Market Signal Briefing

Local officials have signed off on Microsoft's plans to build 15 more data centers in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, near an existing site that the technology company is expanding.

Additional data center capacity will allow Microsoft to recognize revenue that it has booked from OpenAI and other clients. Amazon, Google and Oracle are racing Microsoft to build data centers filled with Nvidia chips that can train and run generative artificial intelligence models.

Finding sites for these facilities can be challenging because utilities don't always have the necessary energy available. And increasingly, people who live near prospective data center sites are mounting opposition campaigns.

Mount Pleasant homeowners and officials have generally welcomed Microsoft's expansion in the village.

In 2017, device manufacturer Foxconn announced plans to build a $10 billion plant that would create 13,000 jobs in an initiative trumpeted by President Donald Trump. The village made room, buying up land. State tax dollars went toward infrastructure improvements. But Foxconn didn't exactly follow through. By 2023, the company employed 1,000 people across the state, and the village owed over $250 million.

In the adjacent village of Caledonia, many residents spoke out against Microsoft's request to rezone land for a data center, and in September the company decided to stop pursuing that location.

The new work in Mount Pleasant is divided into two lots just northwest of Microsoft's current site. For the larger of the two lots, Microsoft bought the land from the village and from private owners in 2023 and 2024. The two sets of plans call for almost 9 million square feet of building area, with three proposed substations, according to documents on file with the village.

Together, the taxable value of the proposed developments exceeds $13 billion, according to the paperwork.

Mount Pleasant's village board on Monday unanimously approved the two sets of plans. During a public comment period, six people expressed support for Microsoft's plans, and three people raised concerns.

One of the opponents said jobs working on the data centers won't be permanent. David DeGroot, Mount Pleasant's village board president, objected to that charcterization.

"I'm addressing this to all of the union folks that are here," DeGroot said. "When I heard that these jobs are temporary from somebody, if I was you, I would take umbrage to that, because it's my understanding that you are going to be out there on those sites for the next 10 years, doing your jobs, plying your trade, and I don't see anything temporary in 10 years."

On Wednesday, the village planning commission approved site plans that factor in changes staff members had proposed. The 15 new data centers would not require more water than the 8.4 million gallons it's expected to receive annually from the nearby city of Racine, Samuel Schultz, Mount Pleasant's community development director, told the planning commission.

Microsoft can now submit final final civil engineering plans and then file building permits.

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New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - January 26, 2026) - WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds persons who invested in securities of SLM Corporation a/k/a Sallie Mae (NASDAQ: SLM) between July 25, 2025 and August 14, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important February 17, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline.

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

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the SLM class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=49601 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than February 17, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

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

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) SLM was experiencing a significant increase in early stage delinquencies; (2) accordingly, defendants overstated the effectiveness of SLM's loss mitigation and/or loan modification programs, as well as the overall stability of SLM's private education loan ("PEL") delinquency rates; and (3) as a result, defendants' public statements made a materially false and misleading impression regarding SLM's business, operations, and prospects at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the SLM class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=49601 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

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

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

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

-------------------------------

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281711

Source: The Rosen Law Firm PA

Ready to Announce with Confidence? Send us a message and a member of our TMX Newsfile team will contact you to discuss your needs.

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HomeEconomy & PoliticsPublished: Jan. 26, 2026 at 8:55 p.m. ET

South Korean automaker and pharmaceutical stocks were falling after President Donald Trump late Monday threatened to raise tariffs on some Korean imports to 25% because that country’s government has been too slow to approve a trade deal reached last year.

“South Korea’s Legislature is not living up to its Deal with the United States,” Trump said in a social-media post, noting that a trade agreement reducing U.S. tariffs from South Korea from 25% to 15% was reached last July, and reaffirmed in October. “Why hasn’t the Korean Legislature approved it?”

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For the quarter ended December 2025, South Plains Financial (SPFI - Free Report) reported revenue of $53.88 million, up 3.9% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.90, compared to $0.96 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $53.45 million, representing a surprise of +0.81%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +7.14%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.84.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how South Plains Financial performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

Efficiency ratio: 61% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 63%.Average Balance - Total interest-earning assets: $4.29 billion compared to the $4.19 billion average estimate based on two analysts.Nonperforming Loans: $9.81 million versus $9.8 million estimated by two analysts on average.Net Interest Margin (FTE): 4% versus 4% estimated by two analysts on average.Net charge-offs (recoveries) to average loans outstanding (annualized): 0.1% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 0.2%.Total Noninterest Income: $10.93 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $11.31 million.Net Interest Income: $42.95 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $42.15 million.View all Key Company Metrics for South Plains Financial here>>>

Shares of South Plains Financial have returned +3.6% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.2% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

For the quarter ended December 2025, Brown & Brown (BRO - Free Report) reported revenue of $1.61 billion, up 35.7% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.93, compared to $0.86 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -2.16% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.64 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.91, the EPS surprise was +2.53%.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how Brown & Brown performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

Total Organic growth: -2.8% versus the five-analyst average estimate of -0.7%.Revenues- Commissions and fees: $1.58 billion versus the six-analyst average estimate of $1.62 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +36.1%.Commissions and fees- Retail: $911 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $935.63 million.Total revenues- Other: $9 million compared to the $33 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of -30.8% year over year.Total revenues- Retail: $920 million versus $965.15 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +44.7% change.Commissions and fees- Specialty Distribution: $669 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $675.88 million.Total Revenues- Specialty Distribution: $678 million versus $684.38 million estimated by two analysts on average.Income before income taxes- Retail: $131 million compared to the $165.67 million average estimate based on three analysts.Income before income taxes- Other: $-21 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $-106.77 million.Income before income taxes- Specialty Distribution: $211 million compared to the $233.13 million average estimate based on two analysts.View all Key Company Metrics for Brown & Brown here>>>

Shares of Brown & Brown have returned -2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.2% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

By PYMNTS  |  January 26, 2026

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Before selecting Google to help power the next generation of its voice assistant, Siri, Apple reportedly also had discussions with Anthropic and OpenAI.

