to find out if the company gets disrupted or not.

GlossaryAUM (Assets Under Management): The total market value of all investments managed by a fund or investment firm.
Form 13-F: A quarterly SEC filing by institutional investment managers disclosing their equity holdings.
Q3: The third quarter of a company's fiscal year, typically covering July through September.
Reportable U.S. equity assets: U.S. stocks and related securities that must be disclosed in regulatory filings.
Top holdings: The largest individual investments in a fund's portfolio, usually ranked by market value.
Stake: The ownership interest or number of shares a fund or investor holds in a company.
Subscription-driven business model: A model where customers pay recurring fees for ongoing access to products or services.
Global partner network: A group of companies or organizations worldwide that help distribute or sell a firm's products.
TTM: The 12-month period ending with the most recent quarterly report.

Josh Kohn-Lindquist has positions in Adobe, Alphabet, Costco Wholesale, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Adobe, Alphabet, Apple, Costco Wholesale, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

XRP has found itself back under the microscope as bullish momentum is yet to return with full force. Another weekend is here, and XRP’s price action is still perambulating around last weekend’s flash crash, which saw the cryptocurrency register its biggest liquidation candlestick in history. 

Now, XRP is trying to recover to higher price levels above $2. Interestingly, one technical analysis warns that, before any major rebound, the price of XRP could suffer a severe decline, possibly down as much as 40%. While such a drop would be painful for holders, the scenario is being cast not as a permanent collapse but as a capitulation move that might precede a stronger rally.

Worst Case Scenario
What transpired last weekend in the crypto markets qualifies as the largest deleveraging event in recent memory. Leveraged positions were forcibly closed out across many exchanges, leading to cascading liquidations that sent price action into a free fall. As such, about $19 billion in positions was wiped out in the span of hours.

In XRP’s case, that intense pressure led to a violent plunge that created a deep low wick to break below $1.6 on its price chart before a quick rebound above $2.2. That wick is central to the argument that the forced selling squeezed both longs and shorts, clearing excess leverage and setting the stage for price discovery to reset. However, a suggestion is that the worst may not yet be fully priced in, and that this purge might continue deeper before sentiment truly turns  bullish.

This worst-case scenario outlook is based on an analysis by Steph Is Crypto that envisions another possible 40% crash in the XRP price. As shown in the price chart below, XRP’s price action might fall to revisit last weekend flash crash bottom just above $1.55.

XRPUSD currently trading at $2.36. Chart: TradingView
This price level may represent the deepest downside target before the market catches its footing again. If current levels give way, say if XRP loses its more immediate support zones at $2.2 and $2, the descent toward that boundary would amount to a drop of about 30 to 40%.

XRP Price Chart Analysis. Source: Steph Is Crypto on X

What’s Next After The Crash?
The wick already formed by the sudden flash crash is interpreted as an initial flush of stops, but the full erosion of weak hands might still have room to run. Only after that purge can a more sustainable rebound be believable.

If the worst-case scenario plays out, the path forward would require XRP to first establish strong support near or around $1.55, shake off residual volatility, and then gather volume and momentum for the next leg upward. From here, the analyst projected an extended rally that will see the XRP price break into new all-time highs above $3.8.

At the time of writing, XRP is trading at $2.35, up by 4% in the past 24 hours.

Featured image from Getty Images, chart from TradingView

Grayscale calls Solana ‘crypto’s financial bazaar’: Does the data back it up? Gino Matos · 3 hours ago · 6 min read

We test the thesis on users, fees, and UX—and the SVM moat using primary datasets.

Oct. 19, 2025 at 12:00 am UTC

6 min read

Updated: Oct. 18, 2025 at 8:06 pm UTC

Cover art/illustration via CryptoSlate. Image includes combined content which may include AI-generated content.

Grayscale, one of crypto’s largest institutional asset managers, published a research note on Oct. 10 calling Solana (SOL) “crypto’s financial bazaar.”

This characterization goes well beyond the usual speed-and-throughput pitch. The report positions SOL as the category leader in users, transactions, and fees, arguing that its user experience, architectural moat via the Solana Virtual Machine, and application diversity create a durable foundation for valuation.

It’s a significant shift in institutional tone. Grayscale is now giving Solana the same treatment it once reserved for Ethereum as “digital oil.”

The thesis matters less for what Grayscale believes than for what it signals. When a major allocator aligned with the traditional finance ecosystem formalizes an investment case around a blockchain that was left for dead after FTX collapsed, other desks take notice.

The question is whether the numbers support the narrative, or whether “financial bazaar” is still more metaphor than measurable reality.

We stress-tested Grayscale’s claims against primary on-chain data, developer trackers, and technical benchmarks. The direction is right: Solana leads on several key metrics.

However, the institutional case carries trade-offs that the report acknowledges only in passing, and a few headline figures deserve closer scrutiny.

What Grayscale saysThe report frames Solana as the standout among smart contract platforms on three core fundamentals: users, transaction volume, and fees.

Grayscale cites roughly $425 million in monthly ecosystem fees, an annualized run rate above $5 billion, and points to $1.2 trillion in year-to-date DEX volume routed through Raydium and Jupiter.

It highlights Jupiter as the largest DEX aggregator by volume in the industry, Pump.fun’s 2 million monthly active users, and Helium’s 1.5 million daily users as proof of application diversity.

