Market Signal Briefing

Key Takeaways Philip Morris is expected to post 8% higher revenues and nearly 10% EPS growth in 3Q25.Strong IQOS, ZYN and VEEV sales drive smoke-free growth and margin expansion across key markets.Cost savings, pricing efforts and efficiency gains support profits despite heavier brand investments.
Philip Morris International Inc. (PM - Free Report) is likely to witness top-and bottom-line growth when it reports third-quarter 2025 earnings on Oct. 21. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $10.7 billion, indicating an 8% increase from the prior-year quarter’s reported figure.

The consensus mark for earnings has declined by a penny in the past seven days to $2.10 per share, which suggests a rise of almost 10% from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter. PM has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 3.8%, on average.

PM: Key Factors to WatchPhilip Morris’ third-quarter 2025 performance is likely to have been shaped by continued momentum in its smoke-free portfolio, with IQOS, ZYN and VEEV driving growth. Management expects double-digit volume growth in smoke-free products for the second half of 2025. The company’s ongoing multicategory strategy should help accelerate user conversion from combustibles to smoke-free products, reinforcing margin growth. Continued gains in Europe and Japan, coupled with ZYN’s strong U.S. performance, position PM for sustained top-line strength.

Philip Morris’ operational efficiency and pricing initiatives are likely to play a critical role in protecting profitability. The company remains on track toward achieving $2 billion in gross cost savings under its 2024-2026 program, driven by manufacturing productivity and overhead optimization. However, investments in marketing, brand equity and capacity may weigh on profitability. The company expects adjusted diluted EPS in the range of $2.08-$2.13 for the quarter, reflecting dynamic earnings momentum and a favorable currency variance.

Earnings Whispers for PM StockOur proven model doesn’t conclusively predict an earnings beat for Philip Morris this time. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat, which is not the case here.

Philip Morris carries a Zacks Rank #3 and has an Earnings ESP of -0.66%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Stocks With the Favorable CombinationHere are some companies worth considering, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings this reporting cycle.

Estee Lauder (EL - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +1.52% and a Zacks Rank of 2. The company is likely to register a jump in the top line when it reports third-quarter 2025 numbers. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Estee Lauder’s quarterly revenues is pegged at $3.38 billion, which suggests an increase of 0.5% from the prior-year quarter. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Estee Lauder’s quarterly earnings per share stands at 14 cents, which is in line with the year-ago period. EL has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 71.5%, on average.

Celsius Holdings (CELH - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +0.82% and a Zacks Rank of 3. The company is likely to register a top-line increase when it reports third-quarter 2025 numbers. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Celsius Holdings’ quarterly revenues is pegged at $707.2 million, which calls for a 166.1% jump from the prior-year quarter.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Celsius Holdings’ quarterly earnings per share is pegged at 27 cents compared with breakeven results in the year-ago period. CELH has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 5.4%, on average.

Corteva (CTVA - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +4.82% and a Zacks Rank of 3. The company is likely to register top-line growth when it reports third-quarter 2025 numbers. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Corteva’s quarterly revenues is pegged at $2.49 billion, which implies a 7% increase from the prior-year quarter.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Corteva’s bottom line is pegged at a loss of 49 cents, which is in line with the year-ago period. CTVA has a trailing four-quarter negative earnings surprise of 4.4%, on average.

Long-term Starbucks shareholders have written to the company to resume talks with its workers’ union to discuss staffing, wages and other issues, a letter posted on the New York City Comptroller’s website on Thursday showed.

The letter, signed by Comptroller Brad Lander, Trillium Asset Management, the Shareholder Association for Research and Education and Pensions Investment Research Consultants, was addressed to Starbucks’ board members Jorgen Vig Knudstorp and and Beth Ford and called on the company to reach a contract agreement with Starbucks Workers United.

“We are concerned that Starbucks’ labor relations have significantly deteriorated, as reflected by over one hundred Unfair Labor Practice complaints filed since the beginning of the year, in-store actions, partner walkouts and protests over store closings, and even strikes,” the letter said.

Starbucks workers rally for a better contract in front of the store in lower Manhattan earlier this month. Gregory P. Mango
The New York City pension funds said they were the largest Starbucks stockholders within the group, with about 1.33 million shares. 

Starbucks did not respond to a request for comment.

The union has been at odds with management for months.

Talks between Starbucks and Starbucks Workers United, which represents more than 12,000 baristas, began in April last year but have since stalled.

In December, union members staged multi-day strikes across several US cities during the peak holiday season.

“Over three years have passed since the first successful union election by Starbucks Workers United and yet no contract agreement has been reached,” the letter said.

Starbucks is shutting underperforming stores under CEO Brian Niccol’s $1 billion restructuring . Andrew Schwartz/SIPA/Shutterstock
The Starbucks’ store in Buffalo, New York was the first company-owned location to unionize in the US in December 2021.

There are over 650 unionized Starbucks stores currently in the country, according to the SBWU’s website.

The SBWU republished excerpts from the shareholder letter on its website, without commenting further.

Last month, Starbucks said it would shutter underperforming stores in North America, including its flagship unionized outlet in Seattle, as CEO Brian Niccol pushed ahead with a $1 billion restructuring aimed at reviving sales.

Key Takeaways
Apple and Formula 1 agreed on a deal to broadcast Formula 1 races exclusively on Apple TV in the U.S. The agreement also includes Apple TV coverage of practices and other F1 events.The move is an expansion of Apple's relationship with F1—as well as an extension of its move into live sports.

Apple is driving further into sports broadcasts.

The tech giant said it scored an agreement with Formula 1 to broadcast races and other content exclusively on Apple TV in the U.S. The deal, which begins next year, will include “comprehensive coverage of Formula 1, with all practice, qualifying, Sprint sessions, and Grands Prix,” as well as select races and all practice sessions for free on Apple TV. Financial terms were not released.

Apple (AAPL) is adding sports programming as streaming continues to shake up the live sports media business. The company known for iPhones and iPads has also shown Major League Soccer and Major League Baseball games.

Why This Matters to You
Sports fans are by now accustomed to having to look around a bit to find live broadcasts of their favorite sports and leagues in the streaming-video era. The latest change is Apple's pick-up of Formula 1 racing, which adds to its sports options, as the company continues to work to grow its services business alongside its core product offerings.