Apple declined to partner with Anthropic after that company sought “several billion dollars annually over multiple years,” Seeking Alpha reported Monday (Jan. 26), citing a paywalled article by Bloomberg.

OpenAI decided against a deal with Apple because the two companies are increasingly becoming competitors, according to the report.

Apple is believed to be paying Google “billions of dollars over the life of the deal” in the partnership the iPhone maker eventually made for the next generation of Siri, per the report.

Apple and Google announced Jan. 12 that they had formed a partnership and that the next iteration of Apple’s Foundation Models will be based on Google’s Gemini and cloud tech.

These models will help power new features for Siri and other tools that use Apple Intelligence, the company’s AI system.

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“After careful evaluation, Apple determined that Google’s AI technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models and is excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for Apple users,” the two tech giants said when announcing the partnership. “Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple’s industry-leading privacy standards.”

It was reported Jan. 21 that Apple plans to increase the capabilities of Siri, turning the digital assistant into an AI chatbot later this year. The report added the Google will provide the custom AI model powering the AI chatbot, while Apple will design the user interface.

In June, it was reported that Apple was considering using AI models from Anthropic or OpenAI, rather than its own in-house models, to power a new version of Siri. That report said the company had talked with both of the AI firms and asked them to train versions of their models that it could test on its cloud infrastructure.

In September, there were reports that Apple and OpenAI were competing with each other in different parts of the business. One report said that Apple was developing an AI search tool that would challenge OpenAI. Another report said that OpenAI plans to work with at least two manufacturers that supply Apple when it begins production of its own devices.

For the quarter ended December 2025, Graco Inc. (GGG - Free Report) reported revenue of $593.2 million, up 8.1% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.77, compared to $0.64 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +1.39% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $585.09 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.77, the EPS surprise was -0.52%.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how Graco performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

Net sales- Expansion Markets: $43.4 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $47.21 million.Net Sales- Contractor: $265.46 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $271 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +7.5%.Net Sales- Industrial: $284.29 million compared to the $266.68 million average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of +71.6% year over year.Operating earnings /(loss)- Industrial: $91.89 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $88.39 million.Operating earnings/(loss)- Expansion Markets: $12.21 million compared to the $10.25 million average estimate based on four analysts.Operating earnings /(loss)- Unallocated corporate (expense): $-10.54 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $-10.88 million.Operating earnings /(loss)- Contractor: $65.02 million compared to the $71.05 million average estimate based on four analysts.View all Key Company Metrics for Graco here>>>

Shares of Graco have returned +3.8% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.2% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

Archer Aviation develops electric aircraft for urban air mobility, targeting city commuters and commercial partners with eVTOL technology.

What happenedAccording to a SEC filing dated Jan. 26, 2026, Generali Powszechne Towarzystwo Emerytalne initiated a new position in Archer Aviation (ACHR 6.74%) during the fourth quarter. The Warsaw-based fund acquired 1,000,000 shares, with an estimated transaction value of approximately $7.52 million based on the period's average share price. The quarter-end value of the position also stood at $7.52 million, reflecting both the initial purchase and price movement over the quarter.

What else to knowThis holding is a new position for the fund, representing 1.29% of reportable AUM as of Dec. 31, 2025.

Top five holdings after the filing:Micron: $42.81 million (7.3% of AUM)Amazon: $37.62 million (6.4% of AUM)Microsoft: $34.10 million (5.8% of AUM)Meta Platforms: $33.00 million (5.6% of AUM)Salesforce: $30.68 million (5.2% of AUM)As of Jan. 26, 2026, shares of Archer Aviation were priced at $8.03. The stock declined 19.5% over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 by 33 percentage points. The fund reported 30 total equity positions and $584.65 million in 13F reportable assets at quarter-end.

Company overviewMetricValueMarket capitalization$5.23 billionEmployees774Net income (TTM)($627.40 million)Price (as of market close Jan. 26, 2026)$8.61Company snapshotArcher Aviation:

Designs, develops, manufactures, and operates electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for passenger transportation.Business model centers on urban air mobility solutions, generating future revenue through aircraft sales and potential air taxi operations.Primary customers include urban commuters, city governments, and commercial partners seeking advanced urban transportation options.Archer Aviation is a leading developer in the urban air mobility sector, focused on pioneering electric aircraft for short-distance passenger transport. The company leverages innovative eVTOL technology to address urban congestion and provide sustainable transportation alternatives. With a strong emphasis on engineering and regulatory advancement, Archer aims to establish a competitive edge in the emerging market for electric air taxis.

What this transaction means for investorsGenerali’s 30-stock portfolio is a who’s-who of the world’s most powerful stocks, holding most of the Magnificent Seven and many stocks tied to those mega stocks. This backdrop makes the firm’s purchase of Archer Aviation all the more interesting, as it is not only a mere $5 billion mid-cap stock, but also pre-revenue. This distinction is rather eye-catching and may lend credence to the notion that Archer Aviation has several promising developments working in its favor — and that Generali believes in its future.

