Market Signal Briefing

QQQ charges a higher expense ratio and offers a lower dividend yield than VOO. QQQ has outperformed VOO on one- and five-year growth, but with deeper drawdowns and greater volatility.

The House of Mouse looks forward to a streaming future.

In the past five years, Walt Disney's (DIS +3.55%) share price has plummeted 39% (as of Feb. 4). Investors have every reason to complain about this disappointing performance. That's especially true since this business has a wide moat thanks to its intellectual property.

Perhaps the future will be better. Where will this consumer discretionary stock be in five years?

Image source: Getty Images.

Streaming will drive earnings growth During the days of peak cable TV, Disney dominated. But in recent years, the business has had to navigate the cord-cutting trend, pressuring what was once a lucrative operation that raked in subscription and ad revenues.

Luckily, the company entered the streaming wars in November 2019, when Disney+ was launched. The service quickly ramped up. And as of Sept. 27, 2025, this platform and Hulu+ combined had 191 million global subscribers (excluding Hulu Live TV), giving it scale that only Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have.

The direct-to-consumer streaming segment is expected to rake in $500 million in operating income in the current quarter (Q2 2026). That's up significantly from a $2.9 billion operating loss in fiscal 2020. And with the recent launch of a flagship ESPN streaming service, it's a clear sign that Disney is positioned well in the new age of media and entertainment.

Five years from now, direct-to-consumer's profits will be much higher, while the cable networks will become less important to the financial picture.

Theme parks, cruises, and consumer products Disney's experiences segment is on pace to be bigger in 2031. The division that houses theme parks, cruises, and consumer products reported $10 billion in revenue and $3.3 billion in operating income in Q1 (ended Dec. 27, 2025). Sales and profit growth have been durable, and this should continue.

After introducing a new cruise ship next month that will serve the Asia market, Disney plans to expand its fleet by five more ships after this fiscal year (for a total of 13). And there are expansion projects going on at all of its parks, with a new one coming to Abu Dhabi in the 2030s.

In September 2023, management announced a 10-year $60 billion investment to bolster the experiences segment. "For every one guest who visits a Disney Park, there are more than 10 people with Disney affinity who do not visit the Parks," the company said in a statement.

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Investors may beat the market A variable that can work to the benefit of investors is the valuation. Disney shares trade at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 15.8.

What's more, the business is returning capital to shareholders. Besides its $0.75 semi-annual dividend, it's planning to buy back $7 billion worth of stock in fiscal 2026. This signals financial strength.

It wouldn't be surprising at all to see the House of Mouse beat the market over the next five years.

PIMCO High Income Fund delivered a flat share price over the past year, but total return reached nearly 12% with distributions. PHK's recovery from early 2025 declines demonstrates resilience, though it failed to achieve positive price appreciation. The fund currently offers an attractive monthly dividend yield of approximately 11.7%.

Nvidia's Jensen Huang believes the sell-off in software stocks is overdone.

The S&P North American Technology Software Index has declined 30% from its high amid concerns about how artificial intelligence (AI) tools might disrupt the software industry. That puts the index, which tracks 111 software stocks, in bear market territory.

However, Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia (NVDA +8.01%), says the software rout is utterly illogical. Here are the important details, including five software stocks that now trade at very attractive prices.

Image source: Getty Images.

Jensen Huang says negativity surrounding software stocks is unwarranted Several companies have introduced artificial intelligence (AI) tools that automate software development, letting programmers use natural language to generate, debug, and refine code. More recently, Anthropic introduced an AI tool (Cowork) built on similar architecture but targeted at non-technical workflows like sales, finance, and marketing.

Anthropic's Cowork is the root cause of the ongoing rout in software stocks. But Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says the market has overreacted. "There's a whole bunch of software companies whose stock prices are under a lot of pressure because somehow AI is going to replace them," he remarked. "It is the most illogical thing in the world."

Ultimately, Huang thinks companies will use AI tools alongside existing software products to accomplish work, rather than using AI to reinvent software. "Would you use a hammer or invent a new hammer?" Huang asked rhetorically at a recent AI summit hosted by Cisco. From that perspective, several beaten-down software stocks look attractive.

These AI software stocks (down 24% to 73%) look attractive at current prices Microsoft (MSFT +2.00%) has added generative AI copilots to popular software products like Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and Power Platform. Paid copilot seats increased 160% in the most recent quarter, and daily active users increased tenfold. The stock is down 27% from its high and currently trades at 26 times earnings. That is a rather cheap valuation for a company whose adjusted earnings increased 24% in the last quarter.

Datadog (DDOG +4.65%) provides performance monitoring software for large language models, and the company recently launched Bits AI SRE Agent, which automates incident investigation to help software engineers resolve issues. The stock is down 47% from its high and currently trades at 53 times adjusted earnings. While more expensive than the other stocks discussed, it is justifiable for a company whose adjusted earnings increased 20% in the last quarter despite aggressive R&D spending.

AppLovin (APP +8.39%) develops ad tech software that features a machine learning engine called Axon, which arguably delivers best-in-class targeting. The secret? Unlike many ad tech platforms for media buyers, AppLovin also owns a mediation platform that helps publishers monetize ad inventory. Data gathered from that mediation platform is used to train Axon. The stock is down 52% from its high and currently trades at 45 times earnings. That is cheap for a company whose earnings increased 96% in the last quarter.

Atlassian (TEAM 3.60%) has integrated a generative AI assistant called Rovo to its industry-leading work management and service management software. Rovo helps non-technical teams (e.g., marketing) search and summarize information, and automate certain tasks. Rovo also helps development and operations teams automate coding workflows. The stock is down 70% from its high and currently trades at 22 times earnings. That is cheap for a company whose adjusted earnings increased 27% in the last quarter

HubSpot (HUBS +3.87%) has introduced generative AI tools that automate work across sales, marketing, and customer service. It was the first customer relationship management software vendor to connect its platform to the three leading generative AI tools: ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. The stock is down 73% from its high and currently trades at 25 times earnings. That is relatively cheap for a company whose adjusted earnings increased 22% in the last quarter.

As a final thought, software stocks may continue to sink in the coming weeks and months, but patient investors are likely to do well if they purchase (at a reasonable price) stocks whose earnings are likely to be much higher five years from now.

Netflix will likely deal with the fallout of the Warner Bros. purchase during the period.

Optimism has increased around Netflix (NFLX +1.65%), particularly following a dramatic recovery from its 2022 lows. As one of the world's most recognized brands and a leading content creator, it has increased its dominance over the entertainment industry as viewed entertainment switches to streaming.

Knowing that, it may surprise investors that the stock has underperformed the S&P 500 over a one-year time frame, it lost 11% last month, and trades at a 40% discount to its 52-week high. Knowing those facts, is it poised for a comeback over the next 12 months?

Let's take a closer look.

Image source: Netflix.

The state of Netflix Despite its stock performance, Netflix seems to be riding high as a company. With its global distribution and a massive trove of user data, it has become increasingly influential over the movie industry. Moreover, the ad platform that it was once reluctant to embrace has brought it growth.

In 2025, revenue of $45 billion rose by 16% annually and outpaced cost and expense growth. Consequently, its net income of nearly $11 billion surged by 26% over the same period.

Furthermore, winning the battle with Paramount Skydance to buy Warner Bros. Discovery is a testament to its power over the market.

Still, the cost of that deal may have soured investors on the stock. Netflix will pay $82.7 billion for Warner Bros. in an all-cash deal. However, with only around $9 billion in liquidity, Netflix will probably have to dilute its stock or take on considerable debt to execute this deal.

With that, Netflix has paused share repurchases. It also guided for revenue growth of 12% to 14% in 2026, a reduction from its 2025 growth rate. These factors likely will not reassure investors.

