Market Signal Briefing

Earlier this year, the non-profit pledged to update its treasury management practices and engage directly with the Ethereum DeFi ecosystem.

On Oct. 10, 2025, the BNB Chain ecosystem experienced the sharpest drop since tracking began.

Oct. 10 crash erased ~21.9% of BNB Chain’s mcap before partial recovery.Select tokens like BAS (+435%) and CLO (+338%) defied the downturn.Binance rolls out $45M meme coin airdrop, ENSO listing, and $400M relief plan.Following the Oct. 10 mass liquidation event, most crypto sectors suffered a heavy blow, and many altcoins were sent crashing below high-timeframe support levels.

Sentiment remains down, with the CMC Fear and Greed Index squarely in Fear territory at 37, but most sectors are showing signs of a recovery.

Despite the market turmoil, the BNB sector held up better than most since our last update.

Here’s what unfolded👇

On Oct. 10, 2025, the BNB Chain ecosystem experienced the sharpest drop since tracking began.

Within the span of eight hours, approximately 21.9% of its market capitalization (mcap) was erased following a chain liquidation event that sent many BEP-20 assets collapsing to bargain-basement prices.

The crash appears to be the result of a perfect storm beginning with FUD surrounding Trump’s tariff threat against China, which sparked a sell-off that stressed trading infrastructure and wiped out excess leverage in the market.

The BNB Chain ecosystem has since somewhat recovered, but remains down 9.5% week-over-week (WoW).

As you might expect, the vast majority of BEP-20 tokens are in the red this week, with some of the worst performers falling by >50% apiece.

Approximately 15% of tokens managed to buck the downtrend and remain in the green this week, while a handful of exceptional performers managed to outperform.

BNB Attestation Service (BAS): +435.7% (Whale accumulation sent BAS to an all-time high)ChainOpera AI (COAI): +358.3% (Unclear catalyst)Yei Finance (CLO): +338.4% (Token launch plus Binance Alpha, KuCoin, and WEEX listings)Humanity Protocol (H): +120.5% (Whale accumulation and renewed listing attention)Source: Artemis

When it comes to on-chain metrics, BNB slipped to third place in terms of DEX trading volume and is currently the second-most popular L1 for daily transaction counts (behind Solana).

Overall, a gloomy week for the sector, but things are beginning to brighten up.

Despite the adverse market conditions, the BNB Chain sector saw several bullish developments this week. Below, we’ve summarized a selection of the most significant.

BNB Chain Launches $45M Airdrop for Meme Coin Traders: BNB Chain is launching a $45 million “Reload Airdrop” to roughly 160,000 addresses that have traded meme coins, as a gesture of support and to stimulate liquidity following the crash’s fallout.

Binance: Enso (ENSO) HODLer Airdrop + Listing: Binance unveiled an ENSO HODLer Airdrop for BNB holders and confirmed the ENSO listing with multiple spot pairs, plus promotions via Airdrop Portal and Simple Earn integration.

Binance Launches $400M ‘Together Initiative’: Binance announced a $400M recovery and confidence-rebuilding plan to support impacted users and institutions after recent market turbulence, outlining reimbursements and ecosystem relief measures. (source)

>> That’s all for now. Check in next week for another dose of BNB Chain news and updates!

This article contains links to third-party websites or other content for information purposes only (“Third-Party Sites”). The Third-Party Sites are not under the control of CoinMarketCap, and CoinMarketCap is not responsible for the content of any Third-Party Site, including without limitation any link contained in a Third-Party Site, or any changes or updates to a Third-Party Site. CoinMarketCap is providing these links to you only as a convenience, and the inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement, approval or recommendation by CoinMarketCap of the site or any association with its operators. This article is intended to be used and must be used for informational purposes only. It is important to do your own research and analysis before making any material decisions related to any of the products or services described. This article is not intended as, and shall not be construed as, financial advice. The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s [company’s] own and do not necessarily reflect those of CoinMarketCap.

A specialist trader works at the post where BlackRock is traded on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., July 21, 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

CompaniesOct 15 (Reuters) - An investor group, which includes BlackRock

(BLK.N), opens new tab, Nvidia

(NVDA.O), opens new tab, xAI and Microsoft

(MSFT.O), opens new tab, will buy Aligned Data Centers from Macquarie Asset Management and co‑investors in a deal worth $40 billion.

The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2026, the companies said on Wednesday. Aligned will remain based in Dallas, Texas, and will be led by CEO Andrew Schaap.

Sign up here.

The group aims to deploy $30 billion of equity capital initially, with the potential of reaching $100 billion, including debt.

Here are key facts about Aligned Data Centers:

SIZE AND SCALE** Founded in 2013 and based in Texas, the company builds and operates data centers for hyperscalers and cloud computing companies.

** The company has 50 data center campuses and touts roughly 5-gigawatts of contracted and available capacity.

** Aligned completed a capital raise of more than $12 billion in January this year, which includes $5 billion of new primary equity, comprising funds managed by Macquarie Asset Management, and more than $7 billion of new debt commitments.

** It acquired Latin American data center provider ODATA in 2023, in a major push to boost its portfolio, with ODATA now operating in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and the U.S.

** Aligned is also building a new data center in Texas with Nvidia-backed cloud company Lambda.

EXECUTIVE TEAM** Andrew Schaap is the CEO of Aligned Data Centers since 2017. Prior to joining Aligned, he held many leadership roles in his 11 years with data center operator Digital Realty Trust

(DLR.N), opens new tab.

** Schaap is the founder and board member of DC Delta, an advisory council of global data center end users and innovators, among others, who are focused on data center efficiency and sustainability.

** Meghan Baivier is the finance chief of Aligned Data Centers since 2024.

** Prior to joining Aligned, Baivier was chief operating officer of Easterly Government Properties, a fully integrated real estate investment trust focused properties leased to the U.S. government.

CUSTOMERS** The company targets hyperscalers, cloud providers, neocloud operators and large enterprise customers.

** Cloud computing platform Nutanix and IT services provider

Datto, opens new tab are among the customers of Aligned Data Centers.

COMPETITORS** Companies such as Equinix

(EQIX.O), opens new tab, Digital Realty Trust

(DLR.N), opens new tab, CyrusOne, Microsoft

(MSFT.O), opens new tab and Vantage Data Centers are rivals of Aligned.

Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

SummaryB2Gold is expanding production as gold prices hit record highs, positioning the company for strong performance through 2026.BTG benefits from new assets like the Goose Mine, ramping up production and reducing geopolitical risk while maintaining industry-leading low costs.Despite recent stock gains, BTG remains undervalued versus peers, with a forward P/E of 9.4x and strong free cash flow potential post-2026.I am bullish on both gold and BTG, seeing it as a solid long-term holding for income and capital appreciation as production and margins grow. wildpixel/iStock via Getty Images

Introduction Until recently, I did not follow mining companies, and honestly, I never noticed them before. If you follow me, you know that I am far more focused on technology. Metals were simply not part of my regular research routine. But recently, a colleague of mine here on

Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, but may initiate a beneficial Long position through a purchase of the stock, or the purchase of call options or similar derivatives in BTG over the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

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

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Progressive Corp (NYSE:PGR) shares fell nearly 8% to $221.97 in late-morning trading on Wednesday after the insurance company reported third quarter 2025 earnings that fell short of Wall Street expectations. 

Progressive’s earnings per share for the quarter came in at $4.45, up from $3.97 a year earlier but missed the analyst consensus estimate by $0.85. 