The company is seeking to expand its services business, which made up about a quarter of its sales for the first nine months of its latest fiscal year, while also refreshing its product lineup. Apple earlier this week announced a deal to bundle AppleTV+ with Comcast-owned (CMCSA) Peacock, part of its NBCUniversal branch.

Apple's shares were recently up about 0.4% in Friday trading. The stock was down about 1% this year through yesterday's close. (Read Investopedia's full daily markets coverage here.)

Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services, in a statement said Apple would be offering subscribers "front-row access to one of the most exciting and fastest-growing sports on the planet.” Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said the move would “ensure we can continue to maximize our growth potential in the U.S.” 

Apple released an "F1" motion picture this summer, which it said earned more than $600 million at the box office worldwide. It plans to stream the movie in December.

October 17, 2025 12:18 ET

 | Source:

GSR IV Acquisition Corp.

New York, NY, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GSR IV Acquisition Corp. (“GSRF” or the “Company”) announced today that, commencing October 20, 2025, holders of the units sold in the Company’s initial public offering of 23,000,000 units, which included 3,000,000 units issued upon the full exercise of the underwriter’s over-allotment option (“Units”), may elect to separately trade the Company’s Class A Ordinary Shares (“Class A Ordinary Shares”) and Rights (Rights”) included in the Units. Each Unit consists of one Class A Ordinary Share and one-seventh (1/7th) of one Right, with each whole right entitling the holder thereof to receive one Class A Ordinary Share upon the consummation of an initial business combination. No fractional rights will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole rights will trade. The Class A Ordinary Shares and Rights that are separated will trade on Nasdaq Global Market (“Nasdaq”) under the symbols “GSRF” and “GSRFR,” respectively. Those units not separated will continue to trade on Nasdaq under the symbol “GSRFU.” Holders of units will need to have their brokers contact Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company, the Company’s transfer agent, in order to separate the units into Class A Ordinary Shares and Rights.

GSRF is a newly incorporated, blank check company formed in the Cayman Islands for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. While the Company may pursue an initial business combination target in any business or industry, it intends to identify companies with compelling public-market narratives, high visibility of growth prospects, and attractive cash flow dynamics now or in the near future, where a public listing, financing from an initial business combination and access to public capital markets will enable the target to build on its competitive advantages and allow the target company to further accelerate its growth profile.

A registration statement related to these securities has been filed on Form S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission and became effective on September 2, 2025 (File No. 333-289061). The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the prospectus may be obtained, when available, by contacting Kingswood Capital Partners, LLC, 126 East 56th Street, Suite 22S, New York, NY 10022, or by calling 212-487-1080 or emailing [email protected]. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements, including the successful consummation of the Company’s initial public offering, are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s registration statement and prospectus for the Company’s initial public offering filed with the SEC, any of which could cause actual results to differ from such forward-looking statements. The Company expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based, except as required by law.

###

Company contact:

Anantha Ramamurti
President & CFO
[email protected]

SummaryTeva Pharmaceuticals and Viatris occupy leading positions in the generic drugs market, valued at more than $613 billion in 2030.Each of them has advantages and "dark spots" in their portfolios of FDA-approved drugs and product candidates relative to the rival.By reading this article, you will learn which stock, Viatris or Teva, is more attractive in the long term.Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of ALVO either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

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

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Kitco News

The Leading News Source in Precious Metals

Kitco NEWS has a diverse team of journalists reporting on the economy, stock markets, commodities, cryptocurrencies, mining and metals with accuracy and objectivity. Our goal is to help people make informed market decisions through in-depth reporting, daily market roundups, interviews with prominent industry figures, comprehensive coverage (often exclusive) of important industry events and analyses of market-affecting developments.

The other day I was driving my mother from the airport, and I asked her what she thought about the current price of gold, which was hovering around $4,000 a Troy ounce. She said that when she got married (in the early 1960s), the price of gold in India was around Rupees (“Rs”) 120 per “Tola” – she said she remembered it well since her father said at the time it was quite expensive, having recently gone up a lot in price (for a history of gold in India see, for example, here), but still worth owning. A tola is an ancient weight measurement unit which equals 11.6638 grams. So, rounding up, the price of 24 karat gold in Indian Rupees then was about 10 Rupees per gram. The same price today is about Rs. 12,000 per gram, so over the last 65 years the price has gone up over 1,200 fold in Indian Rupees. Of course, in the US gold was pegged and was at $36.50 until President Nixon made it float in 1971. Today (Source: Bloomberg) the price of a troy ounce of gold is around $4,200 an ounce. So, it has gone up by about 115-fold in US dollar terms. Over the same time period, the Indian Rupee has gone from Rs. 4.76 per USD to Rs. 88 per USD, or an 18-fold weakening of the currency. Surely someone who put their money in paper Rupees has lost all of its purchasing power over the last 65 years.

These are large numbers! Instead of going through more conversions let me just summarize – if we think of gold as a store of value, then someone who invested in gold in 1960 – or benefited from the gift of a rich uncle – is a thousand or two-thousand times better off (depending on how you choose to compound) than if they had left their money in Indian Rupees. And countries like India have had a much longer history of printing money and inflating away wealth than the US and even Europe, so it is no wonder that my mother and her generation have always remembered the age-old wisdom – never sell your gold! What she and her generation and her ancestors do is to give the gift of gold in the form of jewelry to their children and grand-children, and in many cases, this is done ritually during big occasions, such as the wedding of a child or a grandchild, as my son and his new wife happily discovered last year.

The point of this story is that there is a long history in the world outside of the US of fiscal profligacy and money printing, and in those countries the citizenry knows that when push comes to shove, the government will print money! And the only protection when the government debases the currency is hard assets like gold. Remember, the term “gold” as I use it here does not limit itself to my mother’s jewelry: it can refer to the multiple ways you can invest in gold outside of owning an ingot, including gold ETFs and mutual funds, gold futures and swaps, and gold stocks such as mining companies that provide indirect exposure to the precious metal.

