SINGAPORE (Reuters) -World Liberty Financial, a crypto venture backed by the family of U.S. President Donald Trump, plans to launch a debit card that would "bridge crypto assets with everyday spending", its CEO Zach Witkoff told a conference on Wednesday. "We are definitely rolling out a debit card that'll bridge ... crypto assets with everyday spending," he said. "We'll be rolling out a pilot program here in the next quarter and that debit card will either be live Q4 or Q1'26." Witkoff was speaking on a ...

Key Takeaways CME's clearing and transaction fees remain its largest revenue driver, fueled by market volatility. Rising electronic trading and crypto traction support growth. Strong investments, cost efficiency, and a robust capital base aid expansion. Shares of CME Group Inc. (CME) have gained 23.1% in the past year, outperforming the industry's growth of 5.8%, the Finance sector’s return of 17.2% and the Zacks S&P 500 composite’s appreciation of 17.6%. With a market capitalization of $96.84 billion, the ...

Security Breach - UXLINK's multi-signature wallet experienced a security breach [1] - A large amount of crypto assets were transferred without authorization [1] Response and Investigation - The UXLINK team is collaborating with internal and external security experts to investigate the cause [1] - UXLINK has contacted multiple exchanges to freeze suspicious deposits [1]

Market Trends - Institutional investors are increasingly investing in crypto assets [1] - The industry suggests following the "smart money" into crypto assets [1]

Investment Strategy - The industry suggests a long-term investment approach [1] - The industry recommends Dollar-Cost Averaging (DCA) into quality crypto assets [1] Cryptocurrency Market - The focus is on investing in crypto assets [1]

Group 1: Company Overview - CME Group Inc. has a market capitalization of $97.8 billion, making it the largest futures exchange globally in terms of trading volume and notional value traded [3] - The company has been trading above its 200-day simple moving average, indicating a short-term bullish trend, with a current share price of $271.39, down 6.7% from its 52-week high of $290.79 [1][2] Group 2: Financial Performance - CME Group's shares have gained 27.8% over the past year, outperforming the Finance sector and the Zacks S&P 500 composite, which grew by 17.2% and 15.8%, respectively [4] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CME Group's 2024 earnings per share (EPS) indicates an 8.7% year-over-year increase, with revenues projected at $6.53 billion, reflecting a 6.5% year-over-year improvement [9] - The consensus estimates for 2026 EPS and revenues suggest increases of 3.6% and 4.7%, respectively, from the 2024 estimates [10] Group 3: Investment Opportunity - CME Group is trading at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 23.75x, which is lower than the industry average of 26.47x, presenting a compelling investment opportunity [9] - The average price target from 18 analysts for CME shares is $284.33, indicating a potential upside of 5.4% from the last closing price [12] Group 4: Revenue Drivers and Growth Factors - CME's clearing and transaction fees are the largest revenue drivers, supported by market volatility, rising electronic trading, and increasing traction in crypto assets [8][15] - The company has a strong focus on cost efficiency and a robust capital base, which aids in expanding its market data business and broadening its product range [17] Group 5: Analyst Sentiment - Recent analyst sentiment is optimistic, with four out of eleven analysts raising estimates for 2025 and three for 2026 over the past 30 days, leading to slight upward adjustments in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for both years [11] Group 6: Competitive Landscape - CME Group faces concentration risk due to its reliance on Interest Rate and Equity products for a significant portion of its revenues, despite efforts to diversify [18] - The derivatives exchange segment is experiencing increased competition from crypto trading platforms and other electronic trading venues [18] Group 7: Dividend and Growth Potential - CME has a strong dividend history, paying five dividends per year, with the fifth being variable based on excess cash flow, making it attractive for yield-seeking investors [19] - The company is well-positioned for growth due to its strong global presence, compelling product portfolio, and a focus on over-the-counter clearing services [19]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue grew by 10.4% year on year to RMB1.65 billion, driven primarily by a 75% revenue growth from the Financial Services segment [21][22] - Net income rebounded to RMB358 million, representing a 44.5% increase quarter on quarter but a 12.7% decrease year on year [22][29] - The net margin improved from 16% in the first quarter to 22% in the second quarter [29] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Financial Services segment accounted for over 90% of total revenue, with loan volume facilitated reaching RMB20.3 billion, a 34% increase quarter over quarter and a 57% growth year over year [10][22] - Revenue from the Financial Services segment increased by 75% year on year to RMB1.5 billion [22][23] - The insurance segment's gross written premium declined by 20% year over year but increased by 6% compared to the first quarter [24] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Loan volume in the Philippines reached nearly RMB200 million, representing a 54% growth compared to the previous year [17] - The digital insurance business achieved 103% quarter over quarter growth in gross premiums, reaching RMB8.3 million in Q2 [18][24] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company focuses on three strategic priorities: AI innovation, geographic expansion, and operational excellence [6][7] - Plans to develop a fully autonomous AI agent platform to integrate and automate operational processes [17] - The company is exploring different risk-sharing models with partners to mitigate potential risks from new regulations [9] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that the recent loan facilitation regulation may increase credit risk and capital costs but could also trigger industry consolidation, benefiting established platforms [8][9] - The company remains cautiously optimistic about business prospects, projecting revenue for 2025 to be in the range of RMB1.4 billion to RMB1.6 billion [30] Other Important Information - The company announced a cash dividend of US$0.22 per American depository share, payable on October 15, 2025 [19][29] - The overall risk performance remained stable, with a slight increase in early delinquency rates in June, which improved in July due to tightened credit measures [14][15] Q&A Session Summary Question: Does Euron Digital intend to continue to increase crypto investment? - Management acknowledged the momentum in crypto assets and indicated that they will continue to explore this emerging asset class [34][36] Question: Do you hedge the risks of investing in crypto? - Management stated that they do not hedge directly on the crypto assets but maintain a long-term view on their value [39][42]

Tokenized Structured Notes Issuance - DBS, Singapore's largest bank, is issuing tokenized structured notes on the Ethereum public blockchain [1] - The notes are available to qualified and institutional investors through local exchanges ADDX, DigiFT, and HydraX [1] Product Details - The first product is a participatory note linked to crypto assets [1] - It settles in cash when prices rise, while capping losses when prices fall [1]

Product Offering - Chainlink's State Pricing enhances existing pricing methodologies, offering developers diverse options for pricing crypto assets and tokenized RWAs [1]

Regulatory Framework & Innovation - The Genius Act establishes a clear regulatory framework for dollar-backed stablecoins, potentially revolutionizing financial technology [1] - This framework enables ultra-low-cost transactions that settle in seconds, offering privacy, flexibility, and decentralization similar to cash [2] Economic Impact & US Dollar - The Genius Act allows banks and financial institutions to issue crypto assets backed one-to-one with US dollars and treasury bills [3] - Industry anticipates increased demand for US treasuries, potentially lowering interest rates [3] - The Act aims to secure the US dollar's status as the world's reserve currency [3]