Market Signal Briefing

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Redwire (NYSE: RDW) and Firefly Aerospace (NASDAQ: FLY) both missed Q3 2025 earnings badly. Redwire posted revenue of $103.4 million and EPS of -$0.29, while Firefly delivered revenue of $30.8 million and EPS of -$0.33. Both stocks collapsed over 20% in the past week.

Infrastructure Builder vs. Launch Provider Redwire focuses on space infrastructure and autonomous systems. The company completed its Edge Autonomy acquisition and reported 50.7% year-over-year revenue growth. Management maintained full-year guidance of $320 to $340 million, and the book-to-bill ratio of 1.25 suggests demand is holding. But the business is bleeding cash with a net loss of $41.2 million in Q3, nearly double the $21 million loss from the prior year. Gross margin sits at just 16.3%, leaving almost no room for error.

Firefly operates launch services and spacecraft systems. Revenue nearly doubled quarter-over-quarter with 98% sequential growth, driven by its SciTec acquisition for national security capabilities. The company secured a $176.7 million NASA Blue Ghost Mission 4 contract, validating its lunar lander technology. But profitability is worse. Firefly reported a net loss of $133.4 million in Q3. Gross margin of 27.6% beats Redwire but remains unprofitable. The company holds $995 million in cash, which buys time but raises questions about burn rate.

Metric Redwire Firefly Q3 Revenue $103.4M $30.8M Gross Margin 16.3% 27.6% Net Loss $41.2M $133.4M Different Bets on the Space Economy Redwire bets on infrastructure supporting satellites and spacecraft in orbit. The Edge Autonomy deal expands into defense-adjacent markets, potentially providing steadier revenue than pure space hardware. The book-to-bill above 1.0 suggests the pipeline is growing, but execution has been messy. Redwire missed analyst estimates by 142% in Q3 and posted worse surprises in Q2 (-1009%) and Q4 2024 (-667%). That pattern suggests either overly optimistic guidance or operational problems management hasn’t fixed.

Firefly focuses on launch services and lunar missions. The NASA contract is a major win, but launch is capital-intensive with thin margins until scale kicks in. The SciTec acquisition adds national security revenue, which tends to be stickier than commercial contracts. The problem is cash burn. A $133.4 million quarterly loss against $30.8 million in revenue means the company spends more than four dollars for every dollar it brings in. The $995 million cash cushion provides runway, but investors need to see a path to profitability.

Planet Labs Offers a Different Profile Planet Labs (NYSE: PL) deserves mention as a third option. The company reported Q3 revenue of $81.3 million with breakeven EPS, and posted four consecutive quarters of adjusted EBITDA profitability. Gross margin sits at 57%, dramatically better than either Redwire or Firefly. The satellite imagery business is more mature, and cash grew 180% year-over-year to $677 million. Planet isn’t growing as fast but is profitable with a clearer business model.

Key Differences Between the Two Companies Neither Redwire nor Firefly has achieved profitability. Redwire has revenue momentum but faces margin challenges and a history of missing estimates. Firefly has secured significant contracts but operates with unsustainable cash burn rates. Investors focused on space infrastructure may find Redwire’s business model more aligned with their thesis, as the company bets on infrastructure scaling faster than launch services. Those who view lunar missions and national security contracts as the primary growth driver may find Firefly’s positioning more attractive. Both companies face the challenge of demonstrating margin improvement and consistent execution before reaching profitability. Planet Labs presents a different risk profile with established profitability and a more mature business model, though without the same growth trajectory as the two unprofitable competitors.

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Broadcom closed Friday trading at $325.17, down 2.3% for the week. While the semiconductor sector gained ground with the SOXX ETF climbing 1.8%, Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO) moved against the tide.

Year-to-date, shares are down 6.1% even as the broader chip complex rallies.

Let’s look at Broadcom’s week in more depth. Three top stories suggest while the company’s share price has trended south in 2026, the actual news behind the company has been very positive.

ARK Invest Puts $27 Million Behind Custom Silicon Cathie Wood’s ARK Investment Management acquired 87,148 shares of Broadcom totaling $27 million this week, according to Finviz. The timing matters. ARK doesn’t chase momentum in established semiconductor names without a specific thesis, and the thesis here is custom AI accelerators.

Jefferies reiterated its Buy rating with a $500 price target, pointing to Broadcom’s competitive advantage in custom on-package business for AI chips. The kicker: Jefferies expects Broadcom to continue capturing a large share of Google’s unit volume in calendar year 2027. Google just committed $185 billion in AI infrastructure spending in 2026, and Broadcom supplies the custom TPU chips powering that buildout.

There has been some speculatino across the semiconductor chain that MediaTek would continue gaining significant amounts of TPUs. MediaTek’s stock is up 26% this year while Broadcom’s is down 6%.

However, most recent Wall Street checks indicate volumes for MediaTek will be light in 2026 with Broadcom producing up to 4 million TPU units. Broadcom’s dominance of TPU production looks set to continue into 2027.

While Google would love to apply more pressure on Broadcom by having a second TPU design from MediaTek, the reality is the volume growth they’re aiming for means they’ll have little leverage on Broadcom in reality.

Analyst Consensus Just Shifted Higher 26 analysts weighed in on Broadcom over the past three months, and the average 12-month price target rose 7.8% to $455.46. That’s a 40% premium to Friday’s close. The consensus breakdown shows 9 Strong Buy ratings and 40 Buy ratings against just 1 Hold. Zero sells.

The valuation debate is real. Broadcom trades at 72x trailing earnings, which looks extremely stretched. However, digging into the details we find Wall Street expects $14.46 in earnings in Broadcom’s current fiscal year. Put another way, their forward earnings are 23X, or about market average. That’s a very reasonable rate for a company growing at Broadcom’s rates (adjusted earnings grew 37% last quarter).

Analysts are pricing in sustained AI infrastructure spending. If hyperscalers maintain current capex trajectories, Broadcom’s custom silicon business scales without the margin compression hitting commodity chip makers.

Hyperscaler Capex Dependency Cuts Both Ways The Invesco PHLX Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) holds Broadcom among its top positions alongside NVIDIA and AMD (Nasdaq: AMD). The fund’s performance is directly tied to Microsoft, Amazon, and Google capex cycles, and that concentration creates both opportunity and risk.

Google’s 5.3% weekly decline reflects broader market anxiety about AI spending sustainability. When stock futures dropped Friday ahead of CPI data and investors rotated out of technology, Broadcom got caught in the downdraft despite fundamentals pointing the other direction.

But here’s what the market is missing: Broadcom isn’t selling general-purpose chips into a cyclical market. It’s building custom accelerators under multi-year contracts with the three companies spending the most on AI infrastructure. That’s recurring revenue with visibility, not spot market exposure.

The weekly price action reflects macro jitters, not business deterioration. Hyperscaler AI buildout commitments through 2027 extend through the timeline of Broadcom’s custom accelerator contracts.

As stock markets continue to be volatile, investors looking for a stable income stream can bolster their portfolios with the addition of attractive dividend stocks. Selecting good dividend stocks from a vast universe of companies can be challenging.

In this regard, recommendations of top Wall Street analysts can help investors make the right choice, as these experts assign buy ratings after a thorough analysis of a company's fundamentals and its ability to consistently pay dividends.

Here are three dividend-paying stocks that are highlighted by Wall Street's top pros, as tracked by TipRanks, a platform that ranks analysts based on their past performance.

Ares Capital This week's first dividend pick is Ares Capital (ARCC), a business development company that offers comprehensive financing solutions to the middle-market. Recently, the company announced better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings and declared a dividend of 48 cents per share for the first quarter, payable on March 31. ARCC stock offers a dividend yield of 9.64%.

Following the print, RBC Capital analyst Kenneth Lee reiterated a buy rating on Ares Capital and slightly lowered the price target to $22 from $23 as he adjusted his estimates. "We favor ARCC's strong track record of managing risks through the cycle, and scale advantages," said Lee.

The 5-star analyst highlighted that ARCC's credit performance remains strong despite recent concerns about software lending due to potential artificial intelligence-related disruption. Lee contends that investors are not fully valuing the resiliency of Ares Capital's software-lending business. The company is focused on lending to companies in foundational/infrastructure software, proprietary data, and regulated end markets.  

Lee finds ARCC's credit performance encouraging, with non-accruals unchanged quarter-over-quarter at 1.8% of the portfolio. Furthermore, the company's internal risk grade remained unchanged at 3.1 compared with the prior quarter, and investments in the bottom 2 risk grades remained low at about 4% of the portfolio. Lee noted that management sees minimal AI risk over the near term and manageable risk over the medium and long term.

Overall, Lee is bullish on Ares Capital, given that it is a market-leading BDC with its scale being a competitive advantage. He added that ARCC's dividends are well supported by the company's core earnings per share and potential net realized gains.

Lee ranks No. 689 among more than 12,100 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been successful 62% of the time, delivering an average return of 8.7%. See Ares Capital Financials on TipRanks. 

ConocoPhillipsOil and gas exploration and production company ConocoPhillips (COP) recently reported its fourth-quarter results and announced a dividend of 84 cents per share for the first quarter. The company distributed $9 billion, or 45% of its cash flow operations, to shareholders, including $5 billion through share repurchases and $4 billion in dividends. COP offers a dividend yield of 2.91%.

In reaction to fourth-quarter results, Goldman Sachs analyst Neil Mehta reaffirmed a buy rating on COP stock and raised the price target to $120 from $115. Despite concerns about weaker-than-expected U.S. natural gas realizations and outlook for Lower 48 volumes amid the current commodity prices backdrop, Mehta remains bullish on ConocoPhillips due to its high-quality, low-cost inventory, solid free cash flow, and attractive capital returns.

Mehta highlighted that COP's management continues to target $7 billion of incremental free cash flow by 2029 compared with 2025, at a WTI price of $70/barrel. About $1 billion of this target is expected in 2026, backed by the North Field East project.

