Market Signal Briefing

Alphabet had a dominant 2025 and looks to continue that success in 2026.

Alphabet (GOOG +1.60%) (GOOGL +1.55%) has been one of the top-performing stocks in the whole market in 2025. Its stock has risen over 60%, placing it in the top 30 performers of the S&P 500 in 2025. While the top 30 may not be as impressive as the top 10, investors must realize that Alphabet's size makes this feat all the more impressive.

Alphabet experienced several tailwinds in 2025 that brought its stock price to far below average to in line with its peers. This growth was aided by a positive ruling in its monopoly court case and Alphabet emerging as a leader in the generative AI realm. Those catalysts are gone for 2026, and investors need new reasons for why Alphabet's stock could soar next year.

I've got three reasons why it will be a successful investment, and one reason it may be time to move on. But is that one reason to sell enough to outweigh the three reasons to buy? Let's find out.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Alphabet's core business is excelling
Alphabet has a ton of business units under its umbrella, but none is more important than its core business: Google Search.

Earlier this year, investors were worried that Google Search may be going away as generative AI was in a position to replace it. However, that hasn't panned out, largely thanks to the integration of AI search overviews, which provide a hybrid generative AI and traditional search experience. This has allowed Google to maintain its market position and thrive in a booming ad market.

In Q3, Google Search revenue rose 15% year over year, not bad for a mature business unit that's expected to grow in the high single digits to the low double digits. When Alphabet's base business thrives, so does the rest of the company. If Google Search can keep delivering strong results throughout 2026, Alphabet stock will be a great one to own.

Today's Change

(

1.55

%) $

4.70

Current Price

$

307.16

2. Google Cloud is thriving in the AI buildout
Another area of its business that's doing quite well is its cloud computing wing, Google Cloud. Cloud computing is thriving for two reasons.

First, traditional workloads are migrating to the cloud because it's much easier than maintaining expensive equipment and computing hardware on-site. Second, artificial intelligence workloads are rapidly coming online, and most companies don't have the resources to build their own giant data center, so they rent computing capacity from a provider like Google Cloud.

In Q3, Google Cloud's revenue rose 34% year over year. That's one of Alphabet's fastest-growing segments, and investors shouldn't be surprised to see this growth rate continue throughout 2026.

3. Alphabet may have a new business unit launching
Part of the reason Alphabet's cloud computing business has been so successful is its custom AI chips, Tensor Processing Units (TPUs). TPUs are an alternative to graphics processing units (GPUs) and are suited for specific workloads more than GPUs. This allows them to deliver better performance at a lower cost when running specific workloads, making them a popular option.

Currently, clients can only gain access to them by renting them through Google Cloud. But that could be changing. Reportedly, Alphabet is in talks with Meta Platforms to sell TPUs outright, which could be a brand-new business unit starting up. That's a revenue stream that investors haven't accounted for, making Alphabet an intriguing stock for 2026.

Alphabet's stock isn't as cheap as it once was
After its strong run in 2025, Alphabet's stock is no longer cheap. It now trades for nearly 30 times forward earnings, which isn't a historically cheap price tag for any stock.

GOOGL PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts

This may hamper Alphabet's long-term returns, but only if the market deems the stock too expensive. Many of Alphabet's big tech peers have traded around this valuation level for an extended time period, so it isn't unrealistic to assume that Alphabet can maintain this premium.

If it can, Alphabet will be a top stock to own for 2025. If it can't, it could be a rough year.

Josh Woodward may not be a household name in Silicon Valley. But inside Google, everybody knows about him.

The 42-year-old Oklahoma native, who started at Google by way of a product management internship in 2009, has spent the past eight months running the Gemini app, the centerpiece of the search giant's artificial intelligence strategy. 

Heading into 2026, Woodward's work is more critical than ever as Google rushes to keep pace with its high-powered AI rivals, namely OpenAI, which kickstarted the generative AI boom with the launch of ChatGPT just over three years ago. 

As industry experts forecast a shift in consumer behavior from traditional search to AI-powered apps, Google is fighting to make sure users stay within its ecosystem, whether it's for chatbot services, images, videos or online shopping. Woodward is helping to spearhead that effort while also keeping his job as head of Google Labs, home to the company's experimental AI projects.

Clay Bavor, former co-lead of Google Labs, said Woodward's ability to move fast, break down barriers and execute "has landed him right at the center of the most important work at Google."

CNBC spoke with more than a dozen people who have worked with Woodward about his evolving profile at Google, how he got there and the pressure he faces to help Google stay ahead of the competition without losing the trust of users. Several current and former colleagues, including some who asked not to be named because they weren't authorized to speak to the press, emphasized how seriously Woodward takes the societal concerns that come with the power of AI, and about Google's role in shaping the future.

watch now

In April, when Woodward was promoted to run the Gemini app, Google's position in AI was tenuous. Alphabet shares plunged 18% in the first quarter, their worst performance for any period since 2022, and concerns were building that the company was losing its long-held position as the internet's front door.

Demis Hassabis, co-founder of Google DeepMind and the person considered the top AI executive at Google, said in the memo announcing the move that Woodward would be focused on the "next evolution" of the app, according to a Semafor report.

A major turning point for Woodward's group came in late August, with the launch of image generator Nano Banana, a Gemini feature that lets users blend multiple photos together to create personal digitized figurines.

Within days, Nano Banana had become so popular it was overloading the company's infrastructure, forcing Google to place temporary limits on usage to ease the burden on its custom-designed chips called tensor processing units.

"Our TPUs almost melted," said Amin Vahdat, Google's head of AI infrastructure, at a November all-hands meeting, according to audio reviewed by CNBC.

By the end of September, the Gemini app surpassed 5 billion images and dethroned OpenAI's ChatGPT at the top of Apple's App Store. Nano Banana is now being rolled into other products like Google Lens and Circle to Search.

Like its top rivals, Alphabet is pouring money into AI infrastructure ahead of an expected surge of new business. The company said in its earnings report in October that capital expenditures for the full year would reach between $91 billion and $93 billion, up from a prior forecast of $85 billion.

Stock Chart IconStock chart icon

Alphabet vs. Meta in 2025

Wall Street's mood on the company has reversed dramatically.

Despite a brutal first quarter, Alphabet's stock is up 62% this year, outperforming all of its megacap peers including Meta, which is up 13%.

Google said in October that the Gemini app's monthly active users swelled to 650 million from 350 million in March. AI Overviews, which uses generative AI to summarize answers to queries, has 2 billion monthly users. OpenAI said in October that ChatGPT hit 800 million users per week.

Last month, Google introduced Gemini 3, its latest model, prompting excitement across much of the tech sector.

"I've never had more fun than right now," Woodward told CNBC's Deirdre Bosa in an interview soon after the release. "It's partly the pace. It's partly the abilities these models give to people who can imagine use cases and products."

Bavor, who's now co-founder of AI agent startup Sierra, said Woodward "was among the very earliest people in the company to see the potential in large language models for building products," and lauded his ability to "get his mind fully around a new technology, to see around corners, to see how it might evolve and how it might be used."

'Change for good or bad'Woodward now faces the challenge of not only leading two units within Google but also finding a balance between moving fast to compete with AI rivals OpenAI and Anthropic and not moving so fast that the search company's AI products enable potential harm. 

