Anirudh from @robotventures shared a unique thesis during Fully DilutedStablecoin issues could become marginal buyers of US debt, helping finance the explosive growth of AI infrastructure.The move could reshape American competitiveness in the AI space.Given that @tether and @circle have become the 15th-largest holders of US treasuries, the plan might not be out of reach.Hear this and more on today's episode. ...

Breaking a familiar pattern, bitcoin (BTC) is on the rise during the U.S. session, climbing to $70,800 after falling to just above $68,000 earlier in the day. Bitcoin is now higher by 0.5% over the past 24 hours, with ether (ETH), XRP (XRP) and solana (SOL) ahead closer to 1.5% over the same time frame. Risk assets are generally in the green on Monday, with the Nasdaq up 1% and the S&P 500 up 0.5%. Gold is ahead 1.9% to $5,075 per ounce, and silver is up 7.4% to $82.50 per ounce. "What we are experienc ...

LATEST: 🏦 Circle and the Blockchain Payments Consortium have backed the Fed's proposal for limited crypto payment accounts, but banking associations are concerned about expanding central bank access. https://t.co/OVU7HXKEzE ...

Group 1 - The crypto market is experiencing a significant downturn, with Bitcoin down over 25% in 2026, leading investors to seek safer assets [1] - Dollar-pegged stablecoins like USDC are designed to maintain their value over time, redeemable 1:1 for U.S. dollars and fully backed by cash and cash equivalents, making them a potential safe investment in the current market [2][3] - USDC typically trades around $1, providing stability rather than high returns, but investors can generate yields on USDC holdings that may exceed traditional bank rates [5][6] Group 2 - USDC can be utilized on decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms, allowing investors to lend their USDC for higher yields, with platforms like Coinbase offering yields as high as 10% [6] - Companies like Circle Internet Group, the creator of USDC, and Coinbase, which uses USDC as its preferred stablecoin, are positioned to benefit from the growth of USDC, presenting investment opportunities [8]

🔥 TODAY: Circle minted 250M $USDC on Solana. https://t.co/jxZRPfEKB4 ...

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an overall investment rating for the fintech and payments industry, but it highlights mixed performance among recent IPOs and varying investor sentiment towards growth and profitability metrics. Core Insights - The report indicates that public fintech companies are underperforming compared to the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, with a noted shift in investor focus from raw growth to growth unit economics and margin quality [7][10]. - Structural growth deceleration is becoming evident, with many mature fintech companies facing competitive pressures and entering multi-year investment cycles that limit near-term revenue acceleration [10][8]. - Companies are increasingly leveraging AI to drive operational efficiencies, with examples of firms like Klarna and SoFi implementing AI-driven models to enhance profitability and reduce costs [7][10]. Summary by Sections Key Takeaways - New listings in the fintech sector have shown mixed performance, with some companies like Circle and Figure seeing significant share price increases, while others like eToro and Navan have experienced declines [7]. - The earnings visibility discount is growing, leading to reduced investor confidence in near-term earnings and a focus on the quality of earnings as a valuation driver for 2026 [7][10]. Stock Returns - The report provides a detailed overview of stock performance across various fintech segments, indicating that neobanks and neobrokers have seen median returns of -3% over the past year, while high-growth fintech cohorts have shown more resilience [11][12]. Revenue - Revenue growth estimates for neobanks and neobrokers are projected to decline from a median of 36% in 2025 to 20% in 2026, reflecting a broader trend of recalibrated growth expectations across the fintech landscape [10][14]. - The report highlights specific revenue figures for key players, such as Coinbase with $55 billion in revenue and Robinhood with $102.8 billion, showcasing the significant scale of operations within the sector [14].