I have been writing about this inevitability now for about three years (see “Going For Gold…Again”, “GITA: Gold Is The Alternative”, and our recent paper in the Journal of Alternative Investments “Mining Regimes For Gold”). Before we did the research that drove these publications, I used to think in the conventional way like as one who has only seen three decades of disinflation, credible central banks, and globalization would think, i.e. gold is not a good “investment”. But our research showed that a regime change is underfoot, and in a big way. And the last time this regime was seen was maybe three decades ago. When faced with facts, as a scientist I have to allow myself to change my mind, which is what I thankfully did back in 2022. This regime shift is inflationary, high-volatility enhancing, and conducive to de-globalization. Throw on top of this the loss of central bank credibility (in many ways well-justified), and an explicit loss of independence, and the case for holding gold became stronger. Then top it off with the geopolitical transition where the BRICS and others are trying to fend off US hegemony, and it is not hard to see why institutional needs from central banks are driving gold to new records as we speak.

Gold is what economists have called a “Giffen” good and a “Veblen” good. To remind you of this 19th century concept, a Giffen good is an “inferior” good where rising prices increase demand (see here), especially at the lower economic rungs. This is where my narrative earlier becomes relevant. For “poor” countries like India, the allure of gold increases, not decreases with price (despite it being an “inferior” investment, as compared to say building something real). This is because despite rising prices, there is no substitute for gold that is easily accessible and tradable for safety, and for someone who needs safety, gold has to be bought despite its price, since the alternative is losing the value of your cash (say in Rupees)! One might surmise that Bitcoin or other digital assets could be a good place to be. But that’s another story. Bitcoin can be brought under government control, or the block-chain can be hacked, at least in some future world where new computation power gets to that point (on this topic please read my piece “Is Quantum Computing Investable As The Next AI?” in this forum on quantum computing, which is now the rage). But rather than dissing crypto, let me just say that gold is more accessible and has a longer history of holding “trust” than crypto (anecdotally earlier this week PayPal’s crypto partner minted and destroyed $300 trillion of crypto stablecoin, and this probably does not enhance trust in the public for digital dollars).

Gold is also a “Veblen” good (see here) which is a “luxury” good where increasing price increases demand since it becomes a status symbol. Certainly, if the edict “whoever has the gold, makes the rules” holds, then the rapid purchase of gold from central banks can justify that whoever ends up with the largest hoard of gold can challenge the hegemony of the US – or at least show that they have the means to do so.

A question comes up here: the US owns almost 250 million ounces of gold (thanks to Ed Yardeni for pointing to this link) which, if priced at current market prices would be worth a clean $1 trillion dollars. So couldn’t the US just re-price its own gold? Well, as Dr. Ed points out, this is only a drop in the bucket when we see that the total debt of the US is $38 trillion and growing. According to his estimates, the total above-ground gold in the world at current prices (about 7 billion ounces) is about $30 trillion in value and is smaller than the US debt.

So where does this all leave us?

I have been tracking a very simple chart that I will describe in words. This chart shows the evolution of the stock markets, inflation and bond yields for the last 70 or so years. We have had two secular periods of note. The first one started in the 60s and ended with a bang in the mid-80s, as inflation skyrocketed and interest rates and yields reached peaks near 20%. Then came Paul Volcker and a credible central bank policy and fiscal restraint. For the next thirty years yields fell, inflation fell, and central banks earned their credibility. Following the Global Financial Crisis, the descendants of these credible central bankers did their best to mis-spend the credibility and overreached in their mandates, for all practical purposes becoming the equity market’s partners in wealth distribution to those who could afford stocks. The poster children of this irresponsible central banking were the Bank of Japan and the ECB, which used weak economic logic to drive interest rates and bond yields into deeply negative territory. This amazing phenomenon is described in detail in my CFA Institute book “The Incredible Upside-Down Fixed-Income Market: Negative Rates and Their Implications” where I anticipated some of the consequences. The consequences were, as expected, rising inflation and ultimately its consequences, the need for safety, especially in countries other than the US. Not to speak of the severly under-water bond purchases.

In my view the regime shift in the global political environment is just a symptom, perhaps an accelerant, of the much needed secular trend change. In this environment, foreigners will rationally hedge their massive dollar stockpiles with increased holdings of gold initially, and then other assets, such as a new bond trading bloc at some distant future time. Holding Euros, Yen and other currencies, which can come under the US orbit immediately does not provide the protection they need. Indeed, in this sense gold is the only game in town for now, until the new currency bloc develops (and if allowed to do so, which is again not guaranteed).

So if all of the above is believable, we have already entered a new secular period that could last a decade or more. This one will look more like the period from the 1960s to the 1980s than the one from the 1980s to the 2020s. In this new environment, slowly and surely yields are likely to rise, volatility is likely to pick up, fiscal and monetary policy will converge to meet local obligations (read: print money), markets will have fatter tails, and stock-bond correlations will not diversify portfolios. Right now this is still a low probability outcome, but over the next few years, it is likely that the regime shift which is underway will get the public’s attention. If the recent performance of precious metals tells us anything, it is this: when there is a regime shift, either get on the regime shift train, or move out of the way. Of course, gold does not have any “intrinsic” value to speak of, but non-dividend paying internet stocks don’t have any intrinsic value either. Both are assets that give their holders the right to something and the increase in price provides a gain in marked to market wealth. In the case of gold, I argue this is the right to safety of principal, and in the case of equities, it is the right to ownership of the underlying business. It is hard to justify one being important than the other when such major regime shifts are happening.

To me gold is just a symptom of something big happening underfoot. The price of gold will at some point reach a level where it collapses under its own weight – timing unpredictable. As all assets that have a rapid run-up, the exponential price increase will also burn the late comers to the party. But, in the meantime it provides a hedge against everything else. At the point where gold collapses, there is likely to be a handoff to other assets that provide some other type of protection from inflation and reckless central banking. And while I do not know yet what these assets will be, they are unlikely to have a US Dollar, Euro or Yen sign in front of them. Many rigidities of the the current financial setup that we have become accustomed to, such as earning “spreads”, selling “vol”, and earning “carry” will come into question. Preparing for this outcome will require investors to build safety and protection for their assets now while there is still time to do so. Once people start running for the exits, not everyone may get out in one piece. So to answer the question posed: gold might very well be in a “bubble”, but at this point of economic history, it seems to me to be a fairly rational one.

Transaction in Own Shares   

17 October, 2025

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Shell plc (the ‘Company’) announces that on 17 October, 2025 it purchased the following number of Shares for cancellation.

