Market Signal Briefing

TLDR: Tether has frozen $4.2B in USDT since 2021, with most enforcement actions taking place after 2023. U.S. authorities linked nearly $61M in frozen USDT to pig-butchering scams and online fraud networks. USDT supply now exceeds $180B, making enforcement actions more impactful across global crypto markets. Wallet freezing tools now play a central role in tracking and blocking cross-border illicit crypto flows. Tether has frozen billions of dollars in USDT connected to criminal activity as regulators escalate global crypto enforcement. The action reflects growing cooperation between stablecoin issuers and law enforcement agencies. 

Authorities now treat stablecoins as critical targets in fraud and sanctions investigations. The move places token controls at the center of crypto crime prevention.

Tether freezes USDT amid rising global enforcement actions The stablecoin issuer said it has frozen about $4.2 billion in USDT tied to illicit activity. Most of the frozen amount occurred after 2023 as investigations intensified.

Data published by Reuters shows that more than $3.5 billion was restricted during the past three years. USDT supply has expanded rapidly during the same period.

The company confirmed it recently helped the U.S. Department of Justice freeze nearly $61 million linked to pig-butchering fraud schemes. These scams rely on long-term social manipulation to steal funds.

Tether also blocked wallets connected to human trafficking and conflict-related activity in Israel and Ukraine. Sanctioned Russian exchange Garantex reported that its USDT balances were frozen last year.

Figures shared by Wu Blockchain show USDT circulation now exceeds $180 billion. That level stands far above the $70 billion recorded three years ago.

The company can remotely freeze tokens held in user wallets upon receipt of formal requests from authorities. This mechanism allows direct intervention without blockchain reorganization.

According to Reuters, Tether has frozen approximately $4.2 billion worth of USDT linked to illicit activity, with about $3.5 billion of that amount frozen since 2023. This week, the company also assisted the U.S. Department of Justice in freezing nearly $61 million tied to…

— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) February 28, 2026

Tether freezes USDT as supply tops $180 billion worldwide USDT remains the world’s largest dollar-backed stablecoin by market value. Market data confirms the token’s dominance in daily trading volume.

Law enforcement agencies increasingly view stablecoins as key channels for moving illicit funds. Officials now track wallet activity across borders with greater coordination.

Tether said its compliance tools support global investigations into fraud, trafficking, and sanctions violations. The company has expanded wallet monitoring and blacklist functions over time.

Authorities credit the freezing capability with preventing rapid movement of stolen crypto. Funds can be locked before they reach exchanges or conversion services.

The scale of frozen assets shows how deeply stablecoins intersect with financial crime probes. It also signals tighter oversight of centralized issuers within the crypto market.

USDT’s growth continues alongside rising scrutiny from regulators and prosecutors. The stablecoin now operates under closer observation than at any point in its history.

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A Citibank executive has announced the firm’s plan to introduce infrastructure “to make Bitcoin (BTC) bankable” as part of a broader institutional push to integrate the flagship cryptocurrency into traditional financial systems.

Citi To Integrate Bitcoin Into Traditional Finance On Thursday, Nisha Surendran, Citi’s head of digital asset custody development, revealed that the bank will introduce infrastructure to integrate Bitcoin and traditional finance in 2026.

Speaking at Strategy World 2026 in Las Vegas, the executive highlighted the need for a 24/7 dollar or digital money as the world adapts round-the-clock assets like Bitcoin and transitions into 24/7 systems and processes.

Surendran shared Citi’s “one big idea” to “make Bitcoin bankable.” As she explained, the baking giant plans to launch its own infrastructure that integrates BTC into traditional finance later this year, although no specific date was disclosed.

Citi's plan to integrate BTC into institutional-grade safekeeping and servicing. Source: Bitcoin Magazine on X To achieve this, Citi will focus on three key areas: core custody and safekeeping capabilities, institutional-grade key management, and wallet infrastructure. This will enable clients to hold and manage Bitcoin positions alongside traditional assets.

“We will also be bringing Bitcoin into the fold of the $30 trillion traditional assets that our clients entrust to us today. It will be the same framework that’s applied now, brought to Bitcoin,” Surendran stated.

Notably, the bank is set to offer its clients a “single service model across crypto, securities, and money,” extending the same reporting channels, compliance frameworks, and tax workflows that traditional assets fall into to BTC.

In addition, Citi will focus on simplification and standardization, noting that its clients won’t have to deal with wallets, keys, and one-time addresses as it will “take care of those problems” through its infrastructure.

Morgan Stanley Joins Institutional Push Citi’s initiative follows broader efforts to make BTC accessible within traditional finance. On Wednesday, banking giant Morgan Stanley revealed that it is preparing to expand its BTC and crypto offerings beyond simple access.

Also at Strategy World 2026, Amy Oldenburg, Morgan Stanley’s head of digital asset strategy, shared the bank’s plan to move toward native custody and an internal exchange stack, while also exploring yield and lending services backed by the flagship cryptocurrency.

Morgan Stanley will first allow E-Trade clients to buy and sell spot crypto assets through a partnership before moving to a native custody and exchange platform over the next year, the executive affirmed.

Oldenburg suggested that this would put Morgan Stanley in a position to be the first major bank to offer that combination in-house. She shared that the firm must build its own platform before introducing BTC offerings to ensure its clients’ security.

“We really need to build this out internally. We can’t just primarily rent the technology to do this. People expect Morgan Stanley, they trust our brand, to be no-fail. And when you sit in that position, you have a significant responsibility to your clients to make sure that you’re delivering that in any level of technology,” the executive stressed.

Additionally, she confirmed that it is exploring crypto yield and lending products, but noted that the bank is still in the early design stage of those products. Earlier this year, Morgan Stanley filed for a registration statement for an Ethereum Trust with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

In October 2025, the bank also expanded its access to crypto fund investments for all clients, moving away from its previous customer restrictions. This shift allowed financial advisors to present crypto funds to any client, including those with retirement accounts.

Bitcoin trades at $66,039 in the one-week chart. Source: BTCUSDT on TradingView Featured Image from Unsplash.com, Chart from TradingView.com

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Buying Bitcoin before it reaches $54,320 may be too early. At least, that is the picture painted by the monthly BTC/USD chart with Bollinger Bands applied, as per TradingView.

According to this indicator, which measures not only the asset’s volatility but also which bias currently prevails on the market, after Bitcoin’s price in December 2025 fell below the middle band represented by the 20-month moving average, its main magnet became the lower band at $54,420.

While in December this level seemed out of reach, two months later and after a nearly 30% decline in the leading cryptocurrency, such marks no longer look surreal. In net terms, Bitcoin has about 17% left to fall in order to reach the lower band on the monthly time frame.

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Why $54,420 level is magnet to watch for BTCLooking at the historical perspective, it was the lower band on the monthly time frame that marked the market bottom in 2022, when Bitcoin hit $18,622, touching that band. Although in the following months up to January 2023, the price continued moving sideways and even refreshed that low, it did not touch the lower band again.

BTC/USD chart with Bollinger Bands applied, Source: TradingViewOn one hand, a move into the $54,000 zone with a touch of the lower Bollinger Band would likely place the cryptocurrency very close to a cycle bottom. On the other hand, this does not rule out the possibility that Bitcoin could set a further lower low during a subsequent sideways recovery phase.

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Currently trading at $66,000, BTC sits right in the middle of the lower Bollinger channel, representing a relatively dangerous area for making investment decisions, as it has equal probability of retesting the middle band at $89,600, which would mean a 36.5% move, or continuing the decline that has been underway for five months since October 2025 and hitting the lower Bollinger Band.

Either way, a move toward either the middle band or the lower band would offer a more optimal setup for investment decisions, as it would provide greater clarity and a more defined risk-reward profile.

Journalist

Posted: February 28, 2026

Before it corrected on the charts, Arbitrum One (ARB) surged by about 11% in just 24 hours. In doing so, it came in third as the best performer in the top-100 cryptos by market cap. Its daily trading volume jumped by 17% and hit $176 million too.

This breakout elicited predictions from market analysts as they backed potential continuation. What were these price targets for the ARB token?

Arbitrum reverses from $0.09 demand zone On the charts, ARB’s price bounced from the demand zone at $0.0955, as seen from the Reversal Detection indicator. The reversal occurred as the price traded near the slanting resistance that has been in place since 14 February.

The MACD was green over the last five days, with bulls continuing to gain strength. This strength could put ARB on a path towards $0.22, which the indicator identified as the supply zone. The zone was about 133% away from the breakout level.

The altcoin seemed to be forming a new structure with higher lows and higher highs. The latest of them was around $0.0983, which seemed to be the retest for the breakout.

Additionally, the RSI was oversold at 33.83 – Indicating exhaustion among sellers. Such a signal typically prompts buyers to step in, especially after a breach of slanting resistance.

Source: ARB/USDT on TradingView

According to crypto market analyst CryptoBull, the altcoin broke out from a trend channel after volume exploded at $0.09. The analyst also predicted the altcoin’s target was between 30% and 40% – At around $0.145.

However, ARB price seemed to be pausing from this movement at $0.10.

Analyzing thriving network activity on ARB chain Apart from the technical breakout, the network activity has been on the up too. The monthly token trading volume jumped by 21%, reaching $3.40 billion.

Moreover, both revenue and fees over the month rose by 28%, clocking in at $1.2 million. Active addresses on Arbitrum One grew by 53% too, hitting 4.1 million.

Source: Token Terminal

The transaction count during the day was at 3.6 million, maintaining its daily average, which was above the 3 million-mark. These transactions totaled 30.9 million over the past seven days.

This figure accounted for 14.6% of total transactions for all Ethereum [ETH] Layer 2 (L2) networks. Collectively, their weekly total was 211.4 million at press time.

Source: Token Terminal

The network activity showed Arbitrum’s dominance over ETH L2s, as it was only second to Base Chain.

Altogether, the strong network activity and price action signals could propel ARB’s price towards $0.22. However, only if the prevailing momentum is not lost.

Final Summary Arbitrum One surged by over 11% in 24 hours following a breakout and surge in network activity.  ARB’s price was trading above a slanting resistance level, indicating a potential shift in the altcoin’s market direction. 

Bitcoin's bullish setup is strengthening as wallets holding 100 BTC or more approach record levels, according to Santiment, which says this trend can be considered a bullish sign when it rises during or after price declines.

TL;DR:

BlackRock and Apollo Global Management acquire UNI and MORPHO tokens to control key “on-chain” infrastructure. Governance tokens for Uniswap, Morpho, and Jupiter record double-digit gains following financial backing. The integration of Real-World Assets (RWA) and tokenized funds accelerates institutional adoption in decentralized protocols. As the week draws to a close, the decentralized finance ecosystem is experiencing a paradigm shift. Institutional investment in DeFi has moved beyond simple strategic partnerships to the direct purchase of governance rights. Financial giants such as BlackRock, Apollo Global Management, and ParaFi Capital have injected massive capital into key protocols, triggering a significant rally in the prices of tokens like UNI, MORPHO, and JUP in recent days.

Wall Street is no longer treating DeFi as peripheral exposure.

It is beginning to accumulate governance and economic rights over core on-chain infrastructure.

Over the past 3 days:

• $MORPHO +18%
• $UNI +15%
• $JUP +9.7%

The catalyst: direct institutional positioning in…

— CryptoRank.io (@CryptoRank_io) February 27, 2026 This is undoubtedly a novel strategy by global financial hubs seeking to control the core infrastructure of the blockchain. Consequently, institutional interest not only validates the underlying technology but also definitively integrates traditional capital with decentralized economies through the ownership of digital assets.

BlackRock and Apollo: Governance Control and Tokenized Funds Apollo Global Management agreed to purchase 90 million MORPHO tokens, securing 9% of the total supply to actively participate in its DAO. Similarly, BlackRock purchased UNI tokens as part of its plan to integrate its $2 billion tokenized Treasury fund (BUIDL) into the Uniswap ecosystem to offer institutional exposure to U.S. bonds.

Furthermore, the Solana-based protocol Jupiter received a $35 million investment from ParaFi Capital, executed entirely in the stablecoin JupUSD. This trend extends to other renowned players such as Citadel Securities and Ark Invest, who have backed interoperability projects like LayerZero through the purchase of ZRO tokens.

In summary, the entry of these hedge funds and asset managers is reshaping the  crypto market structure by providing de facto regulatory clarity and greater liquidity. Investors must now monitor how this consolidation of institutional power within decentralized autonomous organizations will affect the neutrality and roadmap of the sector’s most important protocols.

Both Ethereum (ETH 4.93%) and XRP (XRP 3.43%) are tried-and-tested blockchains which have survived (and sometimes thrived) for years on end. That means they're both sturdy enough to be candidates for a big investment, like $5,000, and for holding over the very long term, or even forever.

So which of these two leading coins is the better option for a forever hold?

Image source: Getty Images.

Ethereum has more ways to grow Forever is a long time, especially for an investment in an emerging sector like crypto. Therefore, an asset's optionality regarding where it can derive growth is a key factor, as today's growth drivers might peter out and new ones are likely to emerge.

On that front, Ethereum has plenty of options. It already hosts a large decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem worth more than $53 billion today, powered by a massive stablecoin base of $159 billion. That existing base of capital is a strategic asset because it gives developers and financial institutions a reason to build new products right where liquidity already lives. It also gives investors exposure to many possible growth lanes at once, from the onboarding of tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) to the development of new settlement rails for payments between AI agents.

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Another advantage is that Ethereum has a track record of consistently shipping large protocol upgrades. The Pectra upgrade, for example, landed on the mainnet in May 2025, followed by the Fusaka upgrade in December. Two similarly large feature packages are expected for 2026, and they should help to build the chain's ability to scale up without spiking transaction costs.

If you plan to hold an asset indefinitely, this network's culture of iterative improvement reduces the risk that its technical capabilities will become irrelevant as emerging opportunities for growth arise. Its habit of attracting and retaining substantial capital also helps prevent that outcome.

XRP has to keep winning specific fights over time XRP is not a bad crypto asset by any means, but its long-term burden is its far narrower positioning than Ethereum.

Ripple, the coin's issuer, built the XRP Ledger (XRPL) ecosystem as a toolkit of financial technologies to support specific workflows in institutional finance, especially cross-border payments and money transfers, and, more recently, the management of tokenized asset capital. The coin's value is thus derived from the utility of its ledger.

That focus could pay off if the financial companies the chain targets like what it's offering, but it also concentrates risk. Financial institutions move cautiously, and winning them over is a slow, grinding process of catering to their needs and building strong relationships. Their technology adoption process can stall for years, even when the product works, and decision-makers broadly want to adopt the new tech.

To Ripple's credit, the XRP Ledger includes plenty of features that match institutional requirements and seek to minimize their potential pain points. The network's authorized trust lines, for instance, let tokenized asset issuers whitelist who can hold their issued tokens, which is a feature that supports regulatory constraints around who can legally custody an asset. Similarly, the ledger supports freezing tokens when suspicious activity appears, which is a control that traditional finance teams tend to expect in regulated asset workflows.

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But holding a coin forever is unforgiving of sustained competitive pressure, which XRP doubtlessly faces. Its competitors include fintech companies and other cryptocurrencies, not to mention the internal tech development capabilities of many of its target users in big banks. So it'll need to continuously one up the other players in its space if it's going to grow over the long term, and it's hard to believe that it'll win every round that counts.

The verdict The decision here is about resilience and resources.

Ethereum's "grizzled veteran" reputation today stems from surviving numerous shifts in user demand patterns while maintaining a large on-chain capital pool and growing it all the while. Its success or failure in any given crypto market segment is not guaranteed, nor was it in the past, but its constant evolution has ensured that failures are not fatal, and also that missed opportunities aren't very damaging overall.

XRP, on the other hand, is only just starting to scale up its on-chain capital base; it has only $418 million in stablecoins. Furthermore, while it has succeeded in attracting some financial institutions to its chain, the truth is that its growth trajectory has not yet been seriously tested, and is still finding an appropriate product-market fit. Its real competitive challenges have only just begun.

So if you want a coin to buy with $5,000 and hold forever, pick the asset that can win without needing to be perfect: Ethereum. XRP is still a decent long-term hold, assuming it's part of a diversified crypto portfolio, but it's riskier.

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Ripple is reshaping how builders on the XRP Ledger get funded in 2026, arguing that the ecosystem has reached a point where support needs to flow through more than Ripple-linked programs alone. The change matters because it signals a deliberate move away from a relatively centralized funding structure toward a broader network of DAOs, independent hubs, universities and venture partners.

In its latest ecosystem update, Ripple said more than $550 million has already been deployed into XRPL initiatives since 2017, spanning non-equity grants, builder incentives, strategic partnerships and growth programs. Since 2021, those efforts have included hackathons, builder bounties, XRPL Grants and the XRPL Accelerator, with nearly 200 projects supported across areas including payments, DeFi, tokenization, AI, gaming, e-commerce and enterprise finance.

XRP Ledger Enters New Phase The core message is that 2026 marks a structural pivot. Ripple said ecosystem funding has historically flowed through Ripple-supported channels, but that the next phase will lean on a “more distributed model” in which independent organizations, regional hubs, venture firms and community-led initiatives take on a larger role. The company framed the objective as giving builders “multiple channels” to access capital and support, rather than relying on a single gatekeeper.

At the center of that shift is a new FinTech Builder Program aimed at startups building institutional-grade financial applications on XRPL. Ripple said the program will focus on use cases including stablecoin payments, credit infrastructure, tokenization and regulated financial services, while offering more than a traditional grants track. According to the post, founders will get support “across the entire development lifecycle,” from product design through market launch, with help on XRPL integration, strategy and partnerships.

Ripple also outlined a wider support stack around that program. That includes expanded accelerator partnerships with venture firms and startup platforms, regional startup competitions, and builder awards meant to help projects after hackathons or competitions, when early traction still needs a bridge to something durable. The emphasis throughout is less on one-off experimentation and more on getting teams to production-ready financial products.

The more interesting signal, though, may be where decision-making starts to move. Ripple highlighted XAO DAO as a hybrid DAO built for XRPL that will fund developers, community builders and early-stage ideas through microgrants. It said the DAO is designed to “amplify community voice” and create feedback loops where members submit proposals, vote on priorities and help steer the ecosystem’s direction.

In parallel, XRPL Commons is positioned as an independent pillar of support, with Ripple explicitly saying the aim is to ensure that “no single organization becomes the sole gatekeeper” for ecosystem funding.

Other pieces of the 2026 map point to geographic and institutional expansion. Ripple said XRP Asia is being developed as a dedicated APAC hub with a long-term plan for localized funding and regional ecosystem growth.