Archer Aviation has become a leader in the eVTOL niche -- an industry expected to grow by 55% annually through 2030 -- leveraging Stellantis’s manufacturing heft to make its aircraft. Further strengthening its leadership position, Archer has delivered numerous regulatory advancements and positive announcements, such as:

acquiring an airport in Los Angelesinitiating flights in the UAE, opening the door for further regulatory approvalspartnering with major airlines in Japan, South Korea, and Indonesiasubmitting applications for air taxi trials in multiple U.S. citiesThese developments make Generali’s hefty purchase all the more interesting and perhaps suggest that Archer is nearing an inflection point as it continues to navigate the various regulatory paths it faces around the globe. I’ll be keeping a close eye on the stock, but haven’t bought it yet. I’d only recommend the stock to the most risk-tolerant investors and advise buying in small batches over time.

Josh Kohn-Lindquist has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Meta Platforms, Micron Technology, Microsoft, and Salesforce. The Motley Fool recommends Stellantis. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Agilysys, Inc. (AGYS) Q3 2026 Earnings Call January 26, 2026 4:30 PM EST

Company Participants

Jessica Hennessy - Senior Manager of Corporate Strategy & Investor Relations
Ramesh Srinivasan - CEO, President & Director
Dave Wood - Senior VP & CFO

Conference Call Participants

Mayank Tandon - Needham & Company, LLC, Research Division
Matthew VanVliet - Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., Research Division
Allan M. Verkhovski - BTIG, LLC, Research Division
Brian Schwartz - Oppenheimer & Co. Inc., Research Division
George Sutton - Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC, Research Division
Nehal Chokshi - Northland Capital Markets, Research Division
Matthew Filek - William Blair & Company L.L.C., Research Division

Presentation

Operator

Good day, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Agilysys 2026 Third Quarter Conference Call. As a reminder, today's conference may be recorded.

I would now like to turn the conference over to Jessica Hennessy, Vice President of Investor Relations and Operations at Agilysys. You may begin.

Jessica Hennessy
Senior Manager of Corporate Strategy & Investor Relations

Thank you, Lisa, and good afternoon, everybody. Thank you for joining the Agilysys Fiscal 2026 Third Quarter Conference Call. We will get started in just a minute with management's comments, but before doing so, let me read the safe harbor language.

Some statements made on today's call will be predictive and are intended to be made as forward-looking within the safe harbor protections of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding our financial guidance. Although the company believes that its forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause results to differ materially.

Important factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from these forward-looking statements include our ability to achieve the provided guidance levels, increase implementation efficiencies, the company's ability to convert the backlog into revenue and the

The deep-sea miner's investors were hoping for an investment from the Trump administration.

Shares of TMC The Metals Company (TMC 17.69%) plummeted on Monday, finishing down 17.7%. The slide came as the S&P 500 gained 0.5% while the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.4%.

The sea-based mining company is seeing its shares fall after it was revealed that the U.S. government is making a direct investment in the rare-earth miner USA Rare Earth that could result in as much as a 15% equity stake. Mining stocks -- TMC included -- have been inflated on hopes that they might secure such a deal.

Today's Change

(

-17.69

%) $

-1.67

Current Price

$

7.77

One more miner gets a direct investment The nearly $1.6 billion deal is made up of $277 million in direct funding as well as $1.3 billion in federal loans through the CHIPS Act. The move is part of the Trump administration's push to secure domestic access to strategic resources. As U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick put it, "This investment ensures our supply chains are resilient and no longer reliant on foreign nations."

Image source: Getty Images.

Investors did react as if this were a zero-sum game, but this is the fourth deal the federal government has made with a mining company. It is possible that more will follow.

TMC stock is a high-risk, but intriguing pick for investors with a particularly high risk tolerance; I would caution most investors to stay away, however. There are too many unknowns within its actual business, and the stock is too volatile and easily impacted by news stories like these for my taste.

Johnny Rice has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

NEW YORK, Jan. 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of common stock of Vistagen Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: VTGN) between April 1, 2024 and December 16, 2025, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”), of the important March 16, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Vistagen common stock during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Vistagen class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=50827 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than March 16, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

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

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants provided investors with material information concerning Vistagen’s plan to develop and commercialize its drug fasedienol, an investigational pherine candidate in development for the acute treatment of social anxiety disorder (SAD). Defendants’ statements included, among other things, Vistagen’s positive assertions of fasedienol’s future trial success based on the prior positive results associated with the PALISADE-2 clinical trial, in addition to notable enhancements and operational changes made to the execution of the PALISADE-3 clinical trial supported a strong likelihood of Phase 3 success and positioned it as a confirmatory study.

According to the lawsuit, defendants provided these overwhelmingly positive statements to investors while, at the same time, disseminating false and misleading statements and/or concealing material adverse facts concerning its Phase 3 PALISADE-3 trial study of fasedienol. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Vistagen class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=50827 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

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

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

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

Contact Information:

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

By PYMNTS  |  January 26, 2026

 | 

An investment Zoom made in Anthropic in 2023 could be worth between $2 billion and $4 billion, CNBC reported Monday (Jan. 26), citing analysts from Baird.

The companies announced in May 2023 that they had partnered and that Zoom Ventures had invested in Anthropic, according to the report. They did not disclose the value of the investment.

A Zoom filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said that the company made $51 million in strategic investments during that quarter, per the report.

