Market Signal Briefing

BlackSky Technology delivered a decent set of Q4 results, with dramatic sequential revenue growth and signs of stabilization after a difficult year. However, revenues did miss expectations, and the 2026 guidance came in soft as well. Despite a significant Q4 revenue jump, persistent operating losses and a 7x price-to-sales multiple leave me bearish for the time being.

Stellantis NV (NYSE:STLA, EPA:STLA) has reported its first full-year loss since the 2021 merger, citing a strategic shift away from aggressive electric vehicle (EV) targets as a key factor in its results.

The Netherlands-headquartered automaker said the move reflects a renewed focus on customer choice and “resetting” its product and powertrain strategy.

For the full year, Stellantis recorded net revenue of €153.5 billion, down 2% from 2024, primarily due to foreign exchange headwinds and first-half pricing declines.

The company posted a net loss of €22.3 billion, compared with a €5.5 billion profit the previous year, driven largely by €25.4 billion in one-time charges tied to the strategic shift.

Adjusted operating income was negative €842 million, with an AOI margin of -0.5%. Industrial free cash flow also fell to negative €4.5 billion.

The second half of 2025, the first under the company’s renewed leadership team, showed signs of stabilization, according to Stellantis. Net revenues grew 10% year-over-year, while industrial free cash flow improved roughly 50% from the first half of the year and 73% from H2 2024.

“Our 2025 full year results reflect the cost of over-estimating the pace of the energy transition and of the need to reset our business around our customers’ freedom to choose from the full range of electric, hybrid and internal combustion technologies,” Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa said in a statement.

“In the second half of the year we began to see initial, positive signs of progress with the early results of our drive to improve quality, strong execution of the launches of our new product wave and a return to top line growth.”

For 2026, Stellantis reiterated guidance, projecting a mid-single-digit percent increase in net revenues, a low-single-digit AOI margin, and improved industrial free cash flow year-over-year, with sequential improvement expected from the first half to the second half of the year.

US-listed shares of Stellantis traded more than 3% higher in the early afternoon on Thursday at about $8 as investors focused on signs of the company's turnaround. 

Shake Shack Inc. (SHAK) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript

Uniswap price targets $4.55 prior breakdown level as traders position ahead of a governance vote that could expand fee burns and boost protocol revenue.

Summary

UNI is holding $3.80 support after an 18% weekly rebound. A governance proposal could raise annual revenue to $61M through expanded fee burns. A breakout above $4.20 could open room toward the $4.55–$4.60 zone. Uniswap (UNI) traded at $4.02 at press time, up about 10% in the past 24 hours. The token is trading near the top of its weekly range between $3.29 and $4.12.

UNI has gained 18% over the past week, showing a firm bounce from recent lows, though it is still 15% lower over the past month.

Spot trading volume jumped to $554 million, up 119% in one day. CoinGlass data shows futures volume climbing nearly 80% to $640.5 million, while open interest rose 15.2% to $285.6 million.

When both volume and open interest rise together, it usually means new positions are being opened rather than just shorts closing. 

Fee switch expansion adds direct value to UNI Uniswap governance is advancing a proposal to widen its fee switch system. It follows the 2025 UNIfication rollout, which began charging protocol fees on Ethereum and introduced UNI token burns.

Under the new proposal, protocol fees would also be applied across eight additional Layer 2 networks, including Arbitrum, Base, and Optimism. The plan would automate fee collection and send the proceeds back to Ethereum mainnet, where they would be used to buy and burn UNI tokens.

If approved, the expansion could lift annualized protocol revenue to about $61 million, up from $34 million. Part of swap fees would shift from liquidity providers to the treasury, directly linking trading activity to token supply reduction.

That dynamic tends to attract long-term holders because it means usage will translate into measurable value capture. Voting is split into two phases, with the first already live and the second scheduled between Feb. 27 and March 1.

Technical outlook: $4.60 in play if breakout holds UNI has built a clear base around $3.70–$3.80. Price has held that zone multiple times, and recent candles show buyers stepping in on dips. With Bollinger Bands tightening, the market may be gearing up for a sharp move.

Uniswap daily chart. Credit: crypto.news Momentum has improved, with relative strength index pushing back above the midline. Price is also testing a descending trendline from December highs and pressing against short-term moving averages.

Volatility had tightened during consolidation, and the recent expansion in volume suggests the market is preparing for a larger move. A 20% advance from the $3.80 floor projects a target near $4.55–$4.60, an area that lines up with prior breakdown levels and moving average resistance.

A firm break above $4.20 would strengthen the case for that move. If the price slips below $3.70, the recovery attempt would weaken, opening the door to a return toward $3.30.

Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) extended their rally with a $507 million inflow on Wednesday, while ether added $157 million. XRP and solana also saw strong demand, marking a second consecutive all-green session for crypto ETFs. Crypto ETFs Post Second Straight All-Green Day Momentum returned in force.

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The Crypto Fear & Greed Index has seen a major uptick in the past 24 hours following a rebound in the price of Bitcoin. While still in extreme fear mode, this jump from a low of five in the past week proves that broader market sentiment is changing.

Crypto market exiting extreme fearPer data from CoinMarketCap, the crypto Fear & Greed Index current has a reading of 16. This is an improvement from the 11 it recorded in the past 24 hours. 

💡 CoinMarketCap | Fear & Greed Index 💡

🔹 Sentiment is at 16 – Extreme Fear.

A jump from 11 to 16 in only 24 hours!
Is the market shifting? 👀 pic.twitter.com/pPiLqExJEa

— CoinMarketCap (@CoinMarketCap) February 26, 2026 By implication, this shift marks the first major turnaround in sentiment this February as the index recorded its worst reading in almost five years. This is not coincidental, as it comes as the price of Bitcoin saw a sharp rebound from a weekly low of $60,074.

As of writing time, the coin was changing hands for $67,729, mildly retracing its trend from an intraday high of $69,953.53. Riding on the BTC breakout, altcoins also upturned their negative rallies overnight.

While the Ethereum price reclaimed $2,050 on a 2.8% surge, Binance Coin jumped 4% to $625. The Solana, Cardano and Dogecoin price has also recorded significant boosts in line with the broader market outlook.

With the current trend, the market might be exiting its extreme fear zone, opening the pathway for more positive price action.

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Jane Street catalystAt the heart of this broader market rebound is the sentiment around quant trading firm Jane Street. Serving as an Authorized Participant for many crypto funds, the firm is facing a backlash for alleged manipulation of the Bitcoin price.

While the only thing to substantiate these claims directly is a lawsuit from the now-defunct Terraform Labs, the industry believes future suppressions might be over.

In addition, the market recovery comes from the highest daily inflow spot Bitcoin ETF products have recorded thus far this month. With BlackRock and Grayscale leading the half-billion inflow, the broader tide favors recovery if the current outlook is sustained.

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After several days of online speculation, blockchain investigator ZachXBT has published the findings of a probe he first alluded to earlier this week, detailing what he describes as insider trading and internal data abuse at Axiom Exchange.

In a series of posts, ZachXBT identified Broox Bauer, known on X as @WheresBroox, as a central figure in the alleged scheme. Bauer is described as a senior business development employee at Axiom based in New York. 