UDAX, first launched with UC Berkeley in fall 2025, is set to expand this year to Fundação Getulio Vargas in São Paulo, Oxford in the summer, and Berkeley again in the fall. Ripple also pointed to growing venture participation from firms including Dragonfly, Pantera, Franklin Templeton and Tenity as another sign that XRPL is trying to mature from grant-backed experimentation into a venue for fundable, production-scale startups.

At press time, XRP traded at $1.3773.

XRP falls below the 200-week EMA agan, 1-week chart | Source: XRPUSDT on TradingView.com Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

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Ripple's chief legal officer is challenging claims that cryptocurrency lacks real-world utility, pointing to rising U.S. merchant adoption and growing consumer reliance as evidence that digital assets are becoming embedded in everyday commerce.

Breaking Signal·Market Impact: Medium

Provenance Blockchain (HASH) jumped 5.65% to $0.0174 on Friday, leading the gainers list, according to CoinGecko data. Tokenized gold products advanced as well, with Tether Gold up 2.05% to $5,273.41 and PAX Gold up 2.02% to $5,305.84. On the downside, pippin (PIPPIN) slid 18.04% to $0.6636, while Solana (SOL) fell 4.88% to $82.07 and Zcash (ZEC) dropped 7.00% to $222.23.

Top Gainers Provenance Blockchain (HASH) rose 5.65% to $0.0174, lifting its market cap to $960.71M. Built with the Cosmos SDK, Provenance targets financial services use cases like on-chain lending, private credit, and fund administration. The network underpins several Figure products and institution-focused tokenization efforts, tying HASH to activity in real-world asset rails on-chain. The move adds to the sector’s visibility as tokenized credit and settlement infrastructure gain usage.

Decred (DCR) gained 2.92% to $34.62, bringing its market cap to $597.88M. No specific news has been tied to the move. Decred blends proof-of-work and proof-of-stake for security and governance, and it operates a treasury model funding ongoing development. The asset often trades independently of larger smart-contract narratives, giving it idiosyncratic sessions.

Figure Heloc (FIGR_HELOC) advanced 2.66% to $1.05 with a market cap of $16.19B. FIGR_HELOC reflects Figure’s home equity line-of-credit activity tokenized on Provenance Blockchain. The instrument sits within a growing slate of on-chain credit products and settlement primitives aimed at bridging traditional finance and blockchain rails.

Tether Gold (XAUT) added 2.05% to $5,273.41, valuing the token at a $2.90B market cap. Traders pointed to broader altcoin rotation. XAUT represents exposure to one troy ounce of physical gold per token, with custody arrangements tied to TG Commodities in Switzerland. The bid for asset-backed instruments persisted as crypto markets balanced risk with commodity-linked tokens.

PAX Gold (PAXG) climbed 2.02% to $5,305.84, with a market cap of $2.51B. Issued by Paxos Trust, each PAXG token corresponds to one troy ounce from London Good Delivery gold bars, with redemption mechanisms subject to issuer terms. PAXG’s move tracked peer XAUT, extending investor interest in collateralized, off-chain-referenced tokens.

Top Losers pippin (PIPPIN) fell 18.04% to $0.6636, putting its market cap at $664.86M. No headline catalyst was evident amid the drawdown. The token’s retracement contrasted sharply with strength in asset-backed names and credit-linked instruments. Volatility remained elevated in higher-beta names compared to larger-cap layer-1s and asset-pegged tokens.

Stable (STABLE) dropped 15.80% to $0.0325, with a market cap of $665.55M. Despite its ticker, the price indicates it is not a dollar-pegged stablecoin. The slide came as bids thinned in select alt segments while tokenized assets saw incremental inflows. Absent project-specific disclosures, the session pointed to rotation away from lower-priced coins.

Zcash (ZEC) declined 7.00% to $222.23, bringing its market cap to $3.68B. Zcash is a privacy-focused asset using zero-knowledge proofs (zk-SNARKs) to enable shielded transactions. The drop arrived without project-centric headlines, even as interest in privacy tools remains cyclical. Liquidity skews and risk-off pockets likely amplified the percentage move relative to majors.

Solana (SOL) slid 4.88% to $82.07, with a market cap of $46.75B. Solana’s high-throughput design and active DeFi and meme markets can intensify directional swings during risk resets. The pullback contrasted with gains in tokenized real-world asset plays and gold-backed tokens. The session kept SOL below recent risk-on highs while preserving a substantial capitalization base.

Pepe (PEPE) eased 4.87% to $0.000004, giving it a market cap of $1.54B. The Ethereum-based meme coin remains one of the larger non-utility tokens by value. The decline tracked weakness across select speculative names, diverging from flows into asset-backed and credit-linked instruments. No immediate driver emerged to explain the move.

Market Outlook The dispersion widened, with the top gainer, Provenance Blockchain, up 5.65% and the biggest loser, pippin, down 18.04%. Tokenized gold held a bid as Tether Gold and PAX Gold rose 2.05% and 2.02%, while Solana’s 4.88% dip and Zcash’s 7.00% slide tempered broader risk appetite. Figure Heloc’s 2.66% gain alongside a $16.19B market cap kept tokenized credit in focus.

Into the weekend, watch Bitcoin’s direction for cues on alt risk, any new Figure/Provenance tokenization announcements, and whether flows continue into gold-backed tokens. Solana’s reaction near its current $82.07 level and privacy-coin sentiment after Zcash’s 7.00% drop may also shape near-term rotation.

SourcesCoinGecko

This article was written with AI assistance and reviewed by the The Currency analytics editorial team. Information presented is sourced from publicly available reports. The Currency analytics strives for accuracy but cannot guarantee completeness. This article does not constitute financial advice.

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With a sharp spike in exchange inflows indicating renewed sell-side activity across the market, Shiba Inu is clearly under pressure going into the weekend. More than 531 billion SHIB were moved to exchanges in less than a day, according to the most recent on-chain data. This increase significantly alters short-term market conditions and increases the likelihood of further downside volatility.

Shiba Inu remains stuckTechnically speaking, SHIB is still stuck in a recurring downward trend. The fact that price action is still trading below significant moving averages, such as the 26 EMA and the longer-term trend indicators, indicates that bearish control has not yet eroded. 

Smaller consolidation structures have frequently been formed in attempts to stabilize, but each breakout attempt has been unsuccessful due to a lack of momentum and low buyer conviction.

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SHIB/USDT Chart by TradingViewAnother level of worry is raised by the spike in exchange inflows. Large inflows typically occur before stronger selling pressure because tokens moved to exchanges are instantly available for liquidation. With volumes pushing well above recent averages, the inflow chart clearly demonstrates an increase in activity. 

This kind of action typically indicates repositioning as opposed to accumulation, implying that market players are getting ready for distribution as opposed to long-term holding.

Shiba Inu stays groundedThe behavior of prices supports that interpretation. While volume is still quite low in comparison to prior rallies, SHIB has been compressing within a narrow range close to local lows. The asset is exhibiting signs of exhaustion rather than a bullish expansion, and short-lived rebounds are swiftly absorbed by selling, preventing any significant structural change.

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Because there is usually less liquidity on cryptocurrency markets on weekends, significant inflow-driven selling may result in exaggerated movements. Price swings could become more unpredictable and challenging to stabilize if sellers continue to be active while buying demand is kept low.

Rising exchange supply, poor technical positioning and a precarious market structure characterize Shiba Inu's current situation.

Although the spike in inflows does not always portend a precipitous drop, it unmistakably shifts the landscape in favor of a more challenging trading environment. The weekend session may prove more troublesome than many traders currently anticipate, unless inflows return to normal or robust demand arises to absorb the supply.

Bitcoin has reclaimed the $66,000 level and is now attempting to consolidate above it in order to extend its recovery. The move has improved short-term momentum, but structural signals suggest that upside conviction remains fragile. Holding above $66K is technically important, yet the broader supply backdrop may limit the sustainability of further gains.

According to analyst Axel Adler, cumulative exchange netflows remain a critical constraint. As long as netflows stay positive — meaning more Bitcoin is moving onto exchanges than leaving them — the probability of sustained price expansion remains limited. Recent data from the Bitcoin Exchange Reserve (All Exchanges, Daily) metric reinforces this caution.

Bitcoin Exchange Reserve | Source: CryptoQuant Since January 14, total BTC held across major exchanges has increased from 2.723 million to 2.752 million BTC, representing a net addition of roughly 28,489 BTC, or about 1% over 45 days. Although the trajectory has not been linear — with a local peak near 2.794 million BTC in early February followed by a partial pullback — reserves have consistently re-established themselves near the upper bound of the range.

This stepwise growth structure signals a persistent return of coins to exchanges. Historically, rising exchange balances imply expanding potential sell-side supply. Until reserves break decisively below January’s 2.723 million BTC baseline, structural selling pressure remains embedded in the market.

Netflow Regime Shift Signals Structural Distribution The 30-day moving average of Bitcoin exchange netflows provides critical confirmation that the recent reserve growth is not incidental. The transition from -1,187 BTC on January 14 to +628 BTC by February 27 represents more than a short-term fluctuation — it reflects a structural regime shift from accumulation to distribution.

Bitcoin Exchange Netflow | Source: CryptoQuant When the SMA(30) netflow remains negative, it indicates coins are being withdrawn from exchanges faster than they are deposited, typically associated with accumulation behavior. The steady climb toward zero throughout January, followed by a decisive cross into positive territory on February 1, marks a clear behavioral pivot. The fact that the indicator has held above zero for nearly four consecutive weeks significantly reduces the probability of a false breakout.

