Circle (CRCL), the stablecoin issuer behind USDC, got a second upgrade by Wall Street analysts in a week, and this time by its biggest bear. Compass Point’s Ed Engel, who had a sell rating and the lowest price target among analysts, has upgraded the stock to Neutral just a day after Mizuho's Dan Dolev revised his bearish outlook. However, Engel kept his price target the lowest among Wall Street analysts covering the stock, despite the upgrade. His new price target is $60, down from $75 due to premium va ...

A deepening dispute over tokenized stocks threatens to derail Washington’s push for comprehensive crypto regulation as industry executives split over language in the Senate Banking Committee’s portion of the landmark digital assets bill. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong called the contested section a “de facto ban” on tokenized equities earlier this month, while traditional finance stalwarts, including Ken Griffin’s Citadel Securities, argue firms should follow identical rules whether dealing in blockchain-ba ...

We're back on Morning Trade Live. We'll get a closer look at the consumer over the next 24 hours when we get earnings from Visa and American Express. So, here is a look at the last 12 months for some of these names.Visa, AXP, Mastercard, and Capital 1, American Express, and Capital 1 are in the green over the last year. Visa and Mastercard though are modestly lower. So, let's go inside out on some of these credit card stocks.Joining us now is Rebecca Walsa, president Wals Wealth Management. So, nice to see ...

Core Insights - Mastercard's fourth-quarter net revenue grew by 15% and value-added services increased by 22% on a currency-neutral basis, indicating strong performance despite macroeconomic uncertainties [3] - The company is focusing on agentic commerce and stablecoins as emerging payment methods, positioning itself for the next phase of digital commerce [5][7] - Contactless payment transactions reached 77%, a 5 percentage point increase from the previous year, while tokenization of transactions has advanced to nearly 40% [9][10] Financial Performance - Mastercard reported worldwide gross dollar volume growth of 7% in the quarter, with cross-border volumes rising by 14% [9] - Operating income increased by 17%, driven by demand for digital, authentication, security, consumer engagement, and business insights services [12] - The company anticipates full-year 2026 net revenue growth at the high end of a low double-digit range on a currency-neutral basis, excluding acquisitions [13] Strategic Initiatives - The AgentPay framework is being extended to enhance identity, trust, and consumer protections in AI-driven transactions, with expectations for global capability by the end of Q1 [6] - Mastercard is piloting agent-based payments in regions including Asia, the UK, and the UAE, indicating readiness for agentic commerce [7] - The company has invested over a decade in digital assets, supporting stablecoin settlement and partnerships with firms like Ripple [5] Regulatory Environment - Management expressed concerns about the potential impacts of credit card interest rate caps, warning that it could restrict access to credit for low-income consumers [14] - The Credit Card Competition Act faces industry opposition, with risks identified regarding payment choice and cybersecurity [15]

