Market Signal Briefing

VALLETTA, Malta and LAS VEGAS, Dec. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Meridianbet, a leading sports betting and gaming operator and subsidiary of Golden Matrix Group Inc. (NASDAQ: GMGI), has successfully integrated BetBazar's fast-betting esports and virtual sports content across its sportsbook platform in 18 licensed jurisdictions spanning Europe, Africa, and South America.

The partnership adds in-house produced esports content—including eFootball, eBasketball, eHockey, and CS:GO—alongside table tennis tournaments across multiple leagues. All events feature integrated live streaming capabilities across desktop and mobile platforms.

Expanding Fast-Betting Product Portfolio

The BetBazar integration complements Meridianbet's existing fast-betting content strategy, following the recent deployment of BETER's ESportsBattle and Setka Cup tournaments. By partnering with multiple content providers, Meridianbet diversifies its fast-betting offerings while creating redundant content streams that support 24/7 betting availability across different player preferences and market segments.

Fast-betting content—characterized by high-frequency events with rapid settlement times—addresses growing player demand for continuous wagering opportunities beyond traditional sports schedules. The multi-provider strategy enables Meridianbet to maintain content depth across esports and virtual sports categories while reducing dependency on single-source content feeds.

BetBazar's in-house content production model provides Meridianbet with proprietary tournaments unavailable through third-party sports data feeds, creating product differentiation in competitive markets where licensed operators compete for player attention through exclusive content offerings.

As Meridianbet scales its fast-betting product category through partnerships with established content providers, the operator positions itself to capture market share among player demographics prioritizing high-frequency wagering experiences and continuous betting availability.

About Meridianbet

Founded in 2001, Meridianbet Group is a well-established online sports betting and gaming group, licensed and currently operating in 18 jurisdictions across Europe, Africa, and South America. The Meridianbet Group’s successful business model utilizes proprietary technology and scalable systems, allowing it to operate in multiple countries and currencies with an omni-channel approach to markets, including retail, desktop online, and mobile. The Company is part of the Golden Matrix Group (NASDAQ: GMGI). Contact https://x.com/meridianbet_ofc and [email protected].

About Golden Matrix

Golden Matrix Group (NASDAQ: GMGI), based in Las Vegas, is a gaming technology company operating globally through B2B divisions (GMAG, Expanse Studios) that develop and license proprietary platforms, and B2C operations including RKings (UK competitions), Mexplay (Mexico online casino), and Meridianbet—a leading sportsbook licensed in 18 jurisdictions across Europe, Africa, and South America. Learn more at www.goldenmatrix.com.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8550cb88-a860-4862-a7f4-0fad9ad3da07

Meridianbet Live Betting
Meridian's outstanding Live Betting Feature

CNBC's "The Exchange" team discusses the race for the next chair of the Federal Reserve and what it means for the outlook for markets and U.S. economy with Peter Boockvar, chief investment officer at OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, and Matthew McLennan, co-head of the global value team at First Eagle Investments.

California's Department of Motor Vehicles could temporarily halt sales of Tesla vehicles in the state. This possibility arises after a judge ruled against the company for making misleading claims about its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features.

Based on the decision, the DMV is giving Tesla 60 days to take action on how it describes its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features to consumers. 

"If Tesla fails to address the issue, after 60 days it will be subject to the 30-day suspension of its dealer license," the DMV said in a news release.

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That suspension would prevent Tesla from selling vehicles in the state for those 30 days. The DMV filed its action to suspend Tesla in the state in July, but it was the result of several years of complaints from the department about Tesla's advertising practices. 

Tesla has since added "(Supervised)" to its Full Self-Driving description and homepage.  

The DMV blocked a judge's recommendation that Tesla also face a suspension of its manufacturing license in the state and issued a permanent stay for that penalty.

A representative for Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.  

Tesla's descriptions of its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving have been controversial and are also the subject of a class-action lawsuit. At issue is whether Tesla's marketing of the features implies that they require no driver supervision or action. Some lawsuits have said that this type of marketing has led to accidents involving drivers who placed too much trust in Tesla's technology. 

Meanwhile, Tesla has been working to expand the self-driving feature to other countries where it sells vehicles. 

Shot of Corridor in Working Data Center Full of Rack Servers and Supercomputers with Cloud Storage Advantages Icon Visualization.

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Today I have a sweet dividend “double shot” for you: The first? A 2.8% payout set to grow thanks to AI—and take the stock price up with it.

The second gives you high payouts now, in the form of a monthly-paid 7.8% divvie that also looks set to head higher.

Both of these tickers are cheap. In fact, they (and the sector they’re in) could very well be the last bargains on the board as the bull runs into its fourth (!) year.

Pharma Goes From “Dead Money” to the Next AI Winner These two dividend plays are on sale because they’re often lumped in with drug stocks—a sector that’s lagged for years.

There have been exceptions, like Eli Lilly & Co. (LLY), whose Mounjaro and Zepbound GLP-1 weight loss drugs have helped the stock overtake that of Novo Nordisk (NVO) maker of Ozempic and Wegovy. Beyond that, breakthroughs have been thin on the ground. That’s why pharma has been “dead money” for years now.

Well, that and politics.

Remember, Trump 1.0 kicked off the insulin caps. Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act followed with price limits on 10 blockbusters starting in 2026—a potential $160-billion profit hit. Then Trump returned and aimed to tie US drug prices to the lowest in the world.

But on cue, pharma did what it always does: It lobbied. The lobbyists not only slowed the political avalanche—they pushed it back up the mountain.

Sure the White House struck headline-friendly deals with Pfizer (PFE), AstraZeneca (AZN) and other big pharma firms. The optics looked tough on pricing. But the fine print rewarded these companies for their co-operation with faster FDA reviews and more predictable reimbursement structures.

Now, drugmakers are looking to AI, which could cut drug development by up to nine years.

A Building Wave of BreakthroughsPharma is one place where we can clearly say there’s no AI bubble. Which is funny, because it’s where the tech can drive some of the biggest gains.

What’s the potential here? Enormous.

Right now, designing a drug and getting it through clinical trials takes 10 to 15 years and costs around $2.5 billion, according to research from Springer Nature. With AI, pharma companies can develop new treatments with far less “trial and error” than human scientists alone. That cuts risk and cost and amplifies these experts’ work.

As a result, industry experts now say the drug-discovery cycle will likely be chopped from 10 to 15 years to just six! That’s critical because patents only last 20 years, so the faster a drug gets out the door, the more its maker can sell before generics eat its lunch.

The bottom line? Pharma profits are poised to pop!

But we’re not going to try to pick the next big winner. Why bother when we can buy into companies that make what every drugmaker needs? I’m talking medical-equipment makers, our favorite “pick-and-shovel” plays on AI-driven drug research.

BDX Is Cheap—and Headed for a Unique “Value Unlock”Let’s start with Becton, Dickinson & Co. (BDX), whose products are hospital mainstays: syringes, needles, catheters and the like, as well as blood-flow monitors.

Those give BDX revenue that will float higher as the population ages. Then it adds growth from its Life Sciences division, maker of products pretty well every lab needs, like flow cytometers, used to analyze immune cells, cancer cells, and biomarkers.

BDX also makes specimen-collection systems, as well as devices for cell imaging, analysis, genetic testing and other critical lab functions. As AI helps scientists develop more new drugs, demand for these products will grow.

Waters Deal Adds Growth, Streamlines BDXThe company is merging its bioscience and diagnostics businesses with Waters Corp. (WAT), where they’ll match up nicely with Waters’ gear. Waters focuses on equipment in areas such as chromatography (separating and identifying components in a mixture), lab automation and mass spectrometry (breaking down a molecule’s structure).

Management sees the deal doubling the size of the market open to Waters, to $40 billion, and teeing up 5% to 7% yearly growth. BDX’s shareholders will hold 39.2% of the merged company, and Waters investors will hold the rest. That’s just fine; it keeps BDX in the game as AI paces drug development higher. And it lets BDX tighten its focus, too.

MORE FOR YOU

The topper? When the deal closes around the end of the first quarter, BDX will get $4 billion in cash. Management will send half of that to shareholders as share buybacks and use the rest to pay down debt.

Buybacks cut the number of shares outstanding, boosting earnings per share and dividends, as they leave BDX with fewer shares on which to pay out. That should help BDX’s share price close the gap with its payout growth, which it had been tightly tracking until a disappointing earnings report in May sent the stock tumbling.

BDX Dividend Magnet

Ycharts

As demand for Becton’s products rises, through both its remaining products and its Waters stake, it’ll support dividend growth. Investors will notice (they always do!) and bid the stock up, closing the gap between BDX’s price and dividend.

While we wait, we can be assured that BDX’s payout is built on a strong foundation, accounting for just 45% of free cash flow. That makes now a good time to consider the stock. But if you’d prefer a more diversified medical-device play, we’ve got one teed up for you. It pays more than BDX’s 2.8% yield, too.

An “All-in-One” Medical Device Play With a 7.8% DividendI know a lot of readers prefer closed-end funds (CEFs), for good reason: big dividends! And CEF-land has given us a fund perfect for this “dumpster-dive” moment in pharma: the 7.8%-paying BlackRock Health Sciences Fund (BME).

BME’s portfolio is a who’s-who of medical-device makers. What’s more, Becton Dickinson is not a top-10 holding (it’s No. 16, at 1.88% of assets), so you could pick up BME and BDX without overly exposing yourself to that one stock.

Meantime, BME’s top holdings do include medical-device kingpins like Abbott Laboratories (ABT), Thermo-Fisher Scientific (TMO) and Boston Scientific (BSX). Drugmakers like Lilly and Amgen (AMGN) also show up.

We love CEFs because they generally have a fixed share count for their entire lives, so they can trade at a premium or discount to their net asset values.

It’s here that we see how much investors have lost the plot on pharma. As I write this, BME trades at an 8% discount to NAV, far below its five-year average of 2.9%. That primes it for gains from our “AI-powered” drug-development wave, boosting its lead on the benchmark iShares US Pharmaceuticals ETF (IHE) since the ETF’s inception in May 2006:

BME Total Returns

Ycharts

Let’s wrap with that 7.8% divvie, which pays monthly. It’s also grown nicely in the last five years.

BME Dividend

Dividend Tracker

As AI boosts drug development, I expect BME’s payout to climb higher. That would draw in investors, closing its “discount window” and putting upward pressure on the share price. Buying now lets you lock in a 7.8% dividend before that happens.

Brett Owens is Chief Investment Strategist for Contrarian Outlook. For more great income ideas, get your free copy his latest special report: How to Live off Huge Monthly Dividends (up to 7.6%) — Practically Forever.

NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of common stock of Avantor, Inc. (NYSE: AVTR) between March 5, 2024 and October 28, 2025, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”), of the important December 29, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Avantor 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 Avantor class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=47303 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than December 29, 2025. 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 misrepresented and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Avantor’s competitive positioning was weaker than defendants had publicly represented; (2) Avantor was experiencing negative effects from increased competition; and (3) as a result, defendants’ representations about Avantor’s business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Avantor class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=47303 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

Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of AGM.PR.F 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.

Three-year philanthropic program will award grants to nonprofits focused on workforce readiness and AI education

, /PRNewswire/ -- S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI) today announced the launch of StepForward, a new philanthropic initiative aimed at equipping the next generation with the skills needed to succeed in an AI-enabled workforce.

Through StepForward, S&P Global and the S&P Global Foundation will invest $10 million over the next three years to support organizations delivering innovative workforce development programs for youth. The initiative will also leverage the Company's expertise in data, analytics and technology to create meaningful impact for communities worldwide.

The program will feature a portfolio of international nonprofit partners focused on youth and workforce readiness. Additionally, the S&P Global Foundation will introduce a regional grants program to support local nonprofits with creative approaches to early-career workforce development and AI upskilling.

StepForward will also expand skills-based volunteering opportunities for S&P Global employees, including activities during Global Volunteer Week and other local initiatives in 2026.

"As we continue to harness the power of AI to drive innovation across our business, we recognize the critical importance of preparing the next generation for an AI-driven economy. This is about more than education—it's about unlocking potential, widening access, and helping the next generation step confidently into the careers and opportunities of tomorrow," said Martina Cheung, President and CEO, S&P Global.

The initiative builds on S&P Global's commitment to AI education, including the company's participation in the White House Pledge to America's Youth: Investing in AI Education earlier this year. The Foundation expects awards to be announced in 2026.

"StepForward extends our People Forward philosophy into global communities, ensuring young people worldwide have access to the skills and opportunities they need to thrive in tomorrow's workplaces," said Girish Ganesan, Chief People Officer, S&P Global.

S&P Global has long championed AI adoption and upskilling as part of workforce strategy through EssentialTECH education, mandatory 'AI for Everyone' employee training, internal tools including Kensho Spark Assist and a recent workforce development partnership with Eightfold AI.

Learn more about Artificial Intelligence at S&P Global:
https://www.spglobal.com/en/research-insights/market-insights/artificial-intelligence

Media Contacts:

Orla O'Brien
S&P Global
+1 857 407 8559
[email protected]

Alexis Weakley
S&P Global
+1 610 390 4394
[email protected]

About S&P Global

S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI) enables businesses, governments, and individuals with trusted data, expertise and technology to make decisions with conviction. We are Advancing Essential Intelligence through world-leading benchmarks, data, and insights that customers need in order to plan confidently, act decisively, and thrive economically in a rapidly changing global landscape.

From helping our customers assess new investments across the capital and commodities markets to guiding them through the energy expansion, acceleration of artificial intelligence, and evolution of public and private markets, we enable the world's leading organizations to unlock opportunities, solve challenges, and plan for tomorrow – today. Learn more at www.spglobal.com.

SOURCE S&P Global

LAS VEGAS, Dec. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StoryBook Homes, a Las Vegas-based homebuilder, today announced the opening of its newest gated townhome community, Parkhill Crest in Las Vegas. Located less than 15 minutes from Nellis Air Force Base and downtown Las Vegas, the gated community features a collection of three spacious townhome designs priced from the mid-$300,000s.

Parkhill Crest offers two-story townhomes ranging from 1,727 to 1,888 square feet, with attached two-car garages, up to four bedrooms and two and a half baths. The community features modern home designs, versatile loft spaces, ample storage spaces, and open floor plans to fit every lifestyle.

For home shoppers needing to move soon, quick move-in and move-in ready homes with Designer Appointed Features are available in the community. Home shoppers selecting a quick move-in home will appreciate the finished backyards and stunning interior features including upgraded flooring.

"Parkhill Crest delivers the perfect blend of convenience and thoughtful design," said Janet Love, Division President of StoryBook Homes. "Our new homes are thoughtfully designed for the way people live today, featuring modern kitchens that open to comfortable great rooms, bedroom suites with walk-in closets, and storage throughout the home including in the garage."

This community is situated in the well-established neighborhood of Sunrise Manor, offering proximity to major employers, shopping, dining, and outdoor recreation. The Sales Center is located at 4273 Astral Heights Ct. in Las Vegas. To learn more about Parkhill Crest and to schedule an appointment, call 725-242-8655 or visit StoryBookNewHomes.com.

About StoryBook Homes

Throughout its 20+ years in business, StoryBook Homes has earned an exceptional reputation for building beautiful homes in the Southern Nevada region. StoryBook Homes offers a diverse range of thoughtfully designed floor plans to meet the needs of today’s home shoppers – from young professionals and growing families, to empty nesters. Its commitment to building more than just houses has led StoryBook Homes to create neighborhoods where homeowners experience a genuine sense of community and a true sense of belonging. StoryBook Homes believes that everyone deserves a place to call home, and is committed to building high-quality, affordable homes that exceed expectations and provide a solid foundation for building cherished memories.

Contact: Andrea Meck | Toll Brothers, Senior Director, Public Relations & Social Media | 215-938-8169 | [email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e551702b-6766-4c81-8196-75d7f5f8119e

Sent by Toll Brothers via Regional Globe Newswire (TOLL-REG)

CNBC's "The Exchange" team discusses Robinhood's expansion into prediction markets and what it means for the broader fintech industry with Dan Dolev of Mizuho.

VAST™ delivers real-time, high-fidelity video over constrained networks, enabling faster, more informed decisions in mission-critical environments.

, /PRNewswire/ -- RMX Industries, Inc. ("RMX" or the "Company") (OTCQB: RMXI) today announced a focused strategic direction to concentrate its growth initiatives and product roadmap on U.S. defense and security applications. This strategic alignment positions RMX's field-proven capabilities at the intersection of national defense priorities and the accelerating demand for operational AI in complex, real-world environments.

A recent executive order authorizing the use of the secondary designation "Department of War" in certain official contexts underscores a renewed emphasis on operational readiness and decisive capability. Within this landscape, RMX is intensifying its commitment to what matters most at the tactical edge: ensuring trusted, high-value video and sensor data reaches operational cores with speed, resilience, and predictable performance, even when networks are degraded, contested, or severely bandwidth-constrained.

RMX's flagship platform, VAST™, is designed to condition and compress data at the source, delivering clean, trusted streams that arrive AI-ready with predictable latency while minimizing bandwidth, storage, and power requirements. This approach preserves the fidelity essential for real-time AI processing and time-critical decision-making in operational environments.

From Field Validation to Defense Adoption

Over the past year, RMX has advanced from field validation to active defense integration. The U.S. Army placed an initial VAST™ order supporting the 'Transformation in Contact' (TiC) initiatives at the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC), followed by a Program Executive Office (PEO) Soldier procurement that signals growing momentum toward platform standardization. VAST™ now benefits from native integration in the U.S. Government's TAK 5.5 core video player, significantly reducing deployment complexity through features including automatic stream discovery and seamless UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) Tool integration.

RMX further demonstrated radio-first streaming capabilities at Tough Stump Rodeo, successfully transmitting five concurrent HD feeds over L-band MANET (Mobile Ad Hoc Network) with relay to an operations center. The Apollo Group selected VAST™ as a critical enabler of operational AI, specifically for channeling high-value data from far-edge environments to core processing systems.

To support this trajectory, RMX has strengthened its intellectual property foundation with a VAST™-related patent filing and entry into a securities purchase agreement for up to $50 million in contingent financing to accelerate platform expansion and product development.

Strategic Alignment and Go-Forward Focus

As part of this strategic focus, RMX is systematically aligning its go-to-market approach, partnership ecosystem, and deployment pathways to serve defense and security stakeholders more effectively. This commitment is now reflected across the Company's redesigned digital presence. For more information visit: www.rmx.io

About RMX

RMX Industries, Inc. (OTCQB: RMXI) is a technology company delivering advanced data compression and video optimization solutions that secures the data continuum from beyond the edge to operational cores. Through proprietary, field-validated technology originally developed for defense and security applications, RMX aims to transform how organizations capture, transmit, store, and deliver visual data across environments with any bandwidth while specializing in the most constrained networks where traditional solutions fail. RMX's solutions are designed to operate seamlessly across any infrastructure, from tactical radios and narrowband satellite links to high-bandwidth enterprise cloud systems, ensuring critical visual intelligence reaches those who need it most, when they need it most, regardless of whether connectivity is abundant, limited, degraded, or contested. For more information, visit www.rmx.io. 

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. In addition, our representatives or we may make forward-looking statements orally or in writing from time to time. We base these forward-looking statements on our expectations and projections about future events, which we derive from the available information. Such forward-looking statements relate to future events or our future performance, including our financial performance and projections, revenue and earnings growth, and business prospects and opportunities. You can identify forward-looking statements by those that are not historical facts, particularly those that use terminology such as "intends," "may," "should," "expects," "anticipates," "contemplates," "estimates," "believes," "plans," "projected," "predicts," "potential," or "hopes" or the negative of these or similar terms. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, there are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements, including the risks described in the risk factors section of the reports and other documents that we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of the document in which they are contained, and the Company does not undertake any duty to update any forward-looking statements except as may be required by law.

Important Notice Regarding Our Regulation A Offering

An offering statement regarding our offering of units consisting of one share of class A common stock and a warrant to purchase one share of class A common stock has been filed with the SEC. The SEC has qualified that offering statement, which means that the Company may make sales of the securities described by that offering statement. It does not mean that the SEC has approved, passed upon the merits or passed upon the accuracy or completeness of the information in the offering statement. You may obtain a copy of the offering circular that is part of that offering statement through this link. Investing in a public offering like our Regulation A offering is subject to unique risks, tolerance for volatility, and potential loss of your investment, that investors should be aware of prior to making an investment decision. Please carefully review the risk factors contained in the offering circular for this offering. For more information about Regulation A offerings, including the unique risks associated with these types of offerings, please click on the SEC's Investor Bulletin. Neither this document nor any of its content constitutes an offer to sell, solicitation of an offer to buy or a recommendation for any security by the Company or any third party. The content of this document is provided for general information purposes only and is not intended to solicit the purchase of securities or to be used as investment, legal or tax advice. A securities offering by the Company is only being made pursuant to the offering circular described above. The content of this document is qualified in its entirety by such offering circular. Prospective investors are urged to consult with their own investment, legal and tax advisors prior to making any investment in the Company.

Media Contact: [email protected]

Investor Relations: [email protected]

SOURCE RMX Industries, Inc.

CNBC's MacKenzie Sigalos reports on Robinhood's new slate of prediction markets features, including parlay-style combos and live prop-style contracts for NFL games and players.

ToplineWarner Bros. Discovery on Wednesday disclosed a fourth bidder submitted an offer for the company, adding to bids from Netflix, Paramount and Comcast, though little is known about the unnamed firm.

Three other companies submitted offers for the media conglomerate, including Netflix, Paramount and Comcast.

Getty Images

Key FactsWarner Bros. Discovery, in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing, said it received offers for all or some of its business from Netflix and Paramount, as well as a “Company A” and a “Company C,” which Warner Bros. Discovery labeled an “American media company.”

“Company A” offered to buy just Warner Bros. Discovery’s film and streaming assets, matching a bid reportedly made by Comcast, which was not named in the filing.

Unlike the three other offers, “Company C” bid for Warner Bros. Discovery’s Global Networks business—including CNN, TNT and TBS, among others—in addition to 20% of its film and streaming assets.

Warner Bros. Discovery said it determined a proposal from “Company C” was “not actionable” and opted to move forward with preliminary offers from Netflix, Paramount and “Company A” in late November, according to the filing.

Who Else Could Have Bid For Warner Bros. Discovery?Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav told executives in October that Amazon and Apple had expressed interest in acquiring the company, Bloomberg reported, citing two people familiar with the discussions, though neither firm would match the “American media company” label. It’s not immediately clear what other companies would have submitted offers for Warner Bros. Discovery, though other firms submitted bids for Paramount last year before an $8 billion acquisition by Skydance. Apollo Global Management and Sony offered roughly $26 billion in a joint-acquisition bid. Allen Media Group, which owns The Weather Channel, made a $30 billion bid for Paramount with plans to sell the company’s film studio, real estate and intellectual property while holding its streaming and TV businesses.