Alleged Wallet Lookups And Insider Trading Scheme According to the investigation, Bauer and others exploited insufficient access controls on internal tools to retrieve sensitive user information and track private wallet activity, allegedly using that data to inform trades as far back as early 2025.

Audio clips shared as part of the report appear to show Bauer explaining how he could monitor any Axiom user through referral codes, wallet addresses or internal user IDs. In one recording, he claims he can “find out anything to do with that person.” 

He also describes starting by reviewing 10 to 20 wallets and gradually expanding the scope over time “so it does not look that suspicious.” In another excerpt from the same private group call, Bauer outlines procedures for requesting wallet lookups and says he would provide a full list of tracked addresses. 

The investigation cites specific instances of alleged misuse of internal dashboards. In April 2025, Bauer reportedly shared a screenshot from an Axiom internal interface showing private wallet information for a trader identified as “Jerry.” 

In August 2025, he allegedly circulated another image displaying registration data and linked wallets for a trader known as “Monix.” That same month, he is said to have discussed conducting lookups on Axiom users who had traded the meme coin AURA.

According to the findings, the group compiled wallet addresses of multiple key opinion leaders (KOLs) into a Google Sheet. The document mapped out addresses gathered from Axiom’s internal dashboard. 

Several KOLs named in the sheet or visible in leaked screenshots were contacted and independently confirmed that the wallet data attributed to them was accurate.

Axiom Case May Fall Under SDNY Jurisdiction The report raises broader concerns about internal oversight at the exchange. It claims there was little to no effective monitoring or restriction on employee access to sensitive user data, regardless of whether senior figures identified as Cal or Mist were aware of the activity. 

Given that Bauer is based in New York City, ZachXBT suggested the matter could fall within the jurisdiction of the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY). 

He stated that, regardless of whether criminal charges are ultimately pursued, Axiom’s co-founders should conduct a thorough internal review and consider legal action against any employees found to have abused their access.

Adding to the controversy, separate reports indicate that roughly three hours before ZachXBT publicly disclosed the alleged insider trading activity, a suspected insider placed bets totaling $59,800 using two newly created wallets. 

Those trades reportedly generated nearly $109,000 in profit, further fueling concerns about the potential misuse of privileged information.

The 1D chart shows the total crypto market cap at $2.3 trillion. Source: TOTAL on TradingView.com Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

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In brief ZachXBT alleged that Axiom employees engaged in insider trading. The pseudonymous blockchain sleuth said a leak ahead of his findings was “probably inevitable.” Polymarket users picked Axiom as the likely firm ahead of the release, fueling further speculation over insider trading. Multiple employees at Axiom, a non-custodial trading platform, engaged in insider trading, prominent blockchain sleuth ZachXBT alleged on Thursday.

The pseudonymous investigator claimed that Broox Bauer, who serves as a senior business development employee, was among those involved. He painted a picture on X of how Bauer allegedly abused access to internal tools to “look up sensitive user details to insider trade by tracking private wallet activity since early 2025.”

On X, Axiom said the conduct outlined in ZachXBT’s investigation is not representative of the company’s broader culture, promising to keep the public informed as it learns more.

“We are shocked and disappointed to hear that someone on our team abused internal customer support tools to look up user wallets,” it said. “We have removed access to these tools and will continue to investigate and hold the offending parties responsible.”

Decrypt has reached out to Axiom for comment.

Axion has generated $390 million in revenue since its debut in 2024, according to the sleuth, who said that he was retained to independently investigate the firm backed by accelerator Y Combinator.

Based in New York, Bauer allegedly said that he can track users on Axiom using a referral code, wallet address, or user identities, according to an audio clip that ZachXBT shared. Additional materials provided by the sleuth allegedly showed Bauer sharing private wallets connected to specific traders with others, which were accessed using Axiom’s internal tools.

We are shocked and disappointed to hear that someone on our team abused internal customer support tools to look up user wallets.

We have removed access to these tools and will continue to investigate and hold the offending parties responsible.

This does not represent us as a…

— Axiom (@AxiomExchange) February 26, 2026

A group of employees allegedly mapped out wallet addresses that were obtained by Bauer, linking them to influencers including “Frank” and “GCR.” In one instance, the group of employees identified an influencer that would purchase large amounts of a meme coin before promoting it to their followers, enabling them to notch profits as traders bought in, according to ZachXBT.

“Traders like Marcell are prime targets for this type of abuse since address reuse is less common and private wallets are rarely public, which makes privileged info much more valuable,” he said, in reference to the influencer.

ZachXBT described it as difficult to pinpoint specific examples of insider trading “due to the high volume of meme coin trades tied to related addresses” without access to Axiom’s internal logs. However, he provided a screenshot of several exchange balances allegedly tied to Bauer, showing around $300,000 in funds.

In recent years, ZachXBT’s investigations have garnered widespread attention within the cryptosphere, functioning as a novel accountability mechanism. Sharpening his abilities to map illicit activity across webs of wallet addresses since 2021, ZachXBT in September outlined a $240 million theft that he’d investigated—a day after two of its subjects were placed in handcuffs.

Speculation abounded on Monday after the investigator teased on X that his most recent work centered on “one of the most profitable businesses in crypto.” The associated post has generated more than 11 million views.

The curiosity fueled millions of dollars in trading volume on prediction market platforms like Polymarket. On Wednesday, Solana-based decentralized finance application Meteora stood as the most likely candidate, followed by “Other” and trading terminal Axiom. However, in the lead-up to ZachXBT’s Thursday X thread, Axiom emerged as a frontrunner.

On Myriad, a prediction market platform owned by Decrypt parent company Dastan, traders penciled in only an 8% chance on Wednesday that ZachXBT would levy allegations against Binance, Coinbase, Upbit, OKX, or Bybit.

ZachXBT acknowledged that “prediction market bros” were pestering him for answers in the lead-up to his investigation’s release. He also described leaks as “probably inevitable,” given that the case required him to interview a few people. 

Meteora co-founder Zhen Hoe Yong, who goes by “Zen,” said on X prior to the release of ZachXBT’s findings that he was “surprised” to see the project emerge as a frontrunner on Polymarket. He said the project takes insider trading seriously and has put safeguards in place.

“We immediately did a detailed review of the situation,” Zen said. “After review, we remain confident in the way we handle integrations, launches, and the standards we hold ourselves to.”

Some users responded by imploring Zen to bet against Polymarket’s leading outcome.

On X, some users speculated that there may have been insider trading tied to the investigation about insider trading, pointing to one Polymarket user named “Anon” in particular. 

The account had placed a flurry of wagers on which company ZachXBT would name, generating more than $160,000 in profits, as of Thursday.

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Journalist

Posted: February 26, 2026

A prediction market bet placed ahead of a high-profile crypto investigation has drawn scrutiny after on-chain analysts linked the winning account to an active user of Axiom Exchange, the platform later named in the probe.

The episode has reignited concerns about information leakage, internal controls at crypto firms, and whether investigations themselves are becoming tradeable events in on-chain markets.

Investigation teased before the reveal Blockchain investigator ZachXBT first hinted on 23 February that a major investigation into insider trading at a crypto company was imminent. The teaser sparked speculation across social media and prediction markets, but no firm names were mentioned at the time.

Source: X

On 26 February, ZachXBT published a detailed investigation. He alleged that employees at Axiom Exchange had abused internal tools to access sensitive user wallet data, enabling insider trading and coordinated profit-seeking. 