On the developer side, the report notes more than 1,000 full-time Solana developers and claims the ecosystem has grown faster than any other smart contract platform over the past two years.

Speed and cost receive equal billing. Solana produces blocks every 400 milliseconds, with transactions considered final in roughly 12 to 13 seconds.

Average transaction fees sit at $0.02, while median daily fees this year have averaged $0.001, one-tenth of one cent, thanks to local fee markets that isolate congestion to specific high-demand applications.

A forthcoming upgrade called Alpenglow aims to reduce finality to 100 to 150 milliseconds.

Grayscale also draws boundaries. It explicitly states that SOL “may be less suitable as a long-term store of value than Bitcoin or Ethereum,” citing higher nominal supply inflation and centralization vectors.

The report noted that Solana’s efficiency comes at the cost of comparatively high hardware and bandwidth requirements, with 99% of staked SOL in data centers and roughly 45% concentrated in the top two hosting providers.

What the numbers showDeFiLlama shows Solana consistently running around 2.6 million active addresses in the last 24 hours and roughly 67 million on-chain transactions over the same window, in line with 2025’s typical pace.

Artemis reporting from mid-2025 highlighted that Solana matched all other layer-1 and layer-2 networks combined on monthly active addresses, corroborating the “category leader” characterization on user count.

Regarding fees, the “$425 million per month” figure requires context. Token Terminal’s chain-level fee data for Solana show tens of millions per month in several 2025 periods, around $30 million to $40 million in recent months.

DeFiLlama shows current daily chain fees around $0.8 million to $1.6 million and app fees around $9 million to $13 million, together implying roughly $300 million to $450 million per month at the recent pace, depending on market intensity.

Solana generated $7 billion in ecosystem fees over the past 12 months, ranking second behind Ethereum’s $20 billion, per Token Terminal data.Hundreds of millions per month during busy periods is plausible, but $425 million as a steady baseline overstates the run rate. The mix between chain fees and app fees also matters for apples-to-apples comparisons across networks.

The report also addressed volumes. DeFiLlama’s chain dashboard shows Solana regularly posting multi-billion-dollar daily DEX volume and more than $40 billion in the last seven days, with multiple recent days topping Ethereum.

Weekly, Solana topped Ethereum’s volumes for 33 out of 42 weeks this year.

Jupiter currently ranks as the industry’s largest DEX aggregator by 30-day volume, roughly $22.3 billion versus $13 billion to $14 billion for 1inch, supporting Grayscale’s claim.

Solana led all chains in DEX volume year-to-date with $1.4 trillion, ahead of Ethereum’s $900 billion and BNB’s $450 billion, per DeFiLlama.For the active developer base, Electric Capital’s live tracker shows Solana with approximately 17,708 total developers as of mid-October 2025, with the full-time developer base up 29.1% year over year and 61.7% over two years.

The ecosystem attracted 7,625 new developers in 2024, the most of any chain, and has added more than 11,500 new developers year to date through mid-October 2025.

That places Solana second only to Ethereum in active developers, confirming the “large and growing” characterization.

Solana attracted 11,500 new developers year-to-date through 2025, up from 7,600 in 2024, while full-time developers rose 62%, per Electric Capital.On finality and speed, Chainspect reports Solana slot time around 0.4 seconds and typical finality at roughly 12.8 seconds today, aligning with Grayscale’s 12- to 13-second claim.

Additionally, Helius’ technical documentation on local fee markets explains how Solana sustains high throughput while keeping median user fees in fractions of a cent, even during congestion.

The data directionally support the thesis that Solana leads in active users, often leads in DEX flow, hosts the largest aggregator, and ranks second in developers.

The fee claim is accurate during hot markets but overstates the steady-state baseline.

Why institutions are warming up nowInstitutions are warming to Solana because the user experience is now measurably fast, cheap, and more predictable.

Local fee markets keep most congestion and priority fees localized to hot applications, so everyday transactions stay inexpensive even when activity spikes, something custodians and venues value when they batch flows or settle client orders.

Chainspect measures roughly 0.4-second block times and 12.8-second finality today, and the Alpenglow upgrade targets sub-second finality, reducing settlement risk windows for market makers and brokers.

Reliability has improved since the mainnet halt on Feb. 6, 2024, which lasted about five hours. Yet, data shows stronger uptime and throughput in subsequent months.

Liquidity has deepened across both DEX and aggregator rails, which matters for execution and hedging.

DeFiLlama shows Solana regularly at or near the top in chain-level DEX volumes. At the same time, Jupiter ranks as the largest DEX aggregator by 30-day volume, giving institutions a single router into pooled liquidity across Raydium, Orca, Meteora, and others.

Token Terminal data also shows rising fee capture on Solana’s stack, chain plus apps, a proxy for sustained user demand that supports tighter spreads and deeper books.

Post-FTX, the ecosystem has rebuilt credibility and infrastructure. The Artemis report already mentioned suggests that the user base and throughput weren’t just hype cycles.

On the product side, a regulated-product pipeline has emerged, with multiple spot SOL exchange-traded funds (ETFs) applications pending before the US government shutdown paused SEC reviews, signaling mainstream issuers’ interest, even if the timing has slipped.

Together, user traction and visible institutional wrappers lower the perceived idiosyncratic risk that kept some desks sidelined in 2023.

