Core Viewpoint - Dutch lawmakers are advancing a significant tax reform that introduces a 36% capital gains tax on various digital assets, including cryptocurrencies, which could impact investor behavior and capital flows in the country [1][3][8]. Tax Proposal Details - The proposed legislation received 93 votes in the House of Representatives, surpassing the 75 votes needed for advancement [2]. - The tax will apply to bank savings, crypto holdings, equities, and returns from interest-bearing instruments, taxing unrealized gains regardless of asset sales [3][8]. - The bill is pending approval from the Dutch Senate and aims for implementation in the 2028 tax year [4][8]. Investor Reactions - Critics express concerns that the tax could lead to capital outflows and the relocation of high-net-worth individuals to countries with more favorable tax regimes [4][5]. - Historical examples, such as France's experience in the late 1990s, are cited to illustrate potential negative impacts on business and investment [5]. - Financial projections indicate that an investor contributing €1,000 monthly over 40 years could see their accumulated wealth significantly reduced from approximately €3.32 million to about €1.885 million due to the proposed tax [6]. Broader Context - The debate surrounding the Dutch tax proposal mirrors similar discussions in other regions, such as the U.S., where tech leaders have opposed wealth taxes [7]. - Supporters of the tax argue it modernizes the taxation framework for financial assets, while opponents warn it may deter long-term investments and harm the Netherlands' attractiveness for fintech and digital asset businesses [7].

Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) is one of the best upside stocks to invest in right now. On February 11, H.C. Wainwright lowered its price target on Coinbase to $350 from $425 and kept a Buy rating. This decision was made ahead of the company’s Q4 2025 earnings report. The firm anticipates a potential miss in net revenue and adjusted EBITDA due to intra-quarter data, suggesting an ideal setup is unlikely. However, H.C. Wainwright recommends buying on any post-report weakness. This bullish stance is sup ...

Core Insights - Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse indicated that the company may consider acquisitions in the second half of 2026 after a significant $4 billion investment in mergers and acquisitions last year, despite XRP being 60% below its peak [1][2]. M&A Strategy - Garlinghouse stated that the focus for 2026 will be on integration rather than new acquisitions, although there may be a shift towards being more acquisitive in the latter half of the year [2]. - Last year, Ripple's investments in the crypto ecosystem included major deals such as Hidden Road for $1.25 billion and GTreasury for $1 billion [3]. Product Focus - XRP is described as the central element for Ripple, with all products including Ripple Payments, Ripple Prime, Ripple Treasury, custody, and RLUSD stablecoin aimed at enhancing utility, trust, velocity, and liquidity around XRP and the XRP Ledger [4]. Market Performance - XRP experienced a bounce after dropping to the $1.15-$1.20 range, with critical support holding at this level. However, significant resistance remains above, particularly around $1.45-$1.50 and $1.70-$1.80 [7][8][9]. - For a meaningful recovery, XRP needs to maintain levels above $1.30 and continue to create higher lows [9]. Investment Positioning - The $4 billion expenditure last year positions Ripple as one of the most active acquirers in the crypto space, second only to Tether [10].

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Market Overview - The trading day is concluding with major equity averages finishing slightly in the green, indicating a quiet end to a volatile week [2][3] - Bitcoin has seen a notable increase of 4.5%, nearing $69,000, which has positively impacted related stocks like Coinbase [4][5] Company Performance - Applied Materials has emerged as a top gainer, with its stock rising approximately 8% after delivering an upbeat sales forecast driven by demand for artificial intelligence and memory semiconductors [8][9] - Coinbase, despite posting a 20% decline in fourth-quarter revenue to $1.8 billion and a net loss of $667 million, saw its stock rise by about 16% on triple average trading volume, likely influenced by Bitcoin's rally [10][11] - Rivian Automotive's shares surged nearly 27% following better-than-expected fourth-quarter results and its first annual gross profit, marking a significant milestone for the company [11][12] Sector Performance - The S&P 500 showed a positive trend with 367 names advancing against 136 declining, with utilities, real estate, and materials sectors outperforming [6][7] - Conversely, communications services and technology sectors lagged, with Nvidia shares falling by 2.2% amid concerns over revenue growth not keeping pace with capital expenditures [13][15] Regulatory and Market Dynamics - Applied Materials announced plans to settle a U.S. Commerce Department investigation by paying $252.5 million, which may alleviate some legal pressures on the stock [9] - DraftKings shares dropped by 13.5% after the company’s sales and profit forecasts fell short of Wall Street estimates, highlighting competitive pressures in the sports betting market [16] - Pinterest's shares fell nearly 17% due to projected sales for the current quarter missing Wall Street expectations, influenced by trade policies affecting the home furnishings category [17][18]