It's a pressing issue as AI rapidly bleeds into daily life, more slop populates social media, and an onslaught of AI-generated content makes it difficult for average consumers to distinguish fact from fiction.

Woodward discussed the theme in a podcast with partners from venture firm Sequoia in March, shortly before taking over the Gemini app. AI-generated videos were rapidly getting more advanced, following the launch of OpenAI's Sora in late 2024.

"When I'm thinking of video, for example, I'm on the side of wanting to amplify human creativity, but there are these moments that happen in our valley here where things change," Woodward said. "And they change often for generations. And they can change for good or bad."

The Nano Banana Pro, released in November, is so advanced that its creations blur the lines between images that are clearly AI generated and those that are real. The product has faced criticism for depicting white women surrounded by Black children in responding to a prompt about humanitarian aid in Africa. 

The intensity of the job is hardly reflected in Woodward's persona. Colleagues harp on his disarming, goofy laugh that often comes out mid-conversation and a friendliness stemming from his Midwestern upbringing.

Caesar Sengupta, who worked with Woodward on one of his earliest projects at Google, said, "I've never seen him get angry with anyone." Sengupta, who's now founder of AI finance platform Arta, added that he used to tease Woodward, suggesting he would be Google's next CEO.

Woodward joined Google Labs in 2022. Bavor said Woodward was his first choice to help lead the effort. 

One of the team's first breakout products was known as Project Tailwind, an AI notebook that senior product manager Raiza Martin thought up in her 20% time, Google's longstanding practice of letting employees dedicate one day a week to a project of personal interest.

Woodward helped shepherd the project through several iterations to what morphed into NotebookLM, a popular product that analyze articles, PDFs or videos a user uploads, and provides summaries or offers insights. Martin stayed on as a senior product manager until December 2024, when she left to co-found AI startup Huxe.

To help build NotebookLM, Woodward turned to an unsuspecting hire.

Steven Johnson had never had a full-time boss and had no connection to Google. Living in New York, he'd spent his career up to that point as an author, writing books about the history of science and technology.

Woodward was an admirer of his work.

"We hatched plans for him to join us as a visiting scholar," Bavor said. 

Johnson joined on a part-time basis in 2022. When he went full time in May 2023, Woodward put him to work immediately.

With Google's annual I/O developer conference a week away, Woodward had the idea to demo an audio feature for what would become NotebookLM, viewing it as a way to test the evolving capabilities of Google's AI models. The group worked overtime to get it done in time for Woodward's presentation.

Leading up to the event, Martin wanted to collect user feedback on communication app Discord even though Google preferred that staffers use homegrown products for such efforts. Woodward intervened to make sure Martin could keep using Discord, employees told CNBC.

"In true Google fashion, everyone was like 'What is Discord?'" Martin said in October 2024, on Lenny's Podcast, hosted by tech investor and researcher Lenny Rachitsky. She recalled being asked by Google administration, "Why not use Google Meet, why not Google Groups, why not this and that, and I was like, 'The server is the way to go.'"

Johnson, who spoke with CNBC on a video call, said Woodward's approach was, "Let them cook." The discord server now has more than 200,000 members, a company spokesperson told CNBC.

At I/O, Woodward took the stage after Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian's keynote. He opened by talking about Project Tailwind, a concept that "five engineers at Google put together over the last few weeks."

"We've been developing this idea with authors like Steven Johnson and testing it at universities like University of Oklahoma, where I went to school," said Woodward, as he walked across the stage to a laptop. "You want to see how it works?"

He began his demo, uploading documents into the app. In a side panel, Tailwind instantly began showing key concepts and questions based on the materials in each document. He hovered his mouse over a button that said citations, saying "My favorite part is it shows its work."

NotebookLM was initially released in July 2023, followed by a broader rollout in the ensuing months. It was an instant hit, and has since been updated to include podcasting, audio and video features.

Recommended readingWoodward graduated from Oklahoma with an economics degree in 2006, and then headed to graduate school at University of Oxford in the U.K., where he studied the effects of the U.S. military and economic foreign aid on democracy. 

He kicked off his career at Google in 2009 with a product management internship, and went on to hold a number of product management roles.

When Sengupta was tapped by CEO Sundar Pichai to start the Next Billion Users (NBU) project, an initiative to understand users in emerging markets like India, Woodward was "one of the first people I asked to join," he told CNBC.

At NBU, Woodward wrote a weekly newsletter that was concise and thought-provoking, and became so popular that people would email the author asking to be added to the newsletter, Sengupta said.

Woodward still writes a newsletter — now it's quarterly — about matters of interest to him and what he's been reading. Woodward reads so much that he's often the first person Google executives go to for book recommendations, colleagues said.

He also assigns reading. Martin said on the podcast last year that Woodward had given her an article to read that dissected whether users should trust AI chatbots.

watch now

One of Woodward's best-known attributes, employees said, is his ability to circumvent Google's massive bureaucracy. He helped set up a system called "block," where workers can file a note if they see a perceived roadblock, and a team within Labs will handle it, they said. When NotebookLM launched, the product needed more TPUs, and Woodward was able to get them.

"It's been very cool that we have someone who can take care of the annoying stuff, and we're able to just get to the users," said Usama Bin Shafqat, a Google Labs software engineer.

Woodward also came up with a process called "Papercuts" to address minor issues that create friction in a particular product. In October, Woodward posted on X, "Papercut fixed: You can now change models mid-conversations on GeminiApp without having to start over." The post got more than 100 replies, including many from users thanking him.

Woodward is known for responding directly to users on X and Reddit, and brings feedback to employees so they can address complaints, said Jason Spielman, a former designer at NotebookLM.  

"It's that level of commitment to the end user I hadn't seen in other leaders," said Spielman, who left Google in January to join Martin at Huxe.

At a Google all-hands meeting last December, Woodward took the microphone as the Zombie Nation song "Kernkraft 400" blared in the background. 

"I'm going to try to do six demos in eight minutes," Woodward told the audience, according to audio obtained by CNBC. 

He started with Jules, a coding assistant. He showed off NotebookLM, which had received several updates. He then moved to Project Mariner, an AI-powered multitasking Chrome extension, and demoed AI video generator Veo and experimental AI tool Whisk. He also showed project Maya, an image generation tool built in collaboration with the Google Shopping team. 

Attendees erupted in applause after seeing all of the demos work in real time. 

Ahead of last year's I/O event, Woodward suggested Google host a second show tailored to staffers, according to two employees.

Pichai quickly greenlit the proposal and dispatched Woodward's Labs teams to make it a reality. The result was Demo Slam, where employees showed off rapid demos to an audience of their peers, who could also try the products. It was such a hit that Google hosted a second Demo Slam in May, the same week as I/O.

Expectations are high for Woodward, and Google broadly, to continue delivering new AI features in 2026. But with 2025 wrapping up, Pichai sees the company riding high.

"The momentum has been incredible to see," Pichai said at a recent all-hands meeting. "We've been shipping at a pretty fast pace across the company"

watch now

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 NFLX 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.

Also long DIS

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.

Vanguard Value ETF carries a higher yield but slightly higher expenses than SPTM. SPTM has delivered stronger 1-year and 5-year growth, but with higher volatility and drawdowns.