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the journey of an individual transitioning from a potential career in politics to a focus on value investing, emphasizing the importance of risk management and long-term wealth growth [1] Group 1: Career Transition - The individual initially pursued a career in politics but faced challenges that led to a shift towards finance and investment [1] - After experiencing financial setbacks in 2019, the decision was made to study value investing to create wealth and mitigate risks [1] Group 2: Professional Experience - From 2020 to 2022, the individual worked in a sales role at a law firm, where they became the top-grossing salesman and managed a team, contributing to sales strategy [1] - The experience gained during this period was instrumental in assessing company prospects based on sales strategies [1] Group 3: Investment Advisory Role - Between 2022 and 2023, the individual served as an investment advisory representative with Fidelity, focusing on 401K planning [1] - Despite excelling in this role and passing Series exams ahead of schedule, there was frustration due to the reliance on modern portfolio theory, which conflicted with the individual's value investing approach [1] Group 4: Current Endeavors - In November 2023, the individual began writing for Seeking Alpha, sharing investment opportunities and insights with readers [1] - The articles serve as a platform for the individual to document their investment journey and the opportunities they pursue [1]

⚡ UPDATE: Circle and Tether own 84.8% of the stablecoin market.Can anything overtake them? https://t.co/t1w0BdAK1P ...

Core Insights - Visa has expanded its stablecoin settlement pilot to the U.S., allowing select U.S. issuing and acquiring banks to use USDC instead of fiat currency for transactions on VisaNet, aiming to enhance liquidity and efficiency in cross-border payments [9][10][12] - The annualized settlement volume for stablecoins reached $3.5 billion, indicating a growing integration of stablecoins into mainstream payment systems, although it remains a small fraction of the overall stablecoin market [14][15] - Visa's approach is chain-agnostic, focusing on the functionality of stablecoins rather than the underlying blockchain technology, which allows for flexibility in payment processing [22][23] Visa's Stablecoin Strategy - The pilot program does not alter Visa's four-party payment structure but introduces USDC as a settlement medium between issuing and acquiring banks [10][11] - Visa has been testing stablecoin transactions since 2020, with previous trials in Nigeria and partnerships with Crypto.com, indicating a long-term strategy rather than a sudden shift [12][13] - The integration of stablecoins is seen as a significant step towards mainstream acceptance, moving beyond mere concept validation to real operational use [13][14] Market Context - The stablecoin market is estimated to have a transaction volume in the trillion-dollar range, making Visa's $3.5 billion annualized figure relatively small [14][15] - Traditional banking systems require pre-funding for settlements, which stablecoins can reduce significantly due to their faster transaction speeds, enhancing capital efficiency [16][17] - Visa's use of stablecoins is expected to improve settlement speed and operational efficiency, allowing banks to lower their required working capital [16][17] Technological Considerations - Visa's choice of Solana for the pilot, rather than Ethereum, reflects its focus on high throughput and speed, continuing its previous collaborations with Solana [22][23] - The company aims to create a "network of networks," allowing payment credentials to flow across various blockchain networks, enhancing interoperability [30][31] Competitive Landscape - Visa's strategy contrasts with Mastercard's focus on building a multi-asset network, indicating different approaches to integrating stablecoins into their payment ecosystems [39][40] - The competitive dynamics in the payment space are evolving, with companies like Circle also developing their own payment networks, potentially challenging traditional card organizations [42][43]

Core Viewpoint - Stablecoins are rapidly growing, with a 49% increase last year and a combined market cap of $250 billion for Tether and USDC [1] Group 1: Industry Perspective on Stablecoins - Executives at Visa and Mastercard express skepticism about the demand for stablecoins, stating there is limited utility beyond cross-border payments [2][3] - They argue that in developed markets, stablecoins lack a "product-market fit" as consumers prefer existing payment options [3] Group 2: Advantages of Stablecoins - Stablecoins offer 24/7 settlement and faster payment finalization compared to traditional methods, which can take days [4] - Some stablecoins provide attractive yields, appealing to consumers looking for better returns than traditional bank accounts; Standard Chartered predicts $500 billion in bank deposits will shift to stablecoins by 2028 [6] Group 3: Investment Landscape - There are currently nine stablecoins with market caps exceeding $1 billion, including Tether, USDC, a stablecoin from PayPal, and one from Ripple [7]