Core Viewpoint - Robinhood Markets experienced a significant stock drop of 12% in December, primarily influenced by its high exposure to the volatile cryptocurrency market, which has seen declining prices [1][7]. Group 1: Company Performance - Robinhood's stock had a remarkable performance in 2025, ending the year with a 204% increase despite the recent decline [6]. - The company reported a doubling of revenue year over year in the third quarter, with net income soaring by 271% to $556 million [4]. - Robinhood added 2.8 million new investing accounts, bringing the total to 27.9 million, and its Gold membership grew by 77% year over year, adding 1.7 million customers [4]. Group 2: Product Expansion - The company is rapidly rolling out new products, which is creating a positive cycle of customer attraction and new revenue streams [5]. - Recent product introductions include Prediction Markets, marking entry into a new segment, and the addition of 200 new tokens in the European market [5]. Group 3: Cryptocurrency Exposure - Cryptocurrency trading constituted over one-third of Robinhood's total transaction revenue and about one-fifth of total revenue in the third quarter [7]. - The company's performance in 2026 may be closely tied to the fluctuations in the cryptocurrency market, particularly given the recent 24% drop in Bitcoin prices [7].

Core Viewpoint - Morgan Stanley has filed for Bitcoin and Solana exchange-traded funds (ETFs), marking its entry into the cryptocurrency fund market two years after the rise of crypto-focused ETFs in the US [1][2]. Group 1: Company Actions - The firm submitted paperwork for a Bitcoin Trust and a Solana Trust, with the Solana product including a portion allocated for staking to earn rewards [2]. - Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. will sponsor the trusts as indicated in the filings [2]. - The bank has shown increased interest in the crypto sector, partnering with a cryptocurrency infrastructure provider to enable E*Trade clients to trade popular tokens starting in 2026 [6]. Group 2: Industry Context - Traditional financial institutions like Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and Citigroup are expanding their digital asset operations, with over $150 billion currently invested in approximately 130 US funds, primarily in Bitcoin products [3]. - The emergence of new asset classes in the ETF space is significant, as noted by industry experts, highlighting the growing acceptance of cryptocurrencies by large institutions [4]. - Currently, there are more than 10 Bitcoin-focused funds trading in the US, with various funds based on Solana, the sixth-largest digital currency by market value [4]. Group 3: Market Position - Morgan Stanley does not rank among the top 10 ETF issuers and has fewer assets in the ETF space compared to newer entrants like Neos Investments [5]. - The bank's existing funds primarily focus on fixed income and equities, indicating a shift in strategy towards digital assets [5].

Group 1 - Morgan Stanley has filed for Bitcoin and Solana exchange-traded funds (ETFs), marking its entry into the cryptocurrency fund market two years after the rise of crypto-focused ETFs in the US [1][2] - The submitted paperwork includes a Bitcoin Trust and a Solana Trust, with the Solana product allocating a portion for staking to earn rewards for supporting the blockchain network [2] - Major Wall Street firms like Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and Citigroup are increasing their involvement in digital assets, with over $150 billion currently invested in approximately 130 US funds, primarily in Bitcoin products [3] Group 2 - The growing interest in crypto ETFs is seen as a significant milestone for issuers, with more than 10 Bitcoin-focused funds already trading in the US, although niche products based on lesser-known tokens have faced challenges in attracting capital [4] - Morgan Stanley is not currently among the top-10 ETF issuers and has fewer assets in this space compared to newer firms like Neos Investments, which began in 2022 [5] - Recently, Morgan Stanley has shown increased interest in the crypto sector, partnering with a cryptocurrency infrastructure provider to enable E*Trade clients to trade popular tokens starting in 2026 and planning to launch a crypto asset-allocation strategy [6]

Market Overview - The cryptocurrency market is showing signs of recovery after a prolonged downturn, with Bitcoin surpassing $93,000 after falling below $87,000 at the end of 2025 [1][5] - Bitcoin is currently up 6.5% for the year, benefiting from a tech rally driven by enthusiasm for artificial intelligence stocks [5][6] Cryptocurrency Performance - Bitcoin reached a three-week high of over $93,600, surpassing its 50-day moving average for the first time since the market turmoil began in October [4][11] - Despite a 6% decline in 2025, Bitcoin's potential remains strong, with expectations to exceed earlier highs this year [5][7] Investment Opportunities - A buy-the-dip strategy is recommended for investing in crypto-focused stocks before the next rally, with three stocks identified: NVIDIA Corporation, Robinhood Markets, and CME Group [3] NVIDIA Corporation - NVIDIA is a leading player in the semiconductor industry, with a strong correlation to the crypto market due to its GPUs' role in data centers and crypto mining [8] - The expected earnings growth rate for NVIDIA is 55.9%, with a 4.5% improvement in earnings estimates over the past 60 days [9] Robinhood Markets - Robinhood operates a financial services platform allowing users to trade cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin [12] - The expected earnings growth rate for Robinhood is 82.6%, with an 11.2% improvement in earnings estimates over the past 60 days [13] CME Group - CME Group offers options for cryptocurrency futures contracts, including Bitcoin and Ether, providing a platform for trading in the crypto market [14] - The expected earnings growth rate for CME Group is 8.5%, with a 0.3% improvement in earnings estimates over the last 90 days [14]