Baird analysts estimated Monday that all or most of the investment went to Anthropic and that because that company is now worth $350 billion, Zoom’s return could be 78 times its investment, according to the report.

The investment could be a “hidden gem” for Zoom at a time when the company is working to increase its revenue growth, the analysts said.

“[Zoom] is literally invested in Anthropic’s Claude success, and as Anthropic IPO rumors accelerate, the investment could become even more meaningful,” the analysts said, per the report.

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When Zoom announced in May 2023 that it had teamed up with and invested in Anthropic, it said it would integrate Anthropic’s AI assistant, Claude, with Zoom’s platform, beginning with Zoom Contact Center. PYMNTS noted at the time that Zoom did not disclose the size of the investment in Anthropic.

It was reported Jan. 7 that Anthropic aims to raise $10 billion in a funding round that would value the company at $350 billion, which would be nearly double the valuation it achieved in a September 2025 round.

Anthropic announced in September that it was valued at $183 billion in a Series F funding round in which it raised $13 billion. The company said at the time that its run-rate revenue had leapt from about $1 billion at the beginning of 2025 to over $5 billion in August, its Claude Code tool for developers generated run-rate revenue of over $500 million, and its number of business accounts had topped 300,000.

Meanwhile, Zoom announced in March that it added more agentic AI skills to its AI Companion, making that personal assistant increasingly agentic.

For all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily AI Newsletter.

Record prices are breathing new life into South Africa's ailing gold-mining industry.

Park National (PRK - Free Report) reported $144.3 million in revenue for the quarter ended December 2025, representing a year-over-year increase of 7.3%. EPS of $2.93 for the same period compares to $2.36 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +2.26% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $141.11 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $2.77, the EPS surprise was +5.9%.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how Park National performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

Net Interest Margin: 4.9% versus 4.7% estimated by two analysts on average.Efficiency ratio: 60.5% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 58.2%.Total Non Interest Income: $31.38 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $29.3 million.Net Interest Income: $112.93 million compared to the $112.83 million average estimate based on two analysts.View all Key Company Metrics for Park National here>>>

Shares of Park National have returned +1.6% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.2% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

Home Bancorp (HBCP - Free Report) reported $38.05 million in revenue for the quarter ended December 2025, representing a year-over-year increase of 8%. EPS of $1.46 for the same period compares to $1.21 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +2.27% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $37.2 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $1.39, the EPS surprise was +5.29%.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how Home Bancorp performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

Total nonperforming loans: $34.18 million compared to the $29.88 million average estimate based on two analysts.Total nonperforming assets: $36.11 million versus $31.21 million estimated by two analysts on average.Net Interest Margin: 4.1% compared to the 4.1% average estimate based on two analysts.Total Average Interest-Earning Assets: $3.29 billion versus $3.24 billion estimated by two analysts on average.Annualized YTD net loan recoveries (charge-offs) to average loans: -0% versus 0.1% estimated by two analysts on average.Efficiency Ratio: 60.6% versus 61.3% estimated by two analysts on average.Total Noninterest Income: $4 million versus $3.69 million estimated by two analysts on average.Net Interest Income: $34.05 million compared to the $33.5 million average estimate based on two analysts.View all Key Company Metrics for Home Bancorp here>>>

Shares of Home Bancorp have returned +1.6% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.2% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

RBB (RBB - Free Report) reported $32.32 million in revenue for the quarter ended December 2025, representing a year-over-year increase of 12.6%. EPS of $0.59 for the same period compares to $0.25 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -1.89% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $32.94 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.49, the EPS surprise was +20.41%.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how RBB performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

Non Performing Assets: $53.46 million compared to the $47.68 million average estimate based on five analysts.Average Balance - Total interest earning assets: $3.92 billion versus the five-analyst average estimate of $3.97 billion.Efficiency Ratio: 58.7% compared to the 56.7% average estimate based on five analysts.Net interest margin: 3% versus 3% estimated by five analysts on average.Net charge-offs to average loans: 0.2% versus the five-analyst average estimate of 0.3%.Total risk-based capital ratio: 23.8% compared to the 22.7% average estimate based on three analysts.Tier 1 leverage ratio: 11.6% versus 11.4% estimated by three analysts on average.Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio: 18.1% compared to the 17% average estimate based on three analysts.Total noninterest income: $2.81 million versus the five-analyst average estimate of $3 million.Net interest income before provision for credit losses: $29.51 million compared to the $29.94 million average estimate based on five analysts.Gain on sale of loans: $0.46 million versus the five-analyst average estimate of $0.3 million.Loan servicing fees, net of amortization: $0.56 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $0.56 million.View all Key Company Metrics for RBB here>>>

Shares of RBB have returned +1.6% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.2% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

, /PRNewswire/ -- 

Why: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc. (NASDAQ: TNDM) resulting from allegations that Tandem Diabetes Care may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public.

So What: If you purchased Tandem Diabetes securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses.

What to do next: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=19024 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

What is this about: On August 7, 2025, before the market opened, the company issued a press release entitled "Tandem Diabetes Care Issues Voluntary Medical Device Correction for Select t:slim X2 Insulin Pumps." The release stated that Tandem Diabetes had "announced a voluntary medical device correction for select t:slim X2 insulin pumps to address a potential speaker-related issue that can trigger an error resulting in a discontinuation of insulin delivery."

On this news, Tandem Diabetes' stock fell 19.9% on August 7, 2025.

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

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

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

Contact Information:

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

SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A.

, /PRNewswire/ -- 

Why: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of America's Car-Mart, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRMT) resulting from allegations that America's Car-Mart may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public.