"We see long-term value in shares as major projects come online, capital rolls off, and oil supply/demand fundamentals improve," said Mehta.

The analyst is positive about ConocoPhillips achieving its 2029 free cash flow target, supported by its four major growth projects (NFE, North Field South, Port Arthur, and Willow) and $1 billion in cost reductions and margin enhancements. Mehta expects COP to return about 45% of cash from operations, in line with the company's long-term track record.

Mehta ranks No. 559 among more than 12,100 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been successful 62% of the time, delivering an average return of 10.7%. See ConocoPhillips Ownership Structure on TipRanks. 

Devon EnergyAnother dividend-paying stock in this week's list is Devon Energy (DVN), a leading oil and gas producer with a diversified multi-basin portfolio. Earlier this month, Devon announced an all-stock merger with Coterra Energy (CTRA) to become a large-cap producer with a dominant position in the Permian Basin.

Interestingly, upon closing of the deal, Devon plans to offer a quarterly dividend of 31.5 cents per share (up from DVN's current fixed dividend of 24 cents per share) and a new share repurchase authorization exceeding $5 billion, both subject to board approval. Currently, at an annualized dividend of 96 cents per share, DVN offers a dividend yield of 2.14%.

In response to the deal news, Siebert Williams Shank analyst Gabriele Sorbara reiterated a buy rating on Devon Energy stock and raised his price target to $55 from $50. Based on early assumptions, Sorbara expects the Coterra acquisition to be accretive to discounted cash flow per share, enterprise value to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EV/EBITDA), and free cash flow yield, with net debt to EBITDA leverage reducing slightly.

Sorbara expects the Devon-Coterra combination to be viewed positively, as it boosts DVN's size and scale, helping it to compete with the likes of EOG Resources, Diamondback Energy, and Occidental Petroleum. The 5-star analyst expects Devon's improved competitive position to "ultimately drive a re-rating as the Company executes on the financial and operational front."

Regarding Devon's upcoming fourth-quarter 2025 results, Sorbara expects the company to report another quarter of strong operational and financial execution. He expects investors to focus on early commentary on the Coterra deal, especially insights into assets under strategic review and the company's target of achieving $1.0 billion in annual pretax deal synergies by the end of 2027.

Sorbara ranks No. 313 among more than 12,100 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been successful 63% of the time, delivering an average return of 15.1%. See Devon Energy Stock Buybacks on TipRanks.

All 5 stocks that I will discuss in today's video have gone through some sort of pullback, and that volatility is expected to continue throughout the foreseeable future as investors rotate. However, some it appears like the sell-off has been overdone and I want these stocks in my portfolio.

One of the 5 stocks we will look at today includes Marvell Technology (NASDAQ:MRVL) which is an AI company that has gone through plenty of ups and downs. I believe that will continue but like the growth trajectory for the name.

Watch this short video to learn more, consider subscribing to the channel, and check out the special offer in the link below.

*Stock prices used were end-of-day prices of Jan. 30, 2026. The video was published on Jan. 31, 2026.

Mark Roussin, CPA has positions in AbbVie, Marvell Technology, and MercadoLibre. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends AbbVie, Marvell Technology, MercadoLibre, and Zscaler. The Motley Fool recommends Capital One Financial. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Mark Roussin is an affiliate of The Motley Fool and may be compensated for promoting its services. If you choose to subscribe through their link, they will earn some extra money that supports their channel. Their opinions remain their own and are unaffected by The Motley Fool.

The Freedom 100 Emerging Markets ETF has gone from a little-known outlier to one of the best-performing emerging markets ETFs in the world.

Who doesn't love a good underdog story?

The exchange-traded fund (ETF) industry has largely been dominated by three heavyweights: Vanguard, State Street, and BlackRock. With other major issuers, such as Schwab, Invesco, and JPMorgan Chase, also looming, it's become increasingly difficult for the little guy to gain traction.

But every once in a while, someone breaks through.

Enter Perth Tolle. Originally a private wealth advisor at Fidelity, she founded Life & Liberty Indexes with a simple premise. When investing in emerging markets, countries with greater levels of personal, political, and economic freedoms are more likely to outperform the broader emerging markets indexes.

In 2017, the Freedom 100 EM Index was launched. Tolle initially pitched an ETF based on the index to several major players, including BlackRock and State Street, but they declined to take it on. In 2018, Alpha Architect agreed to help bring it to market, and in 2019, the Freedom 100 Emerging Markets ETF (FRDM +0.18%), which tracks that index, debuted.

Source: Getty Images.

What is the Freedom 100 Emerging Markets ETF? The investment process behind this ETF is pretty straightforward. After applying a minimum market cap screen for 24 eligible emerging market economies, each country is scored across 87 different freedom variables. These include levels of violent crime, terrorist activity, corruption, due process laws, freedom of speech, legal system quality, monetary system quality, and regulation.

State-owned enterprises are wisely excluded since profit is often not their primary objective. Qualifying components get market-cap-weighted across included countries.

Image source: Freedom ETFs.

Overall, this is a smart concept that hits on many fronts. All the fund is really doing is pulling out the countries and stocks with the greatest opportunity set for success. By eliminating countries and companies that are facing challenges due to any number of political or economic factors, you put a heavy quality tilt in the portfolio that favors outperformance over time.

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And outperform it has!

Over the past five years, its 99% total return is nearly 5 times that of the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM +0.43%).

FRDM Total Return Price data by YCharts. ETF = exchange-traded fund.

Perhaps more impressive is that excluding state-owned enterprises or choosing a quality tilt over the past few years hasn't been an automatic source of extra returns. In fact, neither of those paths has really added to returns at all if you look at the major indexes.

But the Freedom 100 Emerging Markets ETF has managed to pull it off. Its precise selection strategy has managed to pick winners and avoid losers to create a lot of alpha for shareholders.

And investors have taken notice, too. The fund is up to about $2.5 billion in assets under management (AUM). It may not ever compete with the bigger players in terms of sheer size, but its performance record can stand up to any of them!

Nio's preliminary data shows the company generated adjusted profit from operations during the fourth quarter -- but don't overlook the drawback to its operating margins.

Over the past four months Nio (NIO 0.10%) has shed roughly 35% of its value, giving risk-tolerant investors an opportunity to scoop up shares of a promising Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker. The great news for potential investors is that Nio is turning a corner and is about to post its first adjusted profit thanks to consistently improving margins. Despite the great news, and it is, there is a downside that comes with Nio and its margins.

Turning the corner Nio is taking a big step forward for investors as it anticipates, based on preliminary data, to report its first-ever adjusted profit from operations between $100 million and $172 million for the fourth quarter of 2025. It's a big step and sets the stage for the company to reach its goal of achieving at least breakeven for the full-year 2026.

Image source: Nio.

Getting to this point was made possible by Nio's rising margins and consistent growth in sales volume, especially as its two newer sub-brands Onvo and Firefly gain traction. Nio ended on a high note with sales surging 54.6% in December compared to the prior year, to a new monthly high of 48,135 deliveries. Fourth-quarter 2025 sales jumped an even stronger 71.7% compared to the prior year, to nearly 125,000 vehicles.

Despite its newer brands often selling at lower prices than its namesake premium Nio brand, and an ongoing price war in China's EV industry, its gross margins have made consistent progress over recent years.

NIO Gross Profit Margin data by YCharts

Nio recently announced it would report an adjusted profit from operations for the first time and investors should be more optimistic about its path forward. However, there is also more for investors to consider.

What's the catch? While Nio has consistently improved its gross profit margins, and should continue to do so, it's also true that it consistently trails its nearest competitors in operating margin.

NIO Operating Margin (TTM) data by YCharts

One reason Nio comes up short compared to competitors is the financial drain of its battery swapping network. The difference is essentially that gross profit margin will indicate product profitability while operating profit margin goes a step further and includes indirect operating expenses, such as rent, salaries, or marketing.

The simple premise was to swap fully charged batteries out to consumers needing to recharge, essentially done as quickly as refilling a gasoline tank. The drawback is that the battery swap network is vast and requires significant upfront capital investment, as well as ongoing operating costs such as rent, maintenance, and battery inventory, which have weighed on the company's financials.

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It's true that Nio's battery swap network could one day become a significant competitive advantage, but currently it's mostly a high-cost pile of uncertainty. Right now due to the low number of Nio vehicles on the road opting for battery-as-a-service (BaaS) and the increasing quality of substitute products such as fast-charging options, Nio's battery swap network will have a tough time pushing toward profitability. Ultimately, Nio's announcement of its first adjusted profit is great news, so long as investors keep the big picture in mind and understand that Nio may trail its competitors' operating margin for the long term.

Though President Donald Trump's tariff and trade policy may garner the headlines, something more fundamental is at risk of derailing this high-flying stock market.

The third year of Wall Street's bull market rally didn't disappoint. When the curtain closed last year, the S&P 500 (^GSPC +0.05%) had risen 16%, marking its third consecutive year of gains totaling at least 16%. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI +0.10%) and Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC 0.22%) both rallied by double digits and leaped to several record-closing highs.

Though catalysts have been bountiful for stocks -- looking at you, artificial intelligence (AI) -- this historically pricey market is also rife with potential red flags. Stock market corrections are the price of admission to the greatest wealth creator on the planet, and several headwinds are mounting that threaten to pull the rug out from beneath Wall Street.

A lot of attention is currently being paid to President Donald Trump's tariff and trade policy and its effect on corporate America. While historic stock market volatility stemming from Trump's tariff unveiling in early April underscores the uncertainty surrounding this issue, there's a far more sinister worry for Wall Street and investors: earnings quality.

President Trump conducting an interview. Image source: Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian.

Trump's tariffs are having a modest inflationary impact In the two days following the reveal of the president's tariff and trade policy on April 2, the benchmark S&P 500 lost 10.5% of its value. This marked its fifth-steepest two-day decline since 1950.

Initially, Trump introduced a 10% global tariff rate, as well as higher "reciprocal tariffs" on dozens of countries that were deemed to have adverse trade imbalances with the U.S.