American economist Peter Schiff has criticised Trump Media & Technology Group (NASDAQ: DJT), arguing that the company lacks any meaningful intrinsic value beyond its association with President Donald Trump.

The remarks come as DJT draws renewed attention following its latest strategic shift, a proposed merger with fusion energy firm TAE Technologies.

According to Schiff’s assessment, DJT’s evolution points to the absence of a coherent underlying business model, as outlined in an X post on December 18.

The company initially launched as a social media platform centred on Truth Social, positioning itself as an alternative to mainstream networks. As growth stalled and monetisation challenges persisted, DJT broadened its ambitions, rebranding as a financial technology and cryptocurrency-focused entity with plans to hold Bitcoin as a core treasury asset.

“DJT, a company owned by Donald Trump, has little intrinsic value beyond its connection to the President. It began as a social media company, pivoted into a Bitcoin treasury company, and is now merging with a fusion energy company. The constant reinvention makes clear that the business itself is not the point,” he said

According to the economist, the latest pivot into advanced energy through a multibillion-dollar fusion merger represents yet another dramatic reinvention.

Schiff’s critique centres on the idea that these strategic shifts are not driven by operational synergies or proven cash-flow potential, but by the perceived political capital attached to the Trump brand.

From this perspective, DJT’s primary asset is not technology, media reach, or energy expertise, but proximity to political power. The merger with a capital-intensive, heavily regulated fusion energy firm highlights the view that access to influence and expectations of favourable treatment may outweigh the value of the underlying businesses.

“The only real value DJT offers an energy company is political leverage: access to power and the prospect of favorable treatment from the Trump administration,” he added.

DJT – TAE Technologies deal 
The proposed all-stock merger with TAE Technologies values the combined entity at more than $6 billion. It would effectively transform DJT into one of the few publicly listed companies tied to nuclear fusion research.

Management has framed the deal as a long-term bet on clean energy and rising power demand from data centres and artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Plans outlined by the companies include early-stage construction of a utility-scale fusion facility later in the decade, although commercial viability remains uncertain.

Market reaction to the fusion announcement has been volatile, with DJT shares experiencing sharp gains following the news. At the close of Friday’s session, DJT was trading at $16.09, ending the day up more than 8%. Over the past five days, the stock has rallied by over 50%.

DJT 5-day stock price chart. Source: Finbold
The deal may be viewed as a welcome opportunity for investors, considering DJT has struggled for much of the year, with the stock down more than 50% year to date.

Featured image via Shutterstock

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses In Sprouts To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options

If you purchased or acquired securities in Sprouts between June 4, 2025 and October 29, 2025 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

[You may also click here for additional information]

NEW YORK, Dec. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. (“Sprouts” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: SFM) and reminds investors of the January 26, 2026 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company.

Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com.

As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose that: Defendants provided overwhelmingly positive statements to investors while, at the same time, disseminating materially false and misleading statements and/or concealing material adverse facts concerning the true state of Sprouts’ growth potential; notably, that a more cautious consumer could result in significant slowdown in sales growth and the purported tailwinds with be unable to dampen the slowdown or would otherwise fail to manifest entirely. Such statements absent these material facts caused Plaintiff and other shareholders to purchase Sprouts’ securities at artificially inflated prices.

On October 29, 2025, Sprouts unveiled its third quarter fiscal 2025 results, which highlighted a worrying 4.3% decrease in comparable stores growth compared to the prior quarter, below the company's previous projections. Management further unveiled a continued reduction of comp sales into the fourth quarter, projecting only a 0%-2% growth, and reduced their full year expectations ass well from 7.5% - 9% last quarter to only 7%. While Sprouts is attributing its shortfall to challenging year-over-year comparisons and a softening consumer, just last quarter management attested to their "resilience almost irrespective of what happens in the macro economy."

Following this news, Sprouts' stock price fell by $22.64 per share to open at $81.91 per share.

The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not.  

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding Sprouts’s conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others.

To learn more about the Sprouts Farmers Market class action, go to www.faruqilaw.com/SFM or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, on X, or on Facebook.

Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2fceea32-072d-4e7c-b9fd-7ceadbf788ad

BigBear.ai is outperforming the market, but its revenue dropped in the third quarter. Although the company offers AI-driving analytics, it has not duplicated the success of Palantir Technologies.

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses In Skye To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options

If you purchased or acquired securities in Skye between November 4, 2024 and October 3, 2025 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

[You may also click here for additional information]

NEW YORK, Dec. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against Skye Biosciences, Inc. (“Skye” or the “Company”) (NYSE: SKYE) and reminds investors of the January 16, 2026 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company.

Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com.

As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose that: (1) nimacimab was less effective than Defendants had led investors to believe; (2) accordingly, nimacimab’s clinical, regulatory, and commercial prospects were overstated; and (3) as a result, Defendants’ public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

On October 6, 2025, Skye issued a press release "announcing the topline data from its 26-week Phase 2a CBeyond™ proof-of-concept study of nimacimab, its peripherally-restricted CB1 inhibitor antibody." The press release disclosed that the "the nimacimab monotherapy arm did not achieve the primary endpoint of weight loss compared to placebo" and that "preliminary pharmacokinetic analysis showed lower than expected drug exposure, potentially indicating the need for higher dosing as a monotherapy."

On this news, Skye's stock price fell $2.85 per share, or 60%, to close at $1.90 per share on October 6, 2025.

The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not.

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding Skye’s conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others.

To learn more about the Skye Bioscience class action, go to www.faruqilaw.com/SKYE or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, on X, or on Facebook.

Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2fceea32-072d-4e7c-b9fd-7ceadbf788ad

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses Exceeding $100,000 In James Hardie To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options

If you suffered losses exceeding $100,000 in James Hardie between May 20, 2025 and August 18, 2025 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

[You may also click here for additional information]

NEW YORK, Dec. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against James Hardie Industries plc (“James Hardie” or the “Company”) (NYSE: JHX) and reminds investors of the December 23, 2025 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company.

Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com.

As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose that James Hardie Industries plc misled investors about the strength of its key North America Fiber Cement segment between May 20 and August 18, 2025. Despite knowing by April and early May that distributors were destocking inventory, the company falsely claimed demand remained strong and that stock levels were “normal.”

On August 19, 2025, James Hardie issued a press release announcing financial results for its first quarter ended June 30, 2025. Among other items, James Hardie reported a 29% decline in first-quarter profit and projected lower-than-expected fiscal 2026 earnings, citing high borrowing costs.

On this news, James Hardie's American Depositary Receipt ("ADR") price fell $9.79 per ADR, or 34.44%, to close at $18.64 per ADR on August 20, 2025.

The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not.  

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding James Hardie’s conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others.

To learn more about the James Hardie class action, go to www.faruqilaw.com/JHX or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, on X, or on Facebook.

Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2fceea32-072d-4e7c-b9fd-7ceadbf788ad

Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of ARMN, AUGO 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.

, /PRNewswire/ -- 

Why: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Skye Bioscience, Inc. (NASDAQ: SKYE) between November 4, 2024 and October 3, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important January 16, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline.