Nonetheless, not all of the news is negative. Even with lower revenue growth rates, Netflix expects higher subscriber levels and an approximate doubling of ad revenue in 2026.

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Additionally, thanks to the falling stock price, Netflix stock trades at about 32 times earnings. That is not as low as the 16 P/E ratio in mid-2022, but it is well below the average P/E ratio of 44 over the last five years.

Investors should remember that Netflix remains the leading streaming platform, and having Warner Bros. under its umbrella could cement its market position. That strength could persuade investors to take a chance on Netflix stock amid the lower valuation.

Netflix in one year Netflix's leadership in streaming should make it a long-term winner, but investors should probably expect underperformance over the next 12 months.

Admittedly, Netflix could begin to appear dominant with the Warner Bros. content library under its umbrella.

However, the purchase is almost certain to strain Netflix's balance sheet. That forces it to suspend the share repurchases that were helping to boost the entertainment stock. Also, revenue growth is on track to slow, which could further sour investors on the stock.

Ultimately, Netflix may well be on track to become a stronger company. Nonetheless, it will likely take more than one year to recover from the hit the company will probably take to make the merger successful.

HomeStock IdeasLong IdeasIndustrial 

SummaryRed Cat Holdings is transitioning from a niche drone developer to a scaled defense contractor, driven by rapid contract wins and international expansion.RCAT projects 4Q25 revenue of $24–$26.5M, a dramatic 1,842% YoY increase, reflecting surging defense demand and improved manufacturing scale.Valuation remains elevated at 35x forward sales, justified by aggressive growth expectations, but with profitability still distant due to ongoing investment.International Black Widow orders, NATO catalogue inclusion, and robust compliance credentials position RCAT for continued contract momentum amid rising geopolitical tensions. Susumu Yoshioka/DigitalVision via Getty Images

Thesis As for Red Cat's (RCAT) stock, shares have been quite volatile over the last year. We've seen shares hit the $15 mark back in mid-October last year, but then slump down to the $6 range. I think many

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

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

A $5,000 investment must grow by 200-fold to reach $1 million.

Investors often hope that a relatively small investment, like $5,000, could make them a millionaire.

For example, investors who invested that amount in Amazon in early 2003, more than five years after its initial public offering (IPO), now have about $1.25 million in that stock if they did not sell.

Still, such moves are difficult to predict, and investors must also resist the temptation to sell the stock over that time.

However, Amazon's history shows how investing in emerging industries can build tremendous wealth. Thus, it is worthwhile to see whether such an investment in the emerging quantum computing stock IonQ (IONQ +15.18%) could yield such returns.

Image source: Getty Images.

The state of IonQ IonQ is one of the leading smaller companies in the quantum computing industry. Quantum computing offers exponentially faster computing speeds than traditional computers. That could enhance artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and allow companies to solve problems that previous technologies could not address.

Even though tech giants such as Alphabet and IBM compete in this industry, IonQ has stood out amid the competition. Among its more notable breakthroughs is achieving 99.99% 2-qubit gate fidelity last year. That represents an enhancement of 10 billion times in error-corrected performance over standards from the past. The company has also accelerated the development of scalable quantum systems by leveraging industry-grade synthetic diamonds.

Amid such improvements, its $68 million in revenue in the first nine months of 2025 rose 117% from year-ago levels. Still, the $406 million in operating losses show it is nowhere near achieving profitability. Since the company holds less than $1.1 billion in liquidity, it may have to dilute shares or take on debt to stay in business.

Moreover, investors should note that a $5,000 investment in IonQ stock must increase by 200-fold to achieve a $1 million value. At a market cap of $12.5 billion, that means its market cap must also grow to $2.5 trillion.

Although that is well below Alphabet's current $4 trillion market cap, that would take it to a size comparable to many of today's top tech stocks. That figure would also imply that IonQ competed successfully with the Google parent.

That achievement will be a tall order given IonQ's considerable losses and Alphabet's competitive prowess. Over that time, IonQ could fail financially, or another company might take it over, making that journey to $1 million increasingly perilous.

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Can a $5,000 investment in IonQ make you a millionaire? Given its challenges, investors should not expect a $5,000 investment in IonQ to make them millionaires.

Indeed, IonQ has made some amazing breakthroughs, and the technology's exponentially faster speeds could bring considerable wealth-creating opportunities for its customers.

Unfortunately, IonQ is suffering through considerable losses and must compete with some of the largest and most successful tech companies. Those factors call into question whether IonQ is the top quantum computing stock to buy right now.

Hence, while a 200-fold increase in the stock price is possible, investors should not count on such an outcome given the obstacles IonQ faces.

February 08, 2026 05:00 ET  | Source: VEON Ltd.

Dubai, New York and Islamabad, 8 February 2026: VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON), a global digital operator (“VEON” or the “Group”), today announced the launching of its “Invest in Pakistan, NOW!” initiative in partnership with JazzWorld, VEON’s services company in Pakistan, during World Governments Summit in Dubai, UAE. “Invest in Pakistan, NOW!” invites international investors to take a fresh look at Pakistan as the country’s economic fundamentals strengthen, and long-term growth opportunities become more visible.

As a part of the initiative, JazzWorld and Nutshell Group of Pakistan, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance dialogue and partnerships around digitalization, inclusive growth, and cross-border investment in Pakistan.

The signing ceremony was attended by Bilal Azhar Kiyani, Minister of State for Finance and Railways of Pakistan, and His Excellency Shafqat Ali Khan, Ambassador of Pakistan to the UAE, as well as senior diplomats, business leaders, VEON Founder and Chairman Augie Fabela, VEON Group CEO Kaan Terzioglu, and JazzWorld CEO and VEON Group Executive Committee member Aamir Ibrahim, among others.

Zaheer Mehdi, JazzWorld’s Chief Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Officer, and Muhammad Azfar Ahsan, Founder and Chairman of Nutshell Group, have signed the MoU in a ceremony attended by Minister Bilal Azhar Kiyani, H.E. Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan, VEON Founder and Chairman Augie Fabela, VEON Group CEO Kaan Terzioglu, JazzWorld CEO and VEON GEC member Aamir Ibrahim.

Mr. Bilal Azhar Kayani, Minister of State for Finance and Railways highlighted that Pakistan has achieved macroeconomic stability backed by the government’s initiatives to improve confidence and the business ecosystem for attracting foreign investment in the country. The Minister of State appreciated the initiatives of VEON, JazzWorld and Nutshell Group of Pakistan, expressing that such partnerships around digitalization and cross-border investment would set an example for other foreign investors to invest in Pakistan.

Kaan Terzioglu, VEON Group CEO, noted that the region is at the cusp of a historical paradigm shift. “We are at a point in history: Powered by AI, which we call augmented intelligence, human-centered innovation can fundamentally change the way we achieve growth and improve lives with services. “With the ‘Invest in Pakistan, NOW!’ initiative, we want to spark international investor interest and a new wave of public-private partnerships that will help Pakistan seize this moment. The World Governments Summit held here in Dubai, where VEON’s headquarters is located, is the perfect venue to start this journey.”

Aamir Ibrahim, Executive Committee Member of VEON Group and CEO of JazzWorld, underscored the transformation in Pakistan’s macro-level fundamentals: “Pakistan today is best understood through the scale and resilience of its long-term fundamentals. Investors who focus on these fundamentals will recognize the progress already taking place on the ground. With national-scale digital platforms already in place, Pakistan is well positioned for its next phase of growth and it is a powerful opportunity for regional and global investors. We look forward to making this potential more visible to the investor community with our ‘Invest in Pakistan, NOW!’ initiative.”

VEON’s own experience in Pakistan underscores the scale and pace of the country’s digital transformation. Through JazzWorld, its integrated digital services ecosystem encompassing Jazz, JazzCash, Tamasha and other platforms, VEON has built Pakistan’s leading digital services company, serving 100 million customers. JazzWorld delivers market-leading connectivity, digital financial services and digital entertainment, while expanding into enterprise solutions, insurance, digital healthcare, online marketplaces and adjacent digital services. The platform is also developing an Urdu large language model (LLM), supporting Pakistan’s ambitions in artificial intelligence and local-language innovation.

The “Invest in Pakistan, NOW!” initiative builds on VEON’s broader commitment to emerging markets and to Pakistan. JazzWorld has invested more than USD 11 billion in Pakistan since its founding in 1994.

About VEON  

VEON is a digital operator that provides connectivity and digital services to nearly 150 million connectivity customers and 140 million digital users. Operating across five countries that are home to more than 6% of the world’s population, VEON is transforming lives through technology-driven services that empower individuals and drive economic growth. VEON is listed on NASDAQ. For more information, visit: https://www.veon.com.

About JazzWorld
JazzWorld is Pakistan’s leading integrated digital ServiceCo, serving over 100 million users through a portfolio spanning connectivity (Jazz), fintech (JazzCash), entertainment (Tamasha), ultra-app (SIMOSA), insurtech (FikrFree), enterprise cloud solutions (Garaj), gaming (GameNow), health-tech (Apna Clinic), fashion marketplace (Zarr), and more. This evolution reflects Jazz’s strategic shift from connectivity to capability, enabling platforms that ensure a better life for all through the power of technology. For more information, visit: www.jazz.com.pk

Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer
This release contains “forward-looking statements”, within the meaning of the Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to VEON’s and its subsidiaries’ strategic ambitions and partnerships. There are numerous risks, uncertainties that could cause actual results and performance to differ materially from those expressed by such statements, including risks relating to VEON’s and its subsidiaries’ strategic ambitions and partnerships, among others discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in VEON’s 2024 Form 20-F filed with the SEC on April 25, 2025 and other public filings made by VEON with the SEC. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date of this release and VEON disclaims any obligation to update them, except as required by law.

Contact Information 

VEON
Hande Asik
Chief Communications and Strategy Officer
[email protected]

, /PRNewswire/ -- Innovent Biologics, Inc. ("Innovent") (HKEX: 01801), a world-class biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures, and commercializes high-quality medicines for the treatment of oncologic, autoimmune, cardiovascular and metabolic, ophthalmologic, and other major diseases, today announced a strategic collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company ("Lilly") to advance novel medicines in oncology and immunology. This agreement marks the seventh collaboration between the two companies, deepening a longstanding and productive partnership to deliver new medicines for patients worldwide. The collaboration's unique structure also establishes a new model for Innovent to accelerate the global development of its innovative pipeline.

Under the collaboration, the companies will leverage their complementary strengths to accelerate global development of novel medicines. Innovent, drawing on its robust antibody technology platforms and efficient clinical execution, will lead the development of programs from concept through clinical proof-of-concept (Phase 2 clinical trial completion) in China. The agreement grants Lilly an exclusive license to develop and commercialize the programs worldwide outside Greater China, while Innovent retains rights in Greater China. 

"We're delighted to partner with Lilly, our trusted global pharmaceutical partner for over 10 years, to pursue novel medicines to improve treatment outcomes for patients with cancer and immune disorders," said Dr. Michael Yu, Founder, Chairman of the Board, and CEO of Innovent. "This alliance moves beyond traditional licensing to create a seamless, end-to-end innovation ecosystem that combines our agile discovery and early-stage development engine with Lilly's extensive global scale and creates a highly efficient model for cross-border synergy. This partnership validates Innovent's R&D capabilities and allows us to accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries into impactful global medical solutions together with our partner, with the ultimate goal of bringing world-class medicines to patients across the globe." 

Under the terms of the agreement, Innovent will receive a $350 million upfront payment and is eligible to receive development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments totaling up to approximately $8.5 billion contingent upon the achievement of certain future events. Additionally, Innovent will be eligible for tiered royalties on net sales of each product outside of Greater China.

About Innovent Biologics

Innovent is a leading biopharmaceutical company founded in 2011 with the mission to empower patients worldwide with affordable, high-quality biopharmaceuticals. The company discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes innovative medicines that target some of the most intractable diseases. Its pioneering therapies treat cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic, autoimmune and eye diseases. Innovent has launched 16 products in the market. It has 2 new drug applications under regulatory review, 4 assets in Phase III or pivotal clinical trials and 15 more molecules in early clinical stage. Innovent partners with over 30 global healthcare companies, including Eli Lilly, Sanofi, Incyte, LG Chem and MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Guided by the motto, "Start with Integrity, Succeed through Action," Innovent maintains the highest standard of industry practices and works collaboratively to advance the biopharmaceutical industry so that first-rate pharmaceutical drugs can become widely accessible. For more information, visit www.innoventbio.com, or follow Innovent on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Statement: Innovent does not recommend the use of any unapproved drug (s)/indication (s).

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to Innovent, are intended to identify certain of such forward-looking statements. Innovent does not intend to update these forward-looking statements regularly.

These forward-looking statements are based on the existing beliefs, assumptions, expectations, estimates, projections and understandings of the management of Innovent with respect to future events at the time these statements are made. These statements are not a guarantee of future developments and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond Innovent's control and are difficult to predict. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of future changes or developments in our business, Innovent's competitive environment and political, economic, legal and social conditions.

Innovent, the Directors and the employees of Innovent assume (a) no obligation to correct or update the forward-looking statements contained in this site; and (b) no liability in the event that any of the forward-looking statements does not materialize or turn out to be incorrect.

SOURCE Innovent Biologics

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Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth, who heads the Reality Labs unit. GLENN CHAPMAN/AFP via Getty Images 2026-02-08T10:15:01.282Z

Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth said that cuts to the company's VR efforts were "a real loss." Bosworth said Meta was still "bullish" on VR, but that the company's investment had to "match the size of growth." Meta's Reality Labs, which houses the metaverse, has incurred over $70 billion in losses since 2020. Meta poured billions into its VR and metaverse efforts. It even renamed the company after it. But after the recent round of cuts and product pullback, Meta's CTO acknowledge that the industry was growing "more slowly than we had hoped."

Andrew "Boz" Bosworth did a Q&A on his Instagram story on Monday. One of the questions Meta's chief technology officer received: "There is a lot of doom and gloom about the future of Quest and gaming. What is the truth?"

Bosworth said that the doom and gloom was mostly "overwrought."

"There is a real cause for sadness here," Bosworth said, referencing Meta's recent cuts to its Reality Labs division, which houses Meta's metaverse and VR bets. "You have people doing work that we were excited about, that we wanted to have in the system."

Meta realized that its vision for Horizon and VR was "too much," he said. Reality Labs has racked up more than $70 billion in losses since 2020.

"The investment that we put in is bigger than the growth that this ecosystem will allow," he said. "That's a real loss. We are allowed to feel sad about those things."

Meta has cut several of its VR products, including its virtual workplace and fitness apps.

Still, Bosworth maintained that Meta was "extremely bullish on VR," and that the company was investing more in content than any competitor.

"Yes, we've receded from the high watermark, but we are still very much a net positive investor in the ecosystem," he said.

Reality Labs also houses Meta's AI glasses bet, which it has expanded rapidly. As Meta has bet big on wearables, some onlookers wondered whether that would require a pullback on VR.

In December, Bosworth said that the two products were separate and that Meta can pursue both. In the February update, he said that was still true.

"If VR were growing at the rate we all wish it were, we probably wouldn't have made these changes, and wearables would still be growing a ton," he said. "It is wrong to think of those things as zero-sum."