Since introducing this tariff and trade policy over 10 months ago, several changes have been made to the original reciprocal tariff rates due to dealmaking and/or implementation pauses. However, the threat of President Trump imposing new or higher tariffs on select countries has persisted since April 2025.

Aside from the uncertainty about when tariffs may be implemented, there's concern about how these import taxes can impact American businesses and jobs. For this, I'll turn to an analysis ("Do Import Tariffs Protect U.S. Firms?") from four New York Federal Reserve economists, writing for Liberty Street Economics.

According to the contributing authors, Trump's China tariffs in 2018-2019 had a lasting impact on public companies long after their initial implementation. U.S. companies affected by these tariffs, on average, saw their labor productivity, employment, sales, and profits decline from 2019 to 2021. That's clearly not good news for corporate earnings if history were to repeat with the latest round of Trump tariffs.

Additionally, the inflation rate has moved modestly higher since the president's tariffs began affecting the U.S. economy. Input tariffs (duties placed on imported goods used to complete the manufacture of a product domestically) have increased production costs for select businesses, leading to higher prices for consumers. A higher inflation rate makes it less likely that the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates.

While Donald Trump's tariffs have certainly made waves on Wall Street, they're of far less concern to the stock market than earnings quality.

Image source: Getty Images.

Wall Street has an undeniable earnings quality issue To preface the following discussion, valuing stocks and the broader market is a subjective task. There isn't a one-size-fits-all blueprint that investors use to evaluate businesses or major stock indexes, meaning there's always going to be some degree of unpredictability to short-term stock movements.

Nonetheless, we entered 2026 with the second-priciest stock market in history, according to data from the S&P 500's Shiller Price-to-Earnings (P/E) Ratio, also known as the Cyclically Adjusted P/E Ratio (CAPE Ratio). This valuation tool, which has averaged 17.34 when back-tested over 155 years, has been vacillating between 39 and 41 for months. Only the dot-com era was pricier than the rise of AI.

Earnings quality is paramount to maintaining this valuation premium. By "earnings quality," I simply mean that fast-growing businesses are generating their profits from their operations and not relying on less desirable means to effectively "pad their stats." While some market leaders are absolutely delivering for their shareholders, others are clear examples of Wall Street's earnings-quality issue in action.

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For instance, "Magnificent Seven" member Tesla (TSLA +0.06%) is trading at an estimated 202 times forecast earnings per share (EPS) in 2026. For a triple-digit forward P/E, we'd expect jaw-dropping growth and the company's operations to be doing the heavy lifting. What investors are actually getting is projected sales growth of less than 9% this year and a significant reliance on unsustainable income sources.

These unsustainable income sources consist of automotive regulatory credits the company receives for free from governments around the world and net interest income earned on its cash. In 2025, Tesla generated $1.99 billion from regulatory credits and approximately $1.34 billion in interest income (after interest expenses). These unsustained and non-innovative income sources accounted for a whopping 63% of its pre-tax income!

But Tesla isn't the only Magnificent Seven stock whose earnings quality should be called into question. While Apple (AAPL 2.20%) is still generating boatloads of operating cash flow, it's been relying on a share buyback smoke-and-mirrors show to obfuscate its lack of real earnings growth.

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Since initiating its share repurchase program in 2013, Apple has bought back $841 billion of its common stock and lowered its outstanding share count by more than 44%. Buybacks of this magnitude have had a decisively positive impact on its EPS.

In Apple's fiscal 2022 (Sept. 24, 2022), it generated $99.8 billion in net income and produced $6.15 in full-year EPS. By fiscal 2025 (ended Sept. 27, 2025), it generated $112 billion in net income and $7.49 in EPS. Net income only rose 12.2% over three years, but EPS jumped nearly 22%. Apple has been masking subpar sales and profit growth with its market-leading share-repurchase program.

To be clear, what Tesla and Apple are doing is perfectly legal and smart from a business standpoint. But amid a historically pricey stock market, this isn't what you, as an investor, should want to see from market leaders. Wall Street's influential businesses should lead with innovation, not share buybacks, interest income, automotive regulatory credits, and other non-innovative sources of revenue/income.

Wall Street has an earnings quality problem, and it may come back to bite investors.

At some point in the 1980s and 90s, the free hot breakfast became a staple of the hospitality industry. At many a Holiday Inn or Hampton Inn, the lobby at 8 a.m. is a pinwheel of pajama-clad kids, frazzled parents, and solo business travelers jockeying for position in front of the waffle maker. Meanwhile, self-serve cereal bars dispense Froot Loops and Lucky Charms, and hot platters of endless eggs and turkey sausage steam under heat lamps. For many, this breakfast spread is part of the appeal of travel. It endures to this day, but it is facing new economic threats and evolving hotel business models.

At hotels, which have been ditching items like free soaps and even bathroom doors to economize, the free breakfast is a sacred cow that some worry will not survive, increasingly seen by hotel operators as an money pit eating into the thin margins of the business. Last year, Hyatt Hotels' Hyatt Place brand removed free breakfast from 40 of its properties. Holiday Inn, owned by IHG, eliminated a la carte breakfast items in favor of a buffet-only model — a cost-cutting measure that preserves the breakfast buffet offering while reducing labor and food waste. 

Gary Leff, who runs the travel blog View from the Wing and first reported on Holiday Inn's breakfast changes, said that the threat to the free breakfast should be viewed within the broader trend in the lodging industry to look for ways to cut costs for owners. "That goes far beyond breakfasts, to things like housekeeping — less often during a stay, less extensive when it's done during a stay — to bulk toiletries rather than individual mini-bottles to eliminating products like alarm clocks in rooms," Leff said.

Despite the free breakfast's staying power, the math never added up for the business, according to Curtis Crimmins, the CEO and founder of boutique hotel concept Roomza. "It was a loyalty play — a loss leader meant to drive signups, repeat bookings, and extended brand loyalty. I would argue that once free breakfast makes the shift from being a 'surprise and delight' endearing moment to an expectation, then its days are numbered," Crimmins said. "Looking for proof of this slow demise in your average Holiday Inn Express breakfast area? Look no further than the recent explosion of 'Grab and Go' options. That's not a coincidence," he said. 

Leff says that catering to a more affluent customer, as in the case of Hyatt Hotels, may offer operators more latitude to eliminate breakfast.

A Hyatt spokesperson said while the company has "tested breakfast options at select Hyatt Place hotels that offer guests the ability to book rates that do not include breakfast ... Most Hyatt Place hotels in the U.S. continue to offer complimentary breakfast to all guests."

Evaluations are ongoing. "As part of our ongoing commitment to delivering value to our guests, including World of Hyatt members, we are continually evaluating breakfast options that best serve our guests and our hotels," the Hyatt spokesperson said.    

Leff says Hyatt has not released data on the trial, and many guests probably just assume breakfast will be free when they book at this point. "Unclear yet whether Hyatt can get away with not doing limited-service breakfast," he said. 

In the current economy with higher-income consumers leading the spend, luxury has been a bright spot within travel. Marriott International CEO Anthony Capuano describes the hotel business right now as being emblematic of the K-shaped economy receiving so much attention. "There are economic headwinds and some uncertainty but we continue to see the consumer prioritizing travel and experiences," Capuano told CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" last week after its most recent earnings. "Luxury was a real highlight for us," Capuano said, adding that 10 percent of Marriott's portfolio is in the luxury tier.  

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Marriott has made breakfast changes in some overseas luxury locations. For instance, the Regis Macao eliminated free breakfast for Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador loyalty members as of March 2025 and replaced it with bonus points or discounted breakfast instead. Some Reddit users have posted this month about free omelettes disappearing from Marriott breakfast bars and now being part of the paid full breakfast buffet, but a Marriott spokesman said that is not a company-wide policy and, if true, would be individual hotel operators making that decision. 

The majority of travelers expect free breakfastThe consumer split is leading to a bifurcation of breakfast models, with higher-end customers going towards paid eggs benedict and homemade croissants while middle- and lower-income consumers crowd the free buffet.

To be sure, Americans like their hotel breakfast. Among guests who partake of hotel food and beverage during their stay, the vast majority (78%) eat breakfast in the hotel, according to the 2025 JD Power North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study. Of that 78 percent, only 8 percent is paid, primarily at upper tier hotels where the trend is taking root. 

Andrea Stokes, hospitality practice lead at JD Power, said that data suggests guests continue to rate breakfast as an important part of their hotel stay. "This proportion is even higher at limited-service upper midscale and midscale hotel brands where complimentary breakfast is typically part of the hotel brand's standard offering," Stokes said. 

When JD Power asks upper midscale and midscale hotel guests to rate the importance of hotel features or amenities, about half (47%) rate complimentary breakfast as "need-to-have" (versus only nice-to-have).

Mitchell Murray, CEO of Station House Inn and three other boutique hotels in Lake Tahoe, California, says while large chain hotels can offer economies of scale, free breakfast can account for roughly 5% of total revenue, closer to 6–7% once labor is included. "That's a meaningful cost, and many operators are asking, 'Does free breakfast actually generate 5% more revenue or bookings?' In many cases, the answer is no," Murray said. He added that when breakfast is free, quality often suffers — think mediocre coffee, watery eggs, frozen potatoes. "It's edible, but rarely memorable or value-adding," Murray said. 

One of Murray's properties is a Holiday Inn Express which he is transitioning to an independent hotel this year and where he plans to do away with the free breakfast after the change, once freed from corporate mandates. Major hotel brand franchisors have specific brand standards that franchisees must adhere to, and this includes food and beverage standards. 

Best Western, though, has no plans to unplug the waffle iron. "Offering a complimentary breakfast is an important part of our guest experience across much of our portfolio," said the hotel chain's CEO Larry Cuculic. "For travelers, free breakfast simplifies the stay, delivers meaningful value and influences booking and loyalty decisions, especially in the midscale and upper-midscale segments," Cuculic said. 