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

What to do next: To join the Skye Bioscience, Inc. class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=48064 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than January 16, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

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

Details of the case: According to the lawsuit, throughout the Class Period, defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding Skye's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) nimacimab was less effective than defendants had led investors to believe; (2) accordingly, nimacimab's clinical, regulatory, and commercial prospects were overstated; and (3) as a result, defendants' public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Skye Bioscience class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=48064 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

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

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

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

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
Fax: (212) 202-3827
[email protected]
www.rosenlegal.com

SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A.

The AI threat has led storied software stocks like Salesforce and Adobe to trade near their cheapest levels in years. Analysts are divided on which names will re-emerge as winners.

On-chain analytics platform CryptoQuant has revealed why the XRP price keeps crashing, recently dropping below the psychological $2 level. The platform noted that the XRP ETF approval has failed to stop the selling pressure but instead looks to have escalated it. 

Why The XRP Price Is Crashing Despite ETF Success
In a CryptoQuant report, analyst PelinayPA revealed that the XRP price is facing significant selling pressure from whales holding between $100,000 and 1m XRP and those holding above 1m. These XRP whales are said to account for the majority of inflows into the crypto exchange Binance. 

These transfers indicate that these whales are typically looking to offload these coins, which is putting selling pressure on the XRP price. PelinayPA noted that after each major inflow spike on the chart, the XRP price forms a lower high and lower low structure, suggesting that supply is overwhelming demand at the moment. 

Source: Chart from CryptoQuant
The CryptoQuant report noted that this happens because there is no strong new spot buyer in the market. The continuous increase in available supply is also said to keep pushing the XRP lower, even though the whales are not aggressively dumping. Meanwhile, PelinayPA highlighted key price levels to watch out for as the price continues to crash. 

The analyst stated that, based on the inflow intensity and price reactions, the first major support zone stands between $1.82 and $1.87. She noted that this range marked where the price briefly stabilized and where small buyers appeared. However, XRP still risks crashing to the $1.50 and $1.66 range if the large outflows continue. The chart does not indicate that the altcoin could rally anytime soon with this selling pressure. 

Whales Took Advantage Of The ETF Narrative
The CryptoQuant report stated that, in theory, the XRP ETF process was expected to create institutional demand and push the price higher through spot buying. However, that hasn’t been the case, as there have instead been high-volume XRP inflows to Binance. PelinayPA explained that whales were the first to act as ETF approval expectations increased. 

The analyst further revealed that XRP accumulated in advance for the ETF narrative was transferred to exchanges and used as sell-side liquidity. Basically, whales sold the ETF approval story to retail investors. As a result, the XRP price faces significant selling pressure every time it approaches the $1.95 level. 

PelinayPA reiterated that expecting a bullish move before exchange inflows decline would be an unrealistic assumption. However, it is worth noting that the XRP ETFs have been successful so far, accumulating over $1 billion in net assets in just over a month since their launch. 

At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.90, up almost 4% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

XRP trading at $1.92 on the 1D chart | Source: XRPUSDT on Tradingview.com
Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com

1 hour ago

A user lost nearly $50 million in USDt after copying a poisoned wallet address from transaction history, showing how subtle address spoofing can trick users.

A single transaction error led to one of the largest onchain losses seen this year, after a user mistakenly sent nearly $50 million in USDt to a scam address in a classic address poisoning attack.

According to onchain investigator Web3 Antivirus, the victim lost 49,999,950 USDt (USDT) after copying a malicious wallet address from their transaction history.

Address poisoning scams rely on look-alike wallet addresses being inserted into a victim’s transaction history via small transfers. When victims later copy an address from their transaction history, they may unknowingly select the scammer’s lookalike address instead of the intended recipient.

Onchain data shows the victim initially sent a small test transaction to the correct address. Minutes later, however, the full $50 million transfer was sent to the poisoned address.

User falls victim to address poisoning scam. Source: Web3 AntivirusSubtle address similarity enough to fool experienced usersSecurity researcher Cos, founder of SlowMist, noted the similarity between the addresses was subtle but enough to deceive even experienced users. “You can see the first 3 characters and last 4 characters are the same,” he wrote.

The victim’s wallet had been active for roughly two years and was primarily used for USDt transfers, according to onchain analysis. Shortly before the loss, the funds were withdrawn from Binance, suggesting the wallet was being actively managed at the time of the incident.

“This is the brutal reality of address poisoning, an attack that doesn’t rely on breaking systems, but on exploiting human habits,” another onchain analyst wrote.

The attacker has since swapped the stolen USDt for Ether (ETH), splitting it into multiple wallets, and partially moved it into Tornado Cash.

Crypto hacks hit $3.4 billion in 2025 As Cointelegraph reported, crypto-related hacks resulted in $3.4 billion in losses in 2025, marking the highest annual total since 2022. The surge was largely driven by a handful of massive breaches targeting major crypto entities rather than a broad rise in average attack size.

Just three incidents accounted for 69% of total losses this year, led by the $1.4 billion hack of crypto exchange Bybit, which alone made up nearly half of all stolen funds.

Magazine: 2026 is the year of pragmatic privacy in crypto — Canton, Zcash and more

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.

XRP's price saw a sharp rise in Friday's session, surging from a low of $1.77 to $1.92 to reverse an earlier two-day drop.

The broader crypto market saw gains on Friday as investors digested fresh consumer sentiment data and a tame inflation print. The University of Michigan reported Friday that consumer sentiment rose less than expected in December, coming in at 52.9 and marking a climb from the 51.0 November reading.

The downward trend in inflation is giving investors some hope that the Federal Reserve might lower rates in 2026.

HOT Stories

Optimism surrounding XRP ETFs, which have sustained 31 days of inflows, as well as recent Ripple developments have contributed to a positive sentiment in XRP price.

In recent development, Ripple expanded its partnership with brokerage firm TJM Investments, buying a minority stake that takes it further into the behind-the-scenes infrastructure that institutions use to trade and settle assets.

Nasdaq-listed VivoPower also announced a partnership with Lean Ventures to acquire Ripple Labs shares, indirectly providing exposure to nearly $1 billion worth of XRP.

42% volume drop threatens next moveXRP is extending its price increase into the second day, reaching an intraday high of $1.957 early Saturday. At the time of writing, XRP was up 2.73% in the last 24 hours to $1.91 despite low trading volume.

The recent price move has pushed it near the $2 mark, having reached a high of $1.95 on Friday, but traders still seem to be taking a wait-and-see approach with XRP trading volume declining by as much as 42%.

XRP trading volume has dropped by 42% in the last 24 hours to $2.8 billion, according to CoinMarketCap data.

This suggests that the recent XRP rally unfolded without spot volumes, which might indicate the potential of a bigger rise should conviction return to the markets.

If this turns out to be the case, XRP might retest the $2 mark, with the next resistance at $2.15 and $2.58 coinciding with the daily MA 50 and 200, respectively. XRP has marked a double bottom pattern at the $1.77 low, a confirmation of this will be watched in the coming days for a potential XRP rally.

The Eigen Foundation has revealed plans to introduce higher incentives for active restakers on the Eigen protocol’s network. A newly established Incentive Committee, as outlined in the proposed plan, will manage token emissions and prioritize participants who secure Active Validated Services (AVSs).

