Core Viewpoint - Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour emphasizes the importance of preventing insider trading in prediction markets, arguing that it undermines trust and fairness, similar to stock markets where insider trading is prohibited [1][2]. Group 1: Insider Trading and Market Integrity - Mansour asserts that insider information can lead to more accurate prediction markets, but he counters this by highlighting that such practices erode trust, which is essential for the long-term health of an exchange [1][2]. - Kalshi has conducted over 200 investigations in the past year, resulting in account freezes and over a dozen active cases, some of which have been referred to law enforcement [2][3]. Group 2: Compliance and Strategic Enhancements - To strengthen its compliance framework, Kalshi has made five major strategic hires, including Daniel Taylor from the Wharton Forensic Analytics Lab and Brian Nelson, former Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence [4][5]. - An independent committee will provide quarterly reports on market integrity, and Kalshi is integrating Solidus Labs for advanced behavior monitoring tools [5]. Group 3: Regulatory Context and Industry Comparison - Kalshi operates under CFTC regulation, contrasting with many offshore prediction markets that lack U.S. oversight, which is why Mansour challenges the notion that insider trading is merely a form of faster price discovery [6]. - The debate on insider trading has been highlighted by contrasting views from other platforms, such as Polymarket, which has a more ambiguous stance on insider activity [7][8].

First Lady Melania Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange’s opening bell on Wednesday to celebrate the release of her upcoming documentary, even as her official cryptocurrency makes waves in the market.Melania’s Story On CelluloidThe NYSE announced this in an X post, sharing a teaser of the documentary titled “MELANIA” by Amazon MGM Studios. The documentary will premiere at the Kennedy Center on Jan. 30 before becoming available on Amazon Prime Video.The documentary chronicles her life as First Lady an ...

Core Viewpoint - The chief investment officer at Arca, Jeff Dorman, expresses skepticism about the future value of Bitcoin and other digital assets, suggesting that the recent surge in asset tokenization may not benefit these cryptocurrencies significantly [1][3]. Group 1: Market Trends - Dorman highlights that the current trend in blockchain applications, such as the NYSE's plan for a tokenized securities platform, may only benefit a select few entities rather than the broader crypto ecosystem [2]. - He argues that the "fat protocol thesis" is no longer valid, indicating that Bitcoin lacks connection to the growth of stablecoins, decentralized finance (DeFi), or real-world asset (RWA) tokenization [3]. Group 2: Value Accrual - According to Dorman, the value from the increasing use cases of blockchain is primarily accruing to intermediaries like BlackRock, Securitize, and Tether, rather than to Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies [5]. - He identifies a limited number of clear winners in the DeFi space, suggesting that only a handful of DeFi tokens, token launchpad companies, and Galaxy Digital stock are likely to benefit from the ongoing trends [4]. Group 3: Market Performance - As of the latest update, Bitcoin is trading at $88,992, reflecting a 1.9% decrease in the last 24 hours [5].

Chainlink (CRYPTO: LINK) is up 4% over the past 24 hours, and two fresh catalysts dropped this week that could push it higher: Bitwise’s spot Chainlink ETF launching on NYSE Arca under ticker CLNK, and a Senate Banking Committee draft bill Tuesday granting LINK the same commodity status as Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC).Bitwise Chainlink ETF Launches With Zero Fees For 3 MonthsBitwise received approval to list its spot Chainlink ETF on NYSE Arca, with trading expected to begin this week. The ETF offers a full fee wa ...

Core Viewpoint - D-Wave Quantum Inc. announced a major merger agreement to acquire Quantum Circuits Inc. for $550 million, which includes $300 million in stock and $250 million in cash, aiming to strengthen its position in the quantum computing market [1] Strategic Rationale - The acquisition adds Quantum Circuits' error-corrected gate-model technology to D-Wave's commercial systems, which is expected to accelerate the development of larger, fault-tolerant quantum computers [2] - D-Wave aims to bring superconducting gate-model systems to market as early as 2026 [2] Technology Benefits - Quantum Circuits' dual-rail technology features built-in error detection and enhances qubit quality, potentially reducing the physical resources required to create logical qubits [3] - The merger is anticipated to expand the range of practical quantum applications [3] - D-Wave plans to establish an expanded R&D hub in New Haven, Connecticut, with Rob Schoelkopf, co-founder of Quantum Circuits, joining the initiative [3] Company Leadership Statements - D-Wave's CEO, Alan Baratz, stated that the company has solidified its position as a leader in superconducting quantum computing, and the merger will enhance both annealing and gate-model offerings [4] - Rob Schoelkopf emphasized that the deal brings fault-tolerant, scalable quantum computing closer to realization [4] Next Steps - The merger requires regulatory clearance and listing approval for shares on the NYSE, with an expected closing date in late January 2026 [5] - D-Wave plans to file a Form 8-K with the SEC to outline key terms of the transaction [5] - D-Wave Quantum shares rose 2.40% to $32.02 at the time of publication [5]