Its Q3 sales rose 14.2% year over year to $22.51 billion, which was in line with the consensus forecast.  

The company's net premiums written for the period, meanwhile, increased 10% to $21.38 billion, boosted by strong demand for its auto insurance policies. 

Progressive provides insurance for personal as well as commercial autos and trucks, motorcycles, boats, recreational vehicles and homes. 

October 15, 2025 11:15 AM EDT | Source: STLLR Gold Inc.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 15, 2025) - STLLR Gold Inc. (TSX: STLR) (OTCQX: STLRF) (FSE: O9D) ("STLLR" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has closed its previously announced private placement financing for aggregate gross proceeds of C$36,613,902 comprised of the following components:

a "bought deal" private placement led by Paradigm Capital Inc. ("Paradigm") and SCP Resource Finance LP ("SCP") comprised of:2,790,200 common shares in the capital of the Company ("Common Shares") that qualify as flow-through shares (within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada)) sold on a charitable flow-through basis (the "Premium FT Shares") at a price of C$1.792 per Premium FT Share for gross proceeds of C$5,000,038.40;3,246,800 Common Shares that qualify as flow-through shares (within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada)) sold on a flow-through basis (the "FT Shares") at a price of C$1.54 per FT Share for gross proceeds of C$5,000,072; and5,166,026 Common Shares, which included a partial exercise of the underwriters' option (the "Hard Dollar Shares") (which for greater certainty do not qualify as "flow-through shares") at a price of C$1.28 per Hard Dollar Share for gross proceeds of C$6,612,513.28, and together with the gross proceeds from the Premium FT Shares and FT Shares, representing aggregate gross proceeds of C$16,612,623.68 (the "Bought Private Placement");a brokered private placement on a commercially reasonable "best efforts" agency basis led by Paradigm of 11,719,000 Common Shares (the "Best Efforts Shares") (which for greater certainty do not qualify as "flow-through shares") at a price of C$1.28 per Best Efforts Share for gross proceeds of C$15,000,320 (the "Best Efforts Private Placement"); anda non-brokered private placement to Agnico Eagle Mines Limited ("Agnico Eagle") of 3,907,000 Common Shares (the "Concurrent Shares") (which for greater certainty do not qualify as "flow-through shares") at a price of C$1.28 per Concurrent Share for gross proceeds of C$5,000,960 (the "Non-Brokered Private Placement", and together with the Bought Private Placement and the Best Efforts Private Placement, the "Offering").As a result of the Offering:

Eric Sprott, through 2176423 Ontario Ltd., a corporation beneficially owned by Mr. Sprott, increased his ownership interest in the Company to approximately 15% on a non-diluted basis through his participation in the Best Efforts Private Placement;

Agnico Eagle increased its ownership interest in the Company to approximately 11%; and

certain officers and directors of the Company purchased 434,100 Hard Dollar Shares and 19,500 FT Shares under the Offering.

Keyvan Salehi, P.Eng., MBA, President and CEO of STLLR, commented, "This financing strengthens our ability to advance the Tower Gold and Hollinger Tailings projects in the Timmins Mining Camp. We greatly appreciate the continued support from our investors, especially our largest shareholders, Eric Sprott and Agnico Eagle."

The Common Shares issued under the Offering were sold to eligible purchasers pursuant to applicable exemptions from the prospectus requirements in each of the Provinces of Canada under National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions, and in other agreed to selling jurisdictions. The Common Shares issued under the Offering are subject to a restricted hold period expiring February 16, 2026. The Offering remains subject to the final approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Certain insiders of the Company participated in the Offering. By virtue of their participation, the Offering constitutes a "related party transaction" for the purposes of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). Participation by the insiders of the Company in the Offering will not be subject to the minority approval and formal valuation requirements under MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of the subject matter, nor the fair market value of the consideration for the Common Shares, insofar as it involves the insiders, exceeded 25% of STLLR's market capitalization.

An amount equal to the gross proceeds from the issuance of the Premium FT Shares and FT Shares will be used to incur "Canadian exploration expenses" as defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada) that will qualify as "flow-through mining expenditures", as defined in subsection 127(9) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Qualifying Expenditures"). The Qualifying Expenditures will be incurred on or before December 31, 2026 and an amount of such Qualifying Expenditures equal to the gross proceeds from the issuance of the FT Shares and Premium FT Shares will be renounced by the Company to the subscribers of the FT Shares and Premium FT Shares with an effective date no later than December 31, 2025.

The net proceeds from the sale of the Hard Dollar Shares, Best Efforts Shares and Concurrent Shares will be used for non flow-through eligible operating expenses and for general corporate and working capital purposes and the gross proceeds from the sale of the FT Shares and Premium FT Shares will be used for exploration expenditures on the Company's exploration properties.

Paradigm and SCP were paid a cash commission in connection with the Bought Private Placement and the Best Efforts Private Placement. No commission was paid in connection with the Non-Brokered Private Placement.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the 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 STLLR Gold

STLLR Gold Inc. (TSX: STLR) (OTCQX: STLRF) (FSE: O9D) is a Canadian gold development company actively advancing high-potential gold projects in Canada: The Tower Gold Project and the Hollinger Tailings Project in the Timmins Mining Camp in Ontario and the Colomac Gold Project located north of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Tower and Colomac have the potential to become large-scale, long-life operations and are surrounded by exploration land with favourable upside potential. STLLR's experienced management team, with a track record of successfully advancing projects and operating mines, is working towards rapidly advancing these projects.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, information with respect to the Company's exploration initiatives; and the use of proceeds of the Offering. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "advancing", "working towards", "plans", "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "does not anticipate", or "believes" or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", or "will be taken", "occur", or "be achieved".

Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is made, and is based on a number of assumptions and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of STLLR to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including risks associated with the exploration, development and mining such as economic factors as they effect exploration, future commodity prices, changes in foreign exchange and interest rates, actual results of current exploration activities, government regulation, political or economic developments, ongoing wars and their effect on supply chains, environmental risks, pandemic risks, permitting timelines, capital expenditures, operating or technical difficulties in connection with development activities, employee relations, the speculative nature of gold exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities of grades of reserves, contests over title to properties, and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined as well as those risk factors discussed in the Company's annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2024, available on www.sedarplus.ca. Although STLLR has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in 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 information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. STLLR does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/270470

Plumas Bancorp (PLBC - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $1.35 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.66 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.31 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +104.55%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this company would post earnings of $1.2 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.05, delivering a surprise of -12.5%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times.

Plumas Bancorp, which belongs to the Zacks Banks - West industry, posted revenues of $27.42 million for the quarter ended September 2025, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.41%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $21.11 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates two times over the last four quarters.

The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.

Plumas Bancorp shares have lost about 9.6% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 13%.

What's Next for Plumas Bancorp?While Plumas Bancorp has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?

There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.

Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.

Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Plumas Bancorp was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $1.41 on $28.3 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $4.35 on $97.6 million in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Banks - West is currently in the bottom 32% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

Another stock from the same industry, First Hawaiian (FHB - Free Report) , has yet to report results for the quarter ended September 2025. The results are expected to be released on October 24.

This bank holding company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.52 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +8.3%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.

First Hawaiian's revenues are expected to be $218.28 million, up 4% from the year-ago quarter.