The structural trade-offsGrayscale acknowledges centralization but only in outline. Running a high-quality validator still assumes server-class hardware, 12-plus cores, AVX2/512 instruction sets, NVMe arrays, and 256GB-plus RAM, which raises the barrier to entry and pushes operators toward data centers.

Solana’s effective decentralization, measured by the Nakamoto coefficient, stood at 20 as of Apr. 16, 2025, down from a higher peak, meaning fewer entities would need to collude to censor transactions than in periods when the coefficient was larger.

Client diversity remains in transition. The Agave and Jito clients still dominate Solana, while Firedancer is progressing but has only run in limited or non-voting configurations, with full rollout targeted for 2025.

Until Firedancer and other clients are widely adopted, single-client risk persists.

Store-of-value headwinds stem from issuance and fee policy. The current annual issuance ranges from 4% to 5%, with a disinflationary path toward a lower long-term target, higher than Bitcoin’s fixed schedule and capable of diluting holders absent offsetting burn.

Following SIMD-0096, only 50% of the base fee is burned, and the priority-fee burn has been discontinued, weakening the burn counterweight when activity shifts toward priority fees.

High throughput drives large ledgers, frequent snapshots, and upgrade cadence.

Recommended setups include multiple high-TBW NVMe devices for accounts, ledgers, and snapshots, which raises ongoing operational costs compared to lighter chains.

Grayscale’s Solana thesis, which posits that fast, cheap, and sticky applications yield sustainable network value, holds up on the fundamentals that matter most to institutions: active users, transaction throughput, developer pipeline, and liquidity depth.

The “financial bazaar” framing is more than marketing, as Solana hosts a diverse and dense on-chain economy that rivals or exceeds its peers on multiple dimensions.

Yet, the caveats matter. The $425 million monthly fee figure is a high-water mark, not a baseline. Centralization vectors, centered around hardware requirements, stake concentration, and client diversity, are real, even if they haven’t yet impaired network operations.

And the store-of-value limitation Grayscale draws is a deliberate line. SOL is a utility and speculation vehicle, rather than a monetary asset in the sense of Bitcoin or Ethereum.

The following milestones to watch are Alpenglow’s finality upgrade and Firedancer’s full deployment.

If Solana can deliver sub-second finality while diversifying its client base, the institutional case strengthens. If hardware requirements continue to push validators into data centers and the Nakamoto coefficient drifts lower, the “bazaar” risks becoming a walled garden.

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Solana (SOL) is currently under bearish pressure after failing to maintain momentum above the $250 level. The cryptocurrency now trades within a tight range between $180 and $185, facing strong resistance near $233. Analysts suggest that Solana’s recent price movement reflects weakening market confidence and a decline in speculative trading activity.

Following its rejection from $250, Solana’s market structure shows signs of a potential short-term rebound, possibly pushing prices toward the $210 zone. However, this bounce is seen as corrective rather than a full bullish reversal. Analysts emphasize that unless Solana breaks above $233 with strong volume, the bearish trend may persist through the coming sessions.

Supporting this outlook, derivatives market data indicates a notable slowdown in speculative positions and reduced open interest across major exchanges. The decline in trading volume and leverage suggests traders are exercising caution amid broader market uncertainty. This trend points to a cooling phase for Solana, as investors await clearer signals from Bitcoin and macroeconomic conditions before reentering high-risk assets.

Despite the bearish tone, long-term sentiment for Solana remains cautiously optimistic due to its expanding ecosystem and consistent network growth. Yet, short-term traders should monitor key support at $180 and resistance at $210–$233 for potential breakout or breakdown confirmation.

If the current bearish pressure continues, Solana may test lower support levels, but a sustained recovery above $210 could attract renewed interest. Overall, Solana’s near-term trajectory hinges on derivatives activity, trading sentiment, and broader crypto market trends.

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XRP has regained bullish momentum after weeks of declines, emerging as the top-performing major cryptocurrency. According to BeInCrypto data, XRP surged over 4% in the past 24 hours to trade around $2.38, rebounding from a recent low of $2.25 — its weakest level since early July.

On-chain data from Santiment reveals that this rebound aligns with a sharp rise in mid- to large-sized XRP holders. The number of wallets holding at least 10,000 XRP has reached an all-time high of roughly 317,500, signaling accumulation among investors rather than panic selling. This pattern mirrors previous phases of accumulation since November 2024, each followed by renewed price strength as confidence in Ripple’s ecosystem grows.

Meanwhile, CoinGlass reports that open interest in XRP futures dropped sharply to $3.49 billion, marking its lowest level since June. Analysts interpret this decline in leveraged positions as a sign of cooling speculative activity and a potential market bottom — historically a precursor to recovery phases driven by stronger fundamentals.

Ripple’s broader corporate strategy also appears to be bolstering market optimism. The company is reportedly establishing a $1 billion Digital Asset Treasury (DAT) to manage and accumulate XRP for long-term reserves. Ripple has already invested about $3 billion in acquisitions — including Metaco, Hidden Road, Rail, and GTreasury — to create an integrated corporate finance infrastructure supporting XRP and its Ripple USD (RLUSD) stablecoin.

Adding to investor enthusiasm, speculation is rising that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission may soon approve an XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF). The anticipation has led to a surge in applications for leveraged XRP ETF products, signaling renewed institutional interest.

Together, these developments reinforce growing confidence in XRP’s resilience, Ripple’s strategic roadmap, and the token’s expanding role in global digital finance.