Cuculic says the economics still make sense: breakfast supports guest satisfaction and repeat business, by leveraging the purchasing power of its extensive hotel network, Best Western can help hotels manage costs while maintaining quality and consistency, "making breakfast both a friendly touchpoint for guests and a driver of long-term loyalty," he said. 

Holiday Inn Express is also standing by the free breakfast bar. "Breakfast plays a critical role in our value proposition and continues to be a major reason why travelers choose to stay with us – it's something they know, trust, and expect from our brand, "said Justin Alexander, vice president, global brand management for Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites & Candlewood Suites. 

How changes to hotel menu will influence travel planningHotel breakfast factors into the travel planning of Aimee Misovich and her family. The Holland, Michigan, resident said that her family are Hilton Honors members. "So we always stay at their properties — typically, Embassy Suites, Homewood or Hampton Inn. All three still offer free hotel breakfasts," Misovich said, adding that she likes the variety offered. 

"Homewoods began offering overnight oats and chia puddings. I do partake of the latter. Other times I'll just have a bagel with cream cheese, or a sausage patty inside a bagel for a breakfast sandwich of sorts," Misovich said. While she added that the quality can vary from property to property, the breakfasts are still appealing. 

"I certainly hope Hilton keeps their free breakfasts! After all, they're not really 'free'—I'm sure they're factored somehow into room prices," Misovich said. She also noted that foods she eats at hotel breakfasts are rarely ones she eats at home, "so they're a treat to me when we travel." 

The food and beverage offering, even if only for breakfast service, can be a key differentiator for limited-service hotel brands. "Any hotels that consider scaling back or eliminating free breakfast must focus on demonstrating value in other ways," Stokes said. 

Rita Chaddad, a faculty member who teaches courses on tourism and hospitality management at Columbia Southern University, predicts that free breakfast will continue be eliminated in the luxury brands but remain in some form elsewhere, though travelers should expect more changes to come. 

"Breakfast is likely to remain, but the model may become more segmented," Chaddad said. In upper-midscale settings, hotels may be more willing to offer breakfast through credits, optional add-ons, or targeted inclusion — for example, through packages or loyalty benefits. "In these tiers, hotels may have more flexibility to replace 'free' with perceived value in other forms, provided it is communicated well and the guest feels the trade-off is fair," Chaddad said. 

But she added that many of the middle-tier hotels compete on simple, visible value, and breakfast is one of the clearest signals of that value, so there is risk of backlash if it is completely eliminated. "Removing it can create a perceived loss that may outweigh operational savings, even if the hotel's overall cost structure improves behind the scenes. For value-oriented travelers, breakfast is often interpreted as part of the 'deal,' and losing it can complicate the guest's mental math when comparing properties," Chaddad said. 

Chaddad said hotels will increasingly play with the offering, and beyond higher-tier hotels, travelers should be on the lookout for new models showing up as room-only versus breakfast-included choices, breakfast offered through packages or loyalty benefits, or other redesigned formats that control costs while keeping the benefit visible to guests. "The shift may be less about eliminating breakfast and more about adjusting who receives it, how it is delivered, and how clearly it is priced or bundled," she said.

While some of those changes may add to the hotel bottom line, they could come with an added emotional cost. "My kids and I would be really sad if they discontinue free hotel breakfasts. It's part of the fun of traveling," said East Tennessee resident Joanne Peterson. 

Sun, 15/02/2026 - 11:40

Over 260,000 ETH moved to Binance by 'Bitcoin OG' Garrett Jin. We break down the $543M transfer and what it means for Ethereum’s $1,900–$2,150 decision zone.

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More than 260,000 ETH, worth $543 million at the time of writing, was deposited to Binance within minutes, marking one of February's largest concentrated Ethereum inflow events. Lookonchain linked the transfers to wallets associated with Garrett Jin, also known as Bitcoin OG, from the 2010s. This move comes as ETH tries to stabilize near $2,000 after the week of macro data revived the risk-on sentiment.

Tracking the whale: Who is Garrett Jin?A big chunk of 261,024 ETH, worth about $543 million when it was sent to Binance,  became one of the biggest single-venue Ethereum events in February, and it put the spotlight on the short-term exchange supply risk right away.

Whale Alert first noticed three transfers in a row - 69,378 ETH, 96,116 ETH, and 95,526 ETH - from 'unknown' wallets. 

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However, Lookonchain later confirmed that the deposits were linked to addresses connected to Garrett "Bullish" Jin, whom some call Bitcoin OG from the 2010s, but more remembered as an insider who almost perfectly timed the October 10 'Black Friday' crash - the one where crypto market participants lost at least $40 billion. 

ETH/USD by TradingViewThe transfers went straight to Binance deposit addresses instead of going through other wallets, which makes it more likely that the liquidity will be used soon. More to it, Lookonchain had already tracked the same entity selling 5,000 BTC and withdrawing over $53 million USDT from Binance, which suggests tactical capital rotation rather than long-term custody movement. That transaction history makes it more likely that there's active selling going on from the Jin's side.

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Ethereum (ETH), in the meantime, is trading at around $2,074 on Binance right now, down significantly from the highs of January above $3,300. The price structure shows a sharp breakdown, followed by a period of consolidation between $1,900 and $2,150. That range is now like a decision zone, especially when exchange balances are going up.

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In a recent tweet, XRP ledger validator Vet highlights XRP's utility, being used as a bridge currency between pairs like EUROP/RLUSD via autobridging.

"Love to see XRP being used right now as bridge currency between pairs like EUROP/RLUSD via autobridging," Vet wrote in a tweet.

Love to see XRP being used right now as bridge currency between pairs like EUROP / RLUSD via autobridging.

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— Vet (@Vet_X0) February 14, 2026 XRP being used as a bridge currency aligns with Ripple's vision for the crypto asset. Earlier this month, Ripple released an updated Institutional DeFi roadmap, which details how the XRP Ledger is advancing toward everyday institutional use, with XRP at the center of settlement, FX, collateral, and on-chain credit.

It is projected that with each use case in stablecoin payments, FX and remittance, tokenized collateral, lending and credit, compliance, XRP’s role will become more prominent in institutional finance, either as the asset being moved, the bridge facilitating exchange, or the reserve currency backing network security.

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The next three days will see the permissioned DEX amendment launch on the XRP Ledger mainnet.

This feature introduces a permissioned DEX system for the XRP Ledger. By integrating permissioning features directly into the DEX protocol, regulated financial institutions can participate in the XRPL's DEX while still adhering to their compliance requirements.

In permissioned DEX environments, XRP will act as the auto-bridge asset in FX and remittance transactions, settling trades between stablecoins and other tokens.

XRP surges 13%XRP extended its price rebound from a low of $1.34 on February 13 into the third day as the crypto market saw its strongest weekend price action in over 20 weeks.

Sunday saw XRP price rise as much as 13%, from $1.50 to $1.67, alongside increasing volumes. XRP price rose 88% in the last 24 hours to $4.75 billion, according to CoinMarketCap. XRP open interest increased as well by 19% to $2.86 billion.

XRP's price jump follows the broader crypto market recovery as a lower-than-expected CPI reading helped boost the outlook for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts in the markets.

The consumer price index for January rose 2.4% from the same time a year ago, down 0.3 percentage points from the prior month, and the lowest since May 2025. This gave the markets a reason to believe that interest rate cuts could arrive sooner than expected, lifting both stocks and cryptocurrencies higher.

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Shiba Inu has finally recovered from a severe correction that wiped out about 30% of its market value over the course of a month. After months of consistent selling pressure, SHIB has reported a strong 17% recovery from recent lows, which may indicate to traders that sellers may have reached short-term exhaustion. 

Long-term picture remains bearishThe asset suffered structural damage as a result of the decline. Over the course of the previous month, SHIB continuously formed lower highs and lower lows while trading below its major moving averages, confirming a persistently bearish trend. 

SHIB/USDT Chart by TradingViewDownward momentum was further accelerated by the breakdown from consolidation zones, which led to more liquidations and the forced exit of many short-term holders. The market became extremely defensive as a result, with traders generally anticipating more drops.

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The most recent action, though, raises the possibility of a change in the short-term dynamics. Price action indicates that SHIB is bouncing strongly following several tests of the $0.000006 support region. Increased trading volume during the recovery suggests that traders are once again participating, most likely as a result of short-position covering and dip buyers. 

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The current zone becomes strategically significant for whales and larger holders. Possibilities for accumulation usually arise following a 30% correction, particularly if overall market conditions level off.

Are SHIB whales ready?Before making bigger entries, whales frequently watch for indications of seller exhaustion, volume expansion on rebounds, and stabilization above psychological support levels. Perhaps the most recent rebound is the first sign that such a phase is about to start.   

Since SHIB is still trading below significant trend averages, the overall market structure has not completely turned bullish. Recovery rallies inside downtrends are prone to failure if follow-through purchases do not occur.

Regaining adjacent resistance zones and maintaining gains without an abrupt retracement presents SHIB with its next challenge. In the event that buyers are able to hold the current support and gradually raise the price, confidence may gradually return, allowing liquidity to return to the asset. If momentum is lost, on the other hand, another test of lows could occur.

Journalist

Posted: February 15, 2026

The market has regained its appetite for risk, with memecoins once again taking the lead.

At the time of writing, Pepe [PEPE] was trading at $0.00000493, posting a 29.3% price surge. Momentum strengthened as late-session bids lifted the price sharply.

Consecutively, in 24 hours, the volume exploded 283% to $1.07 billion, signaling aggressive speculative rotation.

This surge positioned PEPE as the sector’s leadership proxy. As capital clustered around it, adjacent memecoins recorded sympathy inflows.

The rebound therefore implied sentiment stabilization across high-beta tokens.

Notably, the move lacked a fundamental catalyst; instead, momentum and social discourse drove flows. Rising creator activity, up 17.08% weekly to 2,407, reinforced retail engagement.

Source: LunarCrash/X

Thereafter, whales accumulated trillions of tokens, anticipating reflexive upside. Their motive centered on liquidity leverage and narrative dominance. By concentrating size early, they shaped order-book direction.