Bank7 Corp. (NASDAQ:BSVN) Q3 2025 Earnings Call October 15, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

Company Participants

Thomas Travis - President, CEO & Vice Chairman
Jason Estes - Executive VP & Chief Credit Officer
Kelly Harris - Executive VP & CFO

Conference Call Participants

Adam Kroll - Piper Sandler & Co., Research Division
Wood Lay - Keefe, Bruyette, & Woods, Inc., Research Division
Matt Olney - Stephens Inc., Research Division

Presentation

Operator

Welcome to the Bank7 Corp. Third Quarter 2025 Earnings Call. Before we get started, I'd like to highlight the legal information and disclaimer on Page 27 of the investor presentation. For those who do not have access to the presentation, management is going to discuss certain topics that contain forward-looking information, which is based on management's beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to management. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, they can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.

Such statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including among other things, the direct and indirect effect of economic conditions on interest rates, credit quality, loan demand, liquidity and monetary and supervisory policies of banking regulators. Should one or more of these risks materialize or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expected.

Also, please note that this conference call contains references to non-GAAP financial measures. You can find reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP financial measures in an 8-K that was filed this morning by the company. Representing the company on today's call, we have Brad Haines, Chairman; Tom Travis, President and CEO; J.T. Phillips, Chief Operating Officer; Jason Estes, Chief Credit Officer; Kelly Harris, Chief Financial Officer; and Paul Timmons, Director of Accounting.

With that, I'll turn

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Guests can immerse themselves in the region with extended stays on cruises from Tokyo, Singapore and Hong Kong

, /PRNewswire/ -- Holland America Line unveiled its 2027–2028 Asia season, featuring cruises to some of the region's most captivating destinations. The upcoming season introduces three new ports in Japan—Hitachinaka, Nagoya, and Maizuru—along with a new scenic cruising experience in Maizuru Bay. More overnight stays in six top destinations create opportunities for a deeper authentic connection with each locale—whether through vibrant night markets, iconic city lights or unforgettable sunsets.

Noordam will sail Holland America Line's 2027-2028 Asia cruise season.

Sailing from September 2027 to April 2028 aboard Noordam, guests can explore ports across Japan, South Korea, China, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam. Cruises range from 13 to 15 days, and Noordam's ideal size enables access to unique ports not available to larger ships, including Jeju, South Korea, and Boracay, Philippines, offering guests a broader range of experiences throughout the region.

"Asia offers guests a wealth of natural wonders and remarkable cultural landmarks," said Robert de Bruin, Holland America Line's director of deployment and itinerary planning. "We know our guests are eager for deeper exploration, so this season we've added new ports, increased calls to lesser-visited destinations and provided extended stays in popular locales. These enhancements allow guests to make the most of their journey, fully delving into the culture of each destination."

On select itineraries, guests can discover Japan's maiden ports, each offering distinct cultural and scenic experiences. In Hitachinaka, travelers can stroll through the renowned Seaside Park, celebrated for its vibrant, seasonal floral displays. Nagoya features a reconstructed castle adorned with golden shachi-hoko roof ornaments and a rich urban heritage. Maizuru, a historic port city with deep naval roots, is complemented by a new scenic cruising experience through Maizuru Bay, where guests can take in the striking patterns of verdant islands set against calm, blue waters.

Overnight stays in Halong Bay, Vietnam; Seoul, South Korea; Bangkok, Thailand; Manila, Philippines; Osaka, Japan; and Shanghai, China, allow guests to make the most of each destination. From taking in stunning sunsets in Halong Bay and exploring Manila's historic San Agustin Church to experiencing Shanghai's iconic neon lights, these longer visits provide for a deeper, more authentic connection with each locale.

Guests can choose from 15 distinct itineraries, with many sailing from Tokyo, Japan, making it easy for guests to add days in the vast metropolis ahead of their sailing. Additional departures are available from Singapore; Hong Kong, China; and Seattle, Washington—providing travelers with a range of options to suit their preferred travel plans and allowing for seamless connections to and from Asia's most dynamic cities.

Season Highlights

14-Day Circle Japan: four departures available, roundtrip Tokyo or from Yokohama (Tokyo) to Tokyo. Each itinerary circles Japan's Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu islands, visiting up to 10 ports in Japan, as well as a call to Sokcho, Busan (Pusan) or Yeosu, South Korea. Select itineraries include late-night calls at Hiroshima, Osaka (Kobe) and Hakodate, Japan.
14-Day Southern Japan: departs Feb. 27, 2028, roundtrip from Tokyo. Calls at eight ports in Southern Japan, including a maiden call at Nagoya. Also features an overnight call at Osaka (Kobe), as well as a visit to Busan (Pusan).
14-Day Japan, South Korea and China: departs Oct. 24, 2027, from Tokyo to Hong Kong. Calls sat ix ports in Japan, including a late-night call at Hiroshima; Busan (Pusan), nearly two days at Shanghai.
14-Day China & Japan Discovery: Shanghai & Osaka Overnight: departs Feb. 13, 2028, sailing from Hong Kong to Tokyo. Includes overnight calls at Shanghai and Osaka (Kobe), as well as five additional ports in Japan.
14-Day Japan & South Korea Discovery: departs March 12, 2028, sailing from Tokyo to Yokohama (Tokyo). Calls at five ports in Japan, including a late-night call at Osaka (Kobe) and three ports in South Korea—including lesser visited Jeju (Cheju) and an overnight call at Incheon (Seoul).
14-Day Far East Discovery: five departures available, sails between Hong Kong and Singapore. Calls at ports in Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand—including overnight stays at Halong Bay and Laem Chabang (Bangkok), Thailand. For travelers looking to make their holidays special, guests can embark Dec. 19, 2027, spending Christmas Eve in Da Nang, Vietnam, and Christmas Day in the South China Sea—and celebrate New Year's Eve in Nathon, Thailand, before ringing in the New Year at sea.
14-Day Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines: departs Jan. 30, 2028, sailing from Singapore to Hong Kong. Calls at six ports throughout the region, including overnight stays in Manilaand Laem Chabang (Bangkok).
13- or 15-Day North Pacific Crossing; 13-day departs Sep. 12, 2027, from Seattle to Tokyo, calling at Ketchikan, Alaska; and Kushiro and Aomori, Japan, before reaching Tokyo. The 15-day departs Apr. 23, 2028, from Tokyo, calling at Kushiro; Kodiak, Sitka and Ketchikan, Alaska; and Prince Rupert, British Columbia, before reaching Vancouver, Canada.
Destination Dining

While on board Noordam, guests will be able to enjoy the flavors of Asia through Holland America Line's Destination Dining program. The culinary team crafts menus that tell the story of each region visited, using local ingredients sourced directly from trusted purveyors. From port-to-plate specialties to time-honored classics, every dish is a celebration of authentic flavor. Guests can experience Asia's signature tastes with offerings such as Japanese rockfish and fresh sushi, Korean bibimbap with beef bulgogi, Thai mango sticky rice, Filipino chicken adobo, matcha lava cake, Indonesian coconut-filled pancakes and Vietnamese-style fresh spring rolls. Guests onboard Asia cruises can also enjoy two pop-ups while sailing: Taste of Tamarind and Morimoto by Sea.

Shore Excursions: Culture, History and Adventure

Holland America Line's shore excursions offer curated experiences that showcase each destination's culture, history and natural beauty. In Busan, travelers can explore cliffside temples and vibrant art villages that blend ancient traditions with modern energy. In Kochi,  samurai-era castles, riverside serenity and bustling local markets offer a peaceful glimpse into the country's heritage. In Da Nang, guests can tour the ancient city of Hoi An, ride rickshaws through lively streets or unwind on the golden sands of My Khe Beach.

Have It All Early Booking Bonus

For a limited time, when guests book 2027-2028 Asia cruises with the Have It All premium package, the standard package amenities of shore excursions, specialty dining, a Signature Beverage Package and Surf Wi-Fi are included — plus the added perk of free prepaid crew appreciation, along with free upgrades to the Elite Beverage Package and Premium Wi-Fi.

Guests can also take advantage of Holland America Line's Exclusive Mariner Society Early Booking Bonus. Mariner Society loyalty members can enjoy up to $400 onboard credit per stateroom when these cruises open for sale. Guests must book these cruises by Jan. 12, 2026, to receive the Exclusive Mariner Society Early Booking Bonus.

For more information about Holland America Line, consult a travel advisor, call 1-877-SAIL HAL (877-724-5425) or visit hollandamerica.com.

Find Holland America Line on Facebook, Instagram and the Holland America Blog. You can also access all social media outlets via the home page at hollandamerica.com. 

About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE: CCL and CUK)]

Holland America Line has been exploring the world for 150+ years with expertly crafted itineraries, extraordinary service and genuine connections to the destinations. Offering an ideal perfectly-sized ship experience, its fleet visits nearly 400 ports in 114 countries around the world and has shared the thrill of Alaska for more than 75 years — longer than any other cruise line. Holland America Line's 11 vessels feature a diverse range of enriching activities and amenities focused on destination immersion and personalized travel. Guests enjoy the best entertainment at sea, and dining venues featuring exclusive dishes by world-famous.

SOURCE Holland America Line

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Investors in Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ALNY - Free Report) need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the Dec 19, 2025 $140.00 Put had some of the highest implied volatility of all equity options today.

What is Implied Volatility?Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. Options with high levels of implied volatility suggest that investors in the underlying stocks are expecting a big move in one direction or the other. It could also mean there is an event coming up soon that may cause a big rally or a huge sell-off. However, implied volatility is only one piece of the puzzle when putting together an options trading strategy.

What do the Analysts Think?Clearly, options traders are pricing in a big move for Alnylam Pharmaceuticals shares, but what is the fundamental picture for the company? Currently, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals is a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) in the Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry that ranks in the Top 36% of our Zacks Industry Rank. Over the last 60 days, three analysts have increased their earnings estimates for the current quarter, while none have dropped their estimates. The net effect has taken our Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter from earnings of $1.14 per share to $1.71 in that period.

Given the way analysts feel about Alnylam Pharmaceuticals right now, this huge implied volatility could mean there’s a trade developing. Oftentimes, options traders look for options with high levels of implied volatility to sell premium. This is a strategy many seasoned traders use because it captures decay. At expiration, the hope for these traders is that the underlying stock does not move as much as originally expected.

Looking to Trade Options?Check out the simple yet high-powered approach that Zacks Executive VP Kevin Matras has used to close recent double and triple-digit winners. In addition to impressive profit potential, these trades can actually reduce your risk.

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SummaryVerizon remains a buy, especially on pullbacks into the $30s, with a focus on dividend collection and covered call strategies.Expecting Q3 revenue of $33.9-$34.5 billion, with stable wireless growth, modest Fios and broadband additions, and continued business segment softness.Targeting Q3 EPS of $1.20-$1.22 and free cash flow of $4.8-$5.2 billion, which comfortably covers the rising dividend despite high leverage.Recent pullback offers a buying opportunity as interest rates fall, with small revenue and EPS gains expected and strong cash flow supporting the investment thesis.Looking for a helping hand in the market? Members of BAD BEAT Investing get exclusive ideas and guidance to navigate any climate. Learn More » claudiodoenitzperez/iStock Editorial via Getty Images

We continue to have a buy rating on Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), though the telecom stocks have recently pulled back pretty notably in recent weeks. We view a pullback into the $30s as a buy. We have been holding and trading around

Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of VZ either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

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

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Key Takeaways Walmart partners with OpenAI to enable "AI-first shopping" directly within ChatGPT.The retailer uses AI to boost productivity, speed fashion cycles and cut care resolution times.
Q2 fiscal 2026 revenues rose 4.8% as global e-commerce sales climbed roughly 25%.
Walmart Inc. (WMT - Free Report) is rapidly scaling the use of artificial intelligence across its business to enhance productivity, improve customer experience and strengthen operational efficiency. The retail giant has partnered with OpenAI to let customers shop directly within ChatGPT, blending conversation with commerce in what the company calls an “AI-first shopping” model.

The initiative allows users to plan meals, restock essentials or discover new products simply by chatting and buy instantly through “Instant Checkout.” Walmart believes this will move shopping from reactive to proactive, where AI doesn’t just respond but learns, predicts and anticipates what customers might need next. This partnership builds on Walmart’s growing use of AI across its ecosystem.

The company already uses machine learning to enhance product catalogs, cut customer-care resolution times by as much as 40%, and even reduce fashion production cycles by up to 18 weeks. Walmart has also been promoting AI literacy among employees.

In its recent second-quarter fiscal 2026 results, Walmart reported solid momentum, with total revenues up 4.8% and global e-commerce sales increasing about 25%. Management emphasized that AI is becoming deeply embedded in Walmart’s ecosystem — from the customer-facing “Sparky” assistant to tools that help associates and suppliers work smarter.

CEO Doug McMillon noted that Sparky is already shifting the shopping experience from traditional search to an intelligent, conversational model. Over time, it will evolve into a personalized digital companion that can manage everything from reorders to returns. Walmart is also building additional “super-agents” tailored to associates, suppliers, and developers to streamline scheduling, onboarding and innovation processes. These AI systems, combined with digital twins and predictive analytics, are expected to make operations faster, more accurate and more proactive.

Walmart’s Path to AI-Led RetailAs Walmart deepens its AI ambitions, the OpenAI partnership marks more than just a technological milestone — it’s a signal of where retail is headed next. By merging its vast physical and digital infrastructure with conversational intelligence, Walmart is positioning itself to meet customers where they are and how they shop.

The success of this initiative will depend on execution and consumer trust. If done right, it could redefine convenience and personalization at scale. Essentially, Walmart isn’t just experimenting with AI; it’s laying the groundwork for a future where shopping feels less like a transaction and more like a conversation.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company’s shares have rallied 12.7% in the past three months, outpacing the industry’s growth of 6.4%.

Retail Stocks to ConsiderPetco Health and Wellness Company, Inc. (WOOF - Free Report) operates as a health and wellness company that focuses on enhancing the lives of pets, pet parents and its Petco partners. It sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. WOOF delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 170.8%, on average. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Petco Health and Wellness’ current fiscal-year earnings indicates growth of 250% from the prior-year level.

Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. (SBH - Free Report) operates as a specialty retailer and distributor of professional beauty supplies. It currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy). SBH delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 8.3%.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Sally Beauty’s current fiscal-year earnings implies an increase of 8.9%, from the year-ago actuals.

The TJX Companies, Inc. (TJX - Free Report) , an off-price retailer, currently carries a Zacks Rank #2. TJX delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 5.4%, on average.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for The TJX Companies’ current financial-year sales and earnings calls for growth of 7% and 8.9%, respectively, from the year-ago reported numbers.

Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife MacKenzie Scott has reportedly slashed her stake in Amazon by about 42%, or $12.6 billion, over the past year.

Scott now holds 81.1 million shares of the e-commerce giant, down 58 million from this time last year, according to a regulatory filing dated Sept. 30 that was viewed by Bloomberg.

The 55-year-old philanthropist has donated more than $19 billion since her 2019 divorce from the Amazon founder.

MacKenzie Scott has slashed her stake in Amazon by about 42%, or $12.6 billion, over the past year. Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
She has vowed to give most of her fortune away.

Scott has gained a reputation for giving billions to small nonprofits with no conditions on the recipients and minimal reporting requirements — a stark contrast to her billionaire peers who often make high-profile donations to larger charities — Bloomberg noted.

Last year, she donated $2 billion to 199 organizations, her Yield Giving website stated.

Bezos, meanwhile, now owns 9% of the company he founded in 1994 after selling off more than 100 million shares over the past year, according to a Tuesday securities filing.

As of Wednesday, he had a net worth of $230.2 billion and Scott was worth about $32.5 billion, according to Forbes.

Scott walked away with about 4% of Amazon after her divorce from Bezos.

Jeff Bezos now owns less than 10% of the company, according to a Tuesday securities filing. Getty Images
They’d been married for about 25 years. 

She has grown richer since the split, with the stock soaring about 150% in the interim.

Bezos still maintains final approval over any changes to her holdings, and the pair are required to disclose their sales annually.

In the apparent absence of a prenup for the marriage, Scott could have pushed for more of their shared 16% stake in Amazon.

Experts speculated she didn’t fight for a larger portion because that could have worried investors and reduced the value of the company’s shares.

Bitcoin price is trading near $111,500. Losing this region could trigger a deeper correction below $100,000 toward the $97,700 range low.

Summary

Bitcoin trades within a $126K–$97.7K high-timeframe range.
$111.5K acts as the key pivot for short-term direction.
Losing this level could drive a correction below $100K before recovery.

Bitcoin’s (BTC) price is entering a critical juncture as it trades within a broad high time frame range following its all-time high near $126,000. The market’s current structure suggests potential for further corrective movement before a stronger bullish continuation can form.

With potential macroeconomic tightening, ETF dynamics, and institutional positioning all influencing sentiment, the $100,000 threshold could soon become a major battleground for traders and investors alike.

Range Structure: Bitcoin’s high-timeframe range extends from the $126K all-time high to the $97.7K range low, with mid-range support near $111.5K.
Key Support Zone: A confirmed breakdown below the $111.5K region could trigger a rotation toward the $97.7K range low for a deeper bullish retest.
Macro and ETF Dynamics: Institutional profit-taking, reduced ETF inflows, or potential macroeconomic tightening could accelerate short-term downside pressure.

BTCUSD (1D) Chart, Source: TradingView
After rallying to a record high around $126,000, Bitcoin’s momentum has cooled, and the price action has entered a wide consolidation zone. The range low sits at $97,700, a level that has yet to be revisited since the impulsive breakout confirmed the previous bull leg. The range midpoint, positioned around $111,500, is now acting as a critical pivot for directional bias.

Currently, candle closures remain above the mid-range, indicating temporary resilience. However, if Bitcoin begins closing decisively below this level, it could validate a deeper corrective leg toward $97,700.

Such a move would not necessarily invalidate the broader bullish structure but would serve as a more complete retest of the range base before a new accumulation phase develops.

ETF Inflows and Macroeconomic tightening 
On the fundamental side, ETF inflows remain a key driver of demand. The previous leg higher was strongly supported by persistent institutional inflows into spot Bitcoin ETFs. Should these inflows stall or reverse due to profit-taking, regulatory uncertainty, or global macro risk aversion, a temporary liquidity vacuum could amplify downside moves.

Institutional selling in leveraged markets has historically triggered cascading liquidations, a dynamic that can lead to rapid corrections before equilibrium is restored.

Adding to the uncertainty is the potential macroeconomic tightening scenario. If the Federal Reserve or other central banks maintain hawkish stances or continue restricting liquidity, appetite for risk assets like Bitcoin could wane. Conversely, a dovish pivot or easing cycle could reignite demand and drive renewed accumulation from institutional investors.

What to expect in the coming price action
In the near term, Bitcoin’s ability to defend the $111,500 region will be pivotal. A decisive loss of this level could trigger a sweep of liquidity below $100,000 toward $97,700, fulfilling a technical retest before the next major expansion.

If buyers manage to maintain control above the mid-range, Bitcoin could stabilize and prepare for another leg higher toward the $120,000–$126,000 region.

If approved, these would become some of the most extreme crypto-linked instruments available to U.S. investors.Updated Oct 15, 2025, 1:37 p.m. Published Oct 15, 2025, 1:23 p.m.

Volatility Shares, one of the most aggressive ETF issuers in the crypto space, has filed with U.S. regulators to launch a suite of 5x leveraged exchange-traded funds tracking bitcoin BTC$111,439.21, ether ETH$4,098.59, and XRP.

The proposed products would amplify daily price moves by five times, meaning it can turn a 2% move in the underlying asset into a 10% swing in the ETF. That also means a 2% drop in BTC or ETH would wipe out 10% of an investor’s exposure in a single day.

The firm’s filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) also includes 5× funds for Solana SOL$203.89 and several high-volatility equities, such as Coinbase (COIN), MicroStrategy (MSTR), Tesla (TSLA) and Alphabet (GOOGL).

In total, the batch lists 27 products across 3x and 5x leverage tiers, with an effective date of December 29, 2025. If approved, these would become some of the most extreme crypto-linked instruments available to U.S. investors.

“They haven’t even approved 3x yet, and Vol Shares is like, ‘let’s try 5x,’” noted Eric Balchunas, ETF analyst at Bloomberg, referring to pending 3x XRP proposals from GraniteShares.

VolShares filed for 5x single stock and crypto ETFs incl COIN, CRCL, GOOG, MSTR, NVDA, PLTR, TSLA, Bitcoin, Ether, Solana, XRP... They haven't even approved 3x and VolShares is like let's try 5x. Maybe an option on long term govt shutdown (if no govt in 75 days they can… https://t.co/rVaYDcn9H0

— Eric Balchunas (@EricBalchunas) October 14, 2025 Leverage that resets daily carries unique risks. Compounding and volatility decay mean that even if bitcoin finishes the week higher, a 5x ETF could underperform due to daily rebalancing.

Each evening, the fund rebalances to maintain its leverage ratio, buying after up days and selling after down days. Over time, those daily resets compound — and not in a trader’s favor when prices whipsaw. If bitcoin swings both ways through the week, the ETF’s constant rebalancing can chip away at performance even if BTC finishes higher.

In thin markets, especially around high-volatility assets like XRP, these dynamics can exaggerate price swings and trigger unintended losses.

The filing of the proposed shares come as market participants continue to recover from last week’s $19 billion liquidations across crypto futures in the industry’s largest such hit to date.

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Crypto Trading Volumes Fall 17.5% in September Despite Record Open Interest

Combined spot and derivatives volumes fell 17.5% in September, continuing a four-year seasonal trend

需要了解的:

Trading activity falls 17.5% in September slowdown: Combined spot and derivatives volumes dropped to $8.12 trillion, marking the first decline after three months of growth. September has now seen reduced trading volume for the fourth consecutive year.Open interest reaches record high despite derivatives market share decline: Total open interest surged 3.2% to $204 billion and peaked at an all-time high of $230 billion during the month.Altcoins on CME outperform as Bitcoin and Ether futures decline: While CME's total derivatives volume stayed flat at $287 billion (-0.08%), SOL futures jumped 57.1% to $13.5 billion and XRP futures rose 7.19% to $7.84 billion. BTC and ETH futures fell 4.05% and 17.9% respectively.View Full Report

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Benchmark Hikes CompoSecure Price Target to $24 on Arculus Crypto Upgrade

The broker sees CMPO shares gaining from operational momentum and Arculus’s new trading features, with M&A potential still offering upside.