A year ago, Bosworth prophesied 2025 would be make-or-break for the metaverse. "This year likely determines whether this entire effort will go down as the work of visionaries or a legendary misadventure," he wrote in a memo obtained by Business Insider.

Which was it: the work of visionaries or a legendary misadventure? It's still unclear — though Bosworth doesn't sound so optimistic.

"It doesn't mean we're going to invest infinitely, forever," he said. "We do need to have our investment match the size of growth."

Meta Metaverse

Read next

Even as its stock suffered, Chewy's revenue never stopped growing.

Investors can likely be forgiven for forgetting about Chewy (CHWY +5.61%) stock. The pet-oriented e-commerce company soared during the pandemic. However, its stock price collapsed beginning in early 2021, and it has traded in a range for the last four years.

After that trading pattern, it may surprise investors that it looks increasingly like a value stock. That could indicate it has finally become a buy again, and here's why.

Image source: Getty Images.

The state of Chewy Chewy successfully competed with companies like Amazon by becoming more than a transactional company. Chewy stood out with superior customer service and competitive pricing, endearing pet owners to the company.

This led to the spike in the stock price during the pandemic as more consumers shopped online. As previously mentioned, the stock plunged in 2021, and that drop seemed to diminish confidence in Chewy stock.

In contrast, the company itself stayed in a growth mode over the last four years. Many of those revenue gains came from taking a page from other e-commerce companies and starting new lines of business. Consequently, Chewy now offers veterinary telehealth services and pharmaceuticals for pets.

Those additional business lines boosted its financials. In the first nine months of fiscal 2025 (ended Nov. 2), revenue of $9.3 billion rose by 8% from year-ago levels. Net income fell during the period on account of a $216 million income tax benefit it received in 2024.

Nonetheless, investors should note that the company earned $212 million in operating income in the first three quarters of fiscal 2025, 74% more than the $122 million earned during the same timeframe in fiscal 2024.

Additionally, the rising revenue trend is on track to continue. Analysts forecast 6% revenue growth this fiscal year and 8% in fiscal 2027. That is going to place further downward pressure on the valuation metrics if the stock stays in a range.

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Investors should note that the company only came into profitability in 2022, leaving it without a P/E ratio during the pandemic. However, the price-to-sales (P/S) ratio, which approached 7 at the stock's 2021 peak, has now fallen to 0.9.

Also, while its P/E ratio of 55 may appear elevated, the fact that its forward P/E ratio is 17 may make the stock appear cheap. Thus, given the company's continued financial improvements, its valuation could become the catalyst Chewy stock needs to break out of its trading range.

Consider Chewy stock After a massive decline and years of stagnation, Chewy stock may finally be ready for its comeback.

Admittedly, the buying frenzy during the pandemic likely overvalued Chewy stock for a time. Nonetheless, Chewy has delivered steady financial improvements as a company. With the stock trading in a range for the last four years, the stock has become inexpensive.

That improvement arguably makes now a great time to buy Chewy stock, and investors should probably start buying before more investors notice the continued growth and low valuation.

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

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

Nasdaq-listed Forward Industries is under pressure as falling crypto prices weigh heavily on digital asset treasury firms. However, company executives say its balance sheet strength creates rare strategic flexibility. Despite steep losses on paper, Forward maintains the largest publicly traded Solana treasury and holds no corporate debt, a position its leadership views as an advantage rather than a liability.

Forward currently holds nearly seven million SOL tokens, accumulated at an average price near $232. With Solana trading around $85, the company faces an unrealized loss approaching $1 billion. 

Consequently, FWDI shares have dropped sharply, sliding from nearly $40 last year to about $5 today. The drawdown reflects broader skepticism toward crypto-heavy balance sheets during prolonged market weakness.

Balance Sheet Strength Shapes StrategyHowever, Forward’s chief investment officer Ryan Navi argues the firm’s lack of leverage sets it apart from peers. While several crypto treasury companies have sold assets to manage debt obligations, Forward avoided borrowing entirely. Hence, it now retains flexibility while competitors retrench.

Navi says scale and discipline allow Forward to act when others cannot. Additionally, the firm can selectively deploy leverage later if market conditions improve. That optionality matters as valuations compress across the sector.

Forward’s transformation began in 2025 following a $1.65 billion private investment in public equity. Backed by Galaxy Digital, Jump Crypto, and Multicoin Capital, the raise repositioned the firm around Solana accumulation. The company now holds more SOL than its next three public rivals combined.

Solana as a Long-Term BetSignificantly, Forward’s strategy hinges on Solana’s technical profile rather than short-term price action. Navi believes fast settlement, low fees, and network scalability position Solana for consumer and capital markets growth. Moreover, previous spikes in network activity demonstrated its ability to handle massive user demand.

Forward stakes its SOL holdings, earning yields between 6% and 7%. Although issuance declines will reduce returns over time, staking still offsets holding costs. Additionally, Forward partnered with Sanctum to issue a liquid staking token, fwdSOL. That structure enables capital efficiency while maintaining onchain yield.

Using fwdSOL as collateral, Forward can borrow at rates below staking returns on decentralized platforms. Consequently, the firm achieves a lower effective cost of capital than many competitors.

Consolidation and Long-Term VisionNavi describes Forward as a permanent-capital vehicle rather than a trading operation. The firm plans to expand into tokenized real-world assets and recurring revenue opportunities that exceed its capital costs. Moreover, leadership views current sector stress as a setup for consolidation.

With no debt, large-scale SOL exposure, and backing from major crypto investors, Forward believes it can acquire distressed rivals. Kyle Samani’s decision to accept FWDI equity instead of cash further signals confidence in that long-term vision.

Down 60% from its 52-week high, XRP is now at risk of breaking through the $1 price level.

If you're thinking about investing in XRP (XRP +2.67%), there's good reason to be nervous. The world's fifth-largest cryptocurrency is down 22% to start the year and has declined a whopping 60% from its 52-week high of $3.65. Currently, XRP trades for just $1.47.

If XRP is going to make a move higher, the time is now. Unfortunately, that doesn't appear likely, especially with market bellwether Bitcoin (BTC +3.13%) down big. Far more likely is the prospect of XRP dropping below the psychologically important $1 price level.

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XRP's historical track record For much of its history, XRP has been a sub-$1 crypto. That's the painful reality. Just take a look at a long-term chart of XRP. Yes, there have been a few spikes above the $1 mark. But there have been long stretches when XRP traded for less than a buck.

In the early years, this was due to a lack of institutional adoption. Big financial institutions and Wall Street banks simply were not using the XRP blockchain ledger, and there wasn't enough demand to push XRP higher.

Later, it was due to a regulatory haze hanging over Ripple, the company behind the XRP token. Back in 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) decided that XRP was a security and not a crypto, and that put the kibosh on Ripple's U.S. expansion plans for more than four years.

Image source: Getty Images.

Long story short, it's actually a bit of a novelty that XRP is trading for more than $1 right now. In its entire history, dating back to 2013, XRP has never traded higher than $3.84. And as late as November 2024, XRP was still just a $0.50 crypto.

XRP's massive coin supply The other factor weighing on XRP right now is its enormous coin supply. The total circulating supply of XRP is 60 billion, and the lifetime maximum supply of XRP is 100 billion. There simply isn't enough scarcity to put upward pressure on the price of XRP. By way of comparison, the total lifetime supply of Bitcoin is capped at 21 million coins.

For the sake of argument, let's assume that XRP drops to the $1 mark in 2026. It would still have a market cap of $60 billion. That would still make it the sixth-largest cryptocurrency in the world. XRP would still be bigger than the following top 10 cryptocurrencies: Solana (SOL +3.56%), Cardano (ADA +1.94%), Tron (TRX +1.22%) and Dogecoin (DOGE +2.34%).