The mid-February impulse toward +1,069 BTC highlights the intensity of inflows during peak distribution pressure. Although the metric moderated afterward, it did not revert below zero, suggesting that coins continue to migrate toward exchanges at a sustained pace.

At an average structural inflow rate of roughly 628 BTC per day, the supply available for potential sale is expanding. Until the SMA(30) decisively flips back into negative territory, exchange-side pressure remains dominant, limiting the probability of a durable bullish regime reestablishing itself.

Bitcoin Tests Macro Support After Rejection From Highs Bitcoin’s weekly structure reflects a clear transition from expansion to correction following rejection near the $120K–$130K region. The chart shows a decisive breakdown below the $90K–$95K zone, which previously acted as structural support. That level has now flipped into resistance, confirming a shift in market control.

BTC testing fresh demand | Source: BTCUSDT chart on TradingView Price is currently consolidating near $66K after a sharp decline, hovering just above the 200-week moving average. This level historically acts as a macro support during deeper corrective phases. Holding above it is technically significant; sustained closes below would likely signal a more prolonged bear cycle.

The 50-week moving average has rolled over and is trending downward, while the 100-week average is flattening. This alignment indicates weakening intermediate momentum and suggests rallies may face overhead pressure unless key trend levels are reclaimed.

Volume expanded notably during the breakdown phase, pointing to forced liquidations and distribution rather than orderly consolidation. Since then, participation has moderated, implying that panic selling has eased but conviction remains limited.

Structurally, Bitcoin sits at a pivotal inflection point. A reclaim of the mid-$80K region would be required to restore bullish structure. Conversely, failure to defend current support could expose deeper liquidity zones below.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 27, 2026) - Medaro Mining Corp. (CSE: MEDA) (OTCID: MEDAF) (FSE: 1ZY) ("Medaro" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, further to its news release dated January 27, 2026, the Company has closed its non-brokered private placement for aggregate gross proceeds of $976,100.18 (the "Private Placement").

The Private Placement consisted of two parts:

2,387,000 non flow-through units at a price of $0.30 per unit (the "NFT Units"). Each NFT Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Company and one common share purchase warrant (a "NFT Warrant"), exercisable at a price of $0.45 to acquire one common share for a period of 36 months from the date of issuance; and

684,211 flow-through units at a price of $0.38 per unit (the "FT Units"). Each FT Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Company, issued on a flow-through basis pursuant to the Income Tax Act (Canada), and one common share purchase warrant (a "FT Warrant"), exercisable at a price of $0.55 to acquire one common share for a period of 36 months from the date of issuance.

In connection with the Private Placement, the Company paid aggregate cash finder's fees of $68,327.01 and issued an aggregate of: (i) 167,090 non-transferable non flow-through finder's warrants, exercisable at a price of $0.45 to acquire one common share for a period of 36 months from the date of issuance; and (ii) 47,894 flow-through finder's warrants, exercisable at a price of $0.55 to acquire one common share for a period of 36 months from the date of issuance.

The Company previously announced that the common share purchase warrants underlying both the NFT Units and FT Units would be exercisable for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance. However, those warrants will now be exercisable for a period of 36 months from the date of issuance. All other terms of those warrants remain unchanged.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Private Placement to advance exploration activities at its recently staked Sweden Property and Clay Howells West Property located in Ontario, as well as for general corporate purposes and administrative expenses. The gross proceeds from the sale of the FT Units will be used to incur "Canadian exploration expenses" within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada).

All securities issued in connection with the Private Placement are subject to a statutory four month hold period in accordance with applicable securities laws.

The securities issued pursuant to the Private Placement have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction.

About Medaro

Medaro is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition and advancement of high-quality mineral projects in Ontario, Quebec and Sweden. The Company's strategy is to build shareholder value through systematic exploration, disciplined project evaluation, and responsible development.

For more information, investors should review the Company's public filings, which are available at www.sedarplus.ca.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this news release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or "occur". This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward‐looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and statements as to management's expectations and intentions with respect to, among other things: the intended use of proceeds from the Private Placement; the Company's ability to advance its projects; and risks related to global financial markets, including the trading price of the Company's common shares.

Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/285788

Source: Medaro Mining Corp.

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NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The law firm of Kirby McInerney LLP is investigating potential claims against EPAM Systems, Inc. (“EPAM” or the “Company”) (NYSE:EPAM). The investigation concerns whether the Company and/or members of its senior management may have violated federal securities laws or engaged in other unlawful business practices.

[LEARN MORE ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION]

What Happened?

On February 19, 2026, EPAM reported its financial results for fourth quarter and full year 2025. On an earnings call that same day, EPAM’s Chief Financial Officer acknowledged a decline in revenue from the largest customer of EPAM’s NEORIS business, indicating that the “customer was going to ramp down business between Q4 and Q1.” On this news, the price of EPAM shares declined by $28.53 per share, or approximately 17%, from $167.69 per share on February 18, 2026 to close at $139.16 on February 19, 2026.

What Should I Do?

At this stage, no lawsuit has been filed. The investigation is ongoing to determine whether claims may be brought under federal securities laws.

If you purchased or otherwise acquired EPAM securities, have information, or would like to learn more about this investigation, please contact Lauren Molinaro of Kirby McInerney LLP by email at [email protected], or fill out the contact form below, to discuss your rights or interests with respect to these matters at no cost.

[LEARN MORE ABOUT SECURITIES CLASS ACTIONS]

Kirby McInerney LLP is a New York-based plaintiffs’ law firm concentrating in securities, antitrust, whistleblower, and consumer litigation. The firm’s efforts on behalf of shareholders in securities litigation have resulted in recoveries totaling billions of dollars. Additional information about the firm can be found at Kirby McInerney LLP’s website.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.

More News From Kirby McInerney LLP

Back to Newsroom

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The law firm of Kirby McInerney LLP continues its investigation on behalf of Camping World Holdings, Inc. (“Camping World” or the “Company”) (NYSE:CWH) investors concerning the Company’s and/or members of its senior management’s possible violation of the federal securities laws and other unlawful business practices.

[LEARN MORE ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION]

What Happened?

On October 28, 2025, Camping World issued a press release announcing its third-quarter 2025 financial results. Among other items, the press release disclosed that “the Company’s management identified prior period misstatements related to the measurement of the realizable portion of the Company’s outside basis difference deferred tax asset in CWGS Enterprises, LLC.” Accordingly, Camping World revised its 2024 annual report, increasing its reported deferred tax assets by $43.8 million. On this news, the price of Camping World shares declined by $4.17 per share, or approximately 24.79%, from $16.82 per share on October 28, 2025 to close at $12.65 on October 29, 2025.

On February 25, 2026, after the Company announced it is pausing its quarterly cash dividend effective immediately. The Company said the move is intended to preserve capital allocation flexibility and cited reduced forecasted tax distributions following recent tax law changes. Management also pointed to the need to prioritize debt reduction and balance sheet strength. On this news, the price of Camping World shares declined by $4.17 per share, or approximately 24.79%, from $10.85 per share on February 24, 2026 to close at $9.06 on February 25, 2026.

What Should I Do?

At this stage, no lawsuit has been filed. The investigation is ongoing to determine whether claims may be brought under federal securities laws.

If you purchased or otherwise acquired Camping World securities, have information, or would like to learn more about this investigation, please contact Lauren Molinaro of Kirby McInerney LLP by email at [email protected], or fill out the contact form below, to discuss your rights or interests with respect to these matters at no cost.

[LEARN MORE ABOUT SECURITIES CLASS ACTIONS]

Kirby McInerney LLP is a New York-based plaintiffs’ law firm concentrating in securities, antitrust, whistleblower, and consumer litigation. The firm’s efforts on behalf of shareholders in securities litigation have resulted in recoveries totaling billions of dollars. Additional information about the firm can be found at Kirby McInerney LLP’s website.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.

Transaction expected to close on or about March 4, 2026

Fort Worth, TX, Feb. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EQV Ventures Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: FTW) (“EQV”), a special purpose acquisition company sponsored by EQV Group, is pleased to announce that in an extraordinary general meeting held today, EQV shareholders voted to approve the previously announced business combination with Presidio Investment Holdings LLC (“Presidio” or the “Company”), a differentiated oil and gas operator focused on the acquisition and optimization of mature, producing oil and natural gas assets in the United States. A Form 8-K disclosing the full voting results will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The closing of the business combination is expected to occur on or about March 4, 2026, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of all closing conditions, with shares of the combined entity expected to trade on NYSE under the symbol “FTW” on March 5, 2026.

Shortly following the closing of the Transaction and upon approval of the combined company Board of Directors, Presidio expects to provide formal dividend timing details aligned with its previously announced dividend framework and broader shareholder return strategy, which highlights Presidio’s differentiation as an E&P company with a capital-light platform with minimal reinvestment requirements, enabling a greater portion of cash flow to be returned directly to shareholders. The strategy is underpinned by accretive acquisitions, supported by a favorable M&A environment for purchasing non-core assets at attractive returns.

About Presidio

Headquartered in Fort Worth, TX, Presidio is a leading operator of mature oil and gas wells across the Mid-Continent. The Company is focused exclusively on optimizing existing production and generating sustainable cash flow from low-decline, producing assets.