Nasdaq (NasdaqGS:NDAQ) Q4 2025 Earnings call January 29, 2026 08:00 AM ET Company ParticipantsAdena Friedman - Chair and CEOAto Garrett - SVP of Investor RelationsBenjamin Budish - DirectorBrian Bedell - DirectorOwen Lau - Managing DirectorSarah Youngwood - CFOSimon Clinch - Managing Director of Finacials ResearchConference Call ParticipantsAlexander Blostein - Managing Director and Senior Equity AnalystAlexander Kramm - Managing Director and Senior Equity Research AnalystAshish Sabadra - Managing Director ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For the full year 2025, the company achieved net revenues of $5.2 billion, an increase of 12% year-over-year [6][24] - Solutions revenue grew 11% to $4 billion, representing 76% of total net revenue [23] - Annual operating income was $2.9 billion, up 16%, with diluted EPS growth of 24% [6][24] - Fourth quarter net revenue was $1.4 billion, up 13% year-over-year, with solutions revenue of $1.1 billion, up 12% [7][24] - Operating expenses for the fourth quarter were $609 million, up 8% year-over-year, leading to an operating margin of 56% [7][36] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Capital access platforms delivered quarterly revenue of $572 million, up 12%, with annual revenue of $2.1 billion, up 10% [25] - Index revenue increased by 23% in the fourth quarter, with net inflows of $99 billion over the last 12 months [26] - Financial technology revenue in the quarter was $498 million, up 12%, with annual revenue of $1.85 billion, up 11% [29] - Market services achieved record annual net revenue of $1.2 billion, up 17% year-over-year [19][32] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company secured three of the five top IPOs of 2025, including the largest IPO of the year, Medline [11] - The Nordic markets welcomed the largest IPO in Europe, Verisure, contributing to strong performance in the region [11] - The index franchise achieved record average AUM, with ETP AUM reaching $882 billion, an all-time high [14] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company focuses on three strategic pillars: integrate, innovate, and accelerate, which have driven strong results [8] - Plans to launch 23x5 trading in the Nasdaq Stock Market in the second half of 2026, subject to regulatory approval [9] - The company aims to leverage AI across its business and has begun rolling out new AI-enabled products [8][9] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's ability to build on its strong foundation and deliver durable growth in 2026 [21] - The company sees signs of accelerating capital markets activity, supported by recent Fed cuts and a healthy pipeline of late-stage private companies [12] - Management highlighted the importance of managing risk and advancing market structure as key industry priorities [20] Other Important Information - The company generated free cash flow of approximately $2.2 billion in 2025, with a conversion ratio of 109% [37] - The company paid dividends totaling $601 million in 2025 and repurchased 7.2 million shares for $616 million [38] Q&A Session Summary Question: Expectations for expanded options expirations and market volumes - Management noted that expanded options expirations provide clients with more choices for managing risk and are expected to drive market volumes [39][40] Question: Growth in equity options volumes and structural shifts - Management indicated that growth in equity options volumes is driven by a broadening investor base and increased engagement from both retail and institutional investors [42][44] Question: Pipeline and pace expectations for the data and listing segment - Management highlighted momentum in new issuances and active dialogue with late-stage private companies looking to go public, with expectations for increased activity in 2026 [45][46] Question: Outlook for financial crime management growth - Management discussed the variability in revenue due to implementation timing for enterprise deals but expressed optimism about the pipeline of opportunities in 2026 [47][49] Question: Nasdaq's ambitions in the proxy market - Management emphasized the focus on policy reform and modernization of proxy infrastructure to streamline processes for public companies [58] Question: Tokenization of equity securities - Management explained that the goal is to integrate tokenization with existing infrastructure while ensuring investor protection and issuer choice [60][62]

Hang Seng Investment, one of Hong Kong’s asset managers, recently debuted its physical gold-pegged exchange traded fund (ETF). The ”Hang Seng Gold ETF” was launched on January 29 on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the ticker “03170.” The new fund has a conventional approach as well as a tokenized class of units. Hang Seng Gold ETF Records 9% Boost The new Hang Seng Gold ETF tracks the LBMA Gold Price AM while holding bullion stashed in designated vaults in Hong Kong, per the product disclosures. I ...

Key Takeaways Tom Lee has urged investors not to let the rally in gold and silver divert attention from Ethereum. BitMine continues to build its Ethereum position. Lee maintains a bullish long-term outlook for Ethereum and Bitcoin. BitMine chairman Tom Lee urged investors not to overlook Ethereum (ETH) despite a powerful rally in precious metals, reiterating his long-held view that Ethereum is the “future of finance.” His comments follow recent remarks in which Lee said the surge in gold and silv ...

As Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE:XOM) prepares to report fourth-quarter earnings on Jan. 30, the energy giant faces a complex landscape defined by softening crude prices and a sudden geopolitical shift.While lower upstream realizations are expected to weigh on results, analysts forecast that robust refining and record production volumes in Guyana and the Permian Basin will provide a critical earnings buffer.Refining Resilience Meets Market HeadwindsWall Street consensus estimates project fourth-quarter Earnings P ...

Better late than never. UBS will reportedly allow certain clients to trade bitcoin and Ether in the near future, although the banking behemoth is still determining how the program will be rolled out, according to a Bloomberg report last week. The Zurich-based firm would join the likes of JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley, which have both opened up access to crypto for clients in recent years. The move also signals the bank’s willingness to continue building on its tokenization programs. “We have seen that mor ...