According to the Eigen Foundation, a proposed fee model will channel revenue from EigenCloud services and AVS rewards back to EIGEN holders.

AVS blockchain services utilize EigenLayer’s security and rely on staked tokens and operators to ensure its correct and honest operation. The Foundation believes that shifting the protocol’s reward strategy to prioritize productive fee generation and network activity could potentially create deflationary pressure as the ecosystem expands. 

The Foundation’s team further argues that these changes will strengthen the long-term value for Eigen token holders and align token economics with the real-world usage of the EigenLayer network. The approach also aligns incentives across the Eigen ecosystem, with restakers earning more, AVSs getting the capital they need, and EIGEN benefiting from improved tokenomics. 

Incentives Committee to bring three improvements if implemented 
ELIP-12 proposes an Incentives Committee that will bring three improvements if implemented. First, the new mechanisms will collect and use EigenLayer and EigenCloud fees to benefit EIGEN holders. The Committee proposes a 20% fee on AVS rewards for stakes subsidized by EIGEN incentives. 

Meanwhile, only fee-paying AVSs will be eligible for staker and ecosystem incentives. These fees will be directed to a fee contract that can be used for repurchases. Similarly, 100% of cloud fees, after deducting operator expenses, will be directed to the same fee contract for buybacks as revenue grows on EigenAI, EigenDA, and EigenCompute.  

Secondly, the Eigen Foundation Incentives Committee will be responsible for reducing rewards for idle stakes, directing EIGEN token emissions to fee-paying AVSs, and designing incentives for AVSs to pay rewards against those stakes. The Committee will also explore changes to EIGEN staking rewards to encourage the paid consumption of EigenCloud services. 

What this means is that rewards will shift toward productive stake, such as redistributable and slashable stake. Meanwhile, baseline rewards to idle stake could decline over time as the Incentives Committee redirects token emissions. 

Third, there will be new flexibility to direct emissions toward fee-generating activities and growth.  The Incentives Committee will be able to quickly modify the allocation of EIGEN emissions without the need for lengthy contract upgrades.

However, any changes to the maximum total amount of emissions remain subject to the governance of the Protocol Committee. Any modifications to how EIGEN emissions are allocated to different parties currently require an ELIP. 

Protocol Council to approve weekly EIGEN mints 
Under the new Eigen Foundation proposal, the amount of EIGEN minted weekly will be determined by governance, but cannot be altered without the Protocol Council’s approval. Meanwhile, to streamline the future implementation of rewards, these contracts will be deployed behind upgradable proxies owned by the Protocol Council. The proxies will also be subject to the same time locks enforced on the rest of the protocol. 

According to the Eigen Foundation, the minting and distribution of rewards will be controlled by the same Hopper and ActionGenerator mechanism used for Programmatic Incentives, ensuring a smooth transition to this incentive distribution mechanism. However, no immediate changes will impact operators and stakers. Incentives will continue to be emitted weekly until the Incentives Committee proposes otherwise. 

Meanwhile, the complete action plan will include publishing the ELIP for community review. An open call will also be held if needed, and all comments will be submitted to the Protocol Council for approval. The Incentives Committee structure and proposal will be authorized for implementation upon approval. 

Lastly, the Eigen Foundation will author the Charter, which defines powers, membership rules, transparency requirements, and interfaces with the Protocol Council. The community and the Protocol Council will monitor performance against success criteria and introduce follow-up ELIPs as needed. 

If you're reading this, you’re already ahead. Stay there with our newsletter.

October 2025 was supposed to be “Uptober” once again, the month historically favorable to crypto. Instead, it became synonymous with one of the worst crashes of the last decade. Between October 5th and 7th, Bitcoin reached new all-time highs in the $124,000-$126,000 range, only to begin a decline that, by the end of November, wiped out about a third of its value and over $1 trillion in market capitalization.

Figure 1 – Bitcoin Crash in October 2025.

The peak of tension was concentrated over the weekend of October 10-12. In just a few hours, Bitcoin plummeted below $105,000, Ethereum lost around 11-12 percent, and many altcoins experienced drawdowns between 40 and 70 percent, in some cases with flash crashes nearly to zero on less liquid pairs. More than just a simple correction, it was a brutal deleveraging event that exposed the structural vulnerabilities of the market.

As we enter the final part of 2025, Bitcoin is now fluctuating well below its highs, around $90,000-93,000, approximately 25-27 percent below the October peak, in a macro context marked by rate cuts from the Fed, but also by a sentiment that remains clearly cautious across the entire crypto sector. 

The question everyone is asking is simple: has the worst passed, or could the end of the year bring another bearish leg?

To understand what to expect by the end of the year, it’s essential to first clearly outline what has happened. Several reports agree on some key points. Between October 10th and 11th, the market experienced one of the most violent sell-offs ever: within less than 24 hours, leveraged positions worth between 17 and 19 billion dollars were liquidated, involving up to 1.6 million traders worldwide.

The immediate trigger was political and external to the crypto world. The surprise announcement of tariffs up to 100 percent on Chinese imports by the Trump administration sparked a wave of risk aversion in global markets. Cryptos, typically among the assets most sensitive to sentiment, were at the forefront: those with excessively leveraged positions did not have time to react before margin calls and automatic liquidations took over.

This mechanism turned a macro news event into a technical avalanche. Prices broke through support levels one after another, algorithms accelerated sales, and many exchanges found themselves managing orders in a suddenly much thinner liquidity environment. The result was a panic atmosphere reminiscent of the “crypto winter” of 2022, with the difference that this time it wasn’t a single major project collapsing, but the entire complex of leveraged exposures.

The real causes of the crypto crash: macro, leverage, and political factors

Reducing the crash to just the announcement of tariffs would be misleading. That news was the spark, but the powder keg was already set. For months, the market had been pricing in a delicate balance between a super-cycle bull narrative and a macro reality filled with mixed signals. On one hand, the Fed’s rate cuts and asset purchase programs suggested a return of liquidity. On the other, official communications remained cautious, with a clear message: do not expect new “easy money” without conditions.

In this context, the massive use of leverage has made the system extremely fragile. When the price began to fall, the forced unwinding of these positions amplified the movement far beyond what the macro news alone would have justified.

There is also a psychological element. After months of discussing Bitcoin surpassing $150,000 and the crypto market capitalization reaching $5 or $10 trillion, a significant portion of traders had become convinced that the path was almost inevitable, with timing being the only uncertainty. When reality contradicted those expectations, the misalignment between the “narrative” and “real prices” turned doubt into panic, especially among those who entered late and in full euphoria.

Summary

Bitcoin and Crypto After the Crash: Possible Scenarios for the End of 2025Bitcoin Seasonality: What Historical Data Says About the Last QuarterHow Institutional Investors and the Crypto Sector are ReactingConclusions: What to Expect from the Crypto Market at the End of 2025
Bitcoin and Crypto After the Crash: Possible Scenarios for the End of 2025
Looking ahead to the coming weeks, it is useful to think in terms of scenarios, not precise forecasts.

The first scenario envisions a market gradually absorbing the shock. Some reports already suggest a slow return of accumulation by long-term holders and rebalancing strategies that increase exposure to Bitcoin and a few large caps at the expense of more speculative altcoins.