Dividends are not guaranteed and may be adjusted, suspended, or discontinued at the discretion of the Board of Directors based on liquidity, legal surplus, business conditions, commodity price volatility, market conditions and other factors.

About EQV Ventures Acquisition Corp.

EQV is a blank check company incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company for the purpose of effecting a merger, amalgamation, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities. EQV’s sponsor is an affiliate of EQV Group, which was formed in 2022 and is an active acquirer and operator of proved developed producing oil and gas properties, and currently owns and operates more than 3,500 wells across 10 states.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes “forward-looking statements.” These include EQV’s, Presidio Pubco Inc’s (“Pubco”), EQV Resources LLC’s (“EQVR”) or Presidio’s or their management teams’ expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “seek,” “potential,” “budget,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “continue” or other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Pubco’s, Presidio’s, EQVR’s and EQV’s expectations with respect to future performance, the timing and amount of any dividend payments; the ability to successfully complete acquisitions on attractive terms, or at all, the capitalization of EQV or Pubco after giving effect to the proposed Business Combination and expectations with respect to the future performance and the success of Pubco following the consummation of the proposed Business Combination. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and on the current expectations of Pubco’s, Presidio’s, EQVR’s and EQV’s management and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied upon by any investors as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of Pubco, Presidio, EQVR and EQV. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including changes in business, market, financial, political and legal conditions; benefits from hedges and expected production; the inability of the parties to successfully or timely consummate the proposed Business Combination, including the risk that any regulatory approvals are not obtained, are delayed or are subject to unanticipated conditions that could adversely affect Pubco or the expected benefits of the proposed Business Combination; failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the proposed Business Combination, which may be affected by, among other things, competition, the ability of Pubco to grow and manage growth profitably, maintain key relationships and retain its management and key employees; risks related to the uncertainty of the projected financial information with respect to Presidio or Pubco; risks related to Presidio’s current growth strategy; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of any definitive agreements with respect to the proposed Business Combination; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against any of the parties to the potential Business Combination following its announcement and any definitive agreements with respect thereto; changes to the proposed structure of the proposed Business Combination that may be required or appropriate as a result of applicable laws or regulations or as a condition to obtaining regulatory approval of the proposed Business Combination; risks that Presidio or Pubco may not achieve their expectations; the ability to meet stock exchange listing standards following the proposed Business Combination; the risk that the proposed Business Combination disrupts the current plans and operations of Presidio; costs related to the potential Business Combination; changes in laws and regulations; risks related to the domestication of EQV as a Delaware corporation; risks related to Pubco’s ability to pay expected dividends; the extent of participation in rollover agreements; the amount of redemption requests made by EQV’s public equity holders; and the ability of EQV or Pubco to issue equity or equity-linked securities or issue debt securities or enter into debt financing arrangements in connection with the proposed Business Combination or in the future. Additional information concerning these and other factors that may impact such forward-looking statements can be found in filings and potential filings by Presidio, EQV, EQVR or Pubco resulting from the proposed Business Combination with the SEC, including under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Registration Statement on Form S-4 filed by Presidio, EQVR and Presidio. If any of these risks materialize or any assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that none of Pubco, Presidio, EQVR nor EQV presently know or that Pubco, Presidio, EQVR or EQV currently believe are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as and must not be relied on by investors as a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability.

In addition, forward-looking statements reflect Pubco’s, Presidio’s, EQVR’s and EQV’s expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date they are made. Pubco, Presidio, EQVR and EQV anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause Pubco’s, Presidio’s, EQVR’s and EQV’s assessments to change. However, while Pubco, Presidio, EQVR and EQV may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, Pubco, Presidio, EQVR and EQV specifically disclaim any obligation to do so, except as required by law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Pubco’s, Presidio’s, EQVR’s or EQV’s assessments as of any date subsequent to the date they are made. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements. None of Pubco, Presidio, EQVR or EQV, or any of their respective affiliates have any obligation to update these forward-looking statements other than as required by law.

No Offer or Solicitation

This press release shall not constitute a solicitation of any proxy, vote, consent or approval in any jurisdiction in connection with the proposed Business Combination and shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities of EQV, PIH, EQVR or Pubco, nor shall there be any sale of any such securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. This press release is restricted by law; it is not intended for distribution to, or use by any person in, any jurisdiction in where such distribution or use would be contrary to local law or regulation.

Presidio Media and Investor Contact:

[email protected]

For EQV:

[email protected] 

Source: EQV Ventures Acquisition Corp.

Treatment with PALYNZIQ led to statistically significant blood phenylalanine (Phe) lowering compared to diet alone in pivotal Phase 3 PEGASUS study

PALYNZIQ is the only enzyme substitution therapy approved for the treatment of people with PKU

, /PRNewswire/ -- BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (Nasdaq: BMRN) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the company's supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for PALYNZIQ® (pegvaliase-pqpz) to include pediatric patients 12 years of age and older with phenylketonuria (PKU). PALYNZIQ is the only enzyme substitution therapy approved to reduce blood phenylalanine (Phe) concentrations in people with PKU.

"Adolescence is a period of increasing independence and academic demands, and represents a particularly challenging time for individuals with PKU. The ultra-restrictive diet required for PKU management may become unsustainable, and poor blood Phe control leads to adverse neurocognitive outcomes. PALYNZIQ is the only genotype-independent medication which may bring Phe into the normal range while allowing an unrestricted diet," said Stephanie Sacharow, M.D., Director, Dr. Harvey Levy Program for PKU and Related Conditions, Boston Children's Hospital. "In my clinic we have found that PALYNZIQ treatment adherence is even more successful in teens under age 18, while they are living at home with family support, and this approval allows us to extend this therapeutic option to adolescents who may benefit most." 

The FDA approval is based on data from PEGASUS, a Phase 3 multi-center open-label randomized controlled study evaluating the safety and efficacy of PALYNZIQ compared to diet alone in adolescents aged 12 to <18 with PKU who had uncontrolled blood Phe concentrations greater than 600 µmol/L on existing management. Individuals in the PALYNZIQ arm showed a significant mean reduction from baseline in blood Phe levels at Week 72 compared to those in the diet only arm (Table 1).

Table 1: Change from Baseline in Blood Phe Level (by μmol/L) Among Randomized
Participants in PEGASUS

Study Visit

PALYNZIQ

Diet Only

Baseline

N = 36

N = 19

  Mean (standard deviation [SD])

1025 (254)

1029 (199)

Week 72

N = 32

N = 17

     Mean (SD)

567 (396)

973 (234)

Mean (SD; min, max) Change at Week 72

-473 (285; -22, -1133)

-19 (249; 355, -634)

  Treatment Difference (95% CI)

-409 (-579, -240)

"Today's FDA approval for PALYNZIQ is an important step forward for the PKU community, providing a new option for adolescents ages 12 and older that has the potential to improve daily PKU management," said Catherine Warren, Executive Director of the National PKU Alliance. "Adolescence is a time of major change for people living with PKU, and having PALYNZIQ available better sets teenagers up for success with managing their blood phenylalanine levels as they navigate the transition into adulthood."

As was recently presented at the 15th International Congress of Inborn Errors of Metabolism, by the end of Part 1 almost half of participants (44.4%) reached levels below guideline recommendations. Of those individuals, 75% were below 120 µmol/L and their average Phe reduction was 828 µmol/L (94% reduction in blood Phe from baseline). Nine participants whose blood Phe levels were below 30 µmol/L (hypophenylalaninemia) were able to increase their intact protein intake by 318.1% from baseline (SD=195.4; min=1.42, max=542.5) and decrease their intake of medical food protein by 55.16% (SD=56.4; min=-100, max=60.3); six individuals discontinued medical food completely.

The most common adverse reactions (≥20%) with PALYNZIQ in adolescents were injection site reactions, arthralgia, headache, pyrexia, hypersensitivity reactions, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and pain in extremity. As in previous clinical studies, the overall safety profile of PALYNZIQ observed in adolescents showed most reactions occurring in the induction/titration phase and decreasing in frequency during the maintenance phase.

"Over the past two decades, BioMarin has been working hand-in-hand with the medical and advocacy communities to improve the lives of people living with PKU, including introduction of the first two treatment options for this inherited metabolic condition that otherwise requires lifelong adherence to a rigid medical diet," said Greg Friberg, M.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Research & Development Officer at BioMarin. "We are proud to build on this legacy by expanding PALYNZIQ's approval to adolescents as young as age 12, which will allow even more people with PKU the prospect of achieving substantially lower Phe levels."

The company is also seeking approval from the European Medicines Agency with the goal of expanding treatment with PALYNZIQ to include adolescents as young as age 12 in the European Union.

Dr. Stephanie Sacharow has participated in speaking engagements and served on advisory boards for BioMarin.

About PALYNZIQ

PALYNZIQ substitutes the deficient phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) enzyme in PKU with a PEGylated version of the enzyme phenylalanine ammonia lyase to break down Phe. PALYNZIQ is administered using a dosing regimen designed to facilitate tolerability; PALYNZIQ's safety profile consists primarily of immune-mediated responses, which can include anaphylaxis, for which robust risk management measures effective in clinical trials are in place.

See the full Prescribing Information, which includes a Boxed Warning. PALYNZIQ is available only through a restricted program under a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) called the PALYNZIQ REMS, because of the risk of anaphylaxis. Further information, including a list of qualified pharmacies, is available at www.PALYNZIQREMS.com or by telephone 1-855-758-REMS (1-855-758-7367).

PALYNZIQ is approved for the treatment of PKU in more than 35 countries worldwide.

Patient Support Accessing PALYNZIQ

To reach a BioMarin RareConnections® Case Manager, please call, toll-free, 1-866-906-6100 or e-mail [email protected]. For more information about PALYNZIQ, please visit www.palynziq.com. For additional information regarding this product, please contact BioMarin Medical Information at [email protected].

About Phenylketonuria

PKU, or phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) deficiency, is a genetic condition affecting approximately 70,000 people in the regions of the world where BioMarin operates. The PAH enzyme is required for the metabolism of Phe, an essential amino acid found in most protein-containing foods. If functional enzyme is not present in sufficient quantities, Phe accumulates to abnormally high levels in the blood and becomes toxic to the brain, resulting in a variety of complications including severe intellectual disability, seizures, tremors, behavioral problems and psychiatric symptoms.

As a result of newborn screening efforts implemented in the 1960s and early 1970s, virtually all individuals with PKU born after this period in countries with newborn screening programs are diagnosed at birth and treatment is implemented soon after.

PKU can be managed with a severe Phe-restricted diet, supplemented by low-protein modified foods and Phe-free medical foods; however, it is difficult for most individuals to adhere to this strict diet to the extent needed to achieve adequate control of blood Phe levels. Dietary control of Phe in childhood can prevent major developmental issues and neurological consequences, but poor Phe control in adolescence and adulthood is associated with a range of neuropsychological deficits and functional impairment.

PALYNZIQ U.S. Indication and Important Safety Information

PALYNZIQ® (pegvaliase-pqpz) is a phenylalanine (Phe)-metabolizing enzyme indicated to reduce blood Phe concentrations in adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older with phenylketonuria (PKU) who have uncontrolled blood Phe concentrations greater than 600 micromol/L (10 mg/dL) on existing management.

BOXED WARNING: ANAPHYLAXIS

Anaphylaxis has been reported after administration of PALYNZIQ and may occur at any time during treatment. Administer the initial dose of PALYNZIQ under the supervision of a healthcare provider equipped to manage anaphylaxis, and closely observe patients for at least 60 minutes following injection. Prior to self-injection, confirm patient's and observer's (if applicable) ability to recognize signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis and to administer epinephrine, if needed. Consider having an adult observer for patients who may need assistance in recognizing and managing anaphylaxis during PALYNZIQ treatment. If an adult observer is needed, the observer should be present during and for at least 60 minutes after PALYNZIQ administration, should be able to administer epinephrine, and call for emergency medical support upon its use. Prescribe epinephrine for all patients treated with PALYNZIQ. Prior to the first dose, instruct the patient and observer (if applicable) on its appropriate use. Instruct the patient to seek immediate medical care upon its use. Instruct patients to carry epinephrine with them at all times during PALYNZIQ treatment. PALYNZIQ is available only through a restricted program called PALYNZIQ REMS (Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy). Further information, including a list of qualified pharmacies, is available at PALYNZIQREMS.com or by telephone at 1-855-758-REMS (1-855-758-7367). WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Anaphylaxis

Signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis reported include syncope, hypotension, hypoxia, dyspnea, wheezing, chest discomfort/chest tightness, tachycardia, angioedema (swelling of face, lips, eyes, tongue), throat swelling or tightness, flushed or red skin, rash, urticaria, pruritus, and gastrointestinal symptoms (vomiting, nausea, diarrhea). Anaphylaxis generally occurred within 1 hour after injection; however, delayed episodes occurred up to 48 hours after PALYNZIQ administration. Consider the risks and benefits of readministering PALYNZIQ following an episode of anaphylaxis. If the decision is made to readminister PALYNZIQ, administer the first dose under the supervision of a healthcare provider equipped to manage anaphylaxis and closely observe the patient for at least 60 minutes following the dose. In clinical trials of primarily adult patients with an induction/titration/maintenance dosage regimen, 29/285 (10%) experienced a total of 42 anaphylaxis episodes. In a clinical trial of patients 12 to less than 18 years of age, 4/36 (11%) of PALYNZIQ-treated patients experienced 1 episode of anaphylaxis. Other Hypersensitivity Reactions

Management of hypersensitivity reactions should be based on the severity of the reaction, recurrence of the reaction, and the clinical judgment of the healthcare provider. In clinical trials of primarily adult patients taking PALYNZIQ, hypersensitivity reactions, other than anaphylaxis, were reported in 204/285 (72%) of patients. In a clinical trial of patients 12 to less than 18 years old taking PALYNZIQ, these reactions were reported in 12 out of 36 (33%) of patients. Injection Site Infections

Serious injection site infections including abscess, cellulitis, necrosis, and ulcer have been reported. Some cases required hospitalization, surgical debridement, intravenous antibiotics, and discontinuation of PALYNZIQ. Provide proper training to patients and/or caregivers on the use of aseptic injection technique, injection site rotation and to check the site for redness, swelling, or tenderness. Instruct patients to contact their healthcare provider if signs or symptoms of an infection develop, persist, or worsen. Hypophenylalaninemia (HypoPhe)
Some patients have experienced HypoPhe; monitor blood Phe levels periodically during treatment. Frequent blood Phe monitoring is recommended in the pediatric population. For blood Phe concentrations below 30 micromol/L, the dosage of PALYNZIQ may be reduced and/or dietary protein and Phe intake may be modified to maintain blood Phe concentrations within a clinically acceptable range and above 30 micromol/L.

ADVERSE REACTIONS
The most common adverse reactions in clinical trials of primarily adult patients (at least 20% in either treatment phase) were injection site reactions, arthralgia, hypersensitivity reactions, headache, generalized skin reactions lasting at least 14 days, nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, cough, oropharyngeal pain, pruritus, diarrhea, nasal congestion, fatigue, dizziness, and anxiety.

Arthralgia: In clinical trials, 245 out of 285 (86%) primarily adult patients experienced episodes consistent with arthralgia (includes back pain, musculoskeletal pain, pain in extremity, and neck pain). Injection site reactions were reported as early as after the first dose of PALYNZIQ and occurred at any time during treatment. Generalized Skin Reactions: In clinical trials, 134 out of 285 (47%) primarily adult patients treated with PALYNZIQ experienced generalized skin reactions (not limited to the injection site) lasting at least 14 days. Angioedema and serum sickness: In clinical trials, 22 out of 285 (8%) primarily adult patients experienced 45 episodes of angioedema (symptoms included: pharyngeal edema, swollen tongue, lip swelling, mouth swelling, eyelid edema, and face edema) occurring independent of anaphylaxis. In clinical trials, serum sickness was reported in 7 out of 285 (2%) primarily adult patients. In the clinical trials, adverse reactions were associated with treatment discontinuation, dosage reduction and temporary drug interruption. In the 285 primarily adult patients exposed to PALYNZIQ in an induction/titration/maintenance regimen in clinical trials, 44 (15%) patients discontinued treatment due to adverse reactions.

Pediatric Patients: In a clinical study of 55 patients aged 12 to less than 18 years of age, the most common adverse reactions (at least 20% and greater than in control) were injection site reactions, arthralgia, headache, pyrexia, hypersensitivity reactions, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and pain in extremity. Two patients (5.6%) discontinued treatment due to adverse reactions.

Blood Phenylalanine Monitoring and Diet

Obtain blood Phe concentrations every 4 weeks until a maintenance dosage is established. Periodically monitor blood Phe concentrations during maintenance therapy. Counsel patients to monitor dietary protein and Phe intake, and adjust as directed by their healthcare provider. DRUG INTERACTIONS

Effect of PALYNZIQ on Other PEGylated Products

In a single-dose study of PALYNZIQ in adult patients with PKU, two patients receiving concomitant injections of medroxyprogesterone acetate suspension (a formulation containing PEG 3350) experienced a hypersensitivity reaction. One of the two patients experienced anaphylaxis The clinical effects of concomitant treatment with different PEGylated products are unknown. Monitor patients treated with PALYNZIQ and concomitantly with other PEGylated products for hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylaxis USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS

Pregnancy and Lactation
Available data do not establish an increased risk of adverse developmental outcomes to the fetus exposed to PALYNZIQ.

Advise women who are exposed to PALYNZIQ during pregnancy or who become pregnant within one month following the last dose of PALYNZIQ that there is a pregnancy surveillance program that monitors pregnancy outcomes. Healthcare providers should report PALYNZIQ exposure and encourage these patients to report their pregnancy to BioMarin (1-866-906-6100). Monitor blood Phe levels in breastfeeding women treated with PALYNZIQ to ensure maintenance of blood Phe <360 micromol/L. Adjust dosage and/or dietary protein and Phe intake as needed to avoid concentrations below 30 micromol/L. Pediatric & Geriatric Use: The safety and effectiveness of PALYNZIQ in pediatric patients from birth to less than 12 years have not been established. Clinical studies of PALYNZIQ did not include patients aged 65 years and older.

You are encouraged to report suspected adverse reactions to BioMarin at 1-866-906-6100, or to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

Please see accompanying full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning.