Sustainability now depends on volume persistence. Steady inflows would confirm continued risk appetite. Fading turnover, however, would signal rotational exhaustion, slowing the broader memecoin advance.

Memecoins outrun markets while L1s stall at the cycle turn Market structure shifted after Bitcoin [BTC] established its $60,000 bottom. Forced liquidations and capitulation selling eliminated the downside pressure. Thereafter, liquidity re-entered through high-beta segments.

Memecoins reacted first, rallying toward +10% by February 15. Their rebound accelerated as speculative capital rotated aggressively. Social momentum and viral narratives amplified participation.

Source: X

Meanwhile, Layer-1s lagged, hovering near 0% despite the broader recovery. Capital avoided them due to diluted narratives and heavy supply overhangs.

Ongoing concerns about unlocks and ecosystem fragmentation weighed on flows. This underperformance implied reduced institutional conviction.

AI and gaming recovered modestly, hovering around +3% and +6%. However, their upside remained secondary to memecoin velocity.

Traders prioritized reflexive trades over fundamental positioning. Faster liquidity turnover favored meme assets.

Thus, memecoin appetite reflected rising risk tolerance. Sustained inflows signaled speculative expansion, while L1 weakness highlighted structural demand fatigue.

PEPE ignites renewed memecoin momentum PEPE Open Interest expanded steadily, climbing from sub-$200 million levels toward the $600 million–$800 million range. Positioning intensified as leveraged traders re-entered risk.

Thereafter, Open Interest briefly spiked near $1 billion, signaling peak speculative exposure. Liquidations and profit-taking then compressed positioning toward $300 million–$400 million.

Source: CoinGlass

Still, recent rebuilding of over $400 million reflects cautious optimism returning. Rising derivatives exposure suggests traders anticipate further upside.

Meanwhile, broader memecoin pricing reversed prolonged weakness. The sector index rebounded sharply, posting a 28% surge from recent lows.

This recovery followed months of structural drawdown toward the mid-20 region.

Sector: MarkVector

As prices increased, sentiment shifted decisively to risk-on. Strengthening flows in meme assets reinforced speculative leadership.

Together, rebuilding leverage and price expansion implied renewed sector momentum, while signaling traders’ willingness to reprice high-beta narratives upward.

Final Summary PEPE’s volume surge and whale buying reignited memecoin momentum, cementing its role as the sector’s sentiment leader. Continuation depends on sustained inflows, as L1 weakness confirms capital’s bias toward high-beta risk.

ETH price prediction faces mixed signals as Ethereum trades near $2,050 while staking reaches a record share of total supply. At the same time, ETH/BTC remains capped by a long-term downtrend, which keeps relative momentum weak.

Staked ETH climbs past 30% while price stays near recent lowsEthereum's staking rate rose to a new high above 30.5% of total ETH supply, even as ether traded around $2,050, according to a CryptoQuant chart shared by analyst Leon Waidmann on X. The chart labeled “Ethereum: ETH 2.0 Staking Rate (%)” shows the staking share climbing in a steady uptrend since early 2023, while the price line moved through multiple rallies and selloffs over the same period.

ETH 2.0 Staking Rate (%). Source: CryptoQuant  / X

The CryptoQuant data suggests the staking rate roughly doubled from about 15% in early 2023 to more than 30% by early 2026. Meanwhile, the price axis on the same chart shows ether near $1.9K at the latest point, well below prior peaks marked above $4,000 and near $4,500 during 2024 and 2025.

Waidmann described the move as a divergence, arguing that staking continued to rise regardless of market direction. He also pointed to earlier periods when staking increased while price stayed flat or fell, and he said ether later climbed in subsequent months. Those references reflect his interpretation of past market behavior rather than a guaranteed outcome.

Staking locks ETH into validator operations to help secure the network, and it can reduce the amount of ether immediately available to trade. At the same time, liquidity conditions also depend on where ETH sits across exchanges, custodians, and staking providers, as well as how easily holders can exit positions.

ETH/BTC stays pinned under long-term downtrend as ratio hovers near multi-year lowsThe ETH/BTC trading pair remained below a descending trendline that has capped rallies for nearly eight years, according to a biweekly chart from Binance shared by X user TedPillows. The chart labeled “Ethereum / Bitcoin – 2W (Binance)” shows a long series of lower highs from 2017 through early 2026, with each rebound failing near the same falling resistance line.

Ethereum / Bitcoin – 2W (Binance). Source: TradingView / X

At the latest reading, the ratio traded near 0.0293 BTC per ETH, based on the chart’s right-side price marker. Over recent years, the pair posted repeated lower peaks during recovery attempts in 2018, 2021, and 2022. However, each move stalled under the same descending trendline, which continues to define the broader structure. As a result, the market has not confirmed a sustained shift in relative strength toward ether versus bitcoin.

Price action since 2024 shows another bounce from the lower end of the range, followed by renewed pressure as the pair approached the long-term resistance. Therefore, the structure still reflects a broader downtrend on higher time frames. In turn, this signals that ether has continued to lag bitcoin in relative performance across multiple cycles.

TedPillows said a decisive break above the trendline could mark a regime change for ETH/BTC and reshape relative momentum between the two assets. That view reflects the analyst’s interpretation of technical structure rather than a confirmed outcome. For now, the chart shows resistance holding, while the pair trades below the multi-year ceiling that has defined relative performance since 2017.

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Has crypto bottomed? Fidelity signals a forming bear-market floorA leading Wall Street asset manager’s research desk has indicated that the crypto bear-market floor may be forming. The signal centers on Bitcoin’s ability to stabilize in a defined range while volatility compresses.

Within this framing, the $60,000–$75,000 area is treated as a primary zone to monitor for basing behavior. Some market watchers still note the possibility of a lower retest before any durable expansion phase.

Why Fidelity’s outlook matters for Bitcoin and investorsAccording to Fidelity Investments, it began mining Bitcoin in 2014 and launched dedicated crypto services in 2018; its digital assets research team later wrote that Bitcoin and Ethereum had matured into a distinct, investable category. Given that institutional posture, the firm’s cycle read is closely followed by allocators.

Before reproducing the statement below, it is important to note that it reflects a research view rather than a recommendation. Its analysts said, “The bottom of the crypto bear market may have been formed, and a new round of expansion is expected.”

In practical terms, the firm’s macro work frames 2025–2026 as a likely consolidation window. Within that, the current drawdown toward the $60,000–$75,000 band is treated as consistent with a support-building process.

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At the time of this writing, Bitcoin trades near $68,795 after testing $69,400 resistance, as reported by CryptoRank. That location sits inside the envisaged support band that institutional analysts are watching.

A principal near-term risk remains a further push lower if momentum weakens. According to CryptoQuant, a final bear-market flush could approach ~$55,000 in a risk case, implying the range could be probed before any durable base forms.

Price action clustered within a well-defined range typically signals consolidation, not confirmation of a new trend. A decisive loss of the lower boundary would raise the odds of a deeper reset, while steady closes back toward the range midpoint would support a basing narrative.

BTC $60,000–$75,000 support zone and downside watchpointsLevels analysts monitor, including a potential ~$55,000 risk caseMarket technicians are tracking whether Bitcoin can repeatedly defend the $60,000–$75,000 area on closing bases. A swift, high-volatility wick toward ~$55,000 remains a noted risk case if selling accelerates, especially during liquidity gaps.

Holding the mid-range on retests would strengthen the argument for a developing floor. Conversely, a breakdown with expanding range and volume would indicate the consolidation is not yet complete.

Contrasting views: Fidelity, CryptoQuant, and independent analystsThe institutional view emphasizes a forming floor and a consolidation-heavy path through 2026. By contrast, some on-chain research highlights the possibility of one more leg down toward the high-$50,000s before accumulation stabilizes.

Independent market watchers remain cautious, pointing to the need for confirmation via sustained closes and improving breadth. That divergence underscores why risk management and scenario planning remain central during range-bound phases.

FAQ about Bitcoin bear market bottomWhat price levels are analysts watching as key BTC support (e.g., $60k–$75k and ~$55k)?Many watch $60,000–$75,000 as support, while a ~$55,000 downside wick is a risk case if selling accelerates.

What is Fidelity’s Jurrien Timmer forecasting for Bitcoin into 2026?Timmer anticipates a consolidation phase into 2026, with the recent ~$60,000–$75,000 zone acting as support and the latest dip aligning with his outlined correction range.

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

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The crypto market extended its rally over the past 24 hours as Bitcoin climbed above $70,000. Altcoins led the move, with Pi, Pepe, Dogecoin, and XRP posting double-digit gains. The surge followed renewed risk appetite after the latest U.S. inflation data.

Pi Coin and Pepe Coin Outperformed the Crypto Market Pi Coin surged to $0.1985, its highest since January 20. The token is now up 4 days in a row and has beaten Bitcoin, Ethereum over the last 4 days. The upward movement is due to increasing interest before crucial network upgrades.

Source: CoinMarketCap Network upgrades have been initiated on February 15, and additional updates will continue to roll out in the weeks and months ahead. Investors are also focused on February 20, which will mark the first-year anniversary of the mainnet launch.

Pi has been supported by the broader rally in the crypto market. As CoinGape reported, U.S. consumer inflation release had the headline CPI drop to 2.4% in January. The reading is increasingly approaching the 2% target and rekindles demand for digital assets.

One of the biggest bounces among meme tokens came from Pepe. The price rose to $0.0000054, its highest since late January. The rebound came after a double bottom near $0.0000036 was formed. The neckline of this reversal pattern sits at $0.0000072, which is the high for January. On the other hand, Pepe also created a falling wedge with downward-sloping and converging trendlines.

Source: TradingView Momentum has been improving on the rebound. Some bullish crossovers have been established by the Relative Strength Index and the Percentage Price Oscillator, whose readings were increasing. The nearest resistance for traders to watch is now the $0.0000072 region which is approximately 45% above the price at present.