The second scenario is that of a prolonged phase of nervous lateralization. Essentially, the market stops crashing but struggles to truly rebound. This is the typical phase where those with a short-term horizon suffer, as false signals multiply and intraday volatility does not translate into genuine medium-term directionality.

The third scenario, the most feared one, anticipates a new bearish leg. In such a context, it would not be surprising to see Bitcoin testing the $70,000-$80,000 area more decisively, while a portion of the altcoin market might experience depressed volumes and few positive catalysts in the short term.

As often happens, reality might lie in a dynamic combination of these scenarios: a partial recovery followed by phases of congestion and new waves of volatility linked to decisions by the Fed, ECB, and political news.

Bitcoin Seasonality: What Historical Data Says About the Last Quarter
From the perspective of a systematic trader, relying on statistics and data analysis, one might consider using the price of Bitcoin (BTC) as a reference and analyze its monthly seasonality, particularly in the latter part of the year. The chart below shows the average trend of BTC from 2017 to 2024 (calculated with Bias FinderTM, proprietary software of the Unger Academy®). 

Figure 2 – Monthly seasonality of Bitcoin from 2017 to 2024.

It is evident that the end of the year tends to be bullish on average over the last 8 years, albeit with some volatility, which is justified when looking at individual years separately (see Figure 3), where we observe final quarters with strong rallies combined with others experiencing significant declines.

Figure 3 – Monthly seasonality of Bitcoin by year.

How Institutional Investors and the Crypto Sector are Reacting
A new element compared to previous cycles is the more structured presence of institutional capital. Many funds that in 2021-2022 dealt with cryptocurrencies almost solely from a speculative perspective now incorporate them into broader macro and diversification strategies. Despite the October drawdown, indications from various desks suggest more about rebalancing and hedging rather than a definitive exit from the asset class.

At the same time, the October incident has shone more than one spotlight. Authorities already working on frameworks for spot ETFs and stablecoins see what happened as confirmation that the issue is no longer whether to regulate the sector, but how to do so without stifling innovation. Some proposals involve greater transparency on leverage, stricter risk management requirements for exchanges, and uniform reporting standards for institutional operators exposed to cryptocurrencies.

Conclusions: What to Expect from the Crypto Market at the End of 2025
The October 2025 crash is not just another chapter in the long history of crypto volatility. In terms of magnitude, causes, and consequences, it is a crucial test of the sector’s maturity. It demonstrated how a single political shock can propagate within minutes across a globalized, highly interconnected ecosystem still dominated by very aggressive leverage dynamics. However, it also reminded us that the market is capable of remaining liquid and operational even under extreme pressure, and that the presence of institutional players tends to transform the “all or nothing” approach of the past into a more gradual rebalancing process.

Looking towards the end of the year, the key for investors is not to guess the exact price of Bitcoin in December, but to recognize the nature of this phase. On one hand, there is a tangible risk of new shocks, fueled by macro-uncertainty and geopolitics. On the other hand, there are signs that the crash has accelerated the natural selection between solid projects and pure speculation that the market had been postponing for some time.

Cryptocurrencies remain a high-risk asset, where leverage must be handled with extreme caution, especially when the macro context is complex. And precisely because volatility is intrinsic, those who decide to stay in the game must do so with a clear horizon, rigorous risk management, and the awareness that moments like October 2025 are not a bump in the road, but a structural component of the crypto cycle.

Until next time, and happy trading!

Andrea Unger

Andrea Unger

Italian trader and author known for being the only four-time World Trading Champion (2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012), Andrea graduated with honors in Mechanical Engineering from the Politecnico di Milano, member of MENSA, independent trader since 2001.

TL;DR Michael Saylor argues that Bitcoin functions primarily as a scarce digital asset, positioning it closer to a commodity than a daily payment tool. His strategy relies on corporate finance instruments to expand investor access to Bitcoin exposure without changing the protocol itself.

Cover image via www.freepik.com

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.

A cryptocurrency user has lost nearly $50 million due to a costly mistake caused by copying a spoofed address and trusting visual similarity. According to the Lookonchain update, the victim copied the wrong wallet address when he made the crypto transfer.

How attacker exploited "common mistake"Notably, the victim had done a test run of $50 to his address, which allowed the scammer to spoof the wallet. The exploiter used the same first and last four characters to perform a "poison attack."

The attack exploited common wallet interfaces that shorten addresses for easy readability.

The spoofed address, which the attacker created, was what the victim mistakenly copied and proceeded to transfer the remaining full $49,999,950. The trap that the attacker set worked, leading to the loss of the funds, as blockchain transactions are irreversible.

A victim (0xcB80) lost $50M due to a copy-paste address mistake.

Before transferring 50M $USDT, the victim sent 50 $USDT as a test to his own address 0xbaf4b1aF...B6495F8b5.

The scammer immediately spoofed a wallet with the same first and last 4 characters and performed an… pic.twitter.com/eGEx2oHiwA

— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) December 20, 2025 This incident emphasizes the need for users to always verify the full address, not just the first and last sets of characters. This is because address poisoning scams have increased significantly in 2025, with malicious attackers looking to exploit any mistakes made by wallet owners.

Experts have always advised against "copy and paste" of addresses from one’s transaction history for convenience.

Such a move could lead to lifting a spoofed address and sending the funds to a different location. Hence, users are cautioned to always pause and verify all transfers at least twice, particularly those involving large sums.

Can collaborative effort curb online exploits?Some members of the online community have advocated that the crypto sector should normalize smart contracts and whitelist addresses. They also canvassed the need for more awareness campaigns that would constantly educate users about this vulnerability.

You Might Also Like

Earlier in May 2025, leading exchange Coinbase teamed up with law enforcement authorities to prevent spoofing schemes meant to manipulate the market. As highlighted by Coinbase’s Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal, the spoofing scheme was led by one Chirag Tomar, who had stolen over $20 million from users.

Tomar impersonated the Coinbase exchange and sent fake emails to unsuspecting users and faked official communication to defraud victims. The incident shows the power of collaborative efforts in tackling scams in the crypto industry.

Generally, these malicious actors look for ways to exploit legitimate offers and clone them to trick users.

It might explain the reason Binance, in its recent Dubai event, issued a crucial update to users. It cautioned users against clicking on any link that is not the official Binance Live broadcast channel. The advice was to protect them from falling prey to malicious attackers.

Share

Bitcoin

One of the clearest signals in U.S. markets this year has nothing to do with returns.

It comes from where capital keeps going. Despite a losing year for Bitcoin, BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) has absorbed more than $25 billion in net inflows, placing it among the most in-demand ETFs in the country in 2025.

That demand persisted even as the fund posted a -9.6% year-to-date return by December 19.

Capital Flows Reveal A Different Story Than Prices
IBIT now sits sixth among all U.S. ETFs by annual inflows, a group usually dominated by top-performing equity and bond funds. Yet IBIT is the only fund near the top of that list that is underwater for the year.

This makes the inflows notable. Investors continued allocating capital not because prices were rising, but despite the opposite. In fact, IBIT attracted more money than gold ETFs during a year when gold performed well.

Accumulation Replaces Momentum Trading
The behavior points to accumulation, not speculation. Instead of chasing returns, investors appear to be building positions during weakness. That pattern suggests Bitcoin exposure is increasingly treated as strategic, not cyclical.

For many portfolios, the ETF structure matters as much as the asset itself. Regulated access through a BlackRock vehicle offers familiarity, custody clarity, and compliance comfort that did not exist in prior cycles.

What This Signals About Bitcoin’s Role
Bitcoin remains down for the year, and selling pressure has not disappeared. Yet capital commitment has stayed intact. That divergence hints at a maturing market dynamic where long-term allocation decisions are separating from short-term price moves.

In that context, IBIT’s inflows may matter more than its performance. They suggest Bitcoin exposure is being normalized inside portfolios, even when headlines and charts look unfavorable.

Author

Alexander Zdravkov

Reporter at CoinsPress

Alexander Zdravkov interessiert sich leidenschaftlich für Bedeutungsfragen. Er ist seit mehr als drei Jahren im Kryptobereich tätig und hat ein Auge dafür, aufkommende Trends in der Welt der digitalen Währungen aufzuspüren. Ob er nun tiefgreifende Analysen liefert oder tagesaktuell über alle Themen berichtet, sein tiefes Verständnis und seine Begeisterung für das, was er tut, macht ihn zu einer wertvollen Ergänzung für das CoinsPress-Team.

Bitcoin’s long-term outlook may still look bright in public discussions, but behind closed doors, Fundstrat is urging restraint. While co-founder Tom Lee continues to speak confidently about fresh all-time highs, the firm’s internal guidance to clients paints a more guarded picture for early 2026. Fundstrat expects a meaningful correction phase, with Bitcoin potentially retreating toward the low-to-mid $60,000 range before finding its footing again.

This divergence has drawn attention because it highlights the difference between market-facing optimism and internal risk planning, a dynamic that often surfaces during late-cycle conditions.

According to Fundstrat’s internal analysis, the anticipated downturn is not viewed as the start of a prolonged bear market. Instead, it is described as a tactical reset driven by mounting macro pressure. Analysts cite tighter liquidity conditions, policy uncertainty, and a cooling appetite for risk assets as forces that could weigh on crypto prices as the new year unfolds.

Another key concern is volatility. With large options expiries expected for both Bitcoin and Ethereum, Fundstrat believes price swings could intensify, amplifying short-term downside before markets stabilize. In this environment, Bitcoin is expected to bear the brunt of the initial pressure.

Ethereum and Altcoins Under PressureThe cautious outlook extends beyond Bitcoin. Internally, Fundstrat sees Ethereum facing its own reset, with prices potentially drifting closer to the $2,000 level during the first half of 2026. Other high-beta assets, including Solana, are viewed as even more exposed if broader market conditions tighten further.

Despite these downside scenarios, Fundstrat does not view the projected levels as destructive. Instead, they are framed as zones where long-term positioning could improve once volatility fades and market structure resets.

Long-Term Confidence Still IntactImportantly, Fundstrat’s broader thesis remains constructive. The firm argues that sharp pullbacks are often a prerequisite for sustained rallies, especially in cyclical markets like crypto. Analysts believe disciplined patience during periods of stress is essential, with the second half of 2026 potentially offering a more stable environment for renewed upside.

This longer-term optimism aligns more closely with Lee’s public stance, even if the near-term path looks bumpier than headline forecasts suggest.

Reaction from the crypto community has been mixed but largely pragmatic. Many traders view the split between public enthusiasm and private caution as standard institutional behavior, with confidence driving sentiment and caution prioritizing capital protection. Some attempt to bridge both views, suggesting the market could still push higher in the near term before a correction unfolds.

Never Miss a Beat in the Crypto World!Stay ahead with breaking news, expert analysis, and real-time updates on the latest trends in Bitcoin, altcoins, DeFi, NFTs, and more.

FAQsWill the expected Bitcoin correction affect retail investors differently than institutional investors?

Retail investors may experience sharper short-term stress due to lower capital buffers and limited hedging tools, while institutional investors often have strategies in place to manage volatility. As a result, institutions like hedge funds may use the correction as an opportunity to adjust positions, whereas smaller investors could face higher emotional and financial pressure during the downturn.

Could this near-term volatility impact broader financial markets?

Yes, heightened swings in Bitcoin and Ethereum can ripple into broader risk assets, particularly in sectors with crypto-linked exposure such as fintech or blockchain startups. Large option expiries and margin calls may also temporarily affect liquidity and investor sentiment beyond the crypto sector.

How could Ethereum and other altcoins respond if the macro environment worsens?

Altcoins with higher beta, like Solana, could experience outsized volatility, amplifying losses during market stress. Conversely, projects with strong fundamentals or large developer ecosystems may see relative stability, attracting investors seeking lower-risk exposure within the crypto space.

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.

Sponsored and Advertisements:Sponsored content and affiliate links may appear on our site. Advertisements are marked clearly, and our editorial content remains entirely independent from our ad partners.

Ripple, the financial technology company that offers crypto solutions for businesses, announced a partnership with TJM Investments, a FINRA registered Broker Dealer and TJM Institutional Services, a N.F.A. registered Introducing Broker.

A crypto investor became a victim of a major $50 million USDT fraud after sending funds to a poisoned address by mistake. SlowMist, a blockchain security firm, revealed that, within 30 minutes of receiving the $50 million USDT, the attacker converted the whole sum into DAI via MetaMask Swap.

The blockchain security firm stated that the hacker converted the entire sum into 16,690 ETH and channeled 16,680 ETH through Tornado Cash to conceal the transaction trail. Etherscan on-chain data revealed that the transaction timestamps show that the attack happened within minutes. 

Web3 wallets targeted in high-value hacks

30 mins after receiving 50M $USDT, the scammer took action:
• Swapped 50M $USDT to $DAI via MetaMask Swap
• Swapped all $DAI to 16,690 $ETH
• Deposited 16,680 $ETH into Tornado Cash

The scammer addresses:
0xbaff2f13638c04b10f8119760b2d2ae86b08f8b5… https://t.co/ySGWtg3VIB pic.twitter.com/3BsWndrrJC

— SlowMist (@SlowMist_Team) December 20, 2025

Initially, on-chain data revealed that the user submitted a small test transaction of 0.005 USDT to the correct address. A few minutes later, the victim transferred $50 million to a poisoned address, 0xBaFF2F13638C04B10F8119760B2D2aE86b08f8b5, which was copied from the transaction history. Etherscan revealed that the test transaction occurred at 06:20:35 and the massive transfer occurred at 06:32:59.

The wallet has been active for almost two years of on-chain activity. The victim mostly used the wallet for USDT transactions. Web3 Antivirus revealed that the $50 million was withdrawn from Binance just before the tainted transfer. For the time being, the stolen USDT remains at the target address.

The attack follows the recent attack on the 0G Foundation. The 0G Foundation reported on December 13 that the incentive contract was violated due to a targeted attack that occurred on December 11. The firm stated that the attacker stole 520,010 0G tokens, 9.93 ETH, and USDT worth approximately $4,200 by exploiting the emergency withdrawal provision of the 0G reward contract, which is used to distribute alliance benefits. 

Similar to the recent attack, the firm mentioned that the tokens were then bridged and distributed through Tornado Cash.