About BioMarin

BioMarin is a leading, global rare disease biotechnology company focused on delivering medicines for people living with genetically defined conditions. Founded in 1997, the San Rafael, California-based company has a proven track record of innovation, with eight commercial therapies and a strong clinical and preclinical pipeline. Using a distinctive approach to drug discovery and development, BioMarin seeks to unleash the full potential of genetic science by pursuing category-defining medicines that have a profound impact on patients. To learn more, please visit www.biomarin.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements about the business prospects of BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (BioMarin), including without limitation, statements about: the approval of BioMarin's supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for PALYNZIQ for adolescents 12 years of age and older with phenylketonuria (PKU) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including the safety profile and potential benefits of PALYNZIQ for adolescents and the potential to fundamentally change the way adolescents manage PKU in their daily lives; BioMarin's work with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) with the goal of expanding treatment with PALYNZIQ to include adolescents as young as age 12 in the European Union; and the continued clinical development of PALYNZIQ. These forward-looking statements are predictions and involve risks and uncertainties such that actual results may differ materially from these statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, results and timing of current and planned preclinical studies and clinical trials of PALYNZIQ; any potential adverse events observed in the continuing monitoring of the patients in the clinical trials; the content and timing of decisions by the FDA, the EMA, the European Commission and other regulatory authorities, and those factors detailed in BioMarin's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including, without limitation, the factors contained under the caption "Risk Factors" in BioMarin's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, as such factors may be updated by any subsequent filings with the SEC. Investors are urged not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. BioMarin is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

BioMarin®, BioMarin RareConnections® and PALYNZIQ® are registered trademarks of BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.

Contacts:

Investors                                                                                             

Media

Traci McCarty

Katherine Powell

BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.                                                            

BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.

(415) 455-7558                                                                                    

(415) 827-2968

SOURCE BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.

When you think of "retirement stocks," you probably think of very large, very safe dividend-paying companies, like utilities. These safer plays offer a winning combination of nest egg protection and a reliable stream of steady income that can help retirees live in style.

But what if you're not yet in retirement, so you're not quite ready to allocate a large chunk of your portfolio to slow-growing dividend stocks, but want to make that transition when the time comes? Well, there's a surprising option you might want to consider: Oklo (OKLO 8.66%), the nuclear stock that could power your retirement for decades. Here's how.

Image source: Getty Images.

A start-up mentality Oklo is one of a growing group of companies developing small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) as sources of electricity. As you probably guessed, these are essentially smaller versions of the nuclear reactors found in existing U.S. nuclear power plants. Although their electrical output in would be lower than that of a traditional nuclear plant, their footprints would be much smaller than the one square mile a traditional nuclear plant requires. That allows for more flexibility in siting them where demand for power is greatest. Oklo has dubbed its SMR facility design the "Aurora Powerhouse," and is currently in the process of building its first one in Idaho.

As a young company, Oklo is still in the "pre-commercial" phase of its development. It doesn't expect to begin making any money from its Aurora Powerhouses until late 2027 at the earliest, and it has plenty of regulatory and operational hurdles to overcome before then. That's why Oklo stock is considered a very risky and speculative investment right now.

So how could it be a good choice for a retirement portfolio?

Image source: Getty Images.

A stalwart business model Unlike many other nuclear start-ups, however, Oklo isn't planning to make money by building a reactor and selling it to a customer, which would then operate it and either profit from selling the electricity it generates or save money by generating its own electricity for its own use. Instead, Oklo plans to build and operate the reactors it's designed, selling the generated power to customers instead of selling the reactor. In that respect, its ultimate business model is more similar to an electric utility than to a large equipment manufacturer.

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In other words, if Oklo's strategy goes as planned -- and remember, that's a big "if" -- it'll be operating many Aurora Powerhouses or other similar facilities, with steady streams of recurring revenue and cash flow. That could eventually yield a regular dividend payment, like many electric utility stocks now pay.

Of course, there's a long and uncertain road between where Oklo is now and a potential dividend check, so if you're looking for an immediate source of retirement cash flow, Oklo's definitely not a good option. But if your retirement is 10 years away or more, Oklo offers the prospect of massive growth in the short term and reliable income over the long term. You just need to be prepared to stomach a lot of risk.

Data centers are the facilities that provide artificial intelligence (AI) software with the hardware it needs to operate. Gartner projects that data center spending by big tech companies is set to grow almost 32% to $650 billion.

All that money will be flying in lots of different directions, and it can be hard to keep track of where to put your money in order to capitalize on that opportunity. If you can only buy one stock to profit from the AI hardware trend, what should it be?

The answer, I believe, lies in semiconductors. No matter what software a piece of hardware is running, be it a sophisticated AI algorithm or a garden-variety web browser, it relies on semiconductors.

These chips combine the properties of an electrical conductor and a resistor. They are what have allowed computers to become both smaller and more powerful over the past half-century.

They are why the smartphone in your pocket has millions of times the computational horsepower of NASA's Apollo 11 guidance computer had when NASA first landed a man on the moon.

And in the semiconductor industry, there is one name that looms large above all the others: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM 0.60%).

Image source: Getty Images.

Picks and shovels for the silicon rush Taiwan Semiconductor is perhaps the ultimate pick-and-shovel play in the tech industry. One of the only other companies that could potentially claim that title is ASML Holding, which produces the lithography machines you need to make semiconductors.

Taiwan Semiconductor dominates the foundry market. That means it doesn't design any of its own chips, it simply produces them for other companies -- including basically every major player in the AI hardware industry.

The company's two biggest customers are Apple and Nvidia, the latter of which has its Blackwell chips manufactured at Taiwan Semiconductor's Arizona factory. Advanced Micro Devices, Broadcom, Qualcomm, and Intel all contract with Taiwan Semiconductor to produce hardware they designed.

Those contracts are how Taiwan Semiconductor has become the overwhelmingly dominant company in the pure foundry market with 72% market share as of the third quarter. Its nearest competitor in the space, Samsung, has just 7% market share.

And the company is expanding its manufacturing footprint as well. The U.S. and Taiwan reached a trade deal on Jan. 16 that will see Taiwanese companies invest $250 billion in American factories and operations. The largest single player in that agreement was Taiwan Semiconductor, which has committed $100 billion to expand its manufacturing facilities in the United States.

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Semiconductor wafers are thin; the profits are anything but In the fourth quarter, Taiwan Semiconductor recorded net revenue of $33.75 billion, a 25.5% increase from last year. It saw its earnings per share climb 35% and grew profits across the board.

By the end of the quarter, Taiwan Semiconductor managed to grow its gross margin 3.3 points to 62.3%, its operating margin grew 5 points to 54%, and its net profit margin grew 5.2% to 48.3%.

The vast majority of the company's revenue, a full 77%, came from the advanced chips, those 7 nanometers or smaller. Those are the chips you need to run advanced programs like those involving AI.

And year over year, it's the high-power computing segment, which includes AI chips, that's the fastest-growing revenue source for Taiwan Semiconductor. It was up 48% and accounted for 58% of Taiwan Semiconductor's revenue in 2025. The smartphone market accounted for 29% of the company's revenue in 2025, so it is somewhat diversified, which means safety for your portfolio in the case of an AI bubble.

Taiwan Semiconductor's cash and cash equivalents at the end of Q4 2025 totaled $97 billion, compared to total liabilities of $78.2 billion, of which $28.3 billion is long-term interest-bearing debt. It also grew its free cash flow 42.7% year over year in Q4 2025.

All in all, I'd say it's a good time to be in the semiconductor industry, when everyone is building data centers. Give Taiwan Semiconductor a look, it's shaping up to be the 21st century's pick-and-shovel play.

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 27, 2026) - Damon Inc. (OTC Pink: DMNIF) ("Damon" or the "Company"), a designer and developer of electric motorcycles and other personal mobility products that seek to empower the personal mobility sector through innovation, today that the Board of Directors including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer has resigned. For more information about Damon's vision for a connected mobility future and to learn about the investment opportunity, please visit https://invest.damon.com/.

MERLIN Properties SOCIMI, S.A. (MRPRF) Q4 2025 Earnings Call February 27, 2026 9:00 AM EST

Company Participants

Teresa Urquijo
Ismael Orrego - Executive Vice-Chairman & CEO
Inés Arellano - Director
Francisco Gonzalez - Director

Conference Call Participants

Marios Pastou - Bernstein Institutional Services LLC, Research Division
Florent Laroche-Joubert - ODDO BHF Corporate & Markets, Research Division
Celine Huynh - Barclays Bank PLC, Research Division
Fernando Abril-Martorell - Alantra Equities Sociedad de Valores, S.A., Research Division
Stephanie Dossmann - Jefferies LLC, Research Division

Presentation

Teresa Urquijo

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for joining MERLIN's Full Year '25 results presentation. You can find all the materials that will be presented in today's call on our website. I will please ask you to abide by the disclaimer contained in it. Our CEO, Ismael Clemente, along with our two directors Ines Arellano and Francisco Rivas will walk you through the main highlights of 2025. We'll then open the line for Q&A [Operator Instructions]. With no further delay, I pass on the floor to Ismael.

Ismael Orrego
Executive Vice-Chairman & CEO

Thank you, Teresa. Good afternoon, everyone. We are in front of a very interesting set of results, certainly, the best I have seen since we have been leading this company. It's been almost perfect year because the fantastic performance of the data center division has been accompanied by very, very solid performance also on the traditional asset classes. And all that has been reinforced by an excellent behavior of the share.