The report included recordings, screenshots of internal dashboards, and wallet-tracking evidence dating back to early 2025.

Axiom later acknowledged the allegations and said it was reviewing the claims internally.

A profitable bet draws attention Following the public release, on-chain analytics firm Lookonchain flagged a trader under the username “predictorxyz” on Polymarket. The trader wagered roughly $65,800 on a market asking whether Axiom would be accused of insider trading.

Source: X

At the time the position was opened, the odds reportedly implied only a 13.8% probability. After Axiom was named in the investigation, the position settled in profit, netting more than $400,000, according to Polymarket data shared by Lookonchain.

The timing raised immediate questions: the bet was placed after ZachXBT’s public tease, but before the exchange was identified.

Lookonchain also reported that two other newly created anonymous wallets bet $59.8K on Axiom being the company. The data showed that these wallets made $109K in three hours.

Wallet traced back to an Axiom user In a follow-up response, ZachXBT said he had traced the funding source of the Polymarket account. It was traced back through instant exchanges to a Solana wallet linked to an active Axiom user, known on another platform under the username “JustADegen”.

Source: X

According to ZachXBT, the account was newly created and funded with approximately $70,000 in USDC shortly before the bet was placed. This pattern was described as suspicious, though not definitive proof of wrongdoing.

ZachXBT emphasised that his findings were based on timing analysis and transaction flows. That further confirmation would require access to internal exchange logs. No criminal charges have been filed, and no law enforcement action has been announced.

What the Axiom episode reveals While the allegations against Axiom remain under review, the sequence of events highlights a broader issue for crypto markets: investigations, leaks, and enforcement actions can now move prices — and prediction market odds — before facts are fully public.

Even without proof of insider coordination, the case illustrates how asymmetric information, or even its perception, can create profit opportunities in on-chain markets. 

It also raises uncomfortable questions for exchanges about employee access to sensitive data and the safeguards in place to prevent misuse.

For prediction markets, the incident underscores a growing tension between open betting on future events and the risk that insiders may exploit privileged knowledge — or appear to do so — in ways that undermine trust.

What happens next Axiom has not publicly commented on the specific wallet-tracking claims tied to the Polymarket bet. 

ZachXBT has said he hopes the company conducts a deeper internal review and considers legal action against any employees found to have abused their access.

Whether regulators or prosecutors take interest remains to be seen.

But for crypto markets, the episode has already delivered a stark reminder: when investigations themselves become market catalysts, the line between information, speculation, and insider advantage can blur quickly.

Final Summary The Axiom investigation underscores how insider access and weak internal controls can turn sensitive information into a financial instrument before the public narrative fully forms. As prediction markets intersect with on-chain transparency, exchanges may face heightened pressure to demonstrate that internal data access cannot be exploited before market-moving disclosures.

Binance, the flagship exchange, has announced that it is introducing a lucrative incentive for holders of Ripple USD (RLUSD). 

It will offer an 8.5% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) on its Simple Earn Flexible Products as part of its promotional campaign. 

The campaign is officially launching tomorrow, aiming to attract liquidity. 

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Campaign mechanism According to the official announcement from Binance Earn, the promotion runs from Feb. 27 (00:00:00 UTC) through March 12 (23:59:59 UTC).

Flexible Products are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, so users are encouraged to subscribe early. 

Participants can redeem their RLUSD funds at any time while still accruing rewards due to the "flexible" nature of the product. 

The advertised 8.5% APR actually combines two distinct reward structures. The rewards generated from this 8% tier are distributed directly to users' Spot Accounts on a daily basis. 

The remaining yield comes from the standard Real-Time APR. This yield is accrued and accumulated directly into the users' Earn Accounts on a minute-by-minute basis.

Binance users must complete the platform's standard identity verification checks in order to be able to participate. 

Sub-accounts are not eligible for the promotion, meaning only master accounts will qualify for the rewards.

Users can subscribe with a minimum of 0.01 RLUSD and a maximum limit of 50,000 RLUSD per user to access the highest tier of rewards. 

The campaign has a global cap of 6,000,000 RLUSD across all participants, underscoring the "first-come, first-served" warning in the announcement.

Binance added support for RLUSD for spot trading on Jan. 22. 

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Ripple has backed AI infrastructure startup t54 in a $5 million seed round, a move that ties the company more closely to the emerging market for autonomous payments and agent-driven financial activity. The investment also puts the XRP Ledger in the frame as one of the networks being positioned for machine-to-machine commerce.

Ripple And The XRP Ledger Enter The Agentic Payments Race t54 announced on February 25 that its seed round was led by Anagram, PL Capital, and Franklin Templeton, with strategic participation from Ripple, alongside Virtuals Ventures, Blockchain Coinvestors, and ABCDE. The company describes itself as a “trust layer for the agentic economy,” focused on a problem that is starting to attract more attention as AI systems move from recommendation to execution: how to verify an agent’s identity, evaluate its risk, and assign accountability when something goes wrong.

That framing was echoed by Ripple President Monica Long, who wrote on X that “as autonomous agents begin managing and transacting with real capital, trust infrastructure becomes a foundational piece of the equation.” She added that Ripple was “proud to be at the forefront of AI innovation,” calling out t54 as a team “building the trust layer for the agentic economy.”

The company’s pitch is that existing financial rails were built around humans, not software agents acting on delegated authority. In the press release, founder Chandler Fang laid that out directly:

“We are building trust infrastructure for the agentic economy. Financial systems were designed around human identity and human decision-making. As agents become autonomous participants, we need agent-native financial primitives—verifiable agent identity (KYA), real-time risk assessment, and programmable accountability—built for how agents operate.”

That thesis is not just about identity in the abstract. t54 says its platform is built across four pillars: identity and verification, risk and fraud, credit, and a broader operating platform that combines controls with settlement. The idea is to give institutions a way to bind agents to verified developers or human operators, monitor their behavior in real time, and decide when they should be allowed to transact, borrow, or execute payment flows.

The company is also making a direct bet on crypto rails as part of that stack. Among the products it listed is an “XRPL x402 Facilitator,” described as infrastructure that lets AI agents pay for services using XRP and RLUSD. It also highlighted an open-source secure layer on x402 and said its ecosystem spans XRPL, Solana, Base, and Virtuals, suggesting it is not building for a single chain, even if Ripple’s involvement gives XRPL special relevance.

That matters because Ripple’s interest here goes beyond venture exposure. Markus Infanger, SVP at RippleX, framed the opportunity as a shift in the nature of economic actors themselves:

“Autonomous systems are becoming participants in economic activity, not just tools. The financial infrastructure that supports them must evolve accordingly. We support t54’s efforts to build the identity and risk capabilities that will be foundational as AI agents operate across payments, treasury, and capital markets.”

Tony Pecore, Franklin Templeton SVP and director of digital asset management, said:

“As institutions embrace tokenization and autonomous systems, the infrastructure layer must evolve to match. t54 is building the trust and verification framework that institutional finance will require as AI agents become participants in financial markets.”

t54 also backed its market argument with survey data. It cited a recent YouGov study showing 42% of US consumers would allow an AI agent to make purchases on their behalf if it secured the lowest price.