Core Viewpoint - The U.S. invasion of Venezuela and the arrest of Nicolas Maduro have led to a rally in bitcoin, with prices exceeding $94,000, raising speculation about a potential return to $100,000 in the near term [1]. Group 1: Bitcoin and BTCI ETF - The NEOS Bitcoin High Income ETF (BTCI) is an actively managed covered call ETF that generates significant income from bitcoin, boasting a distribution rate of 27.25% as of December 31, 2025 [2]. - BTCI's relevance is heightened by the potential regime change in Venezuela, which may impact bitcoin's market dynamics [3]. Group 2: Venezuela's Bitcoin Holdings - Venezuela is rumored to hold approximately 600,000 bitcoin, valued at around $60 billion, which could represent nearly 3% of bitcoin's circulating supply if seized by the U.S. government [4][5]. - The U.S. government's potential seizure of Venezuela's bitcoin holdings could benefit BTCI, especially if the assets are used to bolster national reserves rather than being sold [5]. Group 3: Investment Implications - As a covered call ETF, BTCI may not capture all of bitcoin's upside but can still provide exposure to the cryptocurrency market, making it attractive for income investors during this period of heightened interest in bitcoin [6]. - Reports indicate that Venezuela's accumulation of bitcoin began around 2018, involving the liquidation of gold reserves, which could have significantly increased in value since then [7].

Lighter faces scrutiny after $7.18M in LIT token sales raise insider concerns. Photo by BeInCrypto Zcash price has moved sideways over the past several days, consolidating after recent volatility. While this pause may appear bearish, it often signals strength following an uptrend.  Price stability near current levels suggests buyers are defending positions, and recent investor behavior further supports a constructive outlook for ZEC. Zcash Holders Are Buying Exchange data shows a sharp reduction in ava ...

Group 1 - Investors have shown renewed risk appetite, with $865 million invested in Bitcoin and Ethereum exchange-traded funds in the US at the start of the week [1] - The total inflow over the first two trading days of the year reached more than $1.5 billion, with $697 million going into Bitcoin funds and $168 million into Ethereum funds [2][1] - Bitcoin and Ethereum experienced significant price movements, with Bitcoin trading at $93,419 after a nearly 7% increase and Ethereum at approximately $3,222 after an over 8% rise [3] Group 2 - The end of 2025 saw poor performance in crypto markets, with Bitcoin down roughly 20% from October 1 to December 31 due to investor fatigue and a sell-off [3] - Regulatory changes in the US, including a stablecoin bill signed into law, have influenced the market environment for digital assets [4] - Analysts suggest that if market conditions remain stable, Bitcoin could challenge previous highs and achieve moderate new peaks, although gains may be gradual with frequent pullbacks [5][4]

Market Overview - The cryptocurrency market capitalisation has increased by 1.2%, reaching $3.29 trillion, with 97 of the top 100 coins appreciating over the past 24 hours [1][2] - Total crypto trading volume is at $139 billion, showing an upward trend over the past few days [1] Performance of Major Cryptocurrencies - Bitcoin (BTC) has risen by 0.8% to $93,583, while Ethereum (ETH) is up by 1.8% to $3,228 [2][3] - XRP has the highest increase among the top coins, appreciating by 9.6% to $2.35 [3] - Tron (TRX) is the only coin in the red, with a slight decrease of 0.1% to $0.2915 [4] Notable Increases in Other Coins - Render (RENDER) has appreciated by nearly 20% to $2.48, followed by Provenance Blockchain (HASH) and Sui (SUI) with increases of 16.9% and 16.1% to $0.02996 and $1.96, respectively [4] Institutional Involvement and Market Sentiment - US BTC and ETH spot ETFs have seen inflows of $697.25 million and $168.13 million, indicating renewed institutional interest [2] - Market sentiment is currently rising within the neutral zone, suggesting a potential positive outlook for the crypto market [2] Analyst Insights - Bill Miller IV, CIO at Miller Value Partners, noted that BTC's 6% decline in 2025 is not significant given its volatility, and he expects BTC to break its all-time high [5] - Nic Puckrin, co-founder of Coin Bureau, observed that gold, silver, and BTC moved in the same direction at the start of 2026, indicating a potential correlation [5]

Group 1 - Morgan Stanley is seeking regulatory approval to launch exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tied to the price of cryptocurrencies, specifically bitcoin and solana, marking the first such initiative by a major U.S. bank [1] - The move is part of a broader trend where mainstream finance companies are increasingly embracing digital assets, encouraged by regulatory clarity under the Trump administration [2] - The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has allowed banks to act as intermediaries in crypto transactions, bridging the gap between traditional finance and digital assets [2] Group 2 - Investors prefer holding cryptocurrencies through ETFs due to benefits such as greater liquidity, security, and simplified regulatory compliance compared to direct management of the underlying assets [3] - Since the SEC approved the first U.S.-listed spot bitcoin ETF, various financial institutions, primarily asset managers, have launched similar funds [3] - U.S. banks are transitioning from being cautious facilitators to active advisers in the cryptocurrency space [3] Group 3 - In October, Morgan Stanley expanded access to crypto investments for all clients and account types, with Bank of America also allowing wealth advisers to recommend crypto allocations in client portfolios starting January [4] - The SEC has updated listing rules for new spot ETFs tied to cryptocurrencies, facilitating the introduction of new products in the market [4]

Japanese investment firm Metaplanet saw its stock move higher on Dec. 6, rising about 8%. This occurred as renewed buying across the crypto market lifted shares of companies linked to Bitcoin holdings and trading activity. The move followed gains in Bitcoin and strength in US crypto-related stocks overnight. Metaplanet Stock Rises with Bitcoin Recovery Metaplanet stock increased dramatically during the latest trading session in Japan, showing improved mood across digital asset markets. According to Goog ...