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Pi Coin has recently experienced notable volatility, with its price fluctuating within a narrow range amid weak growth. Despite limited upward momentum, improving investor sentiment and key technical indicators suggest a potential rebound could be on the horizon.

Currently trading at $0.205, Pi Coin remains above the crucial $0.200 support level, a zone that has historically acted as a springboard for recovery. Analysts note that maintaining this level could attract buyers looking to capitalize on discounted prices. If bullish momentum builds, Pi Coin may target the $0.229 resistance, and a breakout beyond that could open the path toward $0.256. However, if bearish sentiment intensifies, the coin risks sliding below $0.200, potentially testing $0.180 or even its all-time low of $0.153.

From a technical perspective, Pi Coin’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) is currently in the oversold zone — a level often associated with seller exhaustion. Historically, such conditions have preceded price reversals, signaling accumulation phases where investors begin re-entering the market. Just last week, a similar RSI setup led to a strong rebound, suggesting a repeat scenario may unfold if buying pressure strengthens.

Meanwhile, the Chaikin Money Flow (CMF) indicator remains in positive territory, implying that capital inflows continue to outweigh outflows. Despite minor fluctuations, the sustained CMF readings above zero reflect ongoing investor confidence and stable liquidity conditions. This steady inflow may help support a gradual recovery even amid temporary weakness.

In summary, Pi Coin’s oversold RSI, resilient CMF, and key support levels present a cautiously optimistic outlook. If buying momentum continues, the altcoin could be poised for a short-term rebound, potentially reversing recent losses and regaining bullish traction.

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As Bitcoin continues to trade sideways, gold has quietly stolen the spotlight, surging to new all-time highs as investors flock to safety amid global economic uncertainty. The move underscores a widening divergence between traditional and digital stores of value, raising questions about BTC’s role as digital gold in a macro environment that should favor both.

Momentum Gap: Bitcoin Stagnation And Gold Surge
In a compelling and sobering perspective, the current state of the crypto market, particularly Bitcoin, is contrasting sharply with the performance of gold. As analyst Exy pointed out on X, Gold is breaking all-time highs week by week, and yet BTC hasn’t moved an inch. EXY also revealed that social risk is at zero, and Google Trends remains stagnant for BTC searches. 

Exy describes the current crypto environment as an internal struggle, where participants are pvping, liquidating, scamming, pumping, and dumping against each other. However, the market tops are in euphoria and not in a stagnant period, as observed in the ongoing movement of Gold. Interestingly, when gold starts to consolidate, other risk assets such as BTC could finally catch their bounce.

Furthermore, the social risk will start improving once we see a consistent rate cut by the Federal Reserve (FED), which allows the normies to have extra cash monthly, and also quantitative easing (QE) to pump our assets. “Regardless, this isn’t over yet,” Exy noted.

Gold $30 Trillion Dominance Puts BTC Potential Into Perspective
CryptoRank.io has revealed that gold’s absolute inflow has exceeded Bitcoin’s by more than $15 trillion since January 1, 2024, underscoring the metal’s continued dominance as a global store of value. The Gold total market capitalization has surged to $29.6 trillion since the start of 2024, while BTC has climbed to $2.15 trillion.

Despite BTC’s growing adoption and its integration into digital assets in institutional finance, investors continue to view gold as the primary safe-haven asset amid economic market uncertainty. At the same time, the gold narrative is evolving, with tokenized commodities such as Tether Gold (XAUT), PAX Gold (PAXG), and AurusGOLD (AWG) experiencing rapid growth, offering investors on-chain exposure to physical gold and other precious metals.

Gold sees more inflows than BTC | Source: Chart from CryptoRank on X
Crypto expert theunipcs has also mentioned that the global gold market has now reached a staggering $30 trillion, adding over $12 trillion in value in the past year alone in its market cap. According to today’s metrics, if BTC captured just 10% of gold’s current market cap, it would trade around $150,700 per BTC, and that’s the bare minimum it would reach before this cycle tops out.

BTC trading at $106,919 on the 1D chart | Source: BTCUSDT on Tradingview.com
Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com

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Godspower Owie is my name, and I work for the news platforms NewsBTC and Bitcoinist. I sometimes like to think of myself as an explorer since I enjoy exploring new places, learning new things, especially valuable ones, and meeting new people who have an impact on my life, no matter how small. I value my family, friends, career, and time. Really, those are most likely the most significant aspects of every person's existence. Not illusions, but dreams are what I pursue.

Ripple executives expressed strong bullishness as the company entered the $120 trillion corporate treasury market, highlighting a breakthrough moment for blockchain in global finance with plans to revolutionize payments, liquidity, and enterprise capital management worldwide.

Key Takeaways
Why is NMAX investing in TRUMP alongside BTC?
NMAX’s TRUMP allocation is driven more by President Trump’s influence on the crypto market than by a traditional risk/reward portfolio strategy.

Does the market support the allocation?
The broader market has decoupled from TRUMP rallies, with the memecoin in a sustained downtrend and technicals skewed toward further downside

Memecoins aren’t missing out on the institutional wave building around Digital Asset Treasuries (DATs). Dogecoin [DOGE] was the first to spark this narrative, and now other meme assets are stepping into the same lane.