So frankly speaking, what can I say? I mean the operating momentum is super strong. We are enjoying satisfactory rental growth in all asset classes, traditional and nontraditional, because in data centers, we are also achieving better rents than underwritten. We have a high occupancy, 95.6%, and continue solidly generating FFO with a plus 5.1% print in the year. In offices, we have a very remarkable like-for-like of

Q4: 2026-02-26 Earnings SummaryEPS of -$0.00 beats by $0.08

 |

Revenue of

$1.01B

(44.43% Y/Y)

beats by $8.16M

Alignment Healthcare, Inc. (ALHC) Q4 2025 Earnings Call February 26, 2026 5:00 PM EST

Company Participants

John Kao - Founder, CEO & Director
James Head - Chief Financial Officer

Conference Call Participants

Hua Ha - Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated, Research Division
John Stansel - JPMorgan Chase & Co, Research Division
Matthew Gillmor - KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc., Research Division
Craig Jones - BofA Securities, Research Division
Ryan Langston - TD Cowen, Research Division
Benjamin Mayo - Leerink Partners LLC, Research Division
Jessica Tassan - Piper Sandler & Co., Research Division
Jonathan Yong - UBS Investment Bank, Research Division
John Ransom - Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Research Division
Raj Kumar - Stephens Inc., Research Division

Presentation

Operator

Good afternoon, and welcome to Alignment Healthcare's Fourth Quarter 2025 Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions] And please note that this event is being recorded.

Leading today's call is John Kao, Founder and CEO; and Jim Head, Chief Financial Officer. Before we begin, we would like to remind you that certain statements made during this call will be forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act.

These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties and reflect our current expectations based on our beliefs, assumptions and information currently available to us. Descriptions of some of the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements are discussed in more detail in our filings with the SEC, including the Risk Factors sections of our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025.

Although we believe our expectations are reasonable, we undertake no obligation to revise any statements to reflect changes that occur after this call. In addition, please note that the company will be discussing certain non-GAAP financial measures that we believe are important in evaluating performance. Details on the relationship between

Shares of educational technology specialist Duolingo (DUOL 14.33%) fell 14% on Friday, following the release of the company's fourth-quarter results. While Duolingo reported strong financial results for its fourth quarter, investors were spooked by management's strategic shift to prioritize user growth over monetization.

The post-earnings drop worsened an already brutal start to the year for the stock, leaving it significantly underperforming the broader market.

With the stock down sharply year to date, is this a buying opportunity? Or does a shifting growth profile warrant an even bigger discount?

Image source: Getty Images.

Q4 results: what is going right Duolingo's fourth-quarter performance demonstrated exactly why the language-learning platform has been a market favorite -- until recently, of course.

Starting with its top line, revenue rose 35% year over year to $282.9 million. This strength was fueled by expanding adoption of the platform's core product. Daily active users increased 30% year over year to 52.7 million. Paid subscribers also climbed an impressive 28% year over year to 12.2 million at period end. And total bookings, a leading indicator of future revenue, increased 24% year over year to $336.8 million.

Duolingo's profitability was impressive, too. Net income for the quarter surged to $42.0 million, up from $13.9 million in the year-ago period.

Additionally, the company announced a new $400 million share repurchase program, reflecting its growing free cash flow generation; during 2025, Duolingo's free cash flow rose 36% year over year to $360.4 million.

Looking ahead But the problem is not the quarter. It's the guidance.

Duolingo is intentionally throttling its near-term financial results to chase a larger user base, management explained in the company's quarterly update. Specifically, it is removing friction from its free user experience to drive word-of-mouth adoption, aiming to reach 100 million daily active users by 2028. This means sacrificing near-term monetization to expand the top of the funnel.

Management quantified this trade-off, estimating that it is investing more than $50 million in foregone bookings to support the free user experience. Additionally, the company is leaning into new subjects, including math, music, and chess, to drive this expansion.

"But the short-term implication is that this year will see slower bookings growth and lower profitability," the company said in its shareholder letter.

And management's financial guidance already reflects this reality. For the first quarter, Duolingo guided to 25% revenue growth. That is a slowdown from 35% growth in the fourth quarter. And the deceleration is expected to continue, with full-year 2026 guidance calling for revenue growth of just 15% to 18%. Even more, total bookings growth is projected to slow further to 10% to 12% this year.

Topping it all off, management expects its adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) margin to contract to about 25% in 2026 as it invests more heavily in marketing and AI (artificial intelligence) features.

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This brings us to the real issue for the stock.

At about 32 times earnings (adjusted to exclude a massive one-time tax benefit the company received in 2025), investors are implicitly assuming the company can maintain strong top-line growth and steady margin expansion for the foreseeable future

The risk, however, is that this strategic pivot takes longer than expected to reaccelerate bookings. And the stock's premium valuation gives investors very little margin of safety if the company's growth story never reaccelerates after this period of platform optimization.

Clearly, the business is executing on its long-term vision, and its balance sheet is a key strength. But at today's valuation, the market is pricing in near-perfect execution over the next several years, raising concern about the company's guidance for deceleration.

So, is the stock a buy on this dip? While its stock has fallen enough to earn it a spot on investors' watchlists, it's not cheap enough to make it a clear buy, in my opinion.

Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - February 27, 2026) - Canamera Energy Metals Corp. (CSE: EMET) (OTCQB: EMETF) (FSE: 4LF0) ("Canamera" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement under the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (as defined below) of up to 4,545,454 units of the Company (each a "Unit") at a price of $0.55 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $2,500,000 (the "Offering").

Each Unit consisting of one (1) common share of the Company (a "Common Share") and one-half of one Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire one (1) Common Share at a price of $0.65 per Common Share for a period of 24 months from the Closing Date (as defined below).

Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), and the Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption, the Offering is being made to purchasers’ resident in Canada, except Quebec, as well as certain jurisdictions outside of Canada, pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI- 45-106 (the "Listed Issuer Financing Exemption"). The securities offered under the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption will not be subject to a hold period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws.

The Offering is expected to close on or about March 20, 2026 (the "Closing Date"), or such other date as the Company may determine, and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals. The Company intends to use its available funds to advance the Company's mineral projects, maintain existing property acquisition obligations, and for general working capital and corporate purposes, including investor relations, as more specifically described in the Offering Document (as defined below).

There is an offering document (the "Offering Document") related to the Offering that will be accessible under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.canamerametals.com. The Offering Document contains additional detail regarding the Offering, including additional details regarding the expected use of proceeds from the Offering. Prospective investors should read this offering document before making an investment decision.

In connection with the closing of the Offering and the Concurrent Offering (as defined herein), the Company may pay finders' fees to eligible parties who have assisted in introducing subscribers. Completion of the Offering remains subject to regulatory approval.

Concurrent Non-Brokered Private Placement

The Company also wishes to announce a concurrent non-brokered private placement of up to 2,272,727 flow-through units (the "FT Units") at a price of $0.66 per FT Units for aggregate proceeds of up to C$1,500,000 (the "Concurrent Offering").

Each FT Unit consisting of one (1) flow through Common Share and one-half of one Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "FT Warrant"). Each FT Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire one (1) Common Share at a price of $0.75 per Common Share for a period of 24 months from the date of closing. The securities issued in connection with the Concurrent Offering will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day.

The proceeds from the sale of the FT Units will be used to incur "Canadian Exploration Expenses" within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada).

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

About Canamera Energy Metals Corp.

Canamera Energy Metals Corp. is a critical and rare earth metals exploration company focused on building a diversified portfolio of district-scale projects across the Americas. In North America, the Company's portfolio includes the Schryburt Lake rare earth and niobium project in Ontario; the Iron Hills critical and rare earth project in Colorado; the Garrow rare earth elements project in Northern Ontario; the Waterslide rare earth and uranium project in Northern Ontario; the Great Divide Basin uranium project in Wyoming; and the Mantle project in British Columbia. In Brazil, Canamera is advancing the Turvolândia and São Sepé rare earth element projects. Across this portfolio, Canamera targets underexplored regions with strong geological signatures and supportive jurisdictions, leveraging geochemical, geophysical, and geological datasets to generate and advance high-conviction, first-mover exploration opportunities. For more information, visit www.canamerametals.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "plans", "strategy", "opportunity", "positions" and similar expressions, or are those which, by their nature, refer to future events. All statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the ability of the Company to complete the Offering and Concurrent Offering as contemplated, the receipt of CSE approval in respect of the Offering and Concurrent Offering, and the Company's intended use of proceeds therefrom, as well as the Company's ability to advance its projects or to acquire new mineral properties.

Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including: the Company's inability to complete the Offering and Concurrent Offering as contemplated or at all; the use of proceeds therefrom being different than what is currently intended; the Company's inability to identify suitable staking targets; completion of satisfactory due diligence on potential projects; successful negotiation of acquisition terms; availability of financing; changes in commodity prices and market conditions for rare earth elements; regulatory or permitting delays; geopolitical developments affecting rare earth supply chains; and competition for rare earth properties in the United States. Additional risk factors can be found in the Company's public disclosure documents available at www.sedarplus.ca.

In making the forward looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation: the Company will be able to raise the anticipated proceeds under the Offering and on the timetable anticipated; and the Company will use the proceeds of the Offering as currently anticipated.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such statements, except as required by law.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR
FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. WIRE SERVICES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/285787

Source: Canamera Energy Metals Corp.

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One IPO and six SPACs came to market this past week, and one major issuer joined the pipeline as February comes to a close. One large IPO is currently scheduled in the week ahead, although some smaller issuers may join the calendar throughout the week. Street research is expected for seven companies in the week ahead, and one lock-up period will be expiring.