So What: If you purchased America's Car-Mart securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses.

What to do next: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=46025 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

What is this about: On September 4, 2025, during market hours, Benzinga published an article entitled "America's Car-Mart Stock Plunges After Sales Volume Dip, Delinquency Uptick." The article stated that America's Car-Mart, Inc. stock was trading "lower after the company reported first-quarter results. The company reported a first-quarter loss of 69 cents per share, compared with a net loss of 15 cents per share in the year-ago period."

On this news, America's Car-Mart's stock fell 18.2% on September 4, 2025.

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

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

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

Contact Information:

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

SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A.

Price Prediction Solana Solana News

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Alejandro Arrieche

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Alejandro Arrieche

Part of the Team Since

Dec 2024

About Author

Alejandro is a seasoned financial analyst and adept business expert with over seven years of experience in dissecting complex business topics and vital market trends. His insightful writing, which has...

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Last updated: 

January 26, 2026

Solana has once again bounced off the key $120 support level, but the latest price action may cast short-term doubt on a bullish Solana price prediction.

The Asian session opened with sharp losses, though a swift rebound at this critical threshold shows buyers are still defending key levels.

Trading volumes have gone up by an eye-popping 278%, currently sitting at $6.3 billion and accounting for 9% of the token’s market cap. This confirms the technical relevance of this specific price zone.

From Monday to Thursday last week, SOL ETFs brought in $10 million in assets, pushing the total to $1.1 billion.

As Wall Street’s interest in Solana continues to be strong, this bounce off the $120 level could catalyze the token’s next leg up.

However, it could also result in a sharp correction if this support area is lost.

Solana Price Prediction: SOL Temporarily Finds Support at $120 But Bears are Still in ControlThe daily chart shows that SOL experienced significant selling pressure once again upon hitting the $145 resistance.

Source: TradingViewThe Relative Strength Index (RSI) shows that negative momentum has accelerated as it fell below the 14-day moving average.

If SOL’s $120 support falters, the lower bound of the descending price channel would be the next demand zone to watch.

Meanwhile, the token’s downside risk would increase if that line fails to hold, increasing the odds of a move to $97 for the first time since April last year.

Even though top altcoins are struggling to recover, top crypto presales in the Solana ecosystem, like Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER), have managed to keep investors excited. This project brings Solana’s high speeds, low costs, and smart contracts support to the Bitcoin blockchain.

Since the presale kicked off, it has raised $30 million to launch the scaling solution, setting the stage for a successful launch.

Bitcoin Hyper Presale Is Bringing Solana Speeds to the Bitcoin BlockchainBitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) is a red-hot crypto presale bringing Solana’s powerful tech to Bitcoin.

This unlocks a new era of speed, scalability, and passive income potential for BTC holders.

For the first time, Bitcoin users will be able to do more than just HODL.

With Bitcoin Hyper, they’ll be able to earn yield, stake, lend, and trade assets using fast and efficient smart contracts.

All of this happens without leaving the Bitcoin ecosystem.

By combining Solana’s low-cost infrastructure with Bitcoin’s massive network, Bitcoin Hyper makes it possible to launch Bitcoin-native DeFi apps, NFT platforms, and advanced payment solutions.

At the center of it all is the $HYPER token.

More than $30 million has already been raised, and investor interest continues to grow.

Demand for the token is expected to rise as the Hyper L2 gains traction, giving early backers a major advantage.

To buy $HYPER before the presale ends, head to the official Bitcoin Hyper website and connect a compatible wallet like Best Wallet.

You can swap USDT, USDC, or ETH, or use a bank card to purchase tokens quickly and easily.

Visit the Official Bitcoin Hyper Website Here

Bitcoin is approaching a key macro event as US lawmakers race to avert another federal government shutdown before the January 30 funding deadline. The market enters this period under pressure, following a failed January rally and a sharp shift in sentiment.

Ethereum (ETH +4.63%) and Polkadot (DOT +3.79%) generally attract different types of cryptocurrency investors. Ether, the native token of the Ethereum blockchain, is the world's second-most-valuable cryptocurrency after Bitcoin (BTC +1.96%). It's often considered a "blue chip" token, more stable than smaller altcoins or meme coins. A $10,000 investment in its earliest trade in 2015 would be worth $10.5 million today.

Polkadot is a smaller altcoin created by Ethereum's co-founder, Gavin Wood. A $10,000 investment in its first trade in 2020 would have shrunk to about $6,900. Let's see why Ethereum flourished as Polkadot fizzled out -- and if either coin can deliver more millionaire-making gains.

Image source: Getty Images.

The differences between Ethereum and Polkadot Ethereum was originally a proof-of-work (PoW) blockchain like Bitcoin, but it transitioned to the energy-efficient proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanism in 2022. After that transition, known as "The Merge", Ether could no longer be actively mined like Bitcoin.

Instead, its token could be staked for interest-like rewards. It also gained support for smart contracts, which developers used to create decentralized applications (dApps), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and other tokenized assets. Today, it's the largest platform for developing dApps, and Ether's value is usually reflected in the growth of its developer ecosystem.

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Polkadot's blockchain is built on the PoS consensus mechanism, so it natively supports smart contracts and dApp development. Its core Relay Chain handles all security, validation, and cross-chain communication, while all its apps run across its "parachains" -- which have their own logic, governance, and tokenomics rules.