Recently, NewsMax (NASDAQ: NMAX) announced plans to allocate up to $5 million over the next 12 months toward Bitcoin [BTC] and Official Trump [TRUMP]. If executed, NMAX would join over 100 public firms holding BTC.

However, NMAX would also become the first NYSE-listed company to hold TRUMP. Considering the token’s high volatility, the move raises the question of whether this is a calculated move or simply a risky bet.

Breaking down NMAX’s push into digital assets
Pairing BTC with TRUMP looks like a calculated risk management strategy.

From a portfolio standpoint, BTC acts as a store of value while TRUMP adds a “high-risk, high-reward” component. Together, they offer an allocation that combines long-term exposure with shorter-term opportunities.

That said, NewsMax CEO Christopher Ruddy noted that the move into TRUMP is largely influenced by President Donald Trump’s recent impact on the crypto market, which helped drive significant bullish momentum.

“We are excited to add Trump Coin to our cryptocurrency plan, as we believe the coin’s value should track the success of the Trump presidency, which so far has been impressive.”

In short, NMAX, which reaches nearly 40 million Americans regularly, has built its DAT strategy around President Trump’s influence on the crypto market, and, by extension, the dynamics of the TRUMP memecoin itself.

Notably, shortly after the announcement, a wallet bought $4 million worth of TRUMP, reflecting early bullish sentiment. However, the question is, do the technicals justify this move, or is it simply a case of “blind optimism”?

Market steers clear of the TRUMP meme trap
The memecoin’s link to President Trump seems to be losing traction.

Since the April FUD, TRUMP has been in a sustained downtrend, losing nearly 70% from its $16 peak and recently hitting an all-time low of $1.25 amid the broader market-wide selloff.

From a technical perspective, the daily chart remains bearish. Since its early-May low of $11, TRUMP has formed five lower lows, recently breaking $8 floor and entering the $1 zone, representing a 30% pullback.

Source: TradingView (TRUMP/USDT)

In short, the broader market is steering clear of memecoin.

Even with President Trump’s pro-crypto endorsements (which NMAX CEO highlights as the key driver of its DAT strategy) the meme-asset hasn’t posted a meaningful recovery, despite a 70% drawdown.

This indicates that the market has largely decoupled from short-term rallies in a highly volatile asset, making NMAX’s TRUMP exposure an extremely high-risk allocation, with the risk/reward skewed toward the downside.

Bitcoin is projected to skyrocket 14x to $1.5 million per coin, fueled by accelerating adoption and growing distrust in fiat currencies, a bold forecast shared by billionaire Ricardo Salinas as confidence in digital assets surges worldwide.

Ethereum (ETH) is once again drawing the attention of deep-pocketed investors. Recent on-chain activity shows that Ethereum whales have accumulated more than $417 million worth of ETH over the past week, a move that analysts say could set the stage for the asset's next major bullish phase.

Ripple's top legal voice is slamming mainstream media for distorting the truth about crypto, pushing back hard against claims that digital assets are breeding grounds for crime, and instead spotlighting their powerful role in financial freedom, transparency, and innovation for tens of millions of Americans.

Stock splits artificially decrease a company's share price and increase its outstanding share count without changing the market cap.

Stock splits are tools that publicly traded companies can use to artificially lower their stock price and increase their outstanding share count without changing their market cap. The most common reason a company may conduct a traditional stock split is if its stock just went on a big run and management wants to make it more attainable for retail investors.

Unlike reverse stock splits, regular stock splits are not considered bearish, and investors do not see them as impediments for buying the stock. Here are two companies that have undergone stock splits, with billionaire investors and their hedge funds pouring into them.

Brookfield
Brookfield (BN 1.07%), a large international asset and wealth manager with over $1 trillion in assets under management, caters to both individual and institutional investors.

The company recently instituted a three-for-two stock split implemented through a stock dividend on Oct. 9. The board of directors said the split is meant to ensure that shares remain attainable to retail investors and to boost liquidity. Several billionaire investment managers have purchased the stock:

Bill Ackman's Pershing Square Capital Management initiated a position in early 2024 and built it to 19% of its portfolio, owning over 41 million shares at the end of the second quarter, prior to the split.
Two Sigma Advisers, a division of Two Sigma Investments co-founded by billionaires John Overdeck and David Siegel, increased its position in Brookfield by 317% in the second quarter and now owns 31,700 shares.

In a second-quarter letter to shareholders, Brookfield CEO Bruce Flatt said the company's long-term plan is to improve capital efficiency to increase return on equity, a key financial metric for financial firms. It plans to do this by focusing on long duration, low risk insurance.

In Pershing's second-quarter letter to shareholders, Ackman said that Brookfield has already built up its insurance and annuity arm to $135 billion in assets. Ackman and his team also like how this business is positioned in the attractive United Kingdom market. They think Brookfield can grow annual cash flow at a 20% compound rate in the medium term and earn a higher earnings multiple over time.

Based on its earnings over the past year, Brookfield trades at about 12 times earnings, which Pershing notes is a discount to peers like Apollo and KKR. Transitioning to a more capital-light strategy and focusing on insurance has helped many other financial companies drive up their valuations over time, so I think Brookfield's strategy has a good chance of succeeding.

Interactive Brokers Group
Another financial company that billionaires have been buying is the large online brokerage Interactive Brokers Group (IBKR -3.39%), which caters to institutional traders and retail investors. The stock has exploded this year and is up over 50%. Interactive Brokers completed a four-for-one stock split on June 17, while also increasing its dividend.