As Bitcoin (BTC) continues sliding, Bitget CEO Gracy Chen thinks the recent weakness has less to do with deteriorating fundamentals and more to do with a structural liquidity shock that hit the crypto market on Oct. 10 last year. Speaking with TheStreet Roundtable host Jackson Hinkle, Chen argued that crypto’s macro backdrop remains constructive despite the ongoing price slump. “The fundamentals still look pretty good for crypto or for Bitcoin in general to go up,” Chen said. Interest rates are going do ...

Cryptocurrency Market - Bitcoin has experienced its fourth consecutive weekly loss, down more than 20% year-to-date and nearly 50% from its October 2025 peak of $126,000, resulting in over half a trillion dollars wiped out across the crypto markets this month [1][2] Precious Metals - Gold rebounded above $5,000 per ounce after dipping below that level, while silver also recovered some ground following a steep selloff, managing to close the week with a gain [2][3] Technology Sector - The technology sector, particularly software stocks, showed signs of recovery after a significant selloff, with the IGV index rallying over 2% [4] - Analysts have expressed concerns about the overblown nature of the tech selloff, particularly regarding AI implementation strategies and the associated risks [5][6] Upcoming Earnings Reports - Palo Alto Networks is expected to report strong earnings, with estimates of $0.93 EPS on approximately $2.58 billion in sales, supported by robust demand for AI security solutions [9][10] - Walmart is also set to report earnings, with analysts expecting about $0.73 EPS on roughly $188.4 billion in revenue, which would indicate a modest year-over-year increase [8][10] Economic Data and Market Outlook - A shortened trading week is anticipated, with limited top-tier economic data releases, including updates on the housing market and import prices, as well as the FOMC minutes [12][14] - Market participants are closely watching for potential Supreme Court decisions on tariffs and the implications of the Chinese New Year on trading volumes [13][14]

Market Overview - Overseas stock markets closed lower on Friday, with the Euro Stoxx 50 down by -0.43%, China's Shanghai Composite down -1.26%, and Japan's Nikkei Stock 225 down -1.21% [1] - The S&P 500 Index closed up +0.05%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average up +0.10%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index up +0.18% [7] Earnings Reports - More than two-thirds of S&P 500 companies have reported Q4 earnings, with 76% beating expectations. S&P earnings growth is expected to rise by +8.4% in Q4, marking the tenth consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth [2] - Rivian Automotive reported Q4 revenue of $1.29 billion, exceeding the consensus of $1.26 billion, and forecasted full-year vehicle deliveries of 62,000 to 67,000 [13] - Applied Materials reported Q1 adjusted EPS of $2.38, better than the consensus of $2.21, and forecasted Q2 adjusted EPS of $2.44 to $2.84 [14] - Airbnb reported Q4 gross booking value of $20.4 billion, surpassing the consensus of $19.46 billion, and forecasted Q1 revenue of $2.59 billion to $2.63 billion [16] Sector Performance - Software stocks rallied, with Crowdstrike Holdings up more than +4% and ServiceNow up more than +3%, contributing to the overall market support [10] - Metal companies retreated due to reports of the Trump administration working to narrow tariffs on steel and aluminum products, with Century Aluminum down more than -7% [12] - Cryptocurrency-exposed stocks rose, led by Coinbase Global, which closed up more than +16% after Bitcoin rallied more than +4% [11] Economic Indicators - US January CPI rose +2.4% year-over-year, weaker than the expected +2.5%, marking the smallest increase in 7 months [3] - Falling bond yields were bullish for stocks, with the 10-year T-note yield falling to a 2.25-month low of 4.05% [6]

Group 1 - Trump Media and Technology Group has filed to launch two new ETFs focused on Cronos, Bitcoin, and Ethereum, in partnership with Crypto.com [1][2] - The Truth Social Cronos Yield Maximizer ETF aims to track the performance of the Cronos token (CRO) and provide staking rewards [2][3] - The Truth Social Bitcoin and Ether ETF is designed to track Bitcoin and Ethereum with a 60-40 allocation and also offers staking rewards from Ether [3][4] Group 2 - These new ETF filings follow previous applications for a solo Bitcoin ETF and a crypto blue chip ETF that includes BTC, ETH, