Core Insights - Vitalik Buterin's decision to leave college was not a planned move but a reaction to circumstances he faced at the time [1][4] - His early involvement in the cryptocurrency space included a desire to intern at Ripple, but visa issues led him to work on Bitcoin Magazine instead [2] - The pivotal moment for Buterin came during the Bitcoin Miami Conference in January 2014, where he realized he would not return to university after presenting Ethereum [3] Company Development - Ethereum was developed as an alternative to Bitcoin, focusing on broader use cases in decentralized finance, and was officially launched in 2015 [5] - As of now, Ethereum is the largest blockchain for decentralized finance, with over $54 billion in total value locked [6] - The native token of Ethereum, ETH, is currently the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization [6]

The AI data center market is projected to surge from $236.44 billion in 2025 to $933.76 billion by 2030, compounding at 31.6% annually. This growth reflects soaring demand for compute, storage, cooling, and power infrastructure as AI workloads spread across industries from finance to healthcare and manufacturing. That kind of expansion also means a sharp step‑up in round‑the‑clock electricity needs, putting energy supply at the center of the AI story. ​This is where the conversation shifts from chips and ...

All eyes will be on Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) this week. The world's leading artificial intelligence (AI) chip designer is set to announce quarterly and fiscal 2026 earnings on Wednesday after the bell. It's among one of the final tech giants to report in this earnings season, one that has included many positive messages. AI powerhouses from Microsoft to Amazon have spoken of soaring demand from customers and delivered solid growth. This is as AI customers rush to get in on AI chips and other products and se ...

With a market cap of $1.5 trillion, Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) is a vertically integrated clean-energy and electric-vehicle company that designs, manufactures, and sells battery-electric vehicles, energy storage systems, and solar products. Headquartered in Texas, its automotive portfolio spans mass-market and premium segments, including the Model 3, Model Y, Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck, supported by proprietary powertrain, battery, and software stacks. Companies worth more than $200 billion are generally l ...

This story was originally published on Retail Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Retail Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: The Home Depot on Tuesday reported fourth quarter sales fell 3.8% year over year to $38.2 billion. The fourth quarter of the retailer’s fiscal year 2025 included 13 weeks compared to the year prior, which included an extra week and added about $2.5 billion in sales. Comparable sales increased 0.4%, while U.S. comps inched up 0.3%. The home improvement ...

Group 1: AMD and Meta Deal - Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) has agreed to sell up to $60 billion worth of artificial intelligence chips to Meta Platforms over five years, allowing Meta to purchase as much as 10% of AMD [1][9] - AMD will supply six gigawatts' worth of chips to Meta, starting with one gigawatt of the forthcoming MI450 flagship hardware in the second half of this year [10] Group 2: OpenAI Partnerships - Amazon is considering an investment of around $10 billion in OpenAI, with discussions remaining fluid [1] - Walt Disney plans to invest $1 billion in OpenAI, allowing the use of its characters from franchises like Star Wars and Marvel in the Sora AI video generator [2] - OpenAI has partnered with Broadcom to produce its first in-house artificial intelligence processors [3] - AMD has also agreed to supply AI chips to OpenAI in a multi-year deal, which includes an option for OpenAI to buy up to roughly 10% of AMD [4] - Nvidia is set to invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI and supply data center chips, establishing a financial stake in the company [5] - Oracle has signed a significant cloud deal with OpenAI, expected to involve $300 billion in computing power over about five years [6] - CoreWeave signed a five-year contract worth $11.9 billion with OpenAI [7] Group 3: Stargate Datacenter Project - The Stargate project is a joint venture between SoftBank, OpenAI, and Oracle to build data centers, with an investment of up to $500 billion for AI infrastructure [8]

Group 1 - The common perception is that $1 million is an optimal retirement savings goal, as it is a significant and easily understandable figure [1][2] - However, for many individuals, $1 million may not be sufficient for a comfortable retirement, especially if savings need to last for 20 years or more [3][4] - The 4% rule suggests that a $1 million nest egg would yield an annual income of $40,000, which may not be adequate for those with higher retirement aspirations or without downsizing their lifestyle [4][6] Group 2 - Healthcare costs in retirement can increase, particularly for those managing chronic conditions, and taxes can further impact the value of retirement savings [5] - It is advisable for individuals to reassess their savings goals, as aiming for $1.5 million instead of $1 million could significantly enhance retirement income and lifestyle [6][7] - An additional $500,000 could provide an extra $20,000 per year at a 4% withdrawal rate, which could cover various expenses such as home maintenance and healthcare [7]