Group 1 - The article discusses the merger between Getty Images (GETY) and Shutterstock (SSTK), highlighting the encouraging prospects for Getty Images as a result of this planned merger [1] - The merger was initially expected to close later in 2025, indicating a significant development in the stock performance and market positioning of both companies [1] Group 2 - The author has extensive experience in investment analysis, focusing on identifying underappreciated companies that can return value to investors, which may provide context for the analysis of Getty Images and Shutterstock [1]

Group 1: Market Trends and Inflows - U.S. crypto ETFs experienced significant inflows, pulling in $443 million on December 30, with Bitwise and Grayscale filing for Bittensor ETFs targeting AI and DeFi for 2026 [1][6] - Bitcoin ETFs reversed a seven-day outflow streak with $355 million in net inflows, led by BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust with $143.8 million, ARK 21Shares' ARKB with $109.6 million, and Fidelity's FBTC with $78.6 million [2][3] - Ethereum spot ETFs recorded their first positive flows in over a week, attracting $67.84 million in net inflows after previous outflows exceeding $102 million [4] Group 2: Institutional Demand and New Filings - Bryan Courchesne, CEO of DAIM, indicated that the net inflows signal a positive rebound from recent de-risking pressures, highlighting resilient institutional demand [3] - Bitwise filed applications for 11 new cryptocurrency ETFs targeting tokens across AI and DeFi sectors, including Aave, Ethena, and Uniswap [6][7] - Grayscale filed a registration statement to convert its Bittensor Trust into an ETF, marking the first attempt to launch a U.S. spot ETF offering direct exposure to Bittensor [8] Group 3: Future Predictions - Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan predicts Bitcoin will hit new all-time highs in 2026, driven by falling interest rates and accelerating institutional adoption [10]

Core Viewpoint - Dan Tapiero believes Bitcoin is in the mid-stage of its current cycle and will eventually align with the recent growth seen in precious metals [1] Group 1: Market Maturity and Developments - The cryptocurrency space has matured significantly since 2021, with more tested and diversified companies generating increased revenue [2] - The upcoming IPOs of successful private Digital Asset Ecosystem (DAE) companies will open new liquidity avenues in traditional finance [2] - The approval of cryptocurrency companies by traditional financial markets like NYSE and Nasdaq enhances legitimacy and confirms proper governance [2] Group 2: US Market Dominance - The "Americanization of crypto" is just beginning, with the US equity market capitalization being 65% greater than that of Europe and Asia combined [3] - The US capital market is further reinforced by a substantial increase in stablecoin volume, reaching $25 trillion this year, compared to nearly zero five years ago [4] - The dominance of the US market is expected to accelerate as more global crypto/blockchain businesses seek to enter US financial markets through SPACs, RTOs, and IPOs [4] Group 3: Future Projections - Tapiero anticipates at least 50 more significant crypto/blockchain public companies will emerge in the next five years, further solidifying US dominance [5] - Price forecasts include silver reaching $85 per ounce, gold at $5,500 per ounce, and Bitcoin at $180,000 [5]

Market Schedule Overview - Investors should note the stock market closures and shortened trading days for the 2025 holiday season, particularly on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day [1] - The NYSE and Nasdaq will remain open on December 24, 2025, with an early closure at 1:00 p.m. ET, while being closed on December 25, 2025, for Christmas [2][4] - New Year's Eve on December 31, 2025, will see the stock market open for regular hours, while it will be closed on New Year's Day, January 1, 2026 [2][4] Market Performance - All three major indexes showed positive movement during midday trading, with the S&P 500 up by 0.32% at $687.00 and the Nasdaq 100 up by 0.28% [3]

Core Insights - During market turbulence, investors often seek dividend-yielding stocks, which typically have high free cash flows and offer substantial dividends [1] Group 1: Analyst Ratings and Price Targets - Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:VZ) has a dividend yield of 6.90%. Morgan Stanley analyst Benjamin Swinburne maintained an Equal-Weight rating and reduced the price target from $48 to $47, with an accuracy rate of 73% [6] - JP Morgan analyst Sebastiano Petti maintained a Neutral rating for Verizon and lowered the price target from $49 to $47, with an accuracy rate of 54% [6] - Shutterstock Inc (NYSE:SSTK) has a dividend yield of 6.98%. Needham analyst Bernie McTernan maintained a Buy rating and cut the price target from $30 to $25, with an accuracy rate of 67% [6] - JMP Securities analyst Andrew Boone maintained a Market Perform rating for Shutterstock, with an accuracy rate of 76% [6] - Sirius XM Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:SIRI) has a dividend yield of 5.22%. Rosenblatt analyst Barton Crockett maintained a Neutral rating with a price target of $23, having an accuracy rate of 67% [6] - Barrington Research analyst Patrick Sholl maintained an Outperform rating for SiriusXM with a price target of $28, with an accuracy rate of 56% [6] Group 2: Recent News - Verizon Business and Kodiak AI reached a commercial agreement to enhance Verizon's connectivity and IoT capabilities for Kodiak's driverless trucking solutions [6] - Shutterstock reported mixed quarterly results on Nov. 5 [6] - SiriusXM appointed Zac Coughlin as chief financial officer on Nov. 18 [6]