Dogecoin Surges on Musk News, XRP Nears Breakout Dogecoin is also among the biggest gainers. The token rallied by two digits gains and rose above $0.11 after hovering around $0.095. The surge came after remarks made by Elon Musk about new trading functionalities on X.

Musk added that users will soon be able to trade stocks and cryptocurrencies directly from their timelines. The beta version will be available in one to two months within X Money, the platform’s internal payments system. The aim, Nikita Bier said in an X post, is to build an “everything app,” a superapp that includes investing, payments, posting — and messaging.

In addition, XRP price also experienced a sharp increase of 15.97% in the last 24 hours. The cryptocurrency is trading at around $1.66 after the resumption of buying activity. The move was a result of the news of Brad Garlinghouse, the CEO of Ripple, joining a vital US regulatory committee.

In an X post, analyst Master of Crypto stated that the cryptocurrency is nearing a crucial decision point. The cryptocurrency is currently testing the top of a long-term downtrend channel. XRP is currently facing vital resistance at the range of $1.75 to $1.85.

Source: X The cryptocurrency can break through the range if it experiences high volume. According to analysts, XRP can move towards the region of $2.00. If the cryptocurrency fails to break through the range, it can move back to the region of $1.40 before trying again. XRP’s next move will depend on its response at the resistance point, which is currently experiencing high momentum.

Bitcoin climbing back above $70,000 has clearly lifted sentiment across the crypto market. With confidence returning, traders are once again rotating into higher-risk plays, and memecoins are among the biggest beneficiaries. The sector has jumped more than 12% in just 24 hours, with trading volume nearly doubling and total market capitalization rising from around $29 billion to close to $35 billion.

Dogecoin and Pepe are leading this renewed wave of interest, posting gains of nearly 20% and 15%, respectively. As the DOGE price pushes toward higher resistance levels and the PEPE price tests a key barrier on the chart, the big question now is whether this momentum can carry through the rest of the month or if resistance will slow the rally before a sustained breakout unfolds.

Dogecoin (DOGE) Price AnalysisDogecoin’s volatility has picked up notably since the start of the year, leading to a breakout from its prolonged descending trend. The price recently tested the $0.15 resistance level but failed to secure a decisive close above it, triggering a short-term pullback. However, the rejection did not weaken participation. On-chain activity remains strong, with active addresses rising sharply from around 600,000 to nearly 970,000 — a clear sign of renewed network engagement.

Despite posting double-digit gains, DOGE’s next move now hinges on the immediate resistance zone between $0.11 and $0.12. A sustained breakout and close above this range could open the door to another attempt at $0.15, while failure to hold the momentum may keep the price trapped in consolidation.

DOGE price has rebounded from recent lows, but the daily chart shows it is still trading below a key horizontal range that previously acted as a strong base. Price action remains confined within a descending channel, keeping the broader structure cautious. However, momentum is improving, with RSI holding in the upper range and the DMI nearing a bullish crossover, indicating rising buying pressure. A breakout above $0.135 could confirm bullish intent. If this level is reclaimed as support, DOGE may initially target $0.18, followed by a move toward the $0.20 zone.

Pepe (PEPE) Price AnalysisPEPE price continues to trade under a long-standing descending structure on the daily chart, marked by multiple failed breakout attempts over the past year. Although the token recently witnessed a sharp rebound, the upside remains capped below a well-defined resistance zone and the descending trendline, which has consistently rejected bullish advances. The latest recovery briefly flipped the Supertrend indicator bullish, signaling short-term strength, but price action suggests the move lacks follow-through.

Notably, PEPE appears to be stuck in a distribution phase, with the Accumulation/Distribution line trending lower and printing a bearish divergence. This indicates that selling pressure is still dominant despite intermittent rebounds. As long as the price fails to reclaim the local and pivotal resistance levels around $0.00000514 and $0.00000545, bearish risks remain active. A decisive breakout above this zone is required to shift sentiment and open the path toward higher targets near the $0.000008 region.

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The most noteworthy cryptocurrency developments in the region this week came from Argentina, Brazil, and El Salvador.

El Salvador is planning a $100 million tokenised investment program for local SMEs, Brazil is considering a bill to eliminate crypto taxes and establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve, and Argentina’s fintech industry suffered a blow when lawmakers revoked a proposal that would have permitted salaries to be paid into digital wallets.

Together, these tales demonstrate how governments and businesses in Latin America are experimenting with new models for reserves, investments, and daily financial access, making the region a crucial arena for crypto policy and innovation.

Fintech setback in Argentina’s salary deposit reform Copy link to section

A proposed labour reform that would have enabled employees to receive their salaries directly in digital wallets for the first time was initially embraced by Argentina’s fintech industry.

But ultimately, lawmakers eliminated the clause, which was generally interpreted as supporting traditional banks.

Even if surveys indicate that a significant majority of Argentines prefer the right to choose where their paychecks are deposited, the party of President Javier Milei agreed to remove the clause during discussions to gain wider support for the law.

Employees are required by law to receive their pay through conventional bank accounts.

Nevertheless, the use of digital wallets has increased recently, in part because financial services are more difficult to use.

Only 47% of Argentines have a bank account, according to a 2022 central bank survey.

This indicates a long-standing mistrust of the institution following incidents like the 2001 “corralito,” ongoing inflation, and frequent limitations on accessing funds.

Fintech platforms have thereby made financial access more widely available, with many users turning to apps like Mercado Pago, Modo, Ualá, and Lemon as their main gateway to official digital finance.

Brazil considers a strategic Bitcoin reserve and crypto tax exemption Copy link to section

A report presented to the Chamber of Deputies Economic Development Committee in Brazil has the potential to drastically alter the nation’s stance on Bitcoin.

The plan calls for removing taxes on cryptocurrency gains and establishing a Sovereign Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (RESBit).

The new language proposed by Congressman Luiz Gastão, rapporteur of Bill 4,501/2024, will modify the regulation of the cryptocurrency industry, including modifications to oversight and reporting guidelines.

The plan would permit the federal government to buy Bitcoin over time, up to a maximum of 5% of the country’s foreign exchange holdings.

The Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank would work together to handle the assets, which would be kept in cold wallets for further security.

Additionally, the law repeals an existing rule requiring brokers and investors to register all cryptocurrency transactions and permits the payment of federal taxes in Bitcoin.

Bitcoin is positioned as a strategic reserve that might underpin Brazil’s digital currency, the Drex, and it also offers a complete income-tax exemption on gains from Bitcoin and other digital assets.

Strategic alliance aims to tokenize $100 million for Salvadoran SMEs Copy link to section

In order to direct $100 million in foreign direct investment into small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in El Salvador by 2026, Corporación Infinito (COIN) and Stakiny formed a strategic alliance.

Through an integrated infrastructure that blends financial structuring, regulatory compliance, and blockchain technology, the effort intends to employ regulated tokenised equity instruments to link local businesses with global finance.

The project aims to draw in institutional investors and foreign money seeking to use digital investment methods to contribute to the expansion of Salvadoran firms, according to Antonio Arrué, vice president of COIN.

Stakiny, a platform requesting permission from the National Commission of Digital Assets to tokenise equity in private enterprises, will supply the technological backbone.

In order to provide real-time cap table management, dividend distribution, governance events, and secondary trading, the model will connect conventional shareholder agreements with digital tokens registered on-chain.

To enable tokenised investing for both crypto-native and conventional investors, the platform is made to run on an EVM-compatible network and be accessed via a mobile wallet with biometric authentication.

World Liberty Financial Token (WLFI), a DeFi governance token affiliated with the Trump family, may have signaled a major market breakdown hours before Bitcoin moved, according to a new analysis by data provider Amberdata.

The report examines trading activity on Oct. 10, 2025, when roughly $6.93 billion in leveraged crypto positions were liquidated in under an hour. Bitcoin (BTC) fell about 15% and Ether (ETH) dropped roughly 20%, while smaller tokens lost as much as 70%.

Amberdata found that WLFI began a sharp decline more than five hours before the broader market downturn. At the time, Bitcoin was still trading near $121,000 and showed little immediate stress.

“A five-hour lead time is hard to dismiss as coincidence,” Mike Marshall, who authored the report, told Cointelegraph. “That duration is what separates a genuinely actionable warning from a statistical artefact,” he added.

WLFI anomalies before the selloffResearchers analyzed three unusual patterns, including a surge in trading activity, a sharp divergence from Bitcoin and extreme leverage, to determine whether WLFI signaled stress before the broader market selloff.

WLFI’s hourly volume jumped to roughly $474 million, about 21.7 times its normal level, within minutes of tariff-related political news. Meanwhile, funding rates on WLFI perpetual futures reached about 2.87% every eight hours, equivalent to an annualized borrowing cost near 131%.

WLFI funding rating. Source: AmberdataThe study does not claim insider trading occurred. Instead, it argues the way crypto markets are structured can make certain assets matter more than their size suggests.

WLFI’s holder base is concentrated among politically connected participants, the report says, unlike Bitcoin’s widely distributed ownership. Marshall said the trading pattern appeared “instrument-specific,” meaning activity was focused on WLFI rather than across the broader crypto complex.

“If this were superior analysis (sophisticated participants reading the tariff headlines faster and drawing better conclusions) you’d expect to see that reflected more broadly,” he said. “What we actually saw was concentrated activity in WLFI first.”

The timing is notable. Trading volume accelerated roughly three minutes after public tariff news. Marshall said such speed suggests prepared execution rather than retail traders interpreting headlines in real time.

The link between WLFI and the broader market drop comes down to leverage. Many crypto trading platforms let traders use several assets as collateral for borrowed positions. When WLFI fell sharply, the value of that collateral dropped, forcing traders to sell liquid assets like Bitcoin and Ether to cover their positions. Those sales pushed prices lower and triggered further liquidations across the market.

WLFI crashed ahead of Bitcoin. Source: AmberdataWLFI reacted faster than Bitcoin to stressAmberdata’s data shows WLFI’s realized volatility reached nearly eight times that of Bitcoin during the episode, making it particularly sensitive to stress. Researchers argue that structurally fragile, highly leveraged assets may move first during market shocks.

Marshall said the findings should not be interpreted as proof that WLFI can reliably predict downturns. The analysis covers a single event, and more data would be needed to establish statistical consistency. Still, he believes the behavior is significant.

“So the useful life of this signal is finite. It’s valuable now because it’s under-monitored,” he said. “The moment it becomes consensus, the alpha gets arbitraged away. That’s how all market signals work. The ones that persist are the ones nobody’s paying attention to.”

Magazine: Bitget’s Gracy Chen is looking for ‘entrepreneurs, not wantrepreneurs’

Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently. Read our Editorial Policy https://cointelegraph.com/editorial-policy

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U.S. institutions stay bullish as overseas reduce exposure amid diverging driversU.S. institutional investors are maintaining exposure to Bitcoin while many offshore participants are cutting risk, as reported by CoinDesk. The research points to U.S. leveraged positions holding up even as non-U.S. traders de-risk.

In practice, regulated spot Bitcoin ETFs have become a primary on-ramp for U.S. allocators, concentrating liquidity during U.S. market hours. Overseas retrenchment appears linked to macro uncertainty and local policy frictions, producing a clear split in positioning.

Why this divergence matters for spot ETF flows and liquiditySpot ETF creation and redemption directly influence underlying liquidity. Sustained U.S. demand supports primary-market creations, which can tighten spreads and deepen order books during U.S. sessions.

Conversely, offshore redemptions can drain liquidity regionally, increase tracking noise, and shift price discovery toward U.S. hours. If this split persists, U.S. vehicles may continue acting as the central venue for two-way flow.

Several U.S. ETF leaders have emphasized ongoing allocator interest despite drawdowns. “Institutions are still excited to allocate to an asset class that … is still delivering very strong returns,” said Matt Hougan, CIO at Bitwise.

BingX: a trusted exchange delivering real advantages for traders at every level.

A U.S.-led bid can tilt order-book depth toward New York trading hours, boost ETF secondary-market activity, and influence basis and funding when futures market-makers hedge creations. Offshore de-risking, by contrast, can thin depth in Asia and Europe and amplify intraday swings.

Flow snapshots show how quickly sentiment can flip: a late-January week saw about $1.73 billion exit news/crypto/”>crypto funds, as reported by CryptoCapitalNews, citing CoinShares. That episode illustrates that even with strong U.S. participation, macro shocks can trigger rapid outflows and wider spreads.

Institutional behavior may still dampen forced selling relative to retail cycles. Tom Farley, CEO of Bullish, has noted that larger players tend to be more insulated from volatility than retail participants, a dynamic that can stabilize order flow during stress.

At the time of this writing, Bitcoin trades around $69,816, providing a neutral baseline against which ETF creations, redemptions, and cross-region flows are being assessed.

What’s driving each side: policy, flows, and positioningEvidence from NYDIG and U.S. spot ETF activity like IBITThe research attributes the split to positioning: U.S. institutions maintaining leverage while offshore traders reduce exposure. Regulated spot ETFs offer operational simplicity, custody, and transparency that align with mandates, drawing flows into U.S. trading windows.

This structure also enables basis and financing strategies that rely on robust primary-market liquidity and market-making. As overseas desks de-risk, the u.S. framework may keep absorbing supply, though that capacity is not unlimited.

Role of Federal Reserve signals in shaping institutional risk appetitePolicy expectations channel into Bitcoin via liquidity, dollar conditions, and real-rate paths. Easing or balance-sheet support can raise risk tolerance and compress spreads; tighter policy can reverse those effects.

Some market commentators argue that liquidity via facilities such as the Standing Repo Facility can resemble “stealth QE.” Arthur Hayes has framed such mechanisms as potential tailwinds for Bitcoin, though outcomes depend on broader macro conditions.

FAQ about U.S. institutions bullish on BitcoinWhat do recent spot Bitcoin ETF flows indicate about current institutional demand?Flows show active two-way trading with creations on strength and swift rebalancing on weakness, implying ongoing institutional engagement rather than a passive exit.

How could Federal Reserve policy and liquidity (e.g., rate cuts or stealth QE) affect Bitcoin in 2026?Looser policy and added liquidity could support risk appetite and ETF inflows; tighter conditions may curb demand and widen spreads.

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

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This is what can move the needle for SoundHound in 2026.

SoundHound AI (SOUN +0.00%) is an investable opportunity hiding in plain sight. It has already embedded its voice artificial intelligence (AI) platform in everyday life, handling restaurant orders, dinner reservations, and even parking searches.

The use cases for a voice-powered AI assistant are massive, but the company's shares have gotten off to a rocky start this year, falling by 24% year to date, and down by about 65% from the 52-week high they touched in mid-October.

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Trading now below $8, is SoundHound AI stock a smart buy here, or would investors be better off sitting on the sidelines?

The big opportunity for Soundhound SoundHound AI management believes that the company has a massive total addressable market of $140 billion. Its conversational AI agent can be deployed in industries ranging from automotive to financial services to restaurants to healthcare. One example of SoundHound AI's technology in action comes from the company's partnership with burger chain Five Guys, where it has already handled over 1 million customer interactions.

The company has built three revenue pillars to try to grab more of that addressable market.

The first is through product royalties from having its voice AI embedded in things like smart TVs and vehicles. The second pillar is services, where SoundHound earns revenue from companies that use its platform to replace human employees in customer interaction activities such as making appointments, taking food orders, and providing customer service. Its third pillar is monetization, where it earns commissions or gets a revenue split each time its platform handles orders.

Image source: Getty Images.

All of this is promising, but the stock price drop over the past four months reflects that SoundHound AI is still in the early stages of generating revenue from those markets.

Alleviating current concerns In the third quarter of 2025, the company reported $42 million in revenue, while losses totaled $109.3 million. As an artificial intelligence-centric company, SoundHound AI also gets swept up in the market's waves of worry whenever sentiment sours on AI.

The good news is that the company's cash-burn concerns may soon be in the rear-view mirror. CFO Nitesh Sharan said during the company's Q3 2025 earnings call that it can keep up a hypergrowth pace while nearly breaking even in the bottom line.

If SoundHound AI approaches profitability, that will push it closer to the winner column for AI stocks and could help the stock price regain its footing. With that prospect on the horizon for this year, SoundHound AI stock trading under $8 could offer a compelling long-term buying opportunity.

This company's status as the go-to foundry partner for AI chip designers and companies positions it well to capitalize on the AI revolution.

Artificial intelligence (AI) companies are facing greater scrutiny of late, as investors look beyond the hype and focus on companies capable of capitalizing on this disruptive tech trend.

This explains why AI software stocks were in sell-off mode this month following a product update from AI start-up Anthropic, which was seen as a threat to conventional software companies. However, hardware-oriented AI companies continue to be in the good books of investors, as evidenced by the 14% jump in the PHLX Semiconductor Sector index in 2026.

That's not surprising, as semiconductors have been playing one of the most important roles in the proliferation of AI -- training and deploying AI models. The huge productivity gains that AI applications are projected to deliver in the future wouldn't have been possible without semiconductor companies, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM 0.51%) is the leader in this sector.

Let's see why TSMC has been creating, and will continue to spawn, the next generation of leaders in the field of AI.

Image source: TSMC.

TSMC is the go-to manufacturer of chips that's going to enable next-gen AI applications Anthropic's Claude Cowork agentic AI model caused a sell-off among software stocks because of its ability to complete tasks on its own. It's worth noting that Anthropic has a close relationship with chip designer Nvidia, whose chip systems are helping the AI start-up train and deploy its models.

Anthropic also announced in October last year that it would deploy Google's custom AI processors to run AI workloads in the cloud. However, the likes of Nvidia and Google go to TSMC to get their chip designs fabricated. Counterpoint Research estimates that TSMC has a 99% share of the AI server compute and custom AI processors manufactured. This makes TSMC the enabler of upcoming AI giants such as Anthropic.

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Not surprisingly, TSMC has been growing at a remarkable pace. It clocked a 36% increase in revenue in 2025 to $122.4 billion, along with a 51% increase in earnings per share. Importantly, the company has gotten off to a solid start in 2026 as well, with its January revenue growing by almost 37% from the same month in 2025.

This pace indicates that TSMC could exceed its 2026 revenue growth target of 30%. Throw in the reportedly higher prices that the company is likely to command for its advanced chip nodes, and it seems on track for another year of solid bottom-line growth.

The long-term opportunity in AI chips should be a tailwind for the stock RBC Capital Markets estimates that sales of AI chips could increase from $220 billion last year to more than $550 billion by 2028. We have already seen that TSMC is the foundry of choice for companies designing AI chips, putting it in the driver's seat to capitalize on the lucrative end-market opportunity.

That's why investors will do well to buy TSMC stock hand over fist right now. After all, the company's forward earnings multiple of 26 is almost in line with the tech-laden Nasdaq-100 index's reading. The good part is that its earnings are set to grow at a faster pace than the broader market, suggesting that investors can't go wrong with this semiconductor giant, given its important role in AI.

Harsh Chauhan has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Nvidia, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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

Tesla's core EV business appears to be hitting a wall, forcing it to accelerate the developmental timelines of several of its side projects.

Big changes for Tesla (TSLA +0.06%) are afoot. While the company will continue manufacturing electric vehicles, it's adding solar panels to its mix, hastening the development of its robotaxi technology, and perhaps most amazingly, intends to start selling humanoid household task-tackling robots at an expected price of between $20,000 and $30,000 apiece to consumers by the end of 2027.

Although the company's been working on all of these initiatives for some time, CEO Elon Musk's confidence in their readiness was on full display at this year's annual gathering of world leaders in Davos, Switzerland, held in late January. And as usual, his optimism has been very well verbalized. The company's "overall shift to an autonomous future" underway now was described as an "infinite money glitch" back in October, suggesting billions of accessible liquidity are in the offing.