Billionaires have clearly taken notice of the company and continued to pile into the stock in the second quarter:

Soros Fund Management, where billionaire investor George Soros is still the chairman, increased its position by 1,027% to over 2.2 million shares. A good portion of this reflects the stock split, but the share count still increased by a multiple of more than 10, indicating the fund added shares.

Interactive Brokers has experienced strong growth over the past year, with customer accounts up 32%. It has also added more than a half-million new accounts through the first half of the year, more than in all of 2023.

Management believes the company's interest rate offerings make the brokerage an attractive place for customers to put their cash. And international growth has been strong because the company offers overnight trading to its many clients in Europe and Asia, which allows them to access the U.S. markets during their regular trading hours.

The stock is not exactly cheap, trading at 34 times forward earnings, but the company has already grown earnings through the first half of the year by 20%.

Interactive Brokers offers more revenue sources than a pure-play retail broker, with geographic diversity among the U.S., Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region, as well as client diversity among retail traders, institutions, financial advisors, and proprietary trading groups.

Bram Berkowitz has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Brookfield, Brookfield Corporation, Interactive Brokers Group, and KKR. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2027 $43.75 calls on Interactive Brokers Group and short January 2027 $46.25 calls on Interactive Brokers Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Fly-E Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLYE) between July 15, 2025 and August 14, 2025, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”), of the important November 10, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Fly-E securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Fly-E class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=44575 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than November 10, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs’ Bar. Many of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period provided overwhelmingly positive statements to investors while, at the same time, disseminating materially false and misleading statements and/or concealing material adverse facts concerning the safety of Fly-E’s lithium battery which in turn took a material toll on its E-vehicle sales revenue, despite making lofty long-term projections, Fly-E’s forecasting processes fell short as sales continued to decline and operating expenses increased, ultimately, derailing Fly-E’s revenue projections. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Fly-E class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=44575 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor’s ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

-------------------------------

Contact Information:

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        The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
        275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
        New York, NY 10016
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Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

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

What happenedAccording to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission dated October 17, 2025, financial advisory company Paradiem, LLC reported a new position in Lockheed Martin (LMT 0.40%), purchasing 32,302 shares. The estimated value of the trade, based on the quarterly average price, was approximately $16.13 million for Q3 2025. This addition brings the fund’s total reportable U.S. equity holdings to 68 positions.

What else to knowThis was a new position for Paradiem, representing 3.76% of its reportable U.S. equity assets under management as of September 30, 2025.

Top holdings after the filing:

NASDAQ:LRCX: $27.44 million (6.4% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025NYSE:TEL: $19.53 million (4.55% of AUM) at the end of Q3 2025NYSE:VLO: $17.87 million (4.2% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025NYSE:LMT: $16.13 million (3.8% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025NYSE:CAT: $15.79 million (3.7% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025As of October 17, 2025, shares were priced at $495.15, down 19.07% over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 by 30.57 percentage points during the same period.

The stock was 20% below its 52-week high as of October 17, 2025 and offered a 2.79% dividend yield as of October 17, 2025.

Company OverviewMetricValueMarket Capitalization$115.60 billionRevenue (TTM)$71.84 billionNet Income (TTM)$4.20 billionPrice (as of market close 2025-10-17)$495.15Company SnapshotLockheed Martin Corporation is a leading global aerospace and defense contractor with a broad technology portfolio and significant scale. The company leverages its expertise in integrated systems and long-term government relationships to maintain a strong competitive position in the defense sector.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES.

Lockheed Martin offers a diverse portfolio of products and services, including combat and mobility aircraft, missile systems, helicopters, radar, space transportation, and classified defense technologies.

The company generates revenue primarily from long-term government contracts for the research, development, manufacturing, and sustainment of advanced aerospace and defense systems.

Its main customers are the U.S. government and allied defense agencies worldwide, with a significant portion of sales derived from U.S. Department of Defense contracts and foreign military sales facilitated by the U.S. government.

Foolish takeParadiem, a financial services company, made a notable move by initiating a substantial stake in Lockheed Martin, one that catapulted the stock into its top five holdings. Shares hit a 52-week low of $410.11 in July, and perhaps Paradiem was taking advantage of the stock's drop from a high of $618.95 reached last October.

Lockheed Martin squeaked out sales growth in the second quarter with $18.16 billion in revenue compared to $18.12 last year. But a factor in its stock's fall from grace is the plunge in Q2 diluted earnings per share to $1.46 from $6.85 in the prior year.

The drop in earnings illustrates the impact of macroeconomic factors, such as persistent inflation and rising tariffs. But the defense contractor also suffered from self-inflicted wounds. In July, the company's CEO, Jim Taiclet, noted what he called "new developments" on a "set of major legacy programs." This led to Lockheed Martin taking pre-tax charges of $1.6 billion in Q2.

Paradiem's new position in Lockheed Martin shows a belief that the company can bounce back. Given Lockheed Martin's long history serving the U.S. government, it's likely to recover over time. Add in its robust dividend, currently yielding 2.8%, and Lockheed Martin looks like a worthwhile stock to buy while it's down.