Key BackgroundWarner Bros. Discovery announced a deal earlier this month with Netflix for the streaming platform to acquire the company for nearly $83 billion. The deal included Warner Bros. Discovery’s film and streaming services, and Netflix said it would move forward with a planned split of Warner’s Global Networks business into a new publicly traded company. Paramount submitted a hostile takeover bid days later, valued at $108 billion, with backing from Oracle chairman Larry Ellison. Warner Bros. Discovery has urged shareholders to vote against Paramount’s bid, claiming the Ellison-backed proposal is “inferior” to Netflix’s bid and provided “inadequate” value. Paramount pushed back on the claims, arguing its proposal is “superior” to Netflix’s and would likely be approved by regulators more quickly.

Further ReadingForbesParamount Offered David Zaslav Pay Package Of ‘Several Hundred Million Dollars’ In Ellison-Backed BidBy Ty Roush

ForbesParamount Stands By Hostile $108 Billion Takeover Bid For Warner Bros. Discovery Despite RejectionBy Siladitya Ray

TL;DR

Lark Davis said on Rollup TV that Chainlink is infinitely better than XRP and argued that LINK has a higher chance of outperforming over the long term.
Davis highlighted CCIP as a key piece of infrastructure, explaining that LINK connects blockchains and external systems, extending its use beyond a single ecosystem.
Regarding XRP, he questioned on-chain usage and its closed model, while acknowledging the strength of its community and the upside potential if Ripple executes its strategy.

Lark Davis took a clear stance in the XRP versus Chainlink debate and offered an unqualified assessment. During an interview on the Rollup TV program, he stated that Chainlink is “infinitely better” than XRP and said LINK is more likely to deliver stronger long-term performance. His remarks reignited a debate that has circulated in the crypto market for years.

Davis explained that his view is based on the role each network plays. In his analysis, Chainlink operates as critical infrastructure for the ecosystem, while XRP remains within a more closed loop. The core of his argument centered on the Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol, known as CCIP. According to Davis, this protocol allows different blockchains and traditional systems to exchange data securely, expanding LINK’s reach beyond a single environment.

Chainlink as a Cross-Chain Infrastructure Layer
The commentator emphasized that this role turns Chainlink into a cross-cutting layer used by multiple projects and applications. He also pointed to the expansion of strategic partnerships and the introduction of token buyback mechanisms as factors that strengthen LINK’s appeal to investors. In his view, these elements provide a clearer economic rationale for holding the token over time.

When addressing XRP, Davis adopted a more critical tone. He noted that most activity remains concentrated within its own network and questioned the level of daily usage and on-chain engagement. He argued that despite more than a decade of existence, XRP has failed to build an organic user base comparable to that of other major projects in the sector.

Criticism of XRP Token Sales
Even so, Davis acknowledged the strength of the XRP community and its ability to remain active over many years. He said many investors trust Ripple’s long-term vision and its strategy focused on institutional payments. He also stated that if the company succeeds in executing its plans, XRP could still see meaningful upside in the future.

Another point of contrast was leadership. Davis praised Sergey Nazarov, Chainlink’s founder, for prioritizing a neutral and decentralized infrastructure model. By contrast, he criticized Ripple for the amount of value extracted through XRP sales over time, which, in his view, raises questions about the alignment between the company and token holders.

Davis concluded by clarifying that he does not hold LINK in his portfolio. Even so, he made his preference clear, noting that the two assets follow different models: one focused on moving data across systems and the other on transferring value within a more controlled framework

A federal judge in New York has cleared the way for plaintiffs to expand their class-action lawsuit against Pump.fun, Solana Labs, the Solana Foundation, and Jito Labs, allowing new allegations tied to alleged insider advantages in token launches to move forward. Solana Labs, Solana Foundation and Jito Named in Expanded Pump.

Bhutan said it will tap 10,000 BTC, valued at nearly $1 billion at current prices, from its sovereign digital asset haul to help fund the development of the Gelephu Mindfulness City.

“As your King, I must ensure that every Bhutanese is a custodian, stakeholder, and beneficiary of GMC,” His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck said in his National Day Address. “This commitment is for our people, our youth, and our nation.”

The $1 billion Bitcoin pledge represents one of the biggest sovereign commitments of crypto assets to infrastructure development worldwide, according to a Wednesday announcement. Notably, the commitment positions the apex cryptocurrency as a strategic national asset rather than a speculative tool.

Located in the town of Gelephu in Southern Bhutan, GMC was unveiled in 2024 as the country’s new economic hub to discourage young Bhutanese from leaving the country by creating high-value local jobs.

How Bitcoin Will Be Used To Finance Gelephu Mindfulness City
Bhutan is exploring a slew of measures for the 10,000 BTC, including risk-managed yield and treasury strategies, and long-term holding plans designed to preserve and protect the value of its stack, the country stated.

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Final decisions on how the assets will be deployed are expected in the next couple of months. However, the Kingdom is not planning to sell the Bitcoin, as it preserves capital for long-term value appreciation.

“Bitcoin’s enduring strength lies in its ability to compound value over time. “Any use of Bitcoin will be guided by strong governance and prudence, with an emphasis on capital preservation, appropriate oversight, and transparency,” Bhutan stated.

The plan to use Bitcoin for the Gelephu Mindfulness City is part of the broader national Bitcoin Development Pledge, which seeks to support Bhutan’s long-term economic development and resilience through its BTC holdings.

Bhutan was one of the earliest countries to conduct state-backed mining activities, converting its excess hydropower into Bitcoin for several years.

The tiny Himalayan nation now holds 11,286 BTC worth over $986 million, ranking fifth globally among sovereign Bitcoin holders, according to Bitbo data. That places it slightly above El Salvador, which adopted Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021 and currently holds around 7,475 BTC.

Bitcoin’s Lightning Network, the layer-2 payments system designed to make Bitcoin faster and cheaper to use, has reached a new all-time high in capacity, signaling renewed institutional interest even as grassroots adoption lags.

Data from AMBOSS shows Lightning capacity climbed to 5,637 BTC yesterday, surpassing its previous peak in March 2023. 

The surge, concentrated in November and December, follows a year of declining capacity, as more Bitcoin is added to existing channels, enabling off-chain payments that settle nearly instantly and at minimal fees.

Yet, the network’s growth in BTC held has not been mirrored by an increase in users or nodes. Lightning currently has around 14,940 nodes, per Bitcoin Visuals, down from a peak of 20,700 in early 2022, and 48,678 channels, also below historical highs. This gap highlights a network that is becoming more capitalized but not necessarily more widely used.

Institutional Bitcoin Lightning Surge “It’s not just one company that’s putting more Bitcoin into the Lightning Network; it’s across the board,” said Amboss, pointing to major exchanges such as Binance and OKX, which have deposited significant BTC into Lightning channels in recent weeks. 

This institutional influx contrasts with the slower adoption among smaller operators and individual users.

The surge coincides with broader ecosystem developments. Yesterday, stablecoin issuer Tether announced it had led an $8 million investment round in Lightning-focused startup Speed, which facilitates stablecoin payments over Bitcoin’s Lightning Network. 

Meanwhile, Lightning Labs rolled out version 0.7 of Taproot Assets, a multi-asset Lightning protocol. The upgrade introduces reusable addresses, auditable asset supplies, and support for larger, more reliable transactions. 

Taproot Assets enables stablecoins to leverage Bitcoin’s security while benefiting from Lightning’s speed and low fees, offering a potential alternative to Ethereum-based stablecoin networks.

All this movement could expand Lightning beyond micropayments, positioning it as a viable infrastructure for higher-value transfers. Lightning Labs called the release a foundation for “trillions of dollars to flow on Bitcoin and Lightning,” reflecting ambitions to merge Bitcoin’s security with real-world payments and financial applications.

The Lightning Network is fundamentally a system for updating and enforcing off-chain agreements on BTC balances between users, using pre-signed transactions and mechanisms to ensure the most recent state can be securely settled on-chain. 

While the current implementation relies on specific channel designs, HTLCs, and routing protocols, these components are modular and can evolve or be replaced over time without changing the core principle of secure, instant, off-chain BTC payments.

Micah Zimmerman

Micah first discovered Bitcoin in 2018 but remained a skeptic on the sidelines for too long. Since 2021, he has covered crypto and business and now works as a news reporter for Bitcoin Magazine, based in North Carolina.

SBI Ripple Asia signed a memorandum of understanding with Doppler Finance to explore XRP-based yield infrastructure and real-world asset tokenization on the XRP Ledger, the firms said Dec. 17.

According to information shared with CryptoSlate, firms said they will explore collaboration on yield infrastructure for XRP, which lacks native staking, as well as RWA tokenization flows on XRPL.

The companies framed it as SBI Ripple Asia’s first partnership with an XRPL-native protocol.

They also appointed SBI Digital Markets as the institutional custodian with segregated custody.

Building regulated XRP yield rails for institutional adoptionAccording to the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s Financial Institutions Directory, SBI Digital Markets Pte. Ltd. is a Capital Markets Services Licensee that includes custodial services and dealing in capital market products.

It is also listed as an Exempt Financial Adviser, which reinforces the custody-and-compliance framing.

The structure points to a broader effort to make XRP “productive” by routing it into yield sources while keeping assets in a regulated custody wrapper.

In practice, that shifts the product conversation away from on-chain staking mechanics and toward balance-sheet-friendly rails: custody segregation, eligibility controls, disclosures, and the generation and reporting of the return stream.

Doppler Head of Institutions Rox Park said the firms will explore yield and tokenization infrastructure on XRPL.

An SBI Ripple Asia spokesperson described the work as expanding institutional access to on-chain products through compliance-aligned design.

The immediate market context is that XRPL’s DeFi footprint remains small relative to Ethereum-style venues, even as stablecoin and tokenization activity have been building.

XRPL’s DeFi push: institutional access, early traction, and market limitsAccording to DefiLlama’s XRPL dashboard at the time of capture, XRPL had $64.4 million in total value locked (TVL) and $347 million in stablecoin market cap (up 13% over the past 7 days).

RLUSD accounted for 78.90% of XRPL stablecoins, with DEX volume at $5.7 million over 24 hours and $35.8 million over seven days.

RWA.xyz’s XRPL page listed $212 million in distributed asset value, $239 million in represented asset value, 50 RWAs, and $327 million in stablecoin market cap (up 38% over 30 days).

It also showed $564 million in 30-day stablecoin transfer volume.

On RWA.xyz’s global view, distributed asset value was $18.74 billion, and total stablecoin value was $300.18 billion.

Ethereum alone showed over $12 billion in total RWA value and $171 billion in stablecoin market cap, a sizing gap that frames why a custody-led institutional wedge matters for XRPL’s growth path.

Because XRP does not natively stake, any “XRP yield” wrapper ultimately depends on external return streams and the governance around them.

The protocol has described expanding CeDeFi-style strategies and exploring options-based sources alongside other approaches.

How XRP Could Generate Yield Without Native StakingA second route is tokenized cash-equivalent yield, where XRP exposure can be paired with or rotated into tokenized T-bills or money-market funds.

This is an area Ripple has already been seeding on XRPL through partners, including tokenized treasury products that can mint and redeem using RLUSD.

A third route is credit primitives on XRPL itself, if and when they mature, including the proposed XRPL-native lending primitive (XLS-66d) under discussion in the XRPL Standards process on GitHub.

If the SBI Ripple Asia and Doppler work progresses from exploration to product, the adoption math can scale quickly relative to existing XRPL baselines.

Circulating supply sits around 60.49 billion XRP, and the spot price is near $1.91.

Even routing a fraction of circulating supply into a yield wrapper produces nine-figure AUM:

Share of circulating XRP routed into “yield wrapper”XRP amountApprox AUM (USD)0.1%~60.49M XRP~$114M0.5%~302.45M XRP~$572M1.0%~604.91M XRP~$1.14B2.0%~1.21B XRP~$2.29B5.0%~3.02B XRP~$5.72BFor firms that can package these flows with custody, compliance, and reporting, the commercial incentive looks more like fee revenue than token beta.

Using a range model rather than asserting pricing, a 50–150 basis point all-in envelope on $1.14 billion AUM implies roughly $5.7 million to $17.1 million in annual revenue.

That is why regulated custody is not a side detail in the announcement.

It is the product’s distribution channel and the control plane that determine which investors can use it and under what disclosure regime.

Regulated custody, tokenization, and the revenue case behind XRP’s next phaseThe timing also intersects with tokenization forecasts and payments demand that are not XRPL-specific but shape the addressable market.

According to a 2022 Ripple and BCG tokenization report (distributed via ADDX materials), tokenized RWA projections are $9.4 trillion by 2030 and $18.9 trillion by 2033, alongside a cited 53% CAGR assumption.

McKinsey has separately argued that tokenization in financial services is moving from pilot to scale.

On the payments side, Artemis’ Stablecoin Update for October 2025 reported stablecoin payments rising from $6.0 billion in February to $10.2 billion in August, an increase of 70%.

It is also estimated that more than $136 billion has been settled since 2023, a backdrop that explains why tokenized cash, settlement stablecoins, and yield-bearing cash equivalents are converging into a single product category.

Regulatory pushback remains part of the equationAccording to Reuters reporting on IOSCO’s tokenization work, the securities watchdog has warned that tokenization can introduce new risks or amplify existing ones, including concerns about market integrity and investor protection, even where efficiency gains exist.

Those concerns map directly onto how an institutional XRP yield wrapper would be evaluated.

They include what token holders legally own, how redemption and settlement work when the underlying asset is off-chain, whether strategy returns are auditable, and how liquidity mismatches are handled when on-chain transfers can be instant but off-chain servicing windows are not.

If yield sources include derivatives or basis strategies, the gating issue becomes transparency into positions, counterparties, risk limits, and liquidation waterfalls.

It also includes whether custody segregation is paired with reporting that meets institutional controls.

XRPL’s own roadmap provides tools that better align with the “permissioning and controls” thesis than with the “farm APY” model.

XRPL.org documents Multi-Purpose Tokens, which add metadata and transfer control features designed for tokenization.

It also documents Deep Freeze, which provides issuer-level controls to restrict frozen holders.

The roadmap also includes Credentials for on-ledger attestations that can support permissioned flows.

Those primitives are relevant if SBI Ripple Asia and Doppler aim to build yield and RWA rails that can be used by institutions requiring eligibility checks, transfer restrictions, and defined issuer powers under legal agreements.

For now, the announcement commits the parties to exploration under an MOU and names SBI Digital Markets as the custody and compliance anchor.

That leaves the next milestones to product design: the eligible investor scope, the yield source mix, disclosure and attestations, token form factor, redemption mechanics, and how on-ledger controls are actually used in production rather than described in documentation.

Mentioned in this article

Solana price action has gone quiet after weeks of pressure. SOL is down roughly 10% over the past 30 days, yet it has traded nearly flat over the last 24 hours, even as the broader market weakens. That pause matters.

It comes as Solana quietly seeks to gain institutional exposure in Brazil through Valour’s Solana ETP (Exchange-Traded Product), which is expected to list on the B3 exchange. This move reinforces a steady channel for regulated demand at a time when charts show breakout signs. The question now is simple. Can this backdrop help Solana resolve a difficult technical setup, or do sellers still control the trend?

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ETP Hype Meets a Sloping Breakdown StructureValour’s Solana ETP offers regulated exposure to SOL for Brazilian investors and institutions. While it is not a short-term price driver, it adds steady absorption during periods of selling pressure. That matters most when charts show key patterns. And it also could be a sentimental trigger in a market where every asset is looking at narratives.

Technically, Solana is trading inside a down-sloping head-and-shoulders structure, not a clean textbook pattern. When the neckline slopes lower, breakouts require stronger confirmation because sellers continue pressing at lower levels over time.

Weak Breakout Pattern: TradingViewWant more token insights like this? Sign up for Editor Harsh Notariya’s Daily Crypto Newsletter here.

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However, some buyer-specific signs are appearing, which could help combat the sellers and help the Solana price aim for a clean neckline breakout.

Quiet Accumulation Appears Beneath the SurfaceWhile price struggles, on-chain data shows early signs of accumulation.

The 3-month to 6-month holder cohort has increased its supply share meaningfully. This group held 11.756% of the supply on November 16, which has now risen to 16.126% by December 16. That is a sharp increase over one month and points to mid-term buyers stepping in during weakness.

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Solana Buyers Surface: GlassnodeAt the same time, the Chaikin Money Flow (CMF) is sending a constructive signal. Between November 3 and December 15, the Solana price made a lower low, but the CMF formed a higher low. This divergence suggests buying pressure is building underneath, even as price drifts lower.

Big Money Divergence Surfaces: TradingViewHowever, CMF remains below zero. That indicates that large capital remains cautious. Buyers are present but are not yet aggressive. Together, these signals point to positioning, not confirmation.

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Solana Price Levels That Decide the Next LegThe Solana price now carries the full weight of the story. $141 is the first level to watch. Reclaiming it would mark a break of the sloping neckline, but not a trend change. Remember, the neckline slopes down and therefore requires a stronger confirmation.

$153 is therefore the key. A daily close above $153 would confirm that buyers have overpowered the sloping structure and could open a move toward higher resistance zones.

Solana Price Analysis: TradingViewOn the downside, $121 remains the critical support. A failure there would invalidate the accumulation thesis and breakout pattern, shifting focus back to the deeper downside.

Bitcoin is struggling to reclaim the $90,000 level as it continues to test critical demand around the $86,000 zone. After weeks of corrective price action, bulls are finding it increasingly difficult to build a convincing case for trend continuation.

Momentum has faded, upside attempts have been rejected, and market confidence is weakening. As a result, a growing number of analysts are beginning to openly discuss the possibility that Bitcoin is transitioning into a broader bear market phase rather than a temporary pullback within a larger uptrend.

This shift in narrative is supported by structural data. In a recent analysis, Axel Adler highlights that Bitcoin’s price action is now aligned with a clear deterioration in market structure. His chart, which combines a composite Structure Shift signal with a Donchian Channel, shows that the indicator has decisively moved into negative territory.

The Structure Shift composite ranges from -1 to +1, with values below zero signaling bearish regime dominance. Currently, the signal sits near -0.5, a level historically associated with sustained downside pressure rather than short-lived corrections.

At the same time, Bitcoin price has dropped to the lower boundary of the 21-day Donchian Channel and is hovering just above the $85,000 support area. Together, these signals suggest that the market is operating in a risk-off environment, where downside risks remain elevated unless structure improves meaningfully.

Bitcoin Structure Confirms Bearish Regime
Adler notes that the current position of the Structure Shift composite signal confirms Bitcoin has firmly established itself within a bearish structural zone. With the indicator sitting below zero, the market is no longer in a neutral or transitional phase but operating under sustained downside conditions.

According to this framework, the primary trigger for improvement would be a decisive recovery of the composite signal back above the zero threshold, ideally while price continues to hold support within the Donchian Channel. Without that shift, any short-term bounce risks remaining corrective rather than trend-changing.

This bearish structure is reinforced by Bitcoin’s Bull-Bear market structure index, which focuses on derivatives dynamics through fast and slow regime components. The latest data shows the bullish component collapsing to just 5%, an extremely low reading that reflects the near absence of constructive long-side momentum. At the same time, the fast bearish component has moved deeper into negative territory, signaling rising seller pressure driven primarily by the futures market.

Bitcoin Bull-Bear Structure Index | Source: CryptoQuant
This configuration highlights a critical imbalance. Short-term momentum is firmly controlled by bears, while spot demand has so far proven insufficient to absorb derivatives-led selling pressure. For conditions to improve, the bullish component of the index would need to recover meaningfully, signaling renewed participation from buyers.

Taken together, both indicators point to the same conclusion: Bitcoin has undergone a local structural shift into bearish territory. The dominant risk remains continued downside pressure driven by derivatives, especially in the absence of strong spot accumulation.

Bitcoin Price Tests Critical Support as Downtrend Persists
Bitcoin continues to trade under clear downside pressure. The price now hovers around the $86,500 level after failing to reclaim higher resistance zones. The chart highlights a decisive breakdown below the short- and medium-term moving averages. With BTC trading well beneath the 50-day and 100-day averages. These levels, which previously acted as dynamic support during the uptrend, have now flipped into resistance. Reinforcing the bearish market structure.

The most notable technical development is Bitcoin’s interaction with the 200-day moving average, shown in red. Price has briefly tested this long-term support but remains fragile, with follow-through buying notably absent. Historically, sustained trading below faster-moving averages while compressing near the 200-day often signals either a prolonged consolidation phase or the risk of an additional leg lower if demand fails to appear.

Structurally, Bitcoin remains in a lower-high, lower-low sequence since the October peak near $125K. As long as price remains capped below the $90K–$95K resistance zone, downside risks persist. For bulls to regain control, BTC must first stabilize above current demand and reclaim key moving averages. Signaling that sellers are losing dominance.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com

Calling Bitcoin a scam reflects investor psychology, not fundamentals, with prospect theory explaining panic selling after sharp drops.

Bitcoin (BTC) critics have returned to a familiar refrain, calling the asset a scam as it struggles to go back to the five-figure level it last enjoyed in mid-November.

However, crypto commentator Shanaka Anslem Perera has reframed the argument as a psychological response rather than a financial one, tying panic selling to Nobel Prize–winning prospect theory.

The Psychology Behind the “Scam” Label
In a November 17 post on X, Perera argued that steep corrections often push retail investors to search for explanations that match emotional pain. Prospect theory, developed by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky and awarded the Nobel Prize in 2002, holds that losses feel roughly twice as painful as gains feel rewarding. And when Bitcoin, for example, drops 30% to 40% after euphoric buying, labeling it a scam becomes an emotional outlet.

“You need an explanation that matches the intensity of that pain,” wrote Perera. “’Scam’ fits perfectly.”

The analyst cited data claiming that around 70% of retail traders who buy during rallies sell at a loss within a year, while long-term holders who kept Bitcoin for four years or more have historically avoided losses even when buying at cycle peaks.

“Every ‘scam’ call is a wealth transfer receipt,” he claimed.

He also pointed to shrinking drawdowns across cycles, from more than 90% in 2011 to about 50–60% in the current one, as evidence that volatility has been easing with maturity.

Perera’s assertions found some support among the online crypto community, with user Gary Krug stating that “Calling Bitcoin a scam is usually a response to emotional whiplash, not analysis.” He also added that markets punish impatience before they reward conviction.

Another account, Bitcoinfinity, questioned why investors struggle to build positions slowly, to which Perera replied that humans naturally chase quick gains. The key takeaway, according to the market observer, is that surviving Bitcoin’s cycles requires an extended time horizon, where traders shift from seeking quick gains to disciplined accumulation.

You may also like:

Peter Schiff Warns Bitcoin May Crumble Before the Dollar

Veteran Analyst Explains Why Bitcoin Is Not Pumping

Analyst Pushes Back on Steve Hanke’s Claim Bitcoin Lacks Value

Market Strain and a Clash of Narratives
The “Bitcoin is a scam” framing has landed at a time the asset is entering one of its longest “extreme fear” readings, according to market trackers, giving critics fresh ammunition while reinforcing the psychological argument raised by supporters. Recently, prominent economist Steve Hanke claimed the asset has “zero fundamental value,” framing the current downturn as proof of a failing system.

The flagship cryptocurrency has fallen nearly 31% from its all-time high and briefly dipped near $85,000 earlier this week before rebounding toward $88,000, only to slip back to around $87,000 earlier today. According to veteran analyst PlanB, selling pressure is split between long-term holders still shaken by 2021, technical traders watching momentum indicators, and cycle-focused investors expecting further downside.

On the other side are buyers focused on fundamentals and institutional adoption, creating what he described as a stalemate until sellers exhaust themselves. That tug-of-war has kept Bitcoin lagging traditional assets in the one-year window, with data shared by Perera showing the digital asset with an ROI of -15% compared to Gold’s +65% and the S&P 500’s +14%.

However, over longer periods, BTC has significantly outperformed the two, starting at +422% ROI in the last three years against gold’s +141% and SPX’s +49%. Since its invention, BTC has achieved a return of more than 2 million % while its traditional counterparts have respectively only managed +167% and +447% in that time.

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Key NotesThe company ranks as the second-largest public Ethereum holder with nearly 100% of holdings staked for rewards.Institutional ownership jumped from single digits to over 30% in Q3 as the firm built an in-house treasury team.Technical analysis shows ETH near oversold levels with declining volume suggesting potential consolidation above $2,850.
SharpLink Gaming, the second-largest publicly disclosed Ethereum

ETH
$2 853

24h volatility:
2.6%

Market cap:
$343.79 B

Vol. 24h:
$24.58 B

treasury holder, announced a leadership transition on Dec. 17 as it deepened its commitment to ETH. The corporate development unfolded as Ethereum price remained subdued below the $3,000 level, following a drop to 14-day lows near $2,890 in the previous session.

According to the press release, the SharpLink board appointed Joseph Chalom as sole Chief Executive Officer and elected him to the board, effective December 15. Rob Phythian stepped down from his roles as co-CEO and director, completing a planned leadership transition tied to the company’s evolution into an Ethereum treasury-focused business.

Ethereum treasury holder rankings as of Dec. 17, 2025 | Source: Coingecko

Since formally launching its ETH treasury strategy on June 2, 2025, SharpLink has acquired 863,424 ETH as of Dec. 14, split between 639,241 native ETH and 224,183 ETH in liquid staking instruments. With total reserves acquired for $3.1 billion, Sharplink Gaming ranks second largest ETH treasury holder, behind Bitmine, according to Coingecko data.

SharpLink has staked nearly 100% of its ETH holdings, generating 9,241 ETH in cumulative staking rewards. The firm also reported a sharp increase in institutional ownership, rising from low single digits earlier in the year to over 30% by the third quarter, alongside the onboarding of an in-house team to manage treasury, investment, and risk functions.

Joseph Lubin, SharpLink chairman and Ethereum co-founder, said the transition positions the company to deepen ecosystem partnerships and expand staking operations.

Ethereum Derivatives Market Analysis, Dec. 17, 2025 | Source: Coinglass

Coinglass data shows total ETH futures trading volume dropped 14.83% to $68.37 billion, while Ethereum open interest slipped 5.17% to $35.55 billion, reinforcing signs that recent selling pressure may be cooling after major sell-offs on Dec. 16.

Ethereum Price Forecast: Can ETH Defend $2,850 as Sellers Show Signs of Exhaustion?
Ethereum trades near $2,847 on the 12-hour chart, holding just above the lower Donchian Channel boundary at $2,843 after failing to reclaim the $3,000 handle. ETHUSD 12 hour chart posts a falling wedge that has compressed price action since early November, reflecting declining bearish momentum rather than acceleration.

Ethereum (ETH) Technical Analysis, Dec. 17, 2025 | TradingView

The RSI has slipped to 35, approaching oversold territory but no longer making lower lows. Historically, Ethereum has staged short-term recoveries when RSI stabilizes in the mid-30s after prolonged declines, particularly when volume fades.

That volume signal is now evident. Spot trading volume and derivatives activity have both contracted intraday, with open interest declining alongside ETH price. This combination signals that bears are reluctant to enter additional positions, increasing the probability of a near-term consolidation or relief bounce.

A break below $2,850 would expose the next support near $2,700, while a decisive move above $3,100 would reopen the path toward $3,300 and invalidate the current bearish structure.

For now, Ethereum remains compressed, but fading volume and stabilizing momentum suggest the market is closer to balance than continuation.

SUBBD Presale Crosses $1.2M as Traders Exit Mega-Cap Crypto
As Ethereum consolidates below key resistance levels and major treasury holders like SharpLink Gaming double down on their long-term ETH commitments, some traders are exploring opportunities in early-stage tokens like SUBBD ($SUBBD).

SUBBD integrates AI-driven personalization with creator monetization, enabling influencers and brands to build fan communities.

SUBBD Presale

The SUBBD presale has now surpassed $1.4 million of its $1.5 million fundraising target, with tokens currently priced at $0.057 each. With just over 48 hours before the next price tier, interested participants can visit the official SUBBD presale website to unlock early-entrant rewards.

Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is committed to providing unbiased and transparent reporting. This article aims to deliver accurate and timely information but should not be taken as financial or investment advice. Since market conditions can change rapidly, we encourage you to verify information on your own and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content.

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I’m a research analyst with experience supporting Web3 startups and financial organizations through data-driven insights and strategic analysis. My goal is to help organizations make smarter decisions by bridging the gap between traditional finance and blockchain innovation.

With a background in Economics, I bring a solid understanding of market dynamics, financial systems, and the broader economic forces shaping the crypto industry. I’m currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies at the University of Malta, where I’m expanding my expertise in decentralized systems, smart contracts, and real-world blockchain applications.

I’m especially interested in project evaluation, tokenomics, and ecosystem growth strategies, as these are areas where innovation can drive lasting impact. By combining my academic foundation with hands-on experience, I aim to provide meaningful insights that add value to both the financial and blockchain sectors.

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Dogecoin whales accumulated 138 million tokens in 24 hours as DOGE trades at $0.1277. Technical analysis reveals key resistance at $0.15.

Newton Gitonga2 min read

17 December 2025, 06:29 PM

Dogecoin traded at $0.1277 at the time of writing, marking a 2.96% gain over the previous 24 hours. Large-scale investors accumulated 138 million DOGE during this timeframe, suggesting growing confidence among major holders. The digital asset now targets a breakout above the $0.15 resistance level as buying momentum builds.

DOGE price chart, Source: CoinMarketCap

The broader cryptocurrency market posted a 0.7% increase, recovering from recent declines despite ongoing macroeconomic concerns. Bitcoin continues its push toward $90,000, while Ethereum holds steady near the $3,000 mark. Alternative cryptocurrencies, including XRP, Solana, and BNB showed modest gains during the same period.

Whale Activity Signals Potential Price MovementData from cryptocurrency tracking platforms reveals that major Dogecoin holders increased their positions dramatically within a single day. The 138 million token purchase represents a notable shift in whale behavior. Large investor movements typically influence price volatility in either direction.

This concentrated buying activity has generated speculation about potential catalysts driving institutional confidence. Whale accumulation patterns frequently indicate expectations of future price appreciation. The timing of these purchases coincides with technical indicators showing consolidation near key support levels.

Supply Metrics Reveal Changing Market DynamicsOn-chain data from Glassnode shows a declining percentage of Dogecoin supply currently in profit. The seven-day moving average indicates fewer profitable holders compared to previous market peaks. This metric suggests many investors purchased tokens at higher price points.

Supply-in-profit levels typically decrease during consolidation phases or market corrections. Historical patterns demonstrate that these declines often precede stabilization periods. Once the supply metric stabilizes, new bullish momentum can emerge.

The current distribution of profitable versus unprofitable holders reflects a market in transition. Reduced profit-taking pressure may allow prices to recover more easily. This dynamic creates conditions where coordinated buying from whales could have amplified effects.

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Newton Gitonga

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

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Dogecoin (DOGE) News

TL;DR

The Central African Republic pursued three crypto initiatives despite widespread instability and poverty.
Sango Coin failed to attract promised investment and deliver on its economic plans.
The $CAR meme token exhibited high volatility with governance and manipulation concerns.

Over the past three years, President Faustin-Archange Touadéra’s government has pushed a chain of crypto policies in the Central African Republic. Officials frame the agenda as a path to economic growth, modernization, and national development. A report built on publicly traceable evidence, however, describes red flags around how crypto gets used, who drives the projects, and who captures the upside.

Since 2022, the administration has advanced three main tracks: granting Bitcoin legal-tender status, launching a state-backed coin called Sango Coin, and later promoting a meme-style token known as $CAR. All of it unfolds amid political instability, armed violence, and a shrinking civic space. 

At the same time, daily life in the country remains shaped by displacement, insecurity, and poverty, while access to electricity, mobile service, and internet stays limited. Under conditions like those, broad citizen participation in crypto markets becomes unrealistic.

The report also links the crypto push to wider political developments: tighter executive control, stronger influence from foreign actors, and a drive to monetize natural resources. The legal-tender move made the country the second in the world to take that step. International financial institutions, regional banking regulators, and the country’s Constitutional Court criticized the decision. 

Later amendments removed bitcoin’s legal-tender status, yet new laws still opened a route for tokenizing land and resources through blockchain systems without strong governance safeguards.

Sango Coin: selling access, tokenized land, and promises without delivery
In mid-2022, the government rolled out Sango Coin and marketed it as a large economic project. The pitch offered foreign investors access to land, e-residency, and investment paths tied to mining and forestry. Officials also promoted major infrastructure plans, including a “Crypto City.”

Only a small share of the intended token supply sold, and many promised outcomes did not materialize in verifiable form. The design also targeted online investors with capital and access, while much of the population lacked the basic services needed to use digital assets in everyday life.

In early 2025, the government introduced a second vehicle: $CAR, a meme-style coin promoted heavily on social media. The token showed extreme volatility, and the report describes technical irregularities, opaque governance, and questions about market manipulation. The document also links $CAR to speculative land tokenization, where buyers could purchase plots using crypto through platforms operating with minimal oversight.

TL;DR

Shiba Inu burned 715,893 tokens over the last 24 hours, driving a sharp increase in the burn rate from a very low prior base.
The absolute number of tokens removed remains small compared with historical burn periods and the total circulating supply.
SHIB trades lower with the broader crypto market, while steady volume and ecosystem activity continue to support long-term interest.

Shiba Inu recorded a new token burn over the past 24 hours, removing 715,893 SHIB from circulation and reviving market discussion around supply dynamics and short-term sentiment. While the burn rate spike attracted attention, traders continue to weigh broader market signals and on-chain activity.

At the time of writing, Shiba Inu trades at $0.057575, posting a 3.64% decline over the last 24 hours. The token holds a market capitalization of $4.46 billion, with 24-hour trading volume near $108 million, indicating consistent liquidity despite ongoing market pressure.

Shiba Inu Burn Data And Supply Dynamics
According to Shibburn data, the latest burn marks a significant increase compared with the previous day, when fewer than 20,000 tokens were destroyed. The percentage jump appears large mainly because of the unusually low prior figure rather than a major shift in supply reduction.

HOURLY SHIB UPDATE$SHIB Price: $0.00000781 (1hr -0.10% ▼ | 24hr 0.35% ▲ )
Market Cap: $4,600,890,031 (0.35% ▲)
Total Supply: 589,246,091,967,744

TOKENS BURNT
Past 24Hrs: 715,893 (3620.28% ▲)
Past 7 Days: 2,219,196 (-97.06% ▼)

— Shibburn (@shibburn) December 17, 2025

Shiba Inu’s circulating supply remains above 589 trillion tokens, which limits the immediate deflationary impact of the recent burn. Still, recurring burn events reinforce the project’s long-standing approach of gradually reducing supply through ecosystem-linked activity rather than one-off actions.

Token burns are executed through a combination of direct transfers to inaccessible wallets and automated mechanisms connected to Shiba Inu products. This structure aims to align network usage with incremental supply contraction, a strategy increasingly common among established crypto projects.

Market Response And Network Activity
SHIB’s price weakness reflects a broader pullback across digital assets as investors reassess risk following recent macroeconomic updates. Selling pressure has remained present since early December, keeping the token below key technical resistance levels.

Despite the downturn, ecosystem development continues. Shibarium, the project’s layer-two network, processes transactions that can translate into future burns through fee-based mechanisms. Ongoing integrations across payments, gaming, and digital collectibles also contribute to transactional demand beyond short-term trading.

From a market perspective, stable volume remains a relevant signal. With $107 million exchanged in the past 24 hours, SHIB retains visibility among large-cap tokens, even as prices consolidate.

Short-Term Outlook For Shiba Inu
The latest burn highlights Shiba Inu’s continued focus on supply discipline, though its immediate market effect remains limited. Near-term price action depends largely on overall crypto sentiment and sustained network usage. 

TL;DR

Corporate treasuries account for nearly 5% of the Ethereum supply and are gaining influence in the market by combining passive income, governance, and network security.
Bitmine holds close to 70% of those ETH, controls 3.78% of the total supply, and plans to begin staking in 2026.
ETH fell from $3,000 to $2,856.

Ethereum’s corporate treasuries are starting to gain relevance as key players within the DeFi ecosystem. By the end of 2025, companies focused on accumulating digital assets hold nearly 5% of the total Ethereum supply, a higher share than other corporate treasury models. That volume is aimed not only at generating passive income, but also at influencing governance and network security.

Current data shows that treasuries control around 4.7% of the Ethereum supply, with further growth expected in the coming months. Roughly 70% of that total is concentrated in Bitmine, which has already established itself as the most consistent buyer of the token. The company aims to reach close to a 5% share of ETH in circulation, which would make it one of the most influential holders in the market.

Over the past month, Bitmine completed five purchases and expanded its treasury by 13.2%. That increase contrasts with position reductions by legacy treasuries. Status, one of the projects born out of the 2017 ICO cycle, sold 6.2% of its reserves, while still holding 11,200 ETH. This rotation reinforces the concentration of supply in the hands of newer players with more active strategies.

Bitmine Controls 3.7% of the Ethereum Supply
Bitmine already controls close to 3.78% of the total ETH supply and surpasses exchanges and large holder wallets in potential for staking, liquid staking, and the use of wrapped versions of the token. For now, the company holds its ETH passively, but it has confirmed plans to begin staking in 2026. The initiative includes building a U.S.-focused staking network and operating a high-profile validator.

This model is not limited to Ethereum. On Solana, some stakers are moving toward similar structures, albeit on a smaller scale. Unlike other corporate treasuries, ETH and SOL treasuries combine a store of value, yield generation, and direct support for network security.

For now, ETH’s price remains under pressure. After a week of weakness, the asset fell back below $3,000 and reached a low of $2,856. Whale accumulation has failed to offset selling pressure from ETFs and long-term holders.