What to know:

Benchmark analyst Mark Palmer raised his price target on buy-rated CompoSecure to $24 from $17, citing strong execution and a 61% year-to-date stock rally.Arculus's integration with N. Exchange and a smart order router positions CompoSecure's cold storage wallet unit as a trading-enabled crypto solution for enterprise users.M&A optionality and rising crypto adoption could drive further upside, with CMPO's FY26 revenue now projected at $502.9 million and EBITDA at $174.8 million, Palmer said.Read full story

In Brief

Pico Prism proves 99.6% of Ethereum blocks under 12s with 6.9s average latency.

Brevis outperforms SP1 Hypercube with 71% faster proving and 50% lower GPU costs.

Pico Prism achieves 96.8% sub-10s proving for 45M gas blocks using 64 RTX 5090 GPUs.

Brevis has introduced Pico Prism, a distributed zkVM system that achieves real-time proving for Ethereum L1 blocks. The system proved 99.6% of 45 million gas limit blocks under 12 seconds, with an average latency of 6.9 seconds.

Most proofs completed between 5 and 7 seconds, with 96.8% finalized under the 10-second threshold set by the Ethereum Foundation. This performance meets Ethereum’s real-time proving standard and marks a new benchmark for proving speed at scale.

Brevis Unveils Pico Prism zkVM, Enabling Real-Time Ethereum Proofs 3
Source : X

Brevis deployed Pico Prism using 64 RTX 5090 GPUs, highlighting the ability to meet performance targets with consumer-grade hardware. This breakthrough addresses Ethereum’s current proving bottleneck, where each validator must re-execute all transactions.

Real-time proving replaces redundant computation by allowing one prover to generate a proof that others can verify instantly. This dramatically improves scalability while reducing infrastructure requirements across the network.

Pico Prism Outperforms SP1 Hypercube with Faster Speed and Lower Cost
Brevis benchmarked Pico Prism against SP1 Hypercube on 36M gas blocks and achieved 98.9% under 10 seconds, compared to SP1’s 40.9%. Pico Prism proved blocks in 6.04 seconds on average, 71% faster than SP1’s 10.3 seconds.

Brevis Unveils Pico Prism zkVM, Enabling Real-Time Ethereum Proofs 4
Source: X

Pico Prism used fewer GPUs—64 RTX 5090s compared to SP1’s 160 RTX 4090s cutting hardware costs by 50% to $128,000. Combined, these improvements result in a 3.4× gain in performance efficiency when accounting for both speed and cost.

Brevis also demonstrated real-time proving for full 45M gas limit blocks, which SP1 had not achieved. The system maintained 96.8% sub-10-second proving coverage for those larger blocks, validating its scalability.

The upgrade to a multi-machine, multi-GPU architecture allowed extreme parallelisation across phases like emulation and recursion. Brevis confirmed that Pico Prism’s pipeline can scale linearly, offering consistent performance across distributed setups.

With open-source benchmarks and reproducible results, Pico Prism presents a major milestone for Ethereum scalability using transparent, cost-effective zkVM infrastructure.

DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is provided as general market commentary and does not constitute investment advice. We encourage you to do your own research before investing.

A Stanford MBA and crypto analyst explained why Bitcoin still has room to grow. In July 2024, Michael Saylor presented a chart showing Bitcoin’s market value compared to the total global asset market. At that time, Bitcoin was around $65,000 per coin, with a network value of $1 trillion. This was just 0.1 percent of the $900 trillion global asset market.

Since then, Bitcoin’s market value has doubled to over $2 trillion. The global asset market has grown to about $1 quadrillion. Bitcoin now accounts for 0.2 percent of global wealth, showing that it remains a small portion of total assets.

Long-Term Growth and Expert ViewsIn a recent interview, Jesse Myers, Head of Bitcoin Strategy at the Smarter Web Company, explained that Bitcoin’s growth capacity is still significant. Using historical trends and market projections, he estimated that Bitcoin could grow at an average of 29 percent per year over the next 20 years. In today’s terms, a single coin could reach $10 million.

Myers said that Bitcoin’s fixed supply of 21 million coins adds to its scarcity and value. He explained that Bitcoin is still in the early stages of adoption and has not yet captured a large share of global wealth.

Factors Supporting GrowthGlobal assets continue to grow each year, while inflation reduces the value of cash and bonds. Bitcoin provides an alternative that does not rely on government-backed money. Its scarcity and security appeal to investors seeking to preserve wealth.

Historical trends show Bitcoin may grow quickly in the short term and slow over time while maintaining meaningful returns. As more institutional investors adopt Bitcoin, demand is likely to rise further.

ConclusionEven after recent gains, Bitcoin remains a small fraction of global wealth. Experts like Jesse Myers say that over time, Bitcoin could capture a larger share of global assets. Its fixed supply, growing adoption, and protection against inflation support the long-term case. Predictions of millions per coin are plausible for patient investors in the coming decades.

Trust with CoinPedia:CoinPedia has been delivering accurate and timely cryptocurrency and blockchain updates since 2017. All content is created by our expert panel of analysts and journalists, following strict Editorial Guidelines based on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Every article is fact-checked against reputable sources to ensure accuracy, transparency, and reliability. Our review policy guarantees unbiased evaluations when recommending exchanges, platforms, or tools. We strive to provide timely updates about everything crypto & blockchain, right from startups to industry majors.

Investment Disclaimer:All opinions and insights shared represent the author's own views on current market conditions. Please do your own research before making investment decisions. Neither the writer nor the publication assumes responsibility for your financial choices.

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After the market crash that rocked the Ethereum price, sending it back down toward $3,400, there has been some recovery as the market has followed Bitcoin’s path once again. However, there is still a lot of struggle between the bulls and the bears when it comes to the direction that the Ethereum price could be headed next. To this effect, an analyst has pointed out some interesting formations on the Ethereum chart, and what could trigger a rally to $14,000.

Two Things Must Become Bullish For The Ethereum Price
Crypto analyst Without Worries outlined that there are two questions that Ethereum investors must ask in order to determine if the price has turned bullish or not. The first of these questions centers around the current trend, asking whether it is bearish or bullish.

The analyst explains that with the break of $1,600 and the Ethereum price moving higher back in April, the trend has turned more positive from here. Hence, as long as this is maintained, then the trend does indeed remain bullish, leading to the second and most important question.

This question centers on the Ethereum price action, and the problem here is that the altcoin continues to trade under resistance. This major resistance lies at the $4,400 level, with the digital asset having been rejected from this level multiple times in the past.

From this, the crypto analyst tells investors to keep an eye on the 2-week chart for confirmation. The Ethereum price would have to break out above $4,400 and then clear $4,500 with a decisive move. This means that sharp price wicks do not count. But if this resistance breakout is completed and support is confirmed, then the Ethereum price could continue to rise until $14,000.

Source: TradingView
There is also the fact that the Ethereum price is on the verge of completing another 2-month candle. The analyst points out that the price resistance for this trend is at $3,400, which is coincidentally the low for the liquidation event that occurred last Friday. Thus, it remains a decisive support point for the price.

On an important note, the analyst points out that if the Ethereum price is able to complete its 2-month candle above $4,400 by the end of October, then it also confirms that price action is positive and the price could continue to climb.