In other words, XRP falling in value is a very plausible scenario. For now, I'm convinced that XRP has further to drop in 2026, and that includes a plunge below the $1 mark.

Dominic Basulto has positions in Bitcoin, Cardano, Solana, and XRP. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin, Solana, and XRP. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

10h45 ▪ 4 min read ▪ by Luc Jose A.

Summarize this article with:

The Bitcoin network has just absorbed a major technical shock. Its mining difficulty dropped by 11.16 %, representing the biggest decline recorded since the mining ban in China in 2021. This sharp retreat, indicative of structural tensions, revives concerns about the system’s robustness and the increasing pressure on mining companies. While difficulty is supposed to guarantee protocol stability, its current crash acts as a silent warning about the true state of the network and the resilience of its infrastructure.

In Brief Bitcoin mining difficulty has dropped by 11.16 %, marking its biggest decline since the 2021 Chinese ban. This technical adjustment reflects a significant decrease in computing power mobilized on the network. The block concerned by this drop is 935,429, with the next revision expected around February 20. This difficulty drop raises questions about the network’s resilience and the strategic choices of sector players. A Sudden Dive into the Network’s Mechanics The difficulty of Bitcoin mining has experienced a spectacular drop of 11.16 %, falling from 141.61 T to 125.86 T at block 935,429.

This adjustment represents the largest single drop since the mining ban in China, with comparable declines recorded between 12.6 % and 27.9 % during 2021 episodes. The average time required to mine a block recently stood at 9.47 minutes, against a theoretical target of 10 minutes, indicating growing network congestion before this adjustment.

This algorithmic mechanism aims to maintain network stability despite fluctuations in hashrate. When difficulty drops, it means computing power available has significantly decreased. Several key elements confirm this phenomenon :

The adjustment block : 935,429, with the next adjustment expected around February 20 ; The measured variation : -11.16 %, compared to +1.65 % at the previous adjustment ; CoinWarz data : difficulty recalibrated to 125.86 T, significantly down from the January peak ; The next forecast : +5.63 %, if the hashrate stabilizes. A difficulty drop of such magnitude has not occurred since sanctions were imposed on Chinese mining specialists nearly five years ago.

This difficulty drop marks an important technical turning point, signaling a sudden protocol adaptation to more complex mining conditions caused by a tangible reduction in computing power deployed on the network.

Turbulence in the Mining Sector This drop in difficulty is not explained solely by an algorithmic adjustment. Several current events have strained the infrastructure of mining companies in recent weeks.

In January, winter storm Fern swept across the United States, causing massive power outages in 34 states. Mining facilities were forced to drastically reduce their energy consumption. Foundry USA briefly lost nearly 60% of its hashing power, dropping from nearly 400 EH/s to about 198 EH/s, illustrating the tangible impact of extreme weather conditions on network security.

Added to these disruptions is a more worrying industry dynamic. According to collected data, the network’s total hashrate fell to its lowest level in four months, while mining company margins shrink and some operators redirect their resources toward other digital activities like AI data centers.

The bear market, the drop in BTC price—from over $125,000 to around $60,000 before a rebound—and strong compression of hash price have forced less efficient actors to shut down machines that have become unprofitable.

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Luc Jose A.

Diplômé de Sciences Po Toulouse et titulaire d'une certification consultant blockchain délivrée par Alyra, j'ai rejoint l'aventure Cointribune en 2019. Convaincu du potentiel de la blockchain pour transformer de nombreux secteurs de l'économie, j'ai pris l'engagement de sensibiliser et d'informer le grand public sur cet écosystème en constante évolution. Mon objectif est de permettre à chacun de mieux comprendre la blockchain et de saisir les opportunités qu'elle offre. Je m'efforce chaque jour de fournir une analyse objective de l'actualité, de décrypter les tendances du marché, de relayer les dernières innovations technologiques et de mettre en perspective les enjeux économiques et sociétaux de cette révolution en marche.

DISCLAIMER

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and should not be taken as investment advice. Do your own research before taking any investment decisions.

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XRP got hammered yesterday. The cryptocurrency fell 41% after smashing through the $1.88 support level that traders had been watching for weeks, confirming what analysts called a brutal -88% setup that’s been brewing since January.

The drop caught pretty much everyone off guard, with XRP now trading way below what most considered safe territory. Market watchers are scrambling to figure out where the bleeding stops, with $1 and $0.33 emerging as the next major support zones on monthly charts. The $1.12 level that many thought would hold? It didn’t even slow the selloff down. Traders who bought that dip got crushed as XRP kept falling through what seemed like solid technical levels.

Not looking good right now.

The broader crypto market isn’t helping XRP’s cause either, with wild swings hitting most major tokens over the past week. Bitcoin’s own volatility seems to be dragging everything else down with it, and XRP holders are feeling the pain more than most. Some veteran traders say they’ve seen this movie before, but newer investors are getting their first real taste of how fast things can go south in crypto.

John Bollinger jumped into the conversation on February 5, warning traders about what’s coming next. “The Bollinger Bands are widening significantly around XRP, and that typically means we’re going to see more wild price swings in the coming days,” he said. Bollinger’s technical tool measures volatility, and when those bands spread apart like they have with XRP, it usually signals that the roller coaster isn’t over yet.

But the real action happened on the exchanges.

Binance saw XRP trading volumes explode on February 4, with the surge coming right as the price started its nosedive. Exchange data shows that retail traders were scrambling to either cut losses or double down on what they hoped was a temporary dip. The volume spike tells the story of panic and opportunity colliding in real time.

CryptoQuant dropped some interesting numbers on February 6, showing massive XRP outflows from exchanges over the past 48 hours. When investors pull coins off exchanges, it usually means one of two things: they’re planning to hold through the storm, or they’re moving assets to cold storage to avoid further losses. Either way, it’s a sign that people are taking the situation seriously and don’t expect things to calm down anytime soon.

Ripple Labs stayed quiet when reporters reached out for comment. The company that created XRP didn’t respond to multiple requests about the price crash, leaving investors to guess what might be driving the selloff. That silence isn’t helping confidence, especially when traders are looking for any signal about whether this is just market noise or something more serious.

Social media went crazy according to Santiment’s data. The blockchain analytics firm tracked a huge jump in XRP mentions across Twitter and Reddit over the past week, with most of the chatter focused on whether to buy the dip or run for the exits. When crypto gets this much attention on social platforms, it often means more volatility is coming as FOMO and fear battle it out.

CoinMarketCap’s rankings tell the damage story pretty clearly. XRP dropped several spots in the market cap rankings as of February 5, losing its position among the top-tier cryptocurrencies. The market cap hit reflects not just the price drop but also the psychological impact on investors who thought XRP was more stable than it turned out to be.

Mike McGlone from Bloomberg Intelligence tried to find some silver lining on February 6. “While XRP faces serious challenges right now, the broader crypto market has shown resilience before, and that could eventually create recovery pathways,” he said. McGlone thinks any bounce depends on XRP holding above that $1 support level, but he admits that’s looking pretty shaky right now.

Lark Davis, a well-known crypto analyst, called February 5 a make-or-break moment. “The $1 support is absolutely critical for XRP,” Davis said. “If it loses that level, we’re probably looking at a much deeper correction that could really shake investor confidence.” Davis has been tracking XRP for years, and his concern about the $1 level has other analysts worried too.

Kraken reported something that should worry XRP bulls: short positions jumped on February 6. More traders are betting against XRP now, which creates additional downward pressure on the price. When shorts pile up like this, it often means the bearish sentiment has really taken hold, making any recovery that much harder to achieve.

Glassnode’s data showed one bright spot – active XRP addresses actually increased despite the price crash. The SEC lawsuit against Ripple keeps hanging over everything, adding another layer of uncertainty that traders can’t ignore.