So if the Relay Chain is the Federal government, then the parachains are comparable to individual states. That structure makes Polkadot's parachains more flexible than Ethereum's Layer-1 (L1) blockchain, which requires all of its smart contracts to follow the same rules. They also tend to process transactions at faster speeds than Ethereum's L1 blockchain.

However, Ethereum allows Layer-2 (L2) blockchains, which can be customized for a wide range of applications, to run on top of its L1 blockchain. By bundling its L1 transactions and processing them on its L2 blockchain, Ethereum can deliver comparable speeds to Polkadot's parachains and other nimbler PoS blockchains like Solana (SOL +5.17%).

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Neither Ether nor Polkadot are valued by scarcity like Bitcoin, which becomes harder to mine every four years. Ether, which has a circulating supply of 121 million tokens, doesn't have a fixed supply limit like Bitcoin. However, it started "burning" (removing from circulation) a portion of its gas fees to throttle its rising supply in 2021. Polkadot, which originally increased its supply by 10% annually, capped its supply at 2.1 billion tokens last September.

Ether also has stronger institutional investor support. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved Ether's first spot price exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in 2024, but it hasn't yet approved Polkadot's first two spot price ETF applications.

Which token has more upside potential? Ethereum's latest Dencun upgrade, which reduces its L2 transaction costs by more than 90%, could draw more developers and users to its dominant ecosystem. As it expands, it could become the default platform for developing decentralized finance (DeFi) apps and tokenizing real-world assets. It could burn more tokens to stabilize its long-term supply.

Polkadot also recently upgraded its platform by replacing its expensive, long-term parachain slot auctions with on-demand blockspace. Its supporters expect that the "Agile Coretime" update will reduce costs and risks in handling its app-specific chains. Its app-specific parachains, predictable fees, on-chain governance, and compliance-friendly architecture could also make it better suited than Ethereum for certain regulated finance, supply chain, and government clients.

However, Polkadot could still struggle to stand out in the crowded market of smaller PoS blockchains. Its price might eventually stabilize, but I don't expect it to generate millionaire-making gains over the next decade.

Ethereum, on the other hand, still has significant upside if it becomes the default ecosystem for developing dApps. While it might not replicate its massive gains from the past decade, it could still generate millionaire-making gains over the next few decades.

Bitcoin is once again entering a critical phase as volatility contracts, and BTC price continues to coil within a tightening range. This volatility squeeze reflects a market in temporary balance, where neither buyers nor sellers have full control, but pressure continues to build under the surface. With macro catalysts and derivatives positioning near the key technical levels, the current compression suggests that BTC may be approaching a decisive expansion.

Bitcoin is being held in place, but is about to break. In an X post, an analyst known as NoLimit revealed data showing why BTC feels stuck between $85,000 and $95,000. While everything else is moving up, the magnetic pull that is holding BTC back will expire in 4 days. BTC is currently trapped inside a massive options web, and the chart shows the concentration around January 30 is nearly double that of any other date.

Why Low Volatility Often Precedes Big Moves Currently, the market makers are sitting in a Long Gamma position in this range, which will completely change how the price behaves. When BTC price rises, dealers are forced to sell to stay hedged, and when it dips, they’re forced to buy to stay hedged. This setup reveals why every pump is immediately rejected and why every dump is bought up instantly, not weak buyers, but forced dealer activity.

Related Reading: Bitcoin Price Mirroring Key Patterns From 2021 – Is History About To Repeat?

The data has also shown a massive gamma unwind on January 30. As BTC approaches that expiration, the magnetic force holding the price in this range will start to fade. Once those options expire, the hedges and the mechanical selling pressure that have been suppressing BTC rallies would disappear. Thus, the market would move from a pinned to a released market. When that much gamma leaves the system at once, the move is usually fast and aggressive.

BTC volatility contracts | Source: Chart from NoLimit on X NoLimit noted that he will share an update in 4 days of the expiration of the magnetic pull holding BTC back. The analyst emphasized that he has been an analyst for over 10 years, and called every major market top and bottom publicly, including the $126,000 BTC all-time high. When the next move is set up, he ensures to post it publicly for everyone to see.

How Bitcoin Price Holds Structure Despite Sell Pressure Bitcoin is bullish on Cumulative Volume Delta (CVD) divergences, and the price is starting to build up, which could be an early sign of absorption by a larger entity. A full-time trader known as CEDOZXBT has pointed out that the market structure in CVD and price action is the key setup. 

At the same time, open interest (OI) has continued to rise, showing that shorts are entering the market at the point of order. This is an early stage for full validation, but if this structure continues to build up, it could be interesting and great for a long setup.

BTC trading at $87,931 on the 1D chart | Source: BTCUSDT on Tradingview.com Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com

TL;DR

An alleged $40M theft from US seizure wallets exposes critical vulnerabilities in government crypto custody. The breach is linked to a contractor, highlighting risks in fragmented, multi-agency management. The incident undermines the credibility of the US plan to build a “digital Fort Knox” Bitcoin reserve. The US government has been attempting to execute a historic pivot with its Bitcoin holdings for nearly a year, shifting from a messy, case-by-case inventory of seized crypto into a strategic national reserve. 

The ambition, often framed as a “digital Fort Knox,” now faces a credibility test after allegations that approximately $40 million in cryptocurrency was siphoned from government-linked seizure wallets.

Even if the reported loss appears small relative to the roughly $28 billion in Bitcoin the US is widely believed to control, the episode cuts at the core premise of the new posture. It raises serious doubts about whether Washington can manage a sovereign-scale Bitcoin balance sheet with reserve-grade security and auditable controls.