Glossary13F AUM: Assets under management reported by institutional investment managers on SEC Form 13F, covering U.S. equity holdings.
New position: An investment in a security that was not previously held in the fund's portfolio.
Dividend yield: Annual dividends per share divided by the share price, expressed as a percentage.
52-week high: The highest price at which a security traded during the past 12 months.
Assets under management (AUM): The total market value of investments managed by a fund or firm.
Quarterly average price: The average price of a security over a specific quarter, used for valuation or reporting.
Filing: An official document submitted to a regulatory authority, often detailing financial or investment information.
Reportable U.S. equity holdings: U.S. stock positions that must be disclosed by institutional investors in regulatory filings.
Stake: The amount or percentage of ownership an investor holds in a company.
Long-term government contracts: Agreements with government agencies to provide products or services over multiple years.
Foreign military sales: U.S. government-facilitated sales of defense equipment and services to allied foreign governments.
TTM: The 12-month period ending with the most recent quarterly report.

Robert Izquierdo has positions in Caterpillar. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Lam Research. The Motley Fool recommends Lockheed Martin. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

While Tesla finally unveiled its more affordable Model 3 and Model Y, the company might be eating its words.

"Any fool can reduce the cost of a car by making it worse and just deleting functionality."

-- Elon Musk, Tesla earnings call, October 2023

In an era where anything you say can and likely will be used against you at some point in time, that quote comes from none other than Tesla (TSLA 2.58%) CEO Elon Musk. This statement came back in 2023 while Musk was discussing removing vehicle cost. Almost exactly two years later, it's looking pretty ironic as Tesla makes significant cost-cuts by removing features for its Model 3 and Model Y to introduce a new "standard" base vehicle model.

Was it the right move? Let's look at the vehicle alterations, the value proposition, and the road ahead.

The game of pennies
As Tesla scrambles to pinch pennies from its existing Model 3 and Model Y to again create new standard models, it's estimated the company slashed roughly $5,000 from its newly introduced lower-priced model trims. Some cost cuts seemed like no-brainers; others sparked debate over whether the company took too much value out, leaving consumers with a Tesla unworthy of its luxury brand image.

Perhaps the largest cut, in terms of estimated dollars saved, came from reducing the battery capacity by roughly 10%, which saved an estimated $1,500. Tesla also threw on new wheels that were 1 inch smaller and replaced frequency-selective dampers with passive shock absorbers for another $700. A less powerful motor reduced cost by roughly $600, and smaller moves such as no ventilated seats, fewer speakers, less ambient lighting, and no rear infotainment screen, among others, generated the rest of the cost savings. There were even some head-scratchers including the Model 3 retaining the panoramic glass roof, while the Model Y keeps the glass but covers it with a headliner.

Results and responses
After the notable cost-cutting and feature removals, the Model Y Standard now starts at $39,990 and $41,630 with shipping, roughly $5,000 less than the previous base trim. The Model 3 Standard is about $5,500 cheaper starting at $38,630 with shipping.

The initial response hasn't been as inspiring as investors had hoped. "The most obvious change is the loss of the whipcrack response to the prod of the throttle," Edmunds said while reviewing the Model Y base trim compared with the previous version. "The languid response now feels more like a Honda CR-V than a traditional Tesla."

"You look at this new stripped-out Model Y and it's like, God, look at all the penny-pinching," said Ed Kim, chief analyst at AutoPacific, according to Automotive News. Ryan Shaw, with a YouTube channel focused on electric vehicles and Tesla, said the new base trim "might exist so that Tesla can get people to upgrade." He continued, "They can say the car starts at this low price, but really want you to upgrade."

What it all means
For investors, the cost reduction and feature alterations may bring more questions than answers. For only a $5,000 price difference, is the new Standard trim a better value to consumers, or is it just slightly cheaper giving a niche audience the lowest cost way to drive away in a Tesla vehicle? In other words, will a $5,000 price gap convince new consumers to try the brand, incrementally increasing the pool of Tesla buyers, or will it simply cannibalize sales and lower profit margins?

Only time will give investors the answers they desire, and we're likely to hear more during Tesla's third-quarter earnings results on Oct. 22. While this is a move Tesla needed to try, it's unlikely to reverse the company's recent global sales decline, which has seen global deliveries drop about 6% over the first three quarters of 2025, compared to the prior year.

Ultimately, investors and Tesla itself are in a bit of a soul-searching transition phase as the company attempts to evolve from primarily a vehicle manufacturer to a company focused on robotaxis, self-driving vehicles, artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics. Tesla isn't about to fade into obscurity, and its best days could still be down the road, but investors need to dust off their investing thesis and see if Tesla's direction is still in alignment with theirs long-term. The world changes, companies change, and so too must your investment thesis at times.

Daniel Miller has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Tesla. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Shares that double in five years generate an annualized gain of 15%.

Buying stocks while they continue to post strong returns and trade near record highs might not be the strategy that certain investors want to pursue. Instead, their attention could be on businesses whose share prices have gotten crushed, in the hopes that a successful turnaround could lead to impressive portfolio gains.

There's an e-commerce company that received a boost during the pandemic. And its shares had soared. But the market became extremely concerned when growth started to slow. As of Oct. 14, shares trade 76% below their peak.

Can this beaten-down stock double in five years and turn a $10,000 investment into $20,000 by 2030?

 

Things haven't been the same since the pandemic
Etsy (ETSY -1.36%) has been on a roller coaster in the past several years. The pandemic pressured in-person retail, lifting online shopping in the process. Etsy gained. Its revenue increased by 111% in 2020 and 35% in 2021. This was the direct result of its user base expanding rapidly and gross merchandise sales (GMS) taking off.