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According to the latest data, XRP Spot ETFs recorded a net inflow of $45 million over the past week. 

This accumulation stands in stark contrast to the wider digital asset sector, where Bitcoin and Ethereum funds have faced significant outflows amid a crash that sent sentiment plunging to multi-year lows.

Ethereum bled $149 million while BTC lost a total of $80 million.  

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Institutions 'buy the dip'There was a massive daily inflow on Friday, Feb. 6, which helped to push these products firmly in the green on the week-long timeframe.  

Institutional desks appear to have treated the volatility as a discounted entry point.

On Feb. 6, they received $39.04 million in a single session. Bitwise XRP ETF (XRP) led the pack with $8.29 million in daily inflows.

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Franklin Templeton’s XRPZ added $3.94 million, while Canary’s XRPC secured $2.93 million.

The asset class now commands $1.04 billion in total net assets, representing approximately 1.17% of the total XRP market cap.

Total historical net inflows have now crossed the $1.22 billion mark.

Being greedy Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse urged calm and opportunism during a historic XRP price crash on Feb. 6, quoting Warren Buffett: "Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful!" Garlinghouse framed the downturn as a buying opportunity created by market hysteria.

This came after XRP led the market decline, performing the worst among the top 100 cryptocurrencies and trading nearly 70% below its peak. 

XRP is currently trading at $1.42 after paring some losses, CoinGecko data shows.  

ETFs didn't stop volatility The approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs as well as other ETFs was expected to dampen the asset's legendary price swings.

Bloomberg Senior ETF Analyst Eric Balchunas has conceded that this thesis was flawed.

"I was wrong when I said we’d see less wild volatility," Balchunas wrote. "I’ll take the L there."

Bitcoin’s drop below $70,000 is being seen very differently by long-time holders and institutional investors, according to Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley.

“I think long-time holders are feeling unsure, and I think the new investor set, institutions are sort of getting a new crack at the apple,” Horsley said during an interview with CNBC on Friday. Horsley said that institutional buyers are “seeing prices they thought that they’d forever missed.” 

It was only in October that Standard Chartered's head of digital asset research, Geoff Kendrick, said he doesn’t expect Bitcoin to fall below $100,000 again.

Bitcoin “getting swept up” with the rest of macroHorsley acknowledged that Bitcoin’s (BTC) recent plunge comes at an unusual time, given the ramp-up in efforts toward regulatory clarity and growing institutional interest. Bitcoin is down 22.60% over the past 30 days, trading at $69,635 at the time of publication, according to CoinMarketCap.

Horsley said that Bitcoin is in a bear market and is “getting swept up” with the rest of the macroassets as investors are “selling everything that is liquid.”

“In the present moment, it is mostly trading with other liquid assets,” he said.

Hunter Horsley spoke to CNBC on Friday. Source: CNBCGold has since fallen 11.43% from its all-time high of $5,609 on Jan. 28, trading at $4,968 at the time of publication, according to Trading Economics. 

Meanwhile, Silver has fallen 35.95% from its all-time high of $121.67 on Jan. 29, trading at $77.98 at the time of publication.

Horsley points to strong inflows from institutionsHorsley said demand for Bitcoin remains strong, particularly from institutional investors.

He said that Bitwise manages over $15 billion in institutional funds and saw more than $100 million in inflows on Monday alone, when Bitcoin was trading around $77,000.

“There’s a lot of volume, and there are sellers and buyers,” Horsley said.

Curiosity among retail investors has also spiked. Google Trends data shows worldwide searches for “Bitcoin” reached a score of 100 for the week starting Feb. 1, the highest level in the past 12 months, as the price fell to $60,000 on Tuesday, a level not seen since October 2024. 

Meanwhile, BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) saw $231.6 million in inflows on Friday, following two days of heavy outflows during the turbulent week for the asset.

Magazine: Bitcoin’s ‘biggest bull catalyst’ would be Saylor’s liquidation: Santiment founder

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

Notably, weaker-than-expected US labor market data and increased concerns over US tech companies’ AI-related spending plans triggered a flight to safety on Thursday, February 5.

US jobless claims jumped from 209k (week ending January 24) to 231k (week ending January 31). Meanwhile, JOLTs job openings tumbled from 6.928 million in November to 6.542 million in December, signaling a marked deterioration in labor market conditions.

The labor market data coincided with Amazon.com (AMZN) announcing plans to spend $200 billion on AI in 2026, fueling concerns about excess CAPEX and returns on investment.

Notably, rising US recession risks and the prospect of AI further impacting the labor market overshadowed increased expectations of an H1 2026 Fed rate cut. However, the Fed’s rate path is likely to have more influence on BTC demand in the medium- to longer-term.

According to the CME FedWatch Tool, the chances of a June cut jumped from 67.3% on January 30 to 75% on February 6. Typically, a more dovish Fed rate path signals lower borrowing costs, bolstering demand for risk assets such as BTC.

Anti Bitcoin Crowd Gets Vocal after Plunge to $60,000 Bloomberg Intelligence Senior ETF analyst Eric Balchunas remarked on this week’s events and the vocal anti-BTC crowd, stating:

“Here’s the inconvenient truth for bears/haters/alarmist headline writers re both stock and bitcoin. Both have a 100% record of coming back from beatdowns to hit new ATHs. Maybe this time is dif but for now it is an indisputable fact and why I tend to avoid piling on during downturns.”

Assessing the BTC-spot ETF market, Balchunas added:

“Bitcoin ETFs reported $434m in outflows yesterday, IBIT was $175m of it. YTD outflows $-2.2b and the total inc collapse is around $8b. Still, more than 90% of aum hanging tough, forced to weather what feels like a Cat 5 hurricane.”

Market Intelligence platform Santiment remarked on the February 5 crash, stating:

“According to our social data, when traders have decided that a crash has occurred (as they did yesterday), it’s a very reliable bottom indicator. […] But when Bitcoin dropped down to $60.0K yesterday, this was finally enough for traders to show legitimate panic and sell their bags at a loss. As soon as they did, prices immediately rebounded (precisely at the moment when “crash” spiked).”

Bitcoin and the US Economic Calendar: Retail Sales and the Jobs Report Looking at the week ahead, US economic data will affect sentiment following the market reaction to labor market data.

Retail sales figures will provide insights into the economy, given that private consumption accounts for roughly 65% of GDP. Economists forecast retail sales will rise 0.5% month-on-month in December after increasing 0.6% in November. A higher reading would ease recession fears, lifting sentiment.

However, the US jobs report will be key on Wednesday, February 11. A steady unemployment rate and a modest drop in wage growth would fuel bets on an H1 2026 Fed rate cut, boosting demand for risk assets. Economists forecast average hourly earnings will rise 3.6% year-on-year in January, down from 3.8% in December, and expect the unemployment rate to remain at 4.4%.

US economic data in line with forecasts would support the bullish medium-term outlook for BTC.

Bitcoin Fear & Greed Index Signals Oversold Conditions BTC-spot ETF outflows and BTC’s plunge to $60,000 sent the Bitcoin Fear & Greed Index deeper into the Extreme Fear zone. The Fear & Greed Index dropped from 20 to 6 on Saturday, February 7. Despite rising to 7 on Sunday, February 8, the Index remained deep in the Extreme Fear zone, reflecting oversold conditions. Typically, oversold conditions suggest a price recovery, supporting the bullish medium-term outlook.

BTC Fear and Greed Index – 080226 However, market intelligence platform Santiment remarked on the BTC sell-off and warned about the near-term price outlook, stating:

“This combination of key stakeholders selling and retail buying is what historically creates bear cycles. Until there is a sign of clear capitulation from the crowd, smart money will continue to gladly sell off their bags and not have any urgency to buy back in until the crowd has decided to move on from crypto.”