Just don't dismiss the possibility that Tesla's talkative founder may also simply be trying to divert attention away from the fact that his electric vehicle business is stagnating, biting into its profitability. He might not be diving neck-deep into robotics or solar because he wants to. He may be doing so because he needs to in order to rekindle growth.

And "needing to" isn't exactly the encouraging sign investors want to see.

Tesla's all-important EV business is stuck in the mud The overarching challenge here is explained with one (relatively) simple chart. That is, even though Tesla's average per-vehicle production costs have fallen as it makes more of its affordable Model 3 and Model Y cars, it's not been enough to restore the degree of per-vehicle profits the company was enjoying prior to the beginning of the EV price wars that kicked off in early 2023.

As of the end of last year, the company was only clearing a little over $4,000 per car, versus a net profit of more than $10,000 per vehicle back in 2022. Never even mind the fact that actual production peaked in 2023, when revenue did the same.

Data source: Tesla. Chart by author.

Give credit to its competition, mostly. Numbers from Rho Motion suggest 20.7 million new EV sales were made last year, up 21% from 2024's count. It's just that rivals like China's BYD (BYDDF 0.64%), Europe's Volkswagen (VWAGY 0.49%), and domestically, General Motors' (GM +1.28%) Chevrolet absorbed all this growth, leaving none for Tesla.

More to the point, it's arguable that "the brand that mainstreamed electric vehicles by making them cool" is no longer the coolest EV brand to buy. If that's the case, it's not an easy fix. Musk may not even be interested in attempting to fix it.

It matters simply because battery-powered automobiles still account for a little more than 70% of Tesla's revenue.

Meet the new Tesla (same as the old Tesla?) But does Musk actually need to fix anything if his expectations of autonomous androids, solar panels, and self-driving taxis are on target?

Maybe. There's certainly no denying solar power is a huge part of the planet's future. The International Energy Agency says the worldwide amount of energy production coming from renewables should more than double between now and 2030, with solar accounting for 80% of that growth. And as for autonomous taxis, Precedence Research believes the nascent robotaxi business could be worth nearly $190 billion by 2034.

The only real unknown here is the potential of Tesla's AI-powered robot. Since there's nothing quite like it, we can only assume Musk's optimistic assessment that it will be a key part of an "infinite money glitch" means this technology will generate at least as much cash flow as the company can constructively use.

Image source: Getty Images.

There are several critical footnotes to add here, however. Chief among them is that Tesla isn't the only player -- and certainly not the first -- in any of these markets, including the robotics arena. Neura, 1X, Atom, and Figure AI are just some other companies with household-minded robots that seem near-ready for launch. It remains to be seen if Tesla can thrive within any of these spaces.

Then there's the other thing: Elon Musk's well-documented penchant for overpromising and then underdelivering... at least when it comes to timelines. His plans for a high-speed train -- called Hyperloop -- and the first manned mission to Mars by 2021 come to mind, for instance.

Tesla's at-home chore androids could easily hit a similar developmental wall.

At this price, not enough reward for too much risk There's the rub for shareholders, of course, made worse by the fact that TSLA stock is already priced at over 200 times this year's very plausible expected earnings of $2.06 per share. Even if the company trounces analysts' consensus forecasts, it's still priced for perfection and for growth that may or may not ever materialize as much as it's needed to.

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In the meantime, Musk is sure to be at least a little bit distracted by the recent merger of SpaceX and xAI, both of which he also leads.

The point is, Tesla appears to be backing away from its breadwinning EV business so it can focus on several other opportunities with completely uncertain payoffs and timelines. Diversifying your profit centers isn't a bad thing. But, given the speed and sheer uncertainty of so many sudden changes with Tesla, it wouldn't be crazy to presume that panic is at least part of Musk's motivation here. It's a potential problem simply because that's not what you want to sense or see of the chief executive of any company you're considering investing in.

This might help drive the point home: Despite all the recent scintillating storytelling of robots, self-driving taxis, and more, the analyst community isn't swayed. It still says TSLA stock is only worth $422.09 per share, which is 2% from the ticker's present price, perhaps reflecting the headwind the company's EV business is now running into. You might want to take that hint.

NEW YORK, Feb. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading securities law firm Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against CoreWeave, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWV) and certain of the Company’s senior executives for securities fraud after significant stock drops resulting from the potential violations of the federal securities laws.

If you invested in CoreWeave, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/coreweave-inc-class-action-lawsuit.

Investors have until March 13, 2026, to ask the Court to be appointed to lead the case. The complaint asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on behalf of investors in CoreWeave securities. The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey and is captioned Masaitis v. CoreWeave, Inc., et al., No. 2:26-cv-00355.

Why is CoreWeave Being Sued For Securities Fraud?

CoreWeave is an AI-focused cloud computing company that builds and operates data centers offering high-performance GPU infrastructure. CoreWeave relies on multiple partners to develop its data centers and provide the infrastructure needed for its AI computing operations, including Core Scientific, a large digital infrastructure company. On July 7, 2025, CoreWeave announced a merger agreement with Core Scientific.   

During the relevant period, CoreWeave repeatedly assured investors it could capitalize on the “robust” and “unprecedented” demand for its services given its “competitive strengths,” including its ability to “deploy” AI infrastructure “at massive scale” and “rapidly scale our operations.”

As alleged, in truth, CoreWeave overstated its ability to meet customer demand and concealed significant construction delays at its data centers.

Why did CoreWeave’s Stock Drop?

On October 30, 2025, Core Scientific announced it did not receive enough shareholder votes to approve the merger with CoreWeave and, as a result, terminated the merger agreement. This news caused the price of CoreWeave stock to drop $8.87 per share, or more than 6%, from $139.93 per share on October 29, 2025, to $131.06 per share on October 30, 2025.

Then, on November 10, 2025, CoreWeave lowered guidance for revenue, operating income, capital spending, and active power capacity for 2025 due to “temporary delays related to a third-party data center developer who is behind schedule.” This news caused the price of CoreWeave stock to drop $17.22 per share, or more than 16%, from $105.61 per share on November 10, 2025, to $88.39 per share on November 11, 2025.

Finally, on December 15, 2025, The Wall Street Journal reported that the “completion date” for a “huge data-center cluster” in Denton, Texas to be leased by OpenAI, “has been pushed back several months,” and that the site builder, Core Scientific, had flagged delays at the site months earlier. The Wall Street Journal also reported that Core Scientific had flagged additional delays at sites in Texas and elsewhere “since at least February.” This news caused the price of CoreWeave stock to drop $2.85 per share, or more than 3%, from $72.35 per share on December 15, 2025, to $69.50 per share on December 16, 2025.

Click here for more information: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/coreweave-inc-class-action-lawsuit.

What Can You Do?

If you invested in CoreWeave, you may have legal options and are encouraged to submit your information to the firm.

All representation is on a contingency fee basis, there is no cost to you. Shareholders are not responsible for any court costs or expenses of litigation. The firm will seek court approval for any potential fees and expenses.

Submit your information by visiting:

https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/coreweave-inc-class-action-lawsuit

Or contact:
Adam McCall
[email protected]
212.789.3619

Why Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP?

BFA is a leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation. It has been named a top plaintiff law firm by Chambers USA, The Legal 500, and ISS SCAS, and its attorneys have been named “Elite Trial Lawyers” by the National Law Journal, “Litigation Stars” by Benchmark Litigation, among the top “500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers” by Lawdragon, “Titans of the Plaintiffs’ Bar” by Law360 and “SuperLawyers” by Thomson Reuters. Among its recent notable successes, BFA recovered over $900 million in value from Tesla, Inc.’s Board of Directors, as well as $420 million from Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd.

For more information about BFA and its attorneys, please visit https://www.bfalaw.com.

https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/coreweave-inc-class-action-lawsuit

Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

NEW YORK, Feb. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading securities law firm Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP announces an investigation into Hub Group Inc. (NASDAQ:HUBG) for potential violations of the federal securities laws.

If you invested in Hub Group, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/hub-group-class-action-lawsuit.

Why is Hub Group Being Investigated for Violations of the Federal Securities Laws?

Hub Group is a supply chain solutions provider that offers transportation and logistics management services. Hub Group is one of the largest freight transportation providers in North America.

BFA is investigating whether Hub Group misrepresented its purchased transportation costs and accounts payable for the first nine months of 2025.

Why did Hub Group’s Stock Drop?

On February 5, 2026, after market close, Hub Group announced that it would delay the full release of its fourth quarter and full year 2025 financial results and will restate its financial statements for the first three quarters of 2025 due to an error that understated purchased transportation costs and accounts payable. Hub Group did not estimate what the financial impact would be nor did it provide a date for when it would restate its financial statements.

On this news, the price of Hub Group stock dropped over 24% during the course of trading on February 6, 2026.

Click here for more information: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/hub-group-class-action-lawsuit.

What Can You Do?

If you invested in Hub Group, you may have legal options and are encouraged to submit your information to the firm.

All representation is on a contingency fee basis, there is no cost to you. Shareholders are not responsible for any court costs or expenses of litigation. The firm will seek court approval for any potential fees and expenses.

Submit your information by visiting:

https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/hub-group-class-action-lawsuit

Or contact:
Adam McCall
[email protected]
212.789.3619

Why Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP?

BFA is a leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation. It has been named a top plaintiff law firm by Chambers USA, The Legal 500, and ISS SCAS, and its attorneys have been named “Elite Trial Lawyers” by the National Law Journal, “Litigation Stars” by Benchmark Litigation, among the top “500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers” by Lawdragon, “Titans of the Plaintiffs’ Bar” by Law360 and “SuperLawyers” by Thomson Reuters. Among its recent notable successes, BFA recovered over $900 million in value from Tesla, Inc.’s Board of Directors, as well as $420 million from Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd.

For more information about BFA and its attorneys, please visit https://www.bfalaw.com.

https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/hub-group-class-action-lawsuit

Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.