Aggregated information on Shares purchased according to trading venue:

Date of purchaseNumber of Shares purchasedHighest price paidLowest price paid Volume weighted average price paid per shareVenueCurrency17/10/2025364,439 £26.8950£26.3300£26.6629LSEGBP17/10/2025174,639 £26.8500£26.3300£26.5671Chi-X (CXE)
GBP17/10/2025280,922 £26.8850£26.3300£26.6738BATS (BXE)
GBP17/10/2025467,658 €31.0000€30.3550€30.6931XAMSEUR17/10/2025331,249 €31.0000€30.3400€30.7069CBOE DXEEUR17/10/2025----TQEXEUR These share purchases form part of the on- and off-market limbs of the Company's existing share buy-back programme previously announced on 31 July 2025.

In respect of this programme, HSBC Bank plc will make trading decisions in relation to the securities independently of the Company for a period from 31 July 2025 up to and including 24 October 2025.

The on-market limb will be effected within certain pre-set parameters and in accordance with the Company’s general authority to repurchase shares on-market. The off-market limb will be effected in accordance with the Company’s general authority to repurchase shares off-market pursuant to the off-market buyback contract approved by its shareholders and the pre-set parameters set out therein. The programme will be conducted in accordance with Chapter 9 of the UK Listing Rules and Article 5 of the Market Abuse Regulation 596/2014/EU dealing with buy-back programmes (“EU MAR”) and EU MAR as “onshored” into UK law from the end of the Brexit transition period (at 11:00 pm on 31 December 2020) through the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (as amended by the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020), and as amended, supplemented, restated, novated, substituted or replaced by the Financial Services Act, 2021 and relevant statutory instruments (including, The Market Abuse (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations (SI 2019/310)), from time to time (“UK MAR”) and the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 (the “EU MAR Delegated Regulation”) and the EU MAR Delegated Regulation as “onshored” into UK law from the end of the Brexit transition period (at 11:00 pm on 31 December 2020) through the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (as amended by the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020), and as amended, supplemented, restated, novated, substituted or replaced by the Financial Services Act, 2021 and relevant statutory instruments (including, The Market Abuse (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations (SI 2019/310)), from time to time.

In accordance with EU MAR and UK MAR, a breakdown of the individual trades made by HSBC Bank plc on behalf of the Company as a part of the buy-back programme is detailed below.

Enquiries

Media: International +44 (0) 207 934 5550; U.S. and Canada: https://www.shell.us/about-us/news-and-insights/media/submit-an-inquiry.html

LEI number of Shell plc: 21380068P1DRHMJ8KU70

Classification: Acquisition or disposal of the issuer’s own shares

Shell RNS (Extended) 20251017

RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif., Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Five Star Bancorp (Nasdaq: FSBC) (“Five Star” or the “Company”), a holding company that operates through its wholly owned banking subsidiary, Five Star Bank (the "Bank"), announced today the declaration of a cash dividend of $0.20 per share on the Company’s voting common stock. The dividend is expected to be paid on November 10, 2025, to shareholders of record as of November 3, 2025.

About Five Star Bancorp
Five Star is a bank holding company headquartered in Rancho Cordova, California. Five Star operates through its wholly owned banking subsidiary, Five Star Bank. The Bank has nine branches in Northern California. For more information, visit https://www.fivestarbank.com.

Special Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements represent plans, estimates, objectives, goals, guidelines, expectations, intentions, projections, and statements of the Company’s beliefs concerning future events, business plans, objectives, expected operating results, and the assumptions upon which those statements are based. Forward-looking statements include without limitation, any statement that may predict, forecast, indicate, or imply future results, performance, or achievements, and are typically identified with words such as “may,” “could,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “aim,” “intend,” “plan,” or words or phases of similar meaning. The Company cautions that the forward-looking statements are based largely on the Company’s expectations and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that are subject to change based on factors which are, in many instances, beyond the Company’s control. Such forward-looking statements are based on various assumptions (some of which may be beyond the Company’s control) and are subject to risks and uncertainties, which change over time, and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated. New risks and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict their occurrence or how they will affect the Company. If one or more of the factors affecting the Company’s forward-looking information and statements proves incorrect, then the Company’s actual results, performance, or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, forward-looking information and statements contained in this press release. Therefore, the Company cautions you not to place undue reliance on the Company’s forward-looking information and statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are set forth in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and June 30, 2025, in each case under the section entitled “Risk Factors,” and other documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time.

The Company disclaims any duty to revise or update the forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, to reflect actual results or changes in the factors affecting the forward-looking statements, except as specifically required by law.

Investor Contact:
Heather C. Luck, Chief Financial Officer
Five Star Bancorp
(916) 626-5008
[email protected]

Media Contact:
Shelley R. Wetton, Chief Marketing Officer
Five Star Bancorp
(916) 284-7827
[email protected]

CHENNAI, India, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sify Infinit Spaces Limited (“SISL”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Sify Technologies Limited (“Sify”), publicly filed a draft red herring prospectus on October 17, 2025 with the Securities and Exchange Board of India, BSE Limited, and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, in connection with its proposed Initial Public Offering (IPO) of equity shares of face value ₹10 each (“Equity Shares”).

The proposed Offer comprises a fresh issue of Equity Shares aggregating up to ₹25,000 million (₹2,500 crores) and an offer for sale of Equity Shares aggregating up to ₹12,000 million (₹1,200 crores) by certain existing and eligible shareholders of the Company (together, the “Offer”). The Offer is subject to receipt of requisite regulatory approvals, market conditions, and other applicable considerations.

This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the United States or any other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The securities referred to in this announcement have not been and will not be registered in the U.S. under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”) and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. The securities referred to in this announcement have not been and will not be registered, listed or otherwise qualified in any other jurisdiction outside of India.

About Sify Infinit Spaces Limited

Sify Infinit Spaces is Sify Technologies’ subsidiary specifically catering to the colocation demands of Hyperscalers, Enterprises and neo-Cloud prospects. Currently, the portfolio hosts 14 Data Centers across 6 cities as off June 2025.  

SISL’s infrastructure comprises Data Centers, partnership with global technology majors and expertise in business transformation solutions modelled on the cloud. We have a diversified client base of over 500 clients, as of June 30, 2025, which comprises a mix of prominent Hyperscaler and Enterprise clients.