Downside Risks: Central Banks, US Data, and ETF Flows While fundamentals continue to support a constructive medium-term bias, downside risks include:

The BoJ announces a higher neutral interest rate (potentially 1.5%-2%), signaling multiple rate hikes. BoJ rate hikes and Fed rate cuts would narrow rate differentials, potentially triggering a yen carry trade unwind as seen in mid-2024. US economic indicators fuel fears of a US recession and/or the Fed downplays rate cuts. BTC-spot ETFs report extended periods of outflows. These scenarios would likely send BTC toward $60,000, exposing $50,000 and the August 2024 low of $49,351 (the yen carry trade unwind low).

In summary, the short-term outlook remains bearish as fundamentals align with technicals. However, the medium- to longer-term outlook is cautiously constructive, subject to favorable fundamentals evolving. These dynamics include expectations of Fed rate cuts and the progress of the Market Structure Bill.

Technical Analysis The weekly losses left BTC trading well below its 50-day and 200-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs), signaling bearish momentum. However, oversold conditions and developing fundamentals suggest a rebound from the current levels, offsetting the negative technicals.

A breakout above $75,000 would bring the 50-day EMA into play. A sustained move through the 50-day EMA would indicate a near-term bullish trend reversal, paving the way toward $95,000 and the 200-day EMA. A sustained move above the 200-day EMA would affirm a bullish trend reversal, opening the door to a test of the $100,000 psychological level.

The XRP price has hit oversold levels, marking its lowest readings in history. A crypto analyst has reported that each time XRP has reached these levels, a price bounce has followed. Based on this, he believes that XRP could be on the verge of another major rebound, projecting a potential rally above $2. 

XRP Price Sinks To Oversold Levels Ahead Of Rebound A crypto market analyst known as ‘Ripple Bull Winkle’ on X has outlined a short-term bullish outlook for XRP. Despite consistently breaking key support levels and now trading around $1.4, the analyst argues that XRP may be positioning itself for a substantial recovery that could ultimately push its price back above $2. 

The basis for Ripple Bull Winkle’s optimism stems from a recurring historical pattern that, in his view, has never failed to produce a bounce in the XRP price. Specifically, the analyst highlights a repeating Relative Strength Index (RSI) pattern. He announced that XRP recently reached an RSI of 20 on the daily chart, marking the most oversold reading in its history. 

Source: Chart from Ripple Bull Winkle on X According to the analyst, every time XRP has entered similarly extreme oversold territory, a price bounce of approximately 15-40% has always followed. He said such rebounds typically occur within two weeks of reaching these levels. He also emphasized that this recovery has not happened occasionally but consistently, reinforcing his confidence that XRP is likely to follow the same pattern and bounce again.    

If everything plays out as expected, Ripple Bull Winkle projects that XRP could see a relief bounce to $2.20-$2.50 before the end of February 2026. He noted that a rally to this bullish target is the highest-probability event the market has had this year. 

Analyst Shares Multiple Resistance Targets For XRP Looking at Ripple Bull Winkle’s accompanying price chart, he has marked several key resistance zones using red horizontal lines, indicating areas where XRP may encounter selling pressure or struggle to advance. These levels range from approximately $1.8-$1.91 to $2.06-$2.19, followed by $2.29-$2.41, $2.67-$2.78, and a higher resistance band near $3.10-$3.18. 

Collectively, these levels serve as both potential barriers that could slow price movement and upside targets that XRP is expected to reach. The upward-pointing blue arrows in the chart also signal the analyst’s expectation of a bullish breakout or a sustained rally toward the stacked resistance levels if XRP builds enough momentum. 

As of writing, XRP appears to be recovering from its recent downtrend. Its price has rebounded by more than 10% over the past 24 hours and is currently trading above $1.4 after briefly dipping below $1.3, according to CoinMarketCap.

XRP trading at $1.41 on the 1D chart | Source: XRPUSDT on Tradingview.com Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com

Tether has made a strategic investment in t-0 network, a settlement platform designed to support USDT-based cross-border payments between licensed financial institutions.

TLDR:  Table of Contents

TLDR: Regulatory Filing Targets Secondary Bitcoin ETFsIBIT Seeks Higher Position Limit Through Separate ProcessGet 3 Free Stock Ebooks Nasdaq filing raises limits for FBTC, ARKB, HODL to match IBIT’s existing 250k position threshold IBIT maintains standard 250k limit under Option 9 rules, separate from January regulatory changes BlackRock filed in November to increase IBIT limit to 1 million contracts, pending regulatory approval Market analyst warns against AI-generated misinformation about crypto ETF regulatory developments Rumors claiming Nasdaq eliminated position limits for iShares Bitcoin Trust options have been debunked by market analyst Jeff Park. The confusion stems from a January SEC filing that adjusted restrictions on several crypto ETFs. 

Park clarified that the regulatory change does not grant unlimited leverage to Wall Street traders. Instead, the filing addresses position limits for other Bitcoin ETF products.

Regulatory Filing Targets Secondary Bitcoin ETFs The SEC document in question raises position limits for FBTC, ARKB, HODL, and Ethereum ETFs from 25,000 to standard thresholds. IBIT already operates under the 250,000 position limit established in Nasdaq’s Option 9 rules. 

BlackRock’s IBIT and Bitwise’s BITB have maintained this higher limit since their options launched. The January filing aims to level competitive conditions across Bitcoin ETF issuers.

Park highlighted that the regulatory change removes previous restrictions that penalized crypto assets with non-standard limits. The filing explicitly references exchange requirements preventing unfair discrimination between customers and issuers. 

This adjustment brings smaller Bitcoin ETF products in line with established position limit frameworks. Market participants can verify current limits through the Options Clearing Corporation database.

some misinformation that is going around that i wanted to address quickly-

there's been a rumor that Nasdaq has removed the option position limit for IBIT and therefore gives wall street unlimited leverage, and that the timing of this change is suspect because it was in january,… pic.twitter.com/osFPXPXaeA

— Jeff Park (@dgt10011) February 7, 2026

IBIT Seeks Higher Position Limit Through Separate Process A November 2024 filing reveals BlackRock’s attempt to increase IBIT’s position limit from 250,000 to one million contracts. This request remains pending with federal regulators as of February 2026. 

The proposed expansion would represent a fourfold increase in maximum allowable positions. Park emphasized this separate filing as the actual development worth monitoring for potential leverage changes.

The analyst cautioned against relying solely on AI chatbots for verifying market information. He noted instances where automated tools provided incorrect statements about the regulatory changes. 

Independent verification through official sources like the OCC database provides accurate position limit data. Park encouraged market participants to maintain due diligence when evaluating claims about regulatory developments.

The confusion highlights ongoing scrutiny of Bitcoin ETF derivatives markets. Position limits serve as risk management tools preventing excessive concentration in options contracts. 

Regulatory adjustments to these limits reflect evolving approaches to crypto asset integration in traditional finance. The standardization process continues as more Bitcoin ETF products enter the derivatives market.

Journalist

Posted: February 8, 2026

Hyperliquid has been on a tear lately, and this week’s market crash didn’t stop its momentum either. According to DeFiLlama, the perpetual DEX platform generated $6.84 million on 5 February – A record high since the October crash. 

The platform’s revenue engine sprang back to life in late January, thanks to the metals rally, with silver and gold jumping into the top five assets in terms of trading volumes. 

Source: DeFiLlama

Hyperliquid’s RWA market boom In fact, TradFi assets now account for over 30% of overall Hyperliquid trading volumes, further underscoring the growing appetite for retail exposure to commodities and U.S equities (real-world assets, RWA) via crypto rails. 