Group 1: Global Payments Landscape - The Trump administration's support for digital assets has led to increased regulatory clarity and institutional engagement in the US crypto market, resulting in stablecoins facilitating over $30 trillion in transaction volume by 2025, primarily reflecting trading and treasury flows rather than consumer payments [1] - US foreign policy and the use of financial sanctions have prompted discussions in the Global South regarding trade settlement diversification and partial dedollarisation [1] Group 2: European Payment Sovereignty - As of 2026, European and UK banks are increasingly concerned about geopolitical and operational risks due to reliance on US-based card networks, with 42% of total European card payments processed by Visa and Mastercard in 2025 [2] - In the UK, Visa and Mastercard dominate the market, accounting for 98% of total card payment value, prompting major banks to discuss alternative solutions following warnings from the Bank of England regarding resilience and concentration risks [3] Group 3: Market Fragmentation in Europe - In the eurozone, Visa and Mastercard processed 47% of card payment value in 2025, with 13 out of 19 countries relying on these providers for at least 96% of their card transaction values, indicating a significant dependency on foreign providers [5] - The combined market share of Visa and Mastercard in the eurozone has doubled since 2010, raising concerns about long-term dependency despite improvements in cross-border acceptance and operational standardization [5] - The UK banks are likely to continue collaborating with Visa and Mastercard for supplementary infrastructure and interoperability measures rather than creating a new national scheme, reflecting the absence of a widely adopted national mobile wallet solution [4]

Core Viewpoint - The Citrini Research report predicts a potential dystopia of mass unemployment due to AI advancements, projecting a 10.2% unemployment rate by 2028, which has caused significant market unease and a sell-off in software stocks [1][2]. Market Reactions - The report has led to a notable decline in U.S. software shares, with the software shares index down 24% year-to-date, as investors react to fears of AI's disruptive impact [2]. - There is a significant rotation in the market from AI-exposed companies to defensive stocks and profitable sectors within the supply chain, despite global equity markets remaining near record highs [5]. Sector Performance - The S&P 500 software and services index has decreased by over 30% since its peak in October, while companies in the chip-making sector, such as TSMC, have seen a 30% increase, and shares of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have doubled [5]. - Analysts suggest that the divergence in performance indicates that companies involved in the supply chain, such as chip manufacturers and data centers, are likely to benefit from the rise of AI, while traditional software coding may face significant declines [6].

Core Insights - Artisan Mid Cap Fund's fourth-quarter 2025 performance showed a decline, with Investor Class at -0.44%, Advisor Class at -0.37%, and Institutional Class at -0.35%, compared to -3.70% for the Russell Midcap® Growth Index, indicating relative resilience in a challenging market [1]. Group 1: Fund Performance - The Fund seeks investments in companies with franchise characteristics, strong earnings trajectories, and trading at a discount to estimated private market value [1]. - Continued strength in information technology and health care sectors contributed positively to the Fund's performance during the quarter [1]. Group 2: Insmed Incorporated (NASDAQ:INSM) - Insmed Incorporated specializes in therapies for serious and rare diseases, with a market capitalization of $33.917 billion [2]. - The stock closed at $159.03 per share on February 23, 2026, with a one-month return of -2.22% and a 52-week gain of 105.20% [2]. - Insmed was a top contributor to the Fund's performance in Q4, driven by strong sales of its lead product ARIKAYCE® and the successful launch of Brinsupri™, which generated $28 million in initial sales [3]. Group 3: Hedge Fund Interest - Insmed was held by 74 hedge fund portfolios at the end of Q4, an increase from 73 in the previous quarter, indicating growing interest among institutional investors [4]. - Despite its potential, the company is not among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds, with some analysts suggesting that certain AI stocks may offer greater upside potential [4].