Sify Infinit Spaces Limited and www.sifyinfinitspaces.com are registered trademarks of Sify Infinit Spaces Limited.

Forward Looking Statements

This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The forward-looking statements contained herein are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. Sify undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements.

For a discussion of the risks associated with Sify’s business, please see the discussion under the caption “Risk Factors” in the company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended March 31, 2025, which has been filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and is available by accessing the database maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov, and Sify’s other reports filed with the SEC.

For further information, please contact:

October 17, 2025 12:32 ET

 | Source:

UPAY, Inc.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa and DALLAS, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UPAY Inc. (OTCQB: UPYY), a U.S.-based fintech innovator, today announced that its South African subsidiary, Automated Credit Provider Administration System (“ACPAS”), will proudly sponsor the MicroFinance South Africa (MFSA) Annual General Meeting and Conference, taking place on October 22, 2025, at the Radisson Hotel & Convention Centre Johannesburg.

This year’s AGM marks a historic milestone for the industry as MFSA prepares to unveil its new name and brand identity – CASA, the Credit Association of South Africa. The rebrand reflects the organization’s evolution and its enduring commitment, spanning nearly three decades, to promoting responsible and inclusive credit practices across South Africa’s financial landscape.

As part of its ongoing partnership with the MFSA, ACPAS will also participate as a Legacy Partner in this milestone launch, underscoring the company’s continued dedication to supporting the microfinance and credit sectors. The event is expected to bring together key industry stakeholders, regulators, and technology partners to celebrate the beginning of a new era for CASA and its members.

“ACPAS has had the privilege of collaborating with MFSA for many years, and we are honored to stand as a Legacy Partner during this important transition to CASA,” said Jaco Fölscher, CEO of ACPAS and current board member of MFSA. “Having served on the MFSA board during this period of transformation, I have witnessed first-hand the dedication and vision driving this rebrand. It signifies growth and renewal within our industry, and ACPAS remains fully committed to empowering responsible credit providers through innovation and technology.”

UPAY Inc. congratulates the MFSA leadership team on reaching this milestone and looks forward to supporting CASA in its mission to strengthen South Africa’s credit ecosystem through collaboration, compliance, and technological advancement.

About MFSA / CASA:
Founded nearly three decades ago, the MicroFinance South Africa (MFSA) has long served as the member association and voice of the responsible credit provider in South Africa. In 2025, the association proudly transitioned to its new identity as CASA – the Credit Association of South Africa, reflecting its expanded mandate to represent and support the broader credit industry. Currently representing more than 1,800 registered credit providers, CASA continues to champion ethical lending, consumer protection, and industry advancement through collaboration, education, and advocacy.

For more information, visit www.mfsa.net  

About ACPAS:
ACPAS is a leading Loan Management Software provider in South Africa, offering advanced automation solutions that streamline loan origination, management, and compliance processes. With a strong commitment to empowering microfinance and credit institutions, ACPAS delivers technology-driven tools that enhance operational efficiency and regulatory compliance. As a subsidiary of UPAY Inc., ACPAS continues to play a key role in advancing digital transformation within the financial services industry. For more information, visit www.acpas.co.za.

About UPAY:
UPAY Inc. is a publicly traded holding company at the forefront of the fintech industry. By investing in innovative technologies, UPAY delivers comprehensive Financial Software Platforms that offer full system automation, intelligent data solutions, and an enhanced user experience. The Company bridges the gap between clients and consumers in an evolving financial ecosystem, driving engagement and lasting impact. For more information, visit www.upaytechnology.com

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” as defined under applicable securities laws. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements due to new information, future events, or other circumstances. No information in this publication should be interpreted as any indication whatsoever of the Company’s future revenues, results of operations, or stock price.

Contact Information
UPAY INC.
Media Relations
[email protected]

The Bitcoin price continued to fall on Friday, sliding as much as 4% to US$103,550, its lowest level since June 2025. 

More than $600 billion in total value for the cryptocurrency market has been erased over the past week, according to data compiled by CoinGecko.  

Bitcoin hit an all-time high of US$126,251 on October 6, 2025, but liquidations have increased since, sparked by escalating US-China trade tensions that have weighed on nearly all risk assets.  

On October 10, crypto investors lost nearly $20 billion after President Donald Trump threatened a 100% tariff on China. 

As well, investors withdrew a net $593 million from US-listed Bitcoin and Ether exchange-traded funds on Thursday, Bloomberg reported.    

“We are likely to see Bitcoin move more in tandem with other financial markets as it moves closer to becoming a core component of the global financial system,” BOB blockchain co-founder Dom Harz told Cryptonews.  

The crypto market witnessed one of its sharpest declines of 2025, leaving investors questioning the true crypto crash reason. Within an hour, digital assets lost nearly $1 trillion in total market value, shaking market confidence. This article breaks down what caused the fall, analyzes key support and resistance levels for major assets, and explains what to watch next for $Bitcoin, $Ethereum, $Solana, and $XRP.

Main Crypto Crash Reason: Trade Tensions and LiquidationsSeveral key drivers combined to trigger the sudden crypto crash.

US–China trade scare: Renewed tariff threats between the world’s two largest economies spooked investors and triggered a global sell-off in risk assets.Late-Friday sell pressure: A wave of automated liquidations followed as stop-losses and leveraged positions were triggered.Profit-taking: The total crypto market had just hit a record $4.27 trillion days before, prompting many investors to secure gains.Insider anticipation: Some traders speculate that big players may have acted on early cues before official announcements, though this remains unverified.These factors combined into a perfect storm, causing cascading liquidations across exchanges and an immediate drop in trading confidence.

Bitcoin Analysis: Key Levels and Technical StructureBitcoin’s reaction provides important clues to the crypto crash reason.

Support zones: $108 K–$110 K, $106 K, and the psychological $100 K level.Resistance zones: $120 K–$126 K, with a pivot around $115 K–$117 K.Chart signals: The June uptrend broke sharply, suggesting a possible double top formation.If bulls defend $108 K, $BTC may rebound toward $120 K; if not, a deeper test near $100 K is possible.

BTC/USD 1-day chart - TradingView

Ethereum Analysis: ETF Flows and Institutional StabilityEthereum held relatively firm despite the crash.