Silver, in particular, has been very volatile lately. However, based on trading volumes, it was ranked third after ETH and BTC in January. The platform handled $2.2 billion in volumes for silver contracts, with Blockworks noting that it rivaled even TradFi platforms on some execution metrics. 

Source: Blockworks

Impact on HYPE and market dominance And so, how does all this explosive traction benefit HYPE holders? For starters, most of the generated revenue goes to HYPE buyback as part of value accrual to token holders. 

On 05 February, $5.25 million of the generated $6.84 million was directed to the buyback program. According to ASXN data, 160.75k HYPE was bought back on that day, the highest daily buyback so far in 2026. 

Since the program began in late 2024, the Hyperliquid project has bought back 40.5 million HYPE that will be burned and removed from circulation. 

Typically, such deflationary moves are always bullish for the token, but the broader market lull caught up with the token’s price action. After rallying by nearly 84%, climbing from $20 to $38, HYPE cooled off below the 200-Day Simple Moving Average (SMA). 

Source: HYPE/USDT, TradingView

Besides, the higher highs printed in February contrasted with the lower highs on the RSI (Relative Strength Index). This was a bearish divergence that suggested the cool-off may extend or a pullback may follow. 

Based on the chart, the $27-$38 area might be a likely price consolidation zone if such a scenario plays out. Especially if the broader market sentiment remains weak. 

That said, Hyperliquid’s RWA boom has lifted its perpetual markets share to a record high of 6.7% – A clear warning to CEX incumbents. 

Source: Hype Flows

Final Thoughts Hyperliquid generated a daily revenue of $6.84 million on 05 February – The highest since the October crash  The RWA boom fueled HYPE buybacks and the platform’s market dominance, but the altcoin may extend its cool-off after an 84% surge.  

Some of the answers predict another massive leg down for XRP's price soon.

Although most cryptocurrencies tumbled hard in the past few weeks, XRP became the worst performer during the Thursday crash, dropping to just over $1.10 for the first time in well over a year.

This meant that the asset had shed more than 50% of its value in just a month as it peaked at $2.40 on January 6. The question now is whether this is a full-on bear market, and if it is, how low can XRP go as the correction deepens? We asked ChatGPT, Perplexity, Grok, and Gemini about their view on the matter.

How Low, XRP? ChatGPT admitted that plummeting from $2.40 to $1.10 in the span of just a month means it’s not just a “healthy correction” any longer – it’s a clear shift in market structure. The rejection at $2.40 marked a decisive local top, while the subsequent breakdown below $1.50 and $1.30 erased multiple layers of support. The current weak rebound suggests that buyers remain cautious and any upside attempts are likely to face heavy selling pressure, it added.

If this bearish behavior continues in the following weeks or months, the AI solution from OpenAI noted that XRP could plunge to somewhere between $0.85-$0.95. Interestingly, Perplexity sort of agreed with that target:

“This range represents a realistic bear-cycle low target if broader capitulation unfolds. A move here would align with historical behavior seen across larger-cap altcoins during prolonged downturns,” Perplexity added.

Gemini outlined the significance of the psychological $1.00 support. If it falls, XRP’s situation could worsen exponentially as investors will likely flock once that floor gives in. Consequently, it warned that the asset’s crash might take it even further south, to a low of somewhere around $0.60. Interestingly, that would result in completing a full circle since the US presidential elections in 2024, as XRP started its ascent from those levels.

Chances for a Rebound? All AIs noted that it’s difficult to be optimistic in the current market environment. However, Grok outlined a possible bounce-off scenario in case XRP has already bottomed at $1.10.

The AI integrated into X said the cross-border token can remain sideways between $1.10 and $1.45 for the next few weeks and possibly look ahead for a more decisive rebound to over $1.60 if it manages to take down the $1.50 resistance. This would be the so-called ‘bull case’ in which XRP doesn’t break down beneath $1.00 soon. If it does, all bets are off, Grok added, and warned of further declines to under $0.90.

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In this week’s edition of the weekly recap, President Donald Trump denied awareness of reported UAE investment in World Liberty Financial, and China’s central bank joined nine agencies in banning unapproved yuan-linked stablecoins.

Summary

Trump denied knowledge of UAE-linked investment claims tied to World Liberty Financial. China banned unapproved yuan stablecoins as Sberbank moved toward crypto-backed loans. USDT hit a record $187.3B market cap despite October’s crypto market crash. Trump distances himself from World Liberty investment President Donald Trump denied knowledge of reports that a company linked to Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan acquired a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial during a recent media appearance. Trump stated “I don’t know about it. I know that crypto is a big thing,” adding that “my sons are handling that, my family is handling it. I guess they get investments from different people.” Sberbank pursues cryptocurrency-backed lending Russia’s largest bank announced it is moving toward offering loans secured by cryptocurrency and prepared to coordinate with the country’s central bank on necessary regulatory frameworks. The lender successfully tested the model in January by issuing the country’s first Bitcoin-backed loan to major mining operation IntelionData. China implements comprehensive crypto restrictions The central bank joined nine other regulators in issuing Friday a joint notice banning unapproved yuan-linked stablecoin issuance while classifying most real-world asset tokenization as illegal activity. This crackdown locks in China’s restrictive approach to cryptocurrency-related activities. Bithumb flash crash caused by accounting error Bitcoin (BTC) suffered a flash crash to $55,000 on South Korean exchange Bithumb this week following what appears to have been a major internal accounting mistake. The exchange mistakenly credited users with 2,000 BTC each instead of a small reward worth 2,000 Korean won (approximately $1.50) according to Friday’s blog post explanation. Polymarket advances token launch preparations The prediction market platform filed trademark applications for “POLY” and “$POLY” with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. These trademark filings occur as Polymarket faces regulatory challenges regarding its prediction market operations. Lummis urges banking industry stablecoin embrace Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) encouraged Thursday traditional banks to view stablecoins as business opportunities rather than threats. Lummis told Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo she would “like to see the banks embrace this rather than resist it.” Gemini withdraws from multiple markets The publicly traded cryptocurrency exchange announced Thursday it is closing operations in the United Kingdom, European Union, and Australia while removing 25% of its workforce. The withdrawal aims to reduce operating expenses and improve profitability pathways while allowing Gemini to “focus” on clearer opportunities including prediction markets. Brazil moves toward algorithmic stablecoin prohibition The congressional Science, Technology, and Innovation Committee approved a bill redefining how the country handles cryptocurrencies pegged to fiat currencies. The committee passed a report on Bill 4.308/2024 prohibiting issuance or trading of algorithmic stablecoins like Ethena’s USDe and Frax. USDT achieves record market capitalization The world’s largest stablecoin experienced notable fourth quarter 2025 growth despite October’s market crash, with Tether’s Wednesday market report revealing fresh highs. USDT market capitalization reached $187.3 billion, increasing by $12.4 billion during the quarter while adding 35.2 million new estimated users to reach 534.5 million worldwide. Ripple integrates Hyperliquid exchange The crypto payments firm announced Wednesday it has added support for Hyperliquid via its institutional prime brokerage platform. This integration may welcome new users to Hyperliquid through Ripple’s institutional client network. Epstein-Coinbase investment connection revealed Convicted offender Jeffrey Epstein made a $3 million investment in Coinbase during December 2014, with newly surfaced emails indicating company leadership awareness of Epstein’s involvement. The investment opportunity was initially presented to Epstein by Tether co-founder Brock Pierce and his venture firm Blockchain Capital according to Justice Department-released emails Friday. Ripple secures Luxembourg EMI license The financial technology firm received Monday final approval from Luxembourg’s financial regulator for a full Electronic Money Institution license, converting preliminary authorization granted January 14. The San Francisco-based company stated the authorization allows scaling of payments and digital asset services across the European Union.