At the same time, research from Keyfactor found 86% of cybersecurity professionals believe autonomous systems and AI agents should have unique, dynamic digital identities. Together, those figures capture the tension t54 is trying to monetize: growing willingness to delegate financial actions to software, but only with tighter controls.

For Ripple and XRPL, the bet is clear. If autonomous agents do become active users of payment rails, then Ripple wants XRP Ledger infrastructure to be part of that next layer.

At press time, XRP traded at $1.4397.

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

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.

Cover image via U.Today Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by our writers are their own and do not represent the views of U.Today. The financial and market information provided on U.Today is intended for informational purposes only. U.Today is not liable for any financial losses incurred while trading cryptocurrencies. Conduct your own research by contacting financial experts before making any investment decisions. We believe that all content is accurate as of the date of publication, but certain offers mentioned may no longer be available.

As Bitcoin tries to stabilize at $67,000, Michael Saylor, Chairman of Strategy, continues to demonstrate his trademark optimism on social media. In a new post on X, Saylor not only depicted himself carrying a large orange bag covered with Bitcoin logos but also added an intriguing caption suggesting he might need a "bigger" one.

The message to the market is clear: Saylor & Co. are prepared to keep absorbing supply and buying more Bitcoin.

Why Michael Saylor сalling for "bigger bag" amid MSTR stock turbulenceAt present, Strategy holds 718,722 BTC, equivalent to approximately $48 billion in value. However, given an average purchase price near $76,000, Saylor and the company are sitting on an unrealized loss of about 12% on their position. Despite this, the company’s mNAV ratio remains around 1, while its adjusted enterprise value multiple is even higher: 1.256.

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In other Strategy-related developments, this week, the company hosted Strategy World 2026, where Saylor reiterated his thesis that Bitcoin represents digital capital. According to him, Bitcoin’s core value is not in abstract portability narratives but in the practical reality that one billion dollars in BTC can be transferred anywhere in the world, whereas moving a billion dollars in traditional assets is far more complex.

At the same time, he acknowledged that Bitcoin’s primary challenge is price volatility, arguing that large-scale capital inflows are held back mainly by fluctuations, not by any structural flaw in the network itself. From Saylor’s perspective, corrections are a normal part of the model. His message remains consistent: if you invest in BTC, be prepared to hold it for 7-10 years.

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All of this comes as Strategy’s stock, MSTR, is reportedly the most shorted stock in the market, according to Goldman Sachs. The shares are currently trading at $132.8, down 12.6% year-to-date in 2026. Compared to the all-time high of $542, the stock is off by 75.8%.

How much Saylor needs an even bigger orange bag may become clearer next week, as Strategy continues to report its Bitcoin activity on a weekly basis when transactions occur. One thing is certain: Saylor remains openly optimistic, even amid the current turbulence on the crypto market.

XRP could shift from a speculative token to the “invisible plumbing” of a new global settlement system.

Published: February 26, 2026 │ 3:59 PM GMT

Created by Kornelija Poderskytė from DailyCoin

In a recent video, crypto analyst Edo Farina floats the idea that XRP could evolve from “just another cryptocurrency” into the hidden plumbing of a new global financial system — one that might even be used to help settle the U.S. national debt.

The host frames the discussion against what he calls “the biggest debt crisis in human history,” claiming the existing fiat-based system cannot sustainably resolve U.S. obligations without triggering severe inflation or political backlash from higher taxes.

From Speculative Token To “Invisible Plumbing”The commentator’s central claim is not that XRP magically erases debt, but that a tokenized, blockchain-based financial architecture could fundamentally change how large-scale obligations are settled.

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In that framework, XRP is positioned as a neutral bridge asset for moving value between currencies and tokenized instruments, rather than a consumer-facing payment coin.

He references a clip from a Newsmax segment, where a speaker speculates about the U.S. government hypothetically allocating 1% of annual tax revenue — about $1 trillion — into an emerging cryptocurrency like XRP.

In the clip’s rough math, such a move at an assumed XRP price of $2.50 and a cited market cap of $144 billion could multiply XRP’s valuation “by a factor of eight,” pushing implied value into the trillions.

Edo Farina treats this not as a forecast, but as an illustration of how state-level capital flows could radically reprice a neutral settlement asset.

The host concedes the original TV audio is noisy and incomplete but insists that the underlying theme — fiat debasement versus hard or digital alternatives — is “already happening in real time,” pointing to record highs in gold and ongoing U.S. dollar devaluation.

De‑Dollarization, Gold & a Split Monetary OrderTo ground his thesis, Mr. Farina leans heavily on remarks from Colonel Douglas Macgregor, who describes accelerating “de‑dollarization” and a likely split into two global financial blocs.

Macgregor envisions a BRICS-aligned system — “Brazil, Russia, India, China, Saudi Arabia” and potentially “as many as a hundred nation-states” — moving toward a gold-heavy framework and away from the weaponized U.S. dollar.

Macgregor suggests future arrangements could mix gold and other commodities with a digital currency “independent of the central banks,” as trust in dollar-based institutions erodes.

The analyst seizes on this to argue that XRP, as a neutral bridge asset that “can’t be weaponized in the same way the U.S. dollar has been,” fits the technical and geopolitical requirements of a new reserve instrument.

He notes that central banks, once major net sellers of gold in the 1980s and 1990s, are now large accumulators.

From this, he sketches two possible intersections between precious metals and XRP: tokenized gold issued on the XRP Ledger, or XRP itself being backed by gold, with XRP’s escrow features used to maintain an artificial peg.

Either structure, Farina claims, would let governments “teleport gold instantly” without physically moving bullion — potentially attractive for sanctioned states already resorting to gold for settlement.

For investors, the video does not offer timelines or concrete policy signals.

Instead, it frames XRP as a speculative bet on a post‑dollar settlement layer, tightly tied to geopolitical realignment, central bank gold policy, and the rise of tokenized debt.

If any part of that macro thesis materializes at scale, neutral bridge assets could move from crypto’s periphery to its core.

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People Also Ask:Does the video claim the U.S. will definitely use XRP to pay its national debt?

The analyst presents it as a theoretical scenario and a way to highlight XRP’s potential role in a new settlement architecture, not as a confirmed policy plan.

How does gold factor into the XRP argument?

The host expects an eventual link between gold and digital assets, either through tokenized gold on the XRP Ledger or XRP being backed by gold to move value across borders without moving physical metal.

Is this vision tied to central bank digital currencies (CBDCs)?

Indirectly. The video focuses more on a neutral, non‑state bridge asset than on CBDCs themselves, arguing that geopolitical fragmentation increases the need for such a neutral rail.

What is the immediate takeaway for crypto investors?

The piece positions XRP as a long-duration macro bet on de‑dollarization, tokenized debt, and gold‑linked digital settlement, rather than a short‑term price call.

DailyCoin's Vibe Check: Which way are you leaning towards after reading this article?

Market Sentiment

100% Bullish

This article is for information purposes only and should not be considered trading or investment advice. Nothing herein shall be construed as financial, legal, or tax advice. Trading forex, cryptocurrencies, and CFDs pose a considerable risk of loss.

The broad crypto market has seen a sudden flip in investor sentiment as the prices of leading cryptocurrencies, including XRP, have seen notable daily increases.