Support: $4,000–$4,095 and $3,500 remain critical.Resistance: $4,500 and $4,950 (previous ATH).ETH/BTC ratio: Still weak but showing signs of a rebound.Institutional demand through $ETH ETFs could provide renewed stability, though volume remains below average, indicating limited conviction.

ETH/USD 1-day chart - TradingView

Solana Analysis: Momentum Support Under PressureSolana faced steep volatility but managed to stay within its ascending channel.

Support: $185, $170, and $160 are crucial momentum levels.Resistance: $200–$205 and $220–$240.A fall below $170 could signal a shift toward a bearish trend, while defending $185 keeps the structure intact.$SOL strong community and NFT ecosystem may help its recovery once overall market sentiment stabilizes.

XRP Analysis: Range Retest and Slowing Sell-OffXRP consolidated between $2.20 and $2.30 after the crash.

Support: $2.00 psychological level and $1.60–$1.30 deep supports.Resistance: $2.70 pivot and $3.00–$3.66 resistance zone.While the crypto crash reason affected all assets, $XRP structure shows it may already be entering a sideways recovery phase.

Broader Market ContextBeyond crypto, the crash reflected a wider risk-off sentiment in global markets.

US equities turned mixed amid trade tension headlines.Volatility indices surged, and micro-cap stocks fell sharply.Crypto, often a barometer of investor risk appetite, mirrored this fear.Low recovery volume indicates that investors are cautious and waiting for clearer macro signals before re-entering.

Outlook: What to Watch NextThe next few days will determine whether this drop was a correction or the start of a larger decline. Watch for:

Bitcoin reclaiming the $115 K pivot zone.Ethereum ETF inflows or institutional buying.Solana’s defense of $185.XRP’s volume trends near $2.30.Macro indicators — especially new trade or inflation data from the US and China.If sentiment improves and volume returns, the market could quickly rebound. But if fear persists, further downside tests are possible.

The crypto world is watching closely as the trial of the Peraire brothers, Anton and James, begins over the alleged $25 million heist on the Ethereum blockchain. The case is shaping up to be the first major legal test of MEV (maximal extractable value) bots, automated systems that reorder or insert blockchain transactions to maximize profits.

Journalist

Posted: October 17, 2025

Key Takeaways
What triggered BNB’s 12% price drop today? 
BNB’s decline was driven by broader market weakness, including sharp drops in Bitcoin and Ethereum, and escalating U.S.–China trade tensions.

What key level could determine BNB’s next move? 
If BNB fails to hold the $1,040 support, it could drop another 14% toward the $900 mark.

Binance Coin [BNB]  dropped 12%, at press time, increasing selling pressure and bringing the asset close to a critical breakdown level that could trigger further losses. 

Despite the decline, BNB was trading near $1,040, with investor interest remaining strong, reflected in a 25% surge in trading volume to $6.72 billion over the past 24 hours.

Looking at the current market sentiment and ongoing trade war, you might be wondering where the BNB price could go next. Will the price continue to decline, or is a reversal on the cards?

BNB technical outlook and key levels to watch 
AMBCrypto’s technical analysis reveals that BNB has formed a bearish double-top pattern on the daily chart and is now approaching the $1,050 neckline.

Based on current price action, if BNB fails to hold this level, it could drop 14%, potentially reaching the $900 mark.

Source: TradingView

However, at press, the Average Directional Index (ADX) value had reached 29, above the key threshold of 25. This indicates that the asset has strong directional momentum.

Despite the price fall and weak market sentiment, BNB still maintains itself above the 200 Exponential Moving Average (EMA). This indicates that the asset is still in an uptrend.

BNB’s major liquidation level
Given the current market sentiment, BNB derivatives have shifted significantly, but traders with a bullish outlook continue to dominate.

According to CoinGlass, BNB’s major liquidation levels stand at $1,009.5 on the lower side and $1,106.1 on the upper side.

At these levels, traders are overleveraged, having built $32.10 million in long positions and $28.49 million in short positions over the past 24 hours.

Source: CoinGlass

When combining these metrics, it appears that BNB is still in an uptrend. However, a fall below $1,040 could bring further downside.

Vivaan Acharya is a Crypto-Economist and Journalist at AMBCrypto who brings a rare depth of financial and economic expertise to the world of digital assets. He holds a Master’s in Economics from the prestigious University of Delhi and has over five years of experience analyzing technology and financial markets.
His foray into the blockchain space began in 2018, marked by his prescient Master's thesis, "Payments and Stablecoin Integration in Banking," which showcased his early understanding of crypto's potential to disrupt traditional finance. Before specializing in crypto, Vivaan honed his skills in rigorous data and technical chart analysis at a major national financial daily, where he covered corporate earnings and market trends.
At AMBCrypto, Vivaan applies this powerful blend of classical economic training and seasoned financial journalism to his work. He is an expert in:
1. Bitcoin and Altcoin Market Analysis
2. Stablecoin Ecosystem Development, and
3 Emerging Crypto Regulations.
Known for his clear, no-nonsense approach, Vivaan translates robust research into straightforward, actionable insights. He is dedicated to demystifying the complexities of blockchain finance, empowering readers to confidently navigate the rapidly evolving digital economy.

On October 17, 2025, the cryptocurrency market witnessed a significant movement within the AAVE ecosystem as large investors, often referred to as “whales,” offloaded a substantial amount of AAVE tokens. This sell-off involved a staggering 158,227 tokens, valued at around $35.51 million.

TL;DR

Uniswap has integrated Solana’s liquidity directly into its main web interface.
The integration is powered by Jupiter’s Ultra API, Solana’s largest aggregator.
The move is part of Uniswap’s long-term vision for its L2, Unichain, and borderless DeFi.

Uniswap Labs has just expanded its ecosystem. The developer behind Ethereum’s main decentralized exchange (DEX) took a strategic step by integrating Solana’s liquidity directly into its main web interface.

That is, the company has discreetly implemented Uniswap support for Solana directly on its web interface, a move that unites two of the largest liquidity pools in the crypto world.

Instead of building a separate native version on Solana, Uniswap has opted for a flexible framework, an “architecture layer” designed to agilely connect any blockchain to its interface. Solana is the first beneficiary of this new design, which Uniswap engineers say will facilitate seamless multi-network trading for users.