However, this means that in the event that the price fails to actually surmount $4,400 on both the 2-week and 2-month charts, then it could put the bears back in control of the price. A turn toward the negative could confirm that the decline could deepen. “Positive answers to questions one and two are a green light for a long entry. And more importantly, a cancellation of the bearish idea,” the analyst said.

ETH pushes above $4,100 | Source: ETHUSDT on TradingView.com
Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com

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Scott Matherson is a leading crypto writer at Bitcoinist, who possesses a sharp analytical mind and a deep understanding of the digital currency landscape. Scott has earned a reputation for delivering thought-provoking and well-researched articles that resonate with both newcomers and seasoned crypto enthusiasts.
Outside of his writing, Scott is passionate about promoting crypto literacy and often works to educate the public on the potential of blockchain.

CoinShares has taken a decisive step toward bringing regulated XRP exposure to American investors, officially filing to list the CoinShares XRP ETF on Nasdaq under the ticker XRPL. 

The SEC filing, dated October 14, outlines a robust operational structure, with BitGo tapped as custodian, Valkyrie Funds LLC stepping in as seed capital investor, and CSC Delaware Trust Company serving as trustee. U.S. Bancorp Fund Services will act as administrator, U.S. Bank NA as cash custodian, and Paralel Distributors as the marketing agent. 

Notably, the trust will not participate in staking, meaning investors will gain exposure strictly to XRP’s spot price rather than any additional yield.

“Our mission is to make XRP accessible to institutional investors in the U.S., with a fully compliant, transparent, and secure framework,” a CoinShares spokesperson said, framing the move as a milestone for both the firm and the broader digital asset ecosystem.

SEC faces pending spot XRP ETF decisions
The timing is striking. The SEC faces a flurry of pending spot XRP ETF decisions, with Grayscale’s application up for judgment this week, followed closely by CoinShares, 21Shares, Bitwise, WisdomTree, and Canary Capital between October 18 and 25. Thus, the coming days could prove pivotal for XRP’s long-term positioning in U.S. markets.

Markets have already begun to react. XRP climbed 3.23% in the last 24 hours to trade at $2.49, lifting its market capitalization to $149.24 billion. This marked a sharp rebound from an intraday low of $144.37 billion, translating into nearly $5 billion in inflows, even as daily trading volumes contracted by more than 27% to $5.96 billion. 

XRP 1-day market cap. Source: CoinMarketCap
The rally stands in contrast to XRP’s broader downtrend, with the token still off 12.9% over seven days and 16.4% across the past month.

Part of the uptick can be traced to deepening institutional engagement. CME Group launched XRP options on October 15, with Wintermute and Galaxy executing the inaugural trades, signaling a new layer of liquidity and hedging demand for the asset. Ripple, meanwhile, has expanded its footprint in Africa through a partnership with Absa Bank, providing crypto custody solutions that may further bolster long-term adoption narratives.

Technically, XRP’s bounce came at a crucial juncture. Prices rebounded from the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement level at $2.52, a zone that many traders had earmarked as key support.

After crypto's biggest liquidation event, Bitwise says no major cracks appeared.

The recent crypto market turbulence, seemingly triggered by a geopolitical shock, has once again tested investors’ nerves. But Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan believes it may ultimately reaffirm the strength of the ongoing bull market.

The exec recounted the chain of events that sent crypto prices spiraling late last week, only to watch them rebound almost as quickly – although, admittedly, not to the same extent.

Nothing Fundamental Changed
The sudden drop came after former US President Donald Trump threatened China with sweeping 100% tariffs on all imports in response to Beijing’s move to restrict exports of rare earth metals. With equity markets closed, traders sought a real-time reaction mechanism and turned to crypto.

Within minutes, Bitcoin plunged by as much as 15%, and altcoins, led by Solana, saw declines of up to 40%. Nearly $20 billion in leveraged positions were liquidated in the largest such event in crypto’s history, which ended up amplifying the sell-off through cascading liquidations. Despite this, most crypto assets partially recovered after the US administration softened its stance.

According to Hougan, the key question is whether the episode was a fleeting blip or a signal of more profound structural weakness. The exec found that nothing fundamental to crypto’s outlook changed, while citing the market’s underlying technology, security, and regulatory progress.

Hougan outlined three questions Bitwise uses to assess whether a market shock has lasting implications. These are whether any major institutions collapsed, how blockchain systems performed under stress, and whether investor panic reached systemic levels. None of those red flags appeared. No major firms or market makers failed, and most losses were confined to retail traders who had taken highly leveraged positions.

Technologically, decentralized platforms such as Uniswap, Aave, and Hyperliquid continued operating as usual without disruption. Centralized venues did experience some turbulence. Binance, for instance, refunded traders on a few separate occasions. But overall, the crypto markets held up as well or better than traditional ones might have in similar conditions.

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Professional players largely ignored the event, in what appears to be a vote of confidence in the asset class’s long-term trajectory. That steadiness, he argued, indicates how far crypto markets have matured from the days when similar volatility would spark panic. The broader picture also remains encouraging. Bitcoin has gained 21% so far in 2025, and Bitwise’s Large Cap Crypto Index is up 22%.

While short-term volatility may continue as liquidity providers and market makers temporarily step back, Hougan believes the market will soon stabilize.

“But over time, I expect the market will catch its breath and renew its attention on crypto’s fundamentals. When that happens, I think the bull market will continue apace.”

Bitcoin Still Far from Peak Euphoria
According to on-chain research by CryptoQuant, Bitcoin’s MVRV ratio is currently near 2.0. This level has historically represented mid-cycle conditions rather than extreme valuations. The ratio remains comfortably below the 4.0 range reached during prior bull market peaks, while still above the sub-1.0 levels seen in major accumulation periods. As such, long-term holders are refraining from heavy selling, and institutional ETF inflows continue to provide support.

Miner activity has also softened, which points to reduced supply pressure. These trends indicate that Bitcoin is consolidating within a constructive, mid-phase market environment rather than approaching an overheated or cyclical peak.

XRP trades near $2.53 as analysts track a wedge pattern with breakout potential. Whale activity, support zones, and partnerships in focus.

XRP is trading in a tight range after a recent pullback, while traders wait to see which direction the next breakout may take.

At the time of writing, the token is priced at $2.53, up 2% in the past 24 hours, though still down 12% over the past week, based on CoinGecko data.

Pattern Suggests Two Possible Scenarios
Crypto analyst EGRAG CRYPTO pointed to a descending broadening wedge on the chart. Based on this structure, there is a 57% chance of a break to the upside and a 43% chance of a move lower.

Source: EGRAG CRYPTO/X
If the lower outcome plays out, EGRAG mentioned a possible retest of the $0.50 area, based on measured move projections. On the other side, a successful breakout to the upside could take the price toward the $9 region.

They also referenced earlier trades where some sold around $2.70 to $2.80, and XRP is now sitting near $2.50 to $2.60. EGRAG noted,

“If you want to sell now, go ahead, no hard feelings… Just don’t come back to me later saying you wish you had sold.”

Long-Term Structure Still Holds
Analyst ChartingGuy shared a monthly chart showing that XRP is still trading above the $1.61 support. This level lines up with the 0.786 Fibonacci retracement and a former resistance zone from 2021. While Ripple’s token recently failed to hold above $3.31, the 0.886 Fibonacci level, it continues to print higher lows.