Amid the rising bullish momentum, XRP’s exchange activities have taken a contrary twist, showing signs of increased sell pressure despite an ongoing price surge.

On Thursday, Feb. 26, crypto analytics platform Cryptoquant provided on-chain data from the XRP Ledger, revealing a 10.58% increase in the XRP exchange reserve over the last 24 hours.

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Exchange reserve soars past 2.77 billion XRP The data further revealed that the total XRP held on exchanges like Binance and others have surged to about 2,778,900,000 XRP worth a massive $3.98 billion. This marks a 7.29% increase in the asset’s exchange reserve over the last 24 hours. 

It is important to note that  increases in exchange reserves are often a strong signal of bearish sentiment. It typically means that more tokens are being moved to crypto trading platforms, which is most likely a precursor to selling activity.

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The surge in the XRP exchange reserve comes as a surprise as the asset is currently trading in bullish territory, showing a notable daily price surge. 

Nonetheless, investors selling off their assets at a time like this suggests that they may be positioning their assets for potential liquidation.

XRP supply expands Following the sharp increase in the XRP exchange reserve, the data further showed that its exchange supply share has surged notably by 7.22%.

This surge in the exchange supply indicates that a growing proportion of circulating XRP is now sitting on exchanges rather than in private wallets.

Nonetheless, the current XRP price action could be largely attributed to investors' sentiment as sustained exchange activity often precedes volatility-driven breakouts. Thus, it is currently uncertain how long the ongoing price rebound could last.

Bitcoin briefly crashes below $48,000 on upstart exchange despite crypto rallyA single large sell order triggered a 30% flash crash on decentralized perp exchange Lighter even as bitcoin was climbing elsewhere. Feb 26, 2026, 4:08 p.m.

While the broader crypto market was ripping higher on Wednesday, bitcoin BTC$68,056.93 briefly plunged 30% to below $48,000 on decentralized perpetuals exchange Lighter in a violent move that lasted seconds.

The flash crash stood in sharp contrast to price action elsewhere. During the same session, bitcoin surged from below $64,000 to above $69,000, marking one of its strongest intraday rallies in weeks.

The extreme move appeared to have been isolated to Lighter, where thin liquidity amplified what would otherwise have been a routine trade. In shallow order books, even modest sell pressure can trigger exaggerated price swings, producing so-called flash crashes that don’t reflect the broader market.

That's likely what happened on Lighter. A single sell order of roughly 1,000 bitcoin — worth about $67 million at the time — wiped out available bids and briefly sent prices spiraling, according to a Discord post by pseudonymous Web3 developer 0xTimberJ.

"Because Lighter is a newer DEX with less liquidity than centralized exchanges, the sell order wiped out all available bids and pushed the price down to ~$47k before recovering instantly," 0xTimberJ wrote.

Lighter is an up-and-coming decentralized perpetuals exchange seeking to challenge category leader Hyperliquid. Perpetual futures, or "perps," have become crypto's dominant derivatives product, allowing traders to use leverage and take long or short positions around the clock without contract expirations.

The platform briefly captured significant market share last November, processing over $292 billion in monthly volume — roughly a quarter of the $1.15 trillion traded across exchanges, according to data by The Block.

But activity has cooled sharply since its token airdrop late last year. Traders who ramped up activity to farm rewards have since rotated out, and monthly volume fell to $70 billion in February out of a $500 billion total market, trailing rivals such as Hyperliquid, Aster and EdgeX.

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Bitcoin falls back below $67,000, rapidly giving back Wednesday's gains

41 minutes ago

The declines are coming as the Nasdaq tumbles nearly 2%, led by a post-earnings selloff in Nvidia.

What to know:

Bitcoin has given back much of Wednesday's advance in morning U.S. trade.The declines are coming alongside a 2% drop in the Nasdaq following Nvidia earnings.Notably outperforming in crypto is Circle Financial (CRCL), now higher by about 40% since its earnings report on Wednesday morning.

Nu Holdings (NU) posted Q4 revenue of $4.86B (up 62.5%) and net income of $894.8M (up 62%). Shares fell 3.03% post-earnings.

Nu’s credit loss allowance rose to $1.31B from $1.04B in Q3. NPL coverage declined to 183.8% from 201.9% a year ago.

Nu achieved a 35% adjusted ROE as its efficiency ratio improved to 19.9% from 21.7% a year ago.

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Nu Holdings closed out 2025 with its strongest quarterly performance yet, posting $4.857 billion in Q4 revenue, up 62.5% year-over-year, while net income surged 62% to $894.8 million. Despite the impressive numbers, shares slipped 3.03% over the week following the report, closing at $16.65, suggesting investors had priced in much of the growth already. For a company now serving 131 million customers across Latin America, the question is whether the next leg of growth can sustain this trajectory.

Nu Holdings achieved its strongest quarterly performance in Q4 2025, driven by significant revenue and net income growth, though its stock price saw a slight dip. The earnings scorecard highlights strong revenue performance and profit margins, while also flagging credit quality risks. Q4 2025 Earnings Scorecard Category Grade Key Insight Revenue Performance A Revenue of $4.857B grew 62.5% YoY, accelerating from $4.173B in Q3 2025, driven by credit income of $2.78B, float income of $1.41B, and fee income of $670M. Earnings Beat/Miss B EPS of $0.18 came in exactly in line with consensus estimates, a solid result but leaving no upside surprise to reward shareholders. Forward Guidance B- Management outlined three strategic priorities for 2026, including US expansion after receiving conditional national bank charter approval in January 2026, but provided no specific revenue or EPS targets, limiting near-term visibility. Profit Margins A- The efficiency ratio improved to 19.9% from 21.7% in Q4 2024, and adjusted ROE reached 35%, reflecting strong operating leverage at scale. Cash Generation B Adjusted net income of $942.8M reflects healthy earnings quality, though the credit loss allowance rose to $1.31B from $1.04B in Q3, a meaningful build that warrants monitoring. Management Tone B+ Commentary was bullish across AI deployment via nuFormer, ecosystem expansion with NuCel growing 4x QoQ in active users, and US market entry, though the absence of quantitative guidance tempers the grade. Bottom Line Nu’s Q4 results demonstrate a company still in high-growth mode while simultaneously improving profitability. The combination of a 35% adjusted ROE, an 83% customer activity rate across 131 million users, and a 25% FX-neutral rise in monthly revenue per active customer to $15.00 paints a picture of deepening monetization. The main watch item heading into 2026 is credit quality: renegotiated loans stand at $3.2B and the 90+ day NPL coverage ratio has declined to 183.8% from 201.9% a year ago. With the Mexico banking license pending and US expansion in early stages, execution risk is real. Investors should watch whether Mexico customer growth, currently at 14 million or 15% of the adult population, can accelerate once full banking capabilities are unlocked.

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SummaryNvidia Corporation is rated a Buy, supported by low SBC, light capex, high margins, and extraordinary growth.Competitive risks exist from custom silicon and customer capex constraints, but NVDA's platform innovation and market expansion mitigate these concerns.NVDA's valuation range of $4.5–$6 trillion supports long-term upside, with current market cap near the low end and sequential quarterly growth outpacing S&P 500 norms. Getty Images

Introduction Per my November article, Nvidia Corporation (NVDA) looked undervalued at the time when the share price was $180.64. Since then, they have delivered another quarter with excellent numbers.