The market always loves a good growth story. And Etsy was exactly that. But the investment community's overly optimistic view can deflate faster than it started.

Etsy's GMS totaled $2.8 billion in the second quarter (ended June 30). That figure was 8% below the same period of 2021. So, while the overall economic backdrop has been healthy for the most part, Etsy has failed to grow. This is probably the main reason that the stock has gotten hammered.

It's straightforward how the company performs. When the economy is thriving and consumers are willing to spend more freely, Etsy does well because it sells discretionary goods. On the other hand, periods of weaker consumer spending can hurt the financials. The online marketplace has proven to be very cyclical, which is obviously an adverse trait.

Etsy has found its place in the e-commerce market
Despite the ongoing challenges facing Etsy, this is still a solid business. It has captured a successful sliver in the massive e-commerce industry, with its focus on differentiated merchandise helping it stand out against the likes of mass-market rivals like Amazon or Walmart. Etsy has 93.3 million active buyers and 8.1 million active sellers, both much greater than before the pandemic in 2019. And it has established a global presence.

What stands out is Etsy's network effect. The two-sided marketplace's scale would be extremely difficult for a disruptor to try and replicate. A newcomer would first need to sign up merchants who are willing to set up their stores on the site. But this can be challenging without any customers. Additionally, the opposite would also be an uphill battle, as signing up buyers without any sellers seems like an impossible task.

From a competitive standpoint, Etsy looks to be in good shape. Its brand is likely the first to come to mind of shoppers looking for specialized and customizable merchandise.

The stock could rise because of revenue growth and valuation expansion
It's certainly a possibility that Etsy's shares double in the next five years, turning $10,000 into $20,000 during that time. The positive view is that the broader economy spends much more time in expansion mode than when it's in a softer period. This works to Etsy's favor, as over longer periods of time, the marketplace should see higher GMS and more users, which can drive greater revenue.

The current valuation also sets expectations extremely low. The stock trades at a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of just 3.1, much cheaper than the historical average. Valuation expansion can definitely play a part, potentially contributing to the stock's rise in the years ahead.

However, while a 100% gain is possible, there isn't necessarily a high probability that it will happen. The excuse that Etsy is dealing with a post-pandemic hangover is no longer valid, as the calendar is about to turn to 2026, and growth is still a concern.

Neil Patel has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Etsy, and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The company reports its latest earnings numbers next month, and investor expectations are likely low.

There hasn't been much of a reason for investors to be excited about Target (TGT 0.80%) stock this year. The company's financials have been underwhelming, and with the business heavily dependent on discretionary spending for its growth, there hasn't been much hope that things will get better anytime soon, given the state of the economy.

This year, the stock is down more than 30% as it has continued to hit new lows on the way down. But it offers a high-yielding dividend of 5.2% and with an incredibly low valuation, it could make for an intriguing contrarian play. With earnings coming up on Nov. 19, should you consider taking a chance on the retail stock before it posts its latest numbers? 

Image source: Getty Images.

Will the upcoming quarter be more of the same for Target?
To say things haven't been going well for Target in recent years is an understatement. Sales have been sluggish and the company has been struggling to generate any kind of growth whatsoever. Consumers have been tightening up their budgets and spending less on discretionary purchases as concerns about tariffs and the economy as a whole have been affecting many retailers.

TGT Revenue (Quarterly YoY Growth) data by YCharts

In the company's most recent quarter, which ended on Aug. 2, its net sales were down by a little less than 1%, totaling $25.2 billion. And what was even more problematic is that with expenses rising, Target's net earnings fell by a whopping 22%, to $935 million.

The worry is that retailers haven't felt the full impact of tariffs just yet, which could mean more bad news for Target's business in the future. But in a way, that bearish outlook could work to the stock's advantage.

Expectations appear low for Target
Target's stock has been in a prolonged tailspin this year. And if the company doesn't give investors much reason for optimism in its upcoming earnings report, it could be on track for an even worse year than in 2022, when the stock market crashed and its shares plummeted by 36%.

The retail stock trades at a lowly 10 times its trailing earnings, and even when factoring in analyst expectations, its forward price-to-earnings multiple is not much higher at 11. There's plenty of bearishness priced into the stock, which could make it easier for Target not to disappoint investors; any bit of positive news could give this beaten-down stock some much-needed life.

The bar is definitely low given the discount Target trades at, and it hasn't been this cheap in years.

I wouldn't buy Target's stock just yet
Target is a good long-term buy and I believe it can recover. But it's also undergoing a change in CEO, macroeconomic conditions are far from ideal for its business, and there's been a flurry of negativity around the stock this year. Given all those factors, I don't see a reprieve coming just yet, as the economy is still on shaky ground and there's little reason to expect a turnaround at this stage.

If you're a long-term investor, you may want to consider taking a position in the stock, but only if you're prepared for a turbulent ride and are willing to wait for at least a couple of years for economic conditions to improve.

The safer option is to wait and see what the company's strategy looks like under its new CEO, Michael Fiddelke, who takes over in February and to reevaluate the stock at that point. With so much uncertainty around the business, there simply isn't an overwhelming reason to buy shares of Target today. It could be a while before the business can turn things around, and in the meantime, there are better growth stocks to invest in.

David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Target. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.