Technical Integration via Jupiter
To manage the complex technical side of this expansion, Uniswap turned to Jupiter, Solana’s largest liquidity aggregator. This strategic partnership ensures that all swaps (exchanges) made by users from the Uniswap application are efficiently routed through Jupiter’s Ultra API.

In practice, this gives users access to Solana’s entire DEX liquidity landscape without ever leaving Uniswap’s familiar environment. SIONG, Jupiter’s pseudonymous co-founder, described the collaboration as a milestone, highlighting that Uniswap is the first major platform to integrate its new API.

The launch comes at a booming time for Solana’s decentralized exchanges, which have processed nearly $140 billion in volume over the last 30 days, while Jupiter alone generated $17.5 million in fees. With Uniswap now in the mix, this liquidity could flow both ways.

This move for Uniswap support for Solana also aligns with the company’s long-term vision for Unichain, its layer-2 network introduced in February. Danny Daniil, Uniswap’s head of trading engineering, stated that linking Solana liquidity to Unichain will let traders “chase the best trades wherever conditions are optimal” across ecosystems.

Uniswap, which surpassed $3 trillion in lifetime trading volume this year, is clearly betting on a DeFi future without borders between chains.

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

The market keeps falling at the end of the week, according to CoinMarketCap.

Top coins by CoinMarketCapXRP/USDThe rate of XRP has declined by 5.82% over the past day.

Image by TradingViewOn the hourly chart, the price of XRP has made a false breakout of the local support of $2.2023. 

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However, if the rate does not bounce back far from it, and the daily bar closes near $2.20, there is a high chance of seeing an ongoing drop to the $2.15 zone.

Image by TradingViewOn the longer time frame, there are no reversal signals yet. If the daily candle closes near its low, one can expect a test of the $2 area soon.

Image by TradingViewFrom the midterm point of view, bears are controlling the situation on the market. If bulls cannot seize the initiative, traders may witness a test of the support of $1.7711 by the end of the month.

XRP is trading at $2.2609 at press time.

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Published: Oct 17, 2025, 15:09 GMT+00:00

Key Points:Solana dropped to $175 once again today, and investors bought the dip, at least for now.The Fear and Greed Index has dropped to levels not seen since April.SOL could recover rapidly if the $175 support holds.

Solana (SOL) has gone down by 8.3% in the past 24 hours, but buyers showed up to scoop up some tokens as they dropped to $175.

Trading volumes have increased by 25% in the past 24 hours, currently accounting for 12% of the token’s circulating market cap at $11 billion.

Whenever volumes exceed $10 billion for SOL, the market pays attention, as it means that the token has touched an area of interest for both buyers and sellers.

Today’s crypto riot is affecting almost all tokens across the market, and has plummeted the combined valuation of the top 100 cryptos by 7% as per data from CoinMarketCap.

Market Sentiment Sours Amid Trump’s Tariff Increase
Sentiment readings have dropped dramatically once again, exactly a week after President Donald Trump imposed a 100% tariff on Chinese imported goods on top of the increase in levies he had already announced months ago.

Crypto’s Fear and Greed Index has plummeted to 28, meaning that investors are panicking over this drop. This is the lowest reading since April, when the market started to recover from this year’s initial bear market.

Crypto’s Fear and Greed Index – Source: CoinMarketCap

Counterintuitively, whenever market sentiment sours to these levels, it tends to attract significant buying interest as ‘smart money’ tends to enter the scene when “blood is in the streets.”

Moreover, Trump’s decision to slap China with higher tariffs has also derailed the beginning of altcoin season. At some point in September, the combined value of ‘alts’ reached $1.72 trillion. At the time of writing, this metric has plummeted by 15% to $1.42 trillion and is now into “Bitcoin season” territory based on CoinMarketCap’s Altcoin Season Index’s readings.

This is not good news for Solana as it means that investors are rotating capital out of altcoins and into Bitcoin as part of the normal “flight-to-quality” move that happens when the market tanks.

Solana Bounces Off Key Support
The daily chart shows that buyers have backstopped the decline at $175 today. This has been a key area of support and resistance multiple times in the past, which emphasizes its technical relevance and increases the odds of a bounce.

SOL/USD Daily Chart (Coinbase) – Source: TradingView

This area is also near the 200-day exponential moving average (EMA), increasing the odds of a bear trap if buying pressure accelerates.

Is SOL recovers to $200 during the weekend, this would favor a bullish outlook as the market would have confirmed that there’s a floor at this critical level of $175, meaning that investors will not be willing to sell their tokens for any less than that.

If that’s the case, the token could climb to $250 in no time. Solana’s ETF shows resilience as its assets under management have stood near the $400 million mark despite this past week’s selling spree.

Similarly, Ethereum ETFs experienced a mild $57 million net outflow yesterday. Overall, vehicles linked to ETH have taken a net outflow of $80 million, which is next to nothing considering the steep decline that the token has faced lately.

In contrast, if the selling picks up steam later today and throughout the weekend, we could see SOL dropping sharply to the low 150s, meaning a downside potential of 17% in the near term.

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Dogecoin extended a sell-off since the past week, currently down 27% in the last seven days.

At press time, Dogecoin was trading down 7.13% in the last 24 hours to $0.1825 as the broader crypto market tracked losses on Wall Street amid concerns regarding the banking sector and escalating trade tensions.

Investors are considering the ongoing government shutdown, which is in its third week, as lawmakers fail to reach an agreement on the federal budget. During the shutdown, federal agencies have suspended releases of crucial economic data, not allowing investors to properly assess the health of the U.S. economy.

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Minutes from the Fed’s September meeting showed the Federal Open Market Committee was divided on the number of interest rate cuts on the horizon. The FOMC is scheduled to meet on Oct. 28-29 to make its next monetary policy decision.

Dogecoin confirms death crossDogecoin has confirmed a death cross on its short-term chart — specifically the 30-minute chart. A death cross occurs when a short-term moving average falls below a long-term moving average, a bearish indication.

DOGE/USD 30 minutes Chart, Courtesy: TradingViewThis coincides with Dogecoin's sell-off since the week's start, with today marking its fourth consecutive day of dropping since the Oct. 13 high of $0.218.