Notably, the same chart shows potential future levels near $3.31, $8, $13, and $27, based on standard Fibonacci extensions. These levels may act as price targets if XRP holds its current structure. Referring to the larger time frame view, ChartingGuy said,

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XRP Price Plunged 20% Amid Significant Whale Inflows to Binance

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$XRP is NOT bearish in the slightest pic.twitter.com/ZZ3ILgSfaG

— Charting Guy (@ChartingGuy) October 14, 2025

Whale Activity Linked to October Drop
As reported by CryptoPotato, large wallets began moving XRP to Binance in the first half of October. This followed a quiet period in September. The timing of these transfers matched a 20% drop in price, adding pressure during the decline.

Meanwhile, open interest across XRP futures fell sharply from $9 billion to around $4.17 billion. This move came as broader crypto markets saw forced selling and deleveraging across several major tokens.

Partnership Announcement Supports Sentiment
Ripple confirmed a new partnership with Immunefi, launching a security testing program for the XRP Ledger. The test includes a $200,000 bug bounty, set to run from October 27 to November 24.

This announcement came as XRP slid through key levels, offering a short-term lift in sentiment. Traders are now watching price levels closely as the wedge pattern nears a potential breakout point.

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The XRP monthly chart remains structurally constructive despite last week’s sharp pullback, according to independent technician Charting Guy (@ChartingGuy), who argues the asset is “NOT bearish in the slightest.” His latest one-month XRP/USD chart on Bitstamp, captured Oct. 14, shows price defending a major Fibonacci support cluster while repeatedly probing resistance at the prior all-time high.

XRP Bull Run To $26 Still Possible?
On the current monthly candle, XRP is trading at $2.4477 with 17 days and 10 hours left in the period after printing an open at $2.8467, high at $3.1037, and low at $1.5800, down 14.0% month-to-date. The rejection zone is precise: a horizontal line marks the 1.000 Fibonacci retracement at $3.3170, which aligns with the 2018 cycle peak and has capped the last several tops in 2025. Just below, the chart includes a 0.888 retracement band (approximately $2.96) that has acted as near-term resistance during this three-month range between roughly $2.10–$3.30.

XRP price analysis | Source: X @ChartingGuy
Under price, confluence is building at the former breakout shelf from the 2021 surge. A lime-green box highlights the $1.60–$1.80 area, overlapping directly with the 0.786 retracement at $1.6125 and the top of the 2021 congestion. This band caught last week’s deep wick to $1.58 and, in prior months, has served as a staging area for rebounds. The next staircase of support below is marked by the 0.702 at $1.2149, the 0.618 at $0.9153, and the 0.500 at $0.6149, delineating a clear hierarchy should the market see further volatility.

The bullish extension framework in Charting Guy’s layout is unambiguous. Above the all-time high at $3.3170, the chart plots successive Fibonacci expansion targets at 1.272 = $8.2961, 1.414 = $13.3894, and 1.618 = $26.6304. Those levels map a classic measured-move pathway for a trend continuation once price achieves a decisive, high-timeframe close through the prior peak. In other words, the cycle roadmap remains intact so long as the monthly structure continues to hold above the 0.786 stack and eventually flips the ATH into support.

Market Structure Remains Supportive
The analyst couples that chart with a broader market read. “So many [are] caught up in day-to-day price action,” he posted on X, adding that TOTAL2, TOTAL3, and top altcoins (ETH, XRP, SOL) each “have ONE more key fib to get over… their prior ATH. Once that happens with strength, altseason really gets going. BTC.D tanks & shitcoins finally catch a bid.” In his XRP view, that “one more key fib” is the $3.3170 threshold.

Technically, the setup is binary and well-defined on the monthly timeframe: continued defense of $1.60–$1.80 keeps the uptrend’s higher-low structure intact, while a sustained break and close above $3.3170 would confirm the next leg toward the extension grid at $8.30, $13.39, and—at the cycle’s ambitious outer bound—the 1.618 marker near $26.63. For now, XRP remains range-bound beneath ATH but supported by the same zone that powered its last breakout, exactly as Charting Guy’s chart depicts.

At press time, XRP traded at $2.4655.

XRP drops below the 0.5 Fib again, 1-day chart | Source: XRPUSDT on TradingView.com
Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

How this XRP treasury company aims to unlock $100B through loyalty points Oluwapelumi Adejumo · 26 seconds ago · 2 min read

Nasdaq-listed Webus to transform fragmented loyalty systems with XRP-powered real-time exchange.

Oct. 15, 2025 at 3:15 pm UTC

2 min read

Updated: Oct. 15, 2025 at 3:11 pm UTC

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

Loyalty points are worth billions, but most never leave the accounts they’re earned in.

Webus International, an XRP-focused treasury company, wants to change that.

Last week, the Nasdaq-listed firm announced plans for a tokenized travel-reward exchange powered by the XRP stablecoin system.

According to the press statement, the Singapore-based firm is targeting the global loyalty market, one of the most inefficient segments in consumer finance.

The hidden cost of trapped rewardsEvery year, travelers earn hundreds of billions in loyalty credits across airlines, hotels, and mobility apps.

Yet, Hatem Kemali, co-founder of digital-rewards platform Resal, estimates that more than $100 billion of those points go unredeemed.

According to him, this situation tends to happen because the “Points are trapped in broken, fragmented systems. Hard to track. Hard to combine. Hard to spend.”

He added:

“Traditionally, loyalty points were earned after a purchase and redeemed in limited ways. But consumer expectations have changed today, people want to use loyalty like money, not just for discounts.”

That friction defines the opportunity Webus hopes to capture. Its platform will let users exchange and redeem points across multiple brands in real time, settling value through XRP-based stablecoin payments rather than opaque accounting ledgers.

Turning loyalty into liquid valueTraditional reward networks operate like closed economies. A traveler might hold miles with Emirates, hotel points with Marriott, and ride credits with Grab, but none of these systems communicate.

Webus’ blockchain framework tokenizes those balances and connects them through XRP’s system by allowing instant conversion between brands and regions without currency risk or manual reconciliation.

Nan Zheng, CEO of Webus, said:

“By integrating XRP stablecoin settlement, we aim to bring real-time, low-cost, and transparent value conversion to the travel rewards ecosystem.”

While the firm has not offered further explanations on the specific stablecoins or the role of XRP in this system, one can infer that the XRP Ledger (XRPL) would play a central role in the initiative.

In such situations, Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin with XRP would act as a bridge asset, allowing Webus to route settlements across RippleNet’s existing corridors.

This move would move value in seconds instead of the days typical of bank-based clearing. At the same time, the firm will be able to cut costs, improve liquidity, and give consumers “cash-like” control of their loyalty balances.

Why Ripple’s tech fits the jobRipple’s core settlement stack was built to address exactly this kind of multi-currency congestion.

Its network allows institutions to move funds instantly without pre-funded accounts, using XRP to bridge between local currencies. That design, which has long been used in cross-border banking, can now provide a ready-made backbone for loyalty conversion.

Stablecoin integration also aligns with Ripple’s broader push into real-world asset tokenization. Introduced last year, RLUSD gives enterprises a US dollar-denominated settlement option natively compatible with the XRPL.

For Webus, that means stable, regulated liquidity; for Ripple, it marks another step in expanding XRP’s utility beyond institutional payments into consumer-facing ecosystems.

If successful, Webus could show how stablecoins solve real-world problems outside trading desks.

Instead of chasing speculative yields, XRP and RLUSD would quietly power the value exchange behind everyday transactions, turning loyalty points into a universal micro-currency for travel.

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