Over the weekend, blockchain investigator ZachXBT alleged that more than $40 million in crypto was stolen from US government-linked seizure wallets. ZachXBT linked the alleged theft to John Daghita, popularly known as Licks, who he said maintains family ties to the executive leadership of Command Services & Support (CMDSS), a private firm contracted to support US Marshals Service (USMS) crypto seizure operations.

Corporate filings indicate that Dean Daghita serves as president of CMDSS. The firm is based in Haymarket, Virginia, and is contracted by the USMS to manage and dispose of specific categories of seized cryptocurrency.

Insider Breach Exposes Vulnerability in Government Custody ZachXBT indicated he was able to connect John Daghita to the alleged theft after what he described as a “band-for-band” argument on Telegram, a dispute in which two individuals attempted to prove their wealth by comparing wallet balances. The dispute allegedly culminated in a persona identified as “Lick” screen-sharing an Exodus wallet and moving large sums in real time.

The screen-shared activity provided a trail ZachXBT said he used to trace a cluster of addresses linked to more than $90 million in suspected illicit flows. Of the sum, approximately $24.9 million moved from a US-controlled wallet in March 2024.

The scenario spotlights a vulnerability that has less to do with sophisticated protocol exploits and more with custody governance, contractor access, and human failure modes that tend to scale poorly when real money and real operational complexity collide.

Meanwhile, this is not the first time federal crypto custody operations have faced scrutiny. In October 2024, a wallet linked to the Bitfinex hack proceeds was drained of approximately $20 million, though the funds were largely recovered.

The operational reality for these assets is far more fragmented Custody arrangements for seized crypto are a patchwork of agencies, legal statuses, and storage solutions. Funds can sit at different points in the forfeiture pipeline, and “US holdings” is not a single ledger entry but rather a complex operational system.

The variance matters because security in a multi-agency mesh depends on process discipline, consistent standards, and rapid migration of funds from temporary seizure wallets into long-term cold storage. A single custodian can be defended with fortress-like protocols, but a system involving multiple vendors and handoffs behaves differently.

The system depends on the consistency of controls across every node in the network, including the people and contractors who touch the process. The ambiguity around which agency holds which keys and when expands the attack surface. Oversight can slip in the gaps between organizations, between temporary wallets and long-term storage, and between policy ambition and day-to-day operational reality.

In the context, the significance of the reported $40 million loss becomes bigger as it implies a process failure. The custody failure suggests unknown exposure elsewhere, especially if the weakness is rooted in vendor governance or insider access rather than a one-off technical exploit.

Contractors like CMDSS are central to understanding the risk profile because they sit where the government’s custody system becomes most complicated. A Government Accountability Office (GAO) decision from March 2025 confirmed that the USMS awarded CMDSS a contract to manage “Class 2-4 cryptocurrencies.”

The GAO document draws a distinction between asset classes that helps explain why contractors matter. Class 1 assets are generally liquid and can be readily supported by standard cold storage. Class 2-4 assets, by contrast, are described as “less popular” and require specialized handling, often involving bespoke software or hardware wallets.

The long tail of crypto custody includes the long list of assets that are not simply Bitcoin and a handful of other liquid tokens, but the messy inventory that arrives through seizures. Managing the assets can require navigating different blockchains, unfamiliar signing flows, and complex liquidation requirements.

In practical terms, it creates a reliance on external expertise to manage the most challenging aspects of custody. Under the model, the government effectively outsources the messiest corner of crypto operations.

The GAO notes that contractors are strictly prohibited from using government assets for staking, borrowing, or investing. But contractual prohibitions are not physical controls. They cannot, on their own, prevent misuse of a private key if human controls are bypassed.

That is why the allegations, framed as contractor ecosystem risk and social engineering rather than protocol failure, carry weight beyond the specific theft claim. If the system’s resilience depends on discipline across every vendor and handoff, then the weakest node becomes the most attractive target.

Warnings about custody gaps are not new. A 2025 report highlighted that the USMS could not provide even a rough estimate of its BTC holdings and had previously relied on spreadsheets lacking adequate inventory controls. A 2022 Department of Justice Office of Inspector General audit explicitly warned that gaps like these could result in the loss of assets.

The stakes of these operational gaps have risen because US policy is shifting. The White House has moved to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a separate Digital Asset Stockpile, with directives for the Treasury to administer custodial accounts where Bitcoin “shall not be sold.”

The policy change shifts the government’s role from a temporary custodian, historically associated with auctions and evidence disposal, to a long-term holder. However, the strategic reserve framing shifts the lens, as the central question becomes custody credibility.

If Bitcoin is to be treated as a reserve asset analogous to gold, the standard investors will implicitly demand is vault-grade security, clear custodianship, consistent controls, and auditable procedures.

The alleged $40 million theft draws attention back to whether the infrastructure supporting this ambition still resembles an ad hoc evidence workflow or is being scaled for long-term stewardship. A large, well-known government Bitcoin hoard could become a prime target for malicious actors seeking to exploit a porous system.

Altcoins Pepe Shiba inu XRP

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Ahmed Balaha

Author

Ahmed Balaha

Part of the Team Since

Aug 2025

About Author

Ahmed Balaha is a journalist and copywriter based in Georgia with a growing focus on blockchain technology, DeFi, AI, privacy, digital assets, and fintech innovation.