Stock-based compensation (“SBC”) is sometimes an afterthought in free cash

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of NVDA, AMZN, BN, BAM, CRM, GOOG, GOOGL, META, MSFT, TCEHY, TSLA, TSM, VOO 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.

Disclaimer: Any material in this article should not be relied on as a formal investment recommendation. Never buy a stock without doing your own thorough research.

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.

As Many As 86,400 Placed in Jobs & 265K Upskilled through Strategic Local Partnerships 

, /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of Career and Technical Education Month, Bank of America today announced it invested nearly $40 million in 2025 in workforce development initiatives, partnering with more than 100 universities and community colleges and over 600 nonprofit partners across all its U.S. markets.

Culinary student making a dessert These workforce development partners estimate the bank's investments last year alone contributed to approximately 86,400 individuals getting connected to livable‑wage jobs and provided 265,000 people with access to training, education and career readiness programs designed to position them for long‑term career success.

"Career and technical education are critical to building strong local economies," said Meghan Hughes, Head of Workforce Development at Bank of America. "These investments reflect our long-standing commitment to creating pathways to lasting success for people across the country. Employers need skilled workers and we're proud to partner with so many organizations that are preparing the next generation of talent for today's jobs and the careers of tomorrow. This work is a powerful demonstration of how we can drive American economic growth and prosperity—together."

These partnerships and investments are central to Bank of America's broader workforce development strategy, which emphasizes skills‑first hiring and aligns training opportunities with market needs. By closely partnering with employers, workforce boards, colleges and nonprofits, the bank is helping to close skills gaps and address talent shortages across key industries in regions where workforce demand is highest, from healthcare fields to advanced manufacturing, technology and more.

Examples of BofA investments include:

In Central Florida, Second Harvest Food Bank's Culinary Training Program is a 16-week continuing education opportunity offering adults the culinary and life skills training needed to pursue a full-time career in the food industry, which has rising demand for workers. Houston-based NextOp works with enlisted service members and veterans each year across Texas and other states to translate their military training and experience into qualifications for civilian careers and help place them into jobs with higher starting pay. Taft College in Bakersfield provides paid hands-on internships with regional healthcare providers across Kern County, an area having chronic shortages of nurses and other healthcare professionals with its Pre-Nursing Internship program. Nearly 60 nonprofit organizations receiving Bank of America support will also take part in leadership training designed to strengthen organizational capacity and help these partners scale their impact through BofA's Neighborhood Builders® program.

In addition to grant funds, BofA provides employee volunteerism and its Leader on Loan program placing talented leaders to work fulltime with workforce development organizations and other nonprofits for 12-18 months. Through collaboration with postsecondary institutions and local nonprofit partners, these efforts help ensure more Americans can access career‑relevant education and connect to quality employment opportunities.

Bank of America's commitment to workforce development is part of its broader mission to fuel economic mobility and strengthen communities nationwide.

Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving nearly 70 million clients with approximately 3,600 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 59 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for news email alerts.

Reporters may contact
Carla Molina, Bank of America   
Phone: 1.512.397.2402
[email protected]

SOURCE Bank of America Corporation

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania--(Newsfile Corp. - February 26, 2026) - National plaintiffs' law firm Berger Montague PC announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against CoreWeave, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRWV) ("CoreWeave" or the "Company") on behalf of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired CoreWeave securities during the period from March 28, 2025 through December 15, 2025 (the "Class Period"), inclusive.

Investor Deadline: Investors who purchased CoreWeave securities during the Class Period may, no later than March 13, 2026, seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class. To learn your rights, CLICK HERE.

CoreWeave, headquartered in Livingston, NJ, is an AI cloud computing firm and self-styled "Hyperscaler" providing AI infrastructure and proprietary software via its Cloud Platform. The company recognizes revenue only after its specialized data centers—known as "powered shells"—are installed and contracts are activated.

The company went public on March 28, 2025, selling 37.5 million shares at $40 each and raising $1.5 billion, following a March 10 deal with OpenAI valued at up to $11.9 billion. CoreWeave's stock surged to $183.58 by June 20, 2025, with demand described as "robust" and "unprecedented."

The Complaint alleges that defendants misrepresented CoreWeave's ability to meet demand and understated risks associated with reliance on a single third-party data center supplier. Beginning on October 30, 2025, investors learned the true state of demand for the Company's offerings, resulting in declines in the price of CoreWeave's shares of $8.87 (6.33%) on October 30, 2025, $17.22 (16.31%) on November 10-11, 2025, and $2.85 (3.39%) on December 15-16, 2025.

If you are a CoreWeave investor and would like to learn more about this action, CLICK HERE or please contact Berger Montague: Andrew Abramowitz at [email protected] or (215) 875-3015, or Caitlin Adorni at [email protected] or (267)764-4865.

About Berger Montague
Berger Montague is one of the nation's preeminent law firms focusing on complex civil litigation, class actions, and mass torts in federal and state courts throughout the United States. With more than $2.4 billion in 2025 post-trial judgments alone, the Firm is a leader in the fields of complex litigation, antitrust, consumer protection, defective products, environmental law, employment law, securities, and whistleblower cases, among many other practice areas. For over 55 years, Berger Montague has played leading roles in precedent-setting cases and has recovered over $50 billion for its clients and the classes they have represented. Berger Montague is headquartered in Philadelphia and has offices in Chicago; Malvern, PA; Minneapolis; San Diego; San Francisco; Toronto, Canada; Washington, D.C., and Wilmington, DE.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/285398

Source: Berger Montague

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Schneider Electric reported record quarterly sales and strong 2026 guidance, boosted by surging demand from AI data centers.

The Zacks Hotels and Motels industry is facing pressure from a mix of cost, demand and competitive challenges. Sticky inflation has pushed up labor, utilities and maintenance expenses, squeezing margins just as pricing power begins to cool. However, industry participants are focusing on growth strategies, including expanding their portfolios, converting properties, forming partnerships and enhancing loyalty programs. Industry players, such as Marriott International, Inc. (MAR - Free Report) , Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (HLT - Free Report) and Hyatt Hotels Corporation (H - Free Report) are likely to benefit from the factors mentioned above.

Industry Description The Zacks Hotels and Motels industry comprises companies that own, lease, manage, develop and franchise hotels. Some vacation ownership and exchange firms are also part of the industry. Several participants own, construct and operate resorts. Some companies develop lodges and mobile accommodations, including modular, skid-mounted ones and central amenities that provide long-term and temporary workforce accommodations. Some industry players develop, market, sell and manage vacation ownership and associated products. A few hoteliers also offer studios, one-bedroom suites and accommodations to mid-market business and personal travelers.

4 Trends Shaping the Future of the Hotels & Motels Industry Margin Pressure From Elevated Cost Structures: Operating costs continue to weigh heavily on hotel and motel profitability. Labor remains the largest challenge, with staffing gaps forcing operators to pay higher wages, rely on overtime or use third-party staffing services. These measures raise fixed costs and reduce operating leverage.

Beyond labor, hotels are facing higher expenses for property upkeep, insurance premiums and energy costs. With demand normalizing, pricing power has weakened, restricting the industry’s ability to offset rising costs through higher room rates. As a result, margins are under pressure, especially for smaller and mid-scale properties.

Economic Uncertainty & Slowing Growth: The broader U.S. economy remains a headwind for hotels, with inflation, high interest rates and softening consumer confidence curbing discretionary spending. Leisure demand has cooled from its post-pandemic highs, while corporate travel budgets remain cautious. Many companies are trimming travel-related expenses, leading to weaker bookings in both urban and convention-heavy markets.

Gradual Improvement Expected From 2026 Onward: CoStar and Tourism Economics expect U.S. hotel performance to stabilize and slowly improve starting in 2026. Average daily rates are forecasted to rise about 1% from the prior year, while occupancy is projected to slip slightly to 62.1%. Even with marginally lower occupancy, revenue per available room is still expected to post a modest 0.6% increase in 2026.

This outlook follows a challenging 2025, when both occupancy and RevPAR declined year over year for the first time since 2020. Looking ahead, the firms anticipate stronger and more broad-based growth in 2027, driven by a steadier travel backdrop and healthier consumer spending patterns.

Digitalization to Drive Growth: Hotel owners are focused on maintaining the balance between maximizing hotel profitability and driving guest satisfaction. To this end, hoteliers have leveraged mobile and web check-in and mobile key technologies. These hoteliers also increased the use of digital tools to strengthen infrastructure, grow online package sales, enable self-service bookings, make real-time offerings and enhance the overall customer experience. This, along with the emphasis on pricing optimization and merchandising capabilities, is likely to help hoteliers capture additional market share.

Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Dull Prospects The Zacks Hotels and Motels industry is grouped within the broader sector.

The group's Zacks Industry Rank, which is the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates dull near-term prospects. The Zacks Hotels and Motels industry currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #179, which places it in the bottom 26% of the 243 Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than two to one.

The industry's position in the bottom 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries results from a negative earnings outlook for the constituent companies in aggregate. Looking at the aggregate earnings estimate revisions, analysts are gradually losing confidence in this group's earnings growth potential.

Before we present a few stocks that you may want to keep an eye on, let us look at the industry's recent stock-market performance and valuation picture.

Industry Underperforms the S&P 500 In the past year, the Zacks Hotels and Motels industry has underperformed the S&P 500. However, over this period, the industry has gained 1.9% against the sector's decrease of 6.9%. Meanwhile, the Zacks S&P 500 composite has rallied 18.5%.

Price Performance 

Hotels & Motels Industry's Valuation Based on the trailing 12-month EV/EBITDA, which is a commonly used multiple for valuing Hotels and Motels stocks, the industry is currently trading at 16.81X compared with the S&P 500's 17.58X. The sector's trailing 12-month EV/EBITDA ratio stands at 10.55X.

Over the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 89.66X and as low as 13.38X, the median being 16.56X, as the chart shows.

3 Hotels & Motels Stocks to Watch Marriott: The company is benefiting from higher RevPAR, solid rooms growth and continued development momentum. Global revenue per available room improved 1.9% year over year, led by strength in international markets. Also, luxury properties continued to outperform on the back of healthy demand and favorable rates. Strategic growth through conversions, new unit openings and an expanding development pipeline remains central to its long-term plan. 

Price & Consensus: MAR

Hilton: The company is benefiting from strong net unit growth, steady demand trends, year-over-year RevPAR growth and continued expansion of its global footprint. Management expects continued momentum across key international markets, forecasting low single-digit RevPAR growth in the EMEA region. Also, its focus on a capital-light model and disciplined capital return strategy bodes well.

HLT presently has a Zacks Rank #3. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Hilton’s 2026 EPS implies growth of 12.5% from the year-ago period’s actual. HLT’s shares have gained 21% in the past year.

Price & Consensus: HLT

Hyatt: The company is benefiting from strong leisure travel demand and RevPAR gains in luxury and all-inclusive segments. A focus on unit expansion, strategic acquisitions and asset-light models bodes well. Additionally, emphasis on AI-Enabled operating Model and the ongoing expansion of the World of Hyatt loyalty program enhance the company’s competitive positioning.

H currently carries a Zacks Rank #3. The company’s 2026 bottom line is likely to witness year-over-year growth of 47.5%. H’s shares have gained 20.8% in the past year.

Price & Consensus: H

NVIDIA’s NASDAQ: NVDA Q4 earnings release for its fiscal 2026 (FY2026) proves that its AI growth is far from slowing. While fears about AI spending and disruption persist, NVIDIA’s revenue growth continues to outperform at hyper levels with forecasts for more of the same.

The takeaway is that AI may be a bubble or not; either way, cash is still flowing into the market, and the peaks have yet to be reached. What this means for NVIDIA’s investors is that revenue will perform at least at current levels for the next few quarters to several years, underpinning robust cash flow, enabling reinvestment in next-gen technologies, acquisitions to expand the business, and capital returns to drive shareholder value.

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NVIDIA’s Wow-Quarter Reveals Acceleration in Critical Markets NVIDIA’s Q4 reveals acceleration in critical markets with revenue of $68.3 billion outpacing MarketBeat’s reported consensus by 300 basis points. Strength was seen across segments, with growth in automotive and gaming aligning with signs of an emergent supercycle reported by industrial chipmakers. 

NVIDIA Today

$186.08 -9.48 (-4.85%)

As of 10:19 AM Eastern

This is a fair market value price provided by Massive. Learn more.

52-Week Range$86.62▼

$212.19Dividend Yield0.02%

P/E Ratio46.26

Price Target$271.32

Data Center, the critical segment, grew by 22% sequentially and 75% year-over-year (YOY), driven by demand for high-performance computing and AI infrastructure. It now accounts for more than 90% of revenue and is expected to remain strong in the upcoming quarters. Pro-Visulation grew by 158% YOY, followed by a 48% increase in Gaming and a 6% gain in Automotive. 

Margin news was also robust, underpinning the analysts’ stock price outlook. The company experienced improved leverage at all levels, resulting in $1.62 in adjusted EPS, nearly a dime better than expected.

The 500 basis points of outperformance not only outpaced revenue growth but also left earnings up 82% compared to the 73% top-line increase. Looking forward, margins are expected to contract slightly, with Q1 FY2027 adjusted gross margin forecast to decline by only 20 bps compared to the Q4 release. 

As strong as the revenue and earnings growth was, the guidance is stronger. The company forecasts $78 billion in Q1 FY2027 revenue, up $10 billion, or 14.7% sequentially and 77% YOY, excluding China. Including China, assuming sales are ever approved by both sides at the same time, growth will be stronger. Other critical details include the cash flow and free cash flow (FCF), which approached $35 billion, just over half of revenue in Q4 and expected to remain strong in the upcoming year. 

Analysts Highlight 50% Upside Potential for NVIDIA’s Stock in 2026 The analyst response to NVIDIA’s report and guidance is bullish, affirming the uptrend and forecast for at least 35% upside from late February’s support target.

NVIDIA Stock Forecast Today12-Month Stock Price Forecast:
$271.32
43.46% Upside

Buy
Based on 52 Analyst Ratings

Current Price$189.13High Forecast$400.00Average Forecast$271.32Low Forecast$205.00NVIDIA Stock Forecast Details

While consensus is pegged near $268, the handful of updates and revisions issued immediately after the release include price target increases and affirmations, pointing to the high-end of the range. No reductions were logged: the consensus of fresh targets is near $300, and the high end is $400. 