The drop comes as the market’s recovery from last week’s massive liquidation shock appears to have stalled, with the majority of cryptocurrencies falling. Dogecoin also fell, reaching a low of $0.175 early Friday.

Dogecoin's next resistance will lie at $0.206 and $0.237 if the market recovers. On the other hand, the next support level is expected at $0.15 following a breach of the support at $0.178.

Ethereum holds $3,780 after 13% weekly drop as analysts debate $10K breakout or deeper correction. Key indicators flash mixed signals.

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Ripple Labs is spearheading an effort to raise at least $1 billion to accumulate XRP via a new digital-asset treasury, or DAT, according to Bloomberg, signaling that the latest bout of market turmoil has not dislodged heavyweight players from advancing aggressive balance-sheet strategies tied to crypto assets.

People familiar with the matter told Bloomberg the vehicle would be capitalized through a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), with Ripple also planning to contribute some of its own XRP. “Representatives for Ripple did not respond to requests for comment. Exact terms of the transaction remain under discussion and could change,” Bloomberg reported, underscoring that while the plan is live, its contours are not yet finalized.

The timing places Ripple’s move squarely against a fragile market backdrop. A week after a heavy selloff triggered record liquidations, sentiment remains brittle. Against that context, the contemplated DAT is notable on several fronts.

First, the scale: “Ripple Labs Inc. is leading an effort to raise at least $1 billion to accumulate XRP,” Bloomberg reported, adding that if completed, “it would be the biggest one to focus on XRP.”

Second, the structure: a SPAC-funded DAT reflects the 2025 wave of publicly listed token accumulators that have proliferated through reverse takeovers or SPAC listings. Bloomberg observed that “throughout 2025, digital-asset boosters set up an array of publicly listed token accumulators,” noting that “today, there are more than 300 entities holding Bitcoin alone, according to BitcoinTreasuries.net.”

The Market Backdrop
While Bitcoin-focused treasuries dominate that landscape, Bloomberg emphasized that “XRP hasn’t drawn the same level of interest from DAT investors as Bitcoin.” This initiative would attempt to change that balance. By design, a DAT channels committed capital into a defined acquisition mandate—here, XRP—creating programmatic buy-side flow that can be measured against circulating supply dynamics and secondary-market liquidity.

The framing of $1 billion in potential purchasing capacity invites obvious questions about incremental demand. Yet the wire also cautions that investor appetite for token accumulators has cooled: “Investors have also gotten more skeptical about DATs, with shares of major crypto accumulators including Michael Saylor’s Strategy Inc. and Japan’s Metaplanet Inc. posting steep declines in recent months.” That skepticism is precisely the environment in which Ripple is attempting to stand up a new vehicle.

While XRP-specific accumulation vehicles have been relatively scarce compared to Bitcoin, there are a few already established: In May, sustainable-energy firm VivoPower International announced a $121 million fundraising.

Notably, the report comes the same day that Ripple agreed to buy treasury management software provider GTreasury for $1 billion, according to a Thursday announcement.

At press time, XRP traded at $2.33.

XRP price, 1-day chart | Source: XRPUSDT on TradingView.com
Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

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Jake Simmons has been a Bitcoin enthusiast since 2016. Ever since he heard about Bitcoin, he has been studying the topic every day and trying to share his knowledge with others. His goal is to contribute to Bitcoin's financial revolution, which will replace the fiat money system. Besides BTC and crypto, Jake studied Business Informatics at a university. After graduation in 2017, he has been working in the blockchain and crypto sector. You can follow Jake on Twitter at @realJakeSimmons.

XRP Eyes Key $2.10 Support Amid Oversold SignalsAccording to market analyst Kamil, XRP is currently navigating a critical juncture as the $2.10–$2.20 zone acts as short-term support, while resistance remains around $2.70.

This range has become a focal point for traders, offering insight into potential price movements over the coming sessions.

Source: KamilThe technical picture highlights growing caution among investors. XRP’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) is hovering near 34, signaling that the cryptocurrency is approaching oversold territory. 

Historically, an RSI below 35 often attracts buyers seeking accumulation opportunities, suggesting that a rebound could be on the horizon if demand picks up. Kamil emphasizes that monitoring trading volumes around this zone will be key in determining whether support will hold or falter.

If XRP holds the $2.10 support, a rebound toward $2.80 becomes likely, driven by oversold conditions that often spark short-term buying rallies. Traders could see this as a prime entry point ahead of a potential recovery. Analyst Kamil highlights the $2.70–$2.80 range as a key resistance zone, where selling pressure may test upward momentum.

On the other hand, a drop below $2.10 could spark a sharper correction, potentially pushing XRP toward support around $1.50. This would indicate rising selling pressure and a shift in market sentiment, prompting investors to reassess risk and adopt a cautious stance amid broader volatility.

At the time of this writing, XRP was trading at $2.28 per CoinGecko data.

Global Banking Standardization Set to Revolutionize Payments from November 2025According to renowned crypto observer SMQKE, a historic shift in global finance is on the horizon. From November 2025, over 11,500 SWIFT member institutions worldwide will operate under a unified messaging standard through ISO 20022 compliance. 

Therefore, this move is expected to bring unprecedented efficiency, transparency, and interoperability to cross-border payments, reshaping the way financial institutions and corporations transact globally.

ISO 20022, the 'universal language of payments,' is revolutionizing financial messaging. By supporting rich, structured data, it enables banks and institutions to exchange transactions seamlessly, cut errors, speed up settlements, and simplify reconciliation. For corporations, this means clearer cash flow visibility, stronger liquidity management, and more accurate reporting.

Therefore, ISO 20022 compliance not only boosts operational efficiency but also enhances financial security. Its advanced data structures improve transaction monitoring, helping banks swiftly detect anomalies and meet stricter AML and CTF regulations.

ConclusionXRP is at a critical juncture. Holding the $2.10–$2.20 support could trigger a rebound toward $2.80, while a break may push prices down toward $1.50. Traders should monitor these levels closely, as oversold conditions could drive the next decisive move.

On the other hand, the November 2025 adoption of ISO 20022 by over 11,500 SWIFT members represents a transformative moment for global finance. 

From faster, more transparent payments to enhanced security and cross-system integration, the standard promises to redefine how value moves across borders, making global transactions smarter, safer, and more seamless than ever before.