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Crypto Price Prediction Today 23 January – XRP, Bitcoin, Ethereum Crypto Price Prediction Today 22 January – XRP, Solana, Sui Crypto Price Prediction Today 21 January – XRP, Bitcoin, Ethereum Crypto Price Prediction Today 20 January – XRP, Cardano, Shiba Inu Crypto Price Prediction Today 19 January – XRP, Cardano, Bitcoin Hyper Ad Disclosure

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Last updated: 

January 26, 2026

Looking at the crypto market these days is nothing but pain. The question is how much longer this pain will last before we finally see XRP, Shiba Inu, and PEPE rise again.

It all depends on Bitcoin. With some geopolitical stability, we could see more moves toward risk-on assets.

XRP, Shiba Inu, and PEPE, technically, are still in a weak phase. Below is how things could play out for the three as we head into 2026.

XRP Price Prediction: Holding Long-Term Support as Bulls Fight to Regain ControlRipple (XRP) is currently not in the best position price-wise, yes. However, it is holding its 18-month support and could reverse at any time.

The relative strength index (RSI) is leaning bearish right now, which is worrying for bulls if they do not regain momentum.

Source: XRPUSD / TradingViewAt the time of writing, XRP is trading at $1.91 and just bounced off the $1.81 dip. If it continues this bounce, $2.00 and $2.25 are the first psychological resistance levels. Breaking above those levels would confirm a bullish shift.

This scenario and the target of $3.00 remain valid for XRP as long as it holds above the $1.80 support. A break below it would invalidate the setup and ruin the structure.

PEPE Price Prediction: Fool Me Once, Shame On YouAt the beginning of the year, PEPE price fooled everyone into believing memecoins were back after 5 days of constant pumping and a rally of over 60%.

This ended shortly after topping near $0.000007, and the price has been trending down since. It is still up around 20% on the monthly chart, but expectations were much higher.

Source: PEPEUSD / TradingViewIf we talk purely technically, PEPE respected the upper boundary of the descending channel. A bullish outlook would be anticipated if a breakout above the $0.000006 resistance occurs.

If the dump continues, the horizontal support at $0.000004 is important to hold. There have been repeated reactions at this same price level. If a candle closes near its low, things could turn ugly, as there is very little historical support below.

Shiba Inu Price Prediction: Does It Even Try To Pump Anymore, Worst Performer?Shiba Inu is the worst performer among the top memecoins. The burn mechanism is in constant decline, and the narrative being “dog-themed-memecoin” is considered old now.

Source: SHIBUSD / TradingViewThe Shiba Inu chart is basically a clean descending channel that has been respected for a long time, with lower highs and lower lows grinding price down in a very orderly way.

Right now, the price is sitting right on the lower boundary of the channel, which is an important area. Historically, this is where short-term relief bounces can start if buyers step in.

RSI is sitting around the mid-40s, which backs that up. It is not oversold, but it does show bearish momentum cooling rather than speeding up.

Until SHIB breaks and holds above the channel resistance, this remains a bearish structure with bounce potential, not a confirmed reversal. In short, the trend is still weak, the price is sitting at support, and this is an interesting spot, but confirmation is everything.

Bitcoin Hyper Price Prediction: Anticipation Building Quietly While the Market HurtsWhile XRP, SHIB, and PEPE are all stuck grinding lower and waiting on Bitcoin to finally flip sentiment back to risk-on, some traders are already looking past the pain and positioning early. That is where Bitcoin Hyper starts to stand out.

Bitcoin Hyper is being built for exactly this kind of market environment. When majors are weak, momentum is dead, and confidence is low, capital tends to rotate into new narratives that are not tied to broken charts or long downtrends. That rotation almost always starts quietly, before Bitcoin and altcoins wake up.

The project has already raised 31M, showing conviction even while the broader market struggles. On top of that, Bitcoin Hyper offers 38% staking rewards, giving holders a reason to stay positioned instead of chasing short-term pumps elsewhere.

Historically, the biggest upside opportunities show up when the market feels the worst. If Bitcoin stabilizes and risk appetite returns heading into 2026, projects that were accumulated during these painful phases tend to move first.

For traders tired of watching XRP, SHIB, and PEPE bleed while waiting on Bitcoin to save the market, Bitcoin Hyper is shaping up as a high-risk, high-reward alternative worth keeping on the radar.

Visit the Official Bitcoin Hyper Website Here

Tezos activated its twentieth protocol upgrade, Tallinn, following an on-chain governance process with participation from all bakers and the community. The update was developed by Nomadic Labs, Trilitech, and Functori.

Tallinn reduces Layer-1 block time to 6 seconds, accelerating transaction finality. The EVM-compatible Layer-2, Etherlink, confirms operations in under 50 milliseconds, now backed by Layer-1 finality in 12 seconds. All bakers can attest to each block using BLS signatures, which aggregate hundreds of signatures into a single one, reducing node load and enabling future block time reductions.

The upgrade introduces an Address Indexing Registry that improves storage efficiency by up to 100x for Michelson-based apps, eliminating redundant address data and lowering costs. The network maintains full decentralization and optimizes its infrastructure for enterprise applications, large NFT ledgers, and other setups with high storage demand.

Tallinn was activated without forks or interruptions, delivering improvements in speed, security, and efficiency across the entire Tezos blockchain.

Source: https://x.com/tezos/status/2015741930525929720

Disclaimer: Crypto Economy Flash News are based on verified public and official sources. Their purpose is to provide fast, factual updates about relevant events in the crypto and blockchain ecosystem.

This information does not constitute financial advice or investment recommendation. Readers are encouraged to verify all details through official project channels before making any related decisions