A move to the consensus target would be sufficient to set a fresh all-time high, breaking the market out of its consolidation range. In this scenario, the technical targets suggest a move to the $270- $280 level is the minimum, and that this market could double in the bull case. Other indicators, including stochastic and moving-average-convergence-divergence (MACD), align with trend-following entries that sustain upward price movements.

Analyst and institutional sentiment trends suggest this will be a broad market movement. MarketBeat tracks more than 50 analysts with current ratings, sentiment is pegged at Buy with a 96% Buy-side bias, and the institutions aggressively accumulated in early 2026. The data reveals they owned more than 65% of the stock, accumulated throughout 2025, and ramped activity in Q1 2026. The balance in early Q1 is more than $4 bought for each $1 sold, which provides solid support and a robust tailwind. 

NVIDIA’s Balance Sheet Is a Great Reason to Own It Market drivers and fears aside, NVIDIA’s business is healthy today and looks well-positioned for the next few quarters, as it generates robust cash flow. The cash flow is reflected in the balance sheet, which shows increased cash, assets, and equity despite aggressive investments, capital returns, and acquisitions. The cash, up approximately 50% at year’s end, topped $60 billion, driving a greater-than-50 % increase in current assets (including receivables and inventory growth) and a nearly 100% increase in total assets. 

Equity, the measure of shareholder value, nearly doubled to $157 billion and leverage, the measure of debt risk, is very low. NVIDIA carries debt, but it declined in the year and is offset by cash. The cash balance leaves the company with net cash relative to total liabilities, putting it in an enviable position to continue executing its strategy while building shareholder value. 

Should You Invest $1,000 in NVIDIA Right Now?Before you consider NVIDIA, you'll want to hear this.

MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and NVIDIA wasn't on the list.

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If you have $10,000 that you won’t need to spend anytime soon, there are ways to derive passive income from that money. Among the easiest strategies is to buy and hold a handful of dividend-paying stocks.

Stocks with good yields can be the crown jewels of your portfolio, but you need to have a plan in place. Instead of putting all of eggs in one basket, it would make more sense to set aside $2,500 for four different dividend stocks.

That’s an equal allocation into four high-quality companies that also happen to reward the shareholders with dividend payments. So you can get started today, here is the first passive income pick I’ve chosen for you.

Energy Transfer (ET) To begin with, your first $2,500 out of $10,000 can be converted into shares of Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET) stock. You may or may not have heard of this company, but Energy Transfer is actually an important U.S. midstream oil and natural gas business.

Sure, America could eventually switch to cleaner energy sources. For the foreseeable future, however, there will be a need for oil and gas pipelines, and Energy Transfer is a premier provider and servicer of these pipelines.

Owning an energy stock might sound excessively risky. Yet, I invite you to check out the five-year price chart of ET stock. The share price is up 130%, which suggests (but doesn’t guarantee) that Energy Transfer’s investors will continue to make money.

Plus, here’s the kicker. Currently, ET stock features a tremendous 7.13% forward annual dividend yield. That’s why you’ll find a favorable reward-to-risk profile with Energy Transfer stock right now.

Amgen (AMGN) I’m trying to keep your money reasonably safe while achieving strong growth potential. That’s why my next pick for a $2,500 investment is Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN), a well-established pharmaceutical giant.

PepsiCo (PEP) This one fits right into the category of “consumer defensive,” as PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) is an undeniable competitor in the beverage and snack food industry. You can significantly reduce the volatility of your $10,000 portfolio with an ultra-safe investment in PEP stock shares.

Here’s a noteworthy fact: PepsiCo stock has a five-year monthly beta of 0.42. This means PEP stock has historically only moved 42% as fast, in both directions, as the S&P 500.

Now, we’re forming a real strategy for your $10,000 account. Energy Transfer stock might move fast sometimes since it’s in the energy sector, but PepsiCo stock will be a safe anchor to keep your portfolio in a state of balance.

Don’t get the wrong idea, though. PepsiCo stock might be considered a safety net, and its share price gained a modest 30% over the past five years.

On the other hand, it’s still a growth asset in a different way. That’s because PepsiCo offers a hefty 3.36% dividend yield — a compelling reason to own $2,500 worth of the company’s shares.

Cisco Systems (CSCO) If you’re going to invest a total of $10,000, it makes sense to own at least one technology stock since it’s such an important sector in the 2020s. Consequently, you can collect decent dividends with a famous communications/networking products provider, Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO).

The harsh truth is that large-cap technology stocks typically pay meager dividends, and some don’t pay any dividends at all. Cisco breaks the mold, though, as CSCO stock provides a comparatively high 2.12% annual yield.

Furthermore, while some tech stocks are volatile, Cisco stock’s five-year monthly beta is 0.87. Hence, you might actually expect CSCO stock to move slightly slower than the S&P 500. 

In the past five years, Cisco stock’s share price has advanced nearly 75%, and that doesn’t include the consistent quarterly dividend payments. All in all, CSCO stock is a great place to park the final $2,500 of your total $10,000 dividend-enhanced investment. 

EBay said Thursday it is cutting about 800 roles, or 6% of its workforce, in the latest round of layoffs at the e-commerce company.

"We are taking steps to reinvest across our business and align our structure with our strategic priorities, which will affect certain roles across our workforce," an eBay spokesperson said in a statement. "We are grateful for the contributions of the employees impacted and are committed to supporting them with care and respect."

EBay said the job cuts are spread across the company, and that decisions were made based on operating-model needs, areas of duplication and alignment to future priorities.

The company had 12,300 employees worldwide as of Dec. 31, 2025, according to its latest annual filing.

Earlier this week, eBay reached a settlement with a Massachusetts couple who were victims of a harassment campaign waged by several former employees.

David and Ina Steiner sued eBay in federal court in 2021 after they were stalked and harassed by employees who were angered by coverage on their blog, EcommerceBytes. Two former eBay executives were given prison time in 2022 over the scheme. Terms of the settlement weren't disclosed.

Read more CNBC tech newsFirst look at Nvidia's new AI system Vera Rubin is 10 times more efficient than its predecessorSamsung's S26 gives an advance look at what the Google-powered Apple Siri could doThrive Capital invested about $1 billion in OpenAI at a $285 billion valuation, source saysHead of Amazon's AGI lab is leaving the companyEBay has continued to trim its headcount in recent years, while at the same time spending more on artificial intelligence. The company has implemented AI tools internally, and looked to infuse the technology across its buyer and seller experiences. It's also partnered with OpenAI on its agentic web browser.

The investments come as eBay is vying to compete with larger, faster-growing rivals Amazon and Walmart, and other online marketplaces like Etsy, TikTok Shop, Temu and Shein.

EBay last week announced plans to acquire Etsy's secondhand clothing marketplace Depop for about $1.2 billion in cash. The deal should give eBay a greater leg up with consumers under the age of 34, which make up about 90% of Depop's user base.

CEO Jamie Iannone said Depop would also allow eBay to grow its presence in fashion, which has emerged as one of the company's fastest-growing categories.

The company has leaned into its other so-called "focus categories," which include collectibles, car parts and accessories and refurbished goods.

EBay said in its fourth-quarter earnings report last week that gross merchandise volume from focus categories grew more than 16% year over year.

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