The 0G Foundation explained that the attacker moved laterally via internal IP addresses due to a serious Next.js vulnerability (CVE-2025-66478) that was exploited on December 5. The report stated that the breach affected services such as calibration, validator nodes, Gravity NFT services, node sales services, computing, Aiverse, Perpdex, Ascend, etc. 

However, according to the report, the attack did not affect the core chain infrastructure or user funds.

The report revealed that Foundation immediately took action by shutting down and rebuilding the impacted services, as well as revoking and rotating all compromised keys. Additionally, the company purchased and implemented an enhanced AliCloud Firewall + Security Suite and addressed critical dependencies, including Next.js.

On May 3, the Web3 anti-fraud platform Scam Sniffer announced that a whale had lost 1,155 WBTC, equivalent to approximately $70 million. According to Scam Sniffer, the $70 million loss happened as a result of a phishing attack using the same address with the same first and final digits.

On-chain data revealed that the funds were transferred from the victim’s address 0x1E227979f0b5BC691a70DEAed2e0F39a6F538FD5 to a phishing address 0xd9A1C3788D81257612E2581A6ea0aDa244853a91. Notably, the victim’s target transfer address was 0xd9A1b0B1e1aE382DbDc898Ea68012FfcB2853a91.

Analysis using the on-chain tracing tool MistTrack showed that the hacker swapped 1,155 WBTC for 22,955 ETH and moved them to ten different addresses.

Crypto thefts increase, most targeting personal wallets 
Blockchain analytics company Chainalysis said that cryptocurrency theft totaled more than $3.41 billion between January and early December 2025. According to the blockchain intelligence firm, the amount exceeds the $3.38 billion from the previous year.

Chainalysis claimed that $1.5 billion hack of the Bybit exchange accounted for approximately 44% of the annual total of crypto hacks. The blockchain intelligence firm argued that the top three attacks accounted for 69% of all service losses, demonstrating the growing seriousness of significant breaches.

According to Chainalysis, assaults against private keys on centralized cryptocurrency services and personal cryptocurrency wallets have significantly increased this year. The firm stated that personal wallet compromises have increased rapidly from just 7.3% of the total stolen value in 2022 to 44% in 2024.

The blockchain analytics firm claimed that at least 80,000 distinct victims were involved in 158,000 instances of personal wallet intrusions. The overall amount of money taken from people decreased to $713 million from $1.5 billion the year before.

Don’t just read crypto news. Understand it. Subscribe to our newsletter. It's free.

Shiba Inu exchange netflow drops 11% as 125 billion SHIB tokens exit exchanges.

Newton Gitonga2 min read

20 December 2025, 11:55 AM

Shiba Inu has recorded a significant withdrawal of tokens from cryptocurrency exchanges, with netflow data revealing a decline of over 125 billion SHIB tokens. The movement suggests renewed investor confidence as the popular meme cryptocurrency attempts to break through key resistance levels.

Data from CryptoQuant shows the exchange netflow for Shiba Inu reached -125,937,300,000 as of December 11. The negative figure indicates that substantially more tokens were left in exchanges than entered during the period. This pattern typically reflects accumulation behavior among investors who prefer holding assets in private wallets rather than keeping them on trading platforms.

The netflow metric measures the difference between deposits and withdrawals across all supported exchanges. When more tokens exit than enter, it reduces the available supply on trading platforms. This dynamic often precedes price increases as selling pressure diminishes while demand remains steady or grows.

Market Sentiment Shifts Toward AccumulationExchange flow data declined by more than 11% over 24 hours. The drop marks a clear reversal from previous selling trends that dominated recent weeks. Investors appear increasingly willing to move their holdings into self-custody solutions for longer-term storage.

Both retail and institutional holders have participated in this withdrawal activity. The scale of movement suggests coordinated confidence rather than isolated transactions. Market participants seem reluctant to liquidate positions despite recent volatility across the broader cryptocurrency sector.

The timing coincides with renewed momentum throughout digital asset markets. Bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies have posted gains, creating favorable conditions for alternative tokens like Shiba Inu. The improved market environment has helped restore appetite for speculative assets that suffered during previous downturns.

Price Action Reflects Growing DemandShiba Inu currently trades at $0.000007477, representing a 1.16% increase over the past 24 hours. The price has rebounded sharply from its recent low of $0.000007011. Trading volume has increased alongside the price recovery, confirming genuine buying interest rather than low-liquidity movements.

SHIB price chart, Source: CoinMarketCap

ENRICH your inbox with our best storiesDon’t miss out and join our newsletter to get the latest,
well-curated news from the crypto world!

Newton Gitonga

Newton Gitonga covers cryptocurrencies, blockchain, and digital finance. He specializes in breaking down complex trends with clear, data-driven reporting. His work focuses on market analysis, technical insights, and the evolving role of altcoins in shaping global markets.

Read more about

Latest Shiba Inu News Today (SHIB)

TL;DR

Financial institutions are accelerating their move into Ether staking as regulatory clarity improves and onchain strategies mature across global markets.
The rapid growth of institutional staking is raising concerns about validator concentration, which could affect Ethereum’s security and decentralization if unmanaged.
Distributed Validator Technology is emerging as a key solution, enabling institutions to earn staking rewards while reducing slashing risk, maintaining high uptime, and preserving decentralized infrastructure.

Institutional participation in Ethereum is shifting from passive exposure toward direct involvement in network operations. Institutions are being pushed to stake ether on decentralized infrastructure as staking becomes a structural requirement rather than an optional yield strategy. This transition reflects Ethereum’s design as a proof-of-stake system where capital and infrastructure are tightly linked.

Institutional Staking And Ethereum’s Infrastructure Model
As institutions expand their onchain presence, staking has become central to how ETH is managed. Regulatory guidance in the United States clarified that most staking activities fall outside securities classifications, encouraging asset managers, exchanges, and treasury-focused firms to participate directly. Recent estimates indicate that close to 36 million ETH is currently staked, representing around 29% of total supply, with a significant portion controlled by centralized operators.

This concentration introduces operational and systemic considerations. Staking requires validators to remain online, process transactions accurately, and maintain consistent performance. Rewards are earned through correct execution, while failures or misconduct lead to penalties. For institutions, this shifts ETH from a balance sheet asset into mission-critical infrastructure, where technical design directly affects financial outcomes.

Distributed Validator Technology And Decentralized Staking
Attention is turning to solutions that address centralization risks. Distributed Validator Technology divides validator responsibilities among multiple independent nodes. By using threshold cryptography and multi-party validation, DVT ensures no single operator can compromise validator integrity or control execution.

This architecture reduces single points of failure and improves resilience against outages and attacks. Infrastructure providers report uptime levels near 99%, alongside lower slashing exposure. The May 2025 Pectra upgrade, which increased the maximum stake per validator to 2,048 ETH, amplified the relevance of DVT by allowing large ETH holders to stake efficiently without concentrating operational control.

The evolution of institutional staking highlights a broader reality. Ethereum’s value proposition depends on decentralized infrastructure, not just capital allocation. Institutions that align staking strategies with network health strengthen both their risk profile and the underlying protocol. As staking-enabled products expand, decentralized validator setups are becoming foundational to sustaining Ethereum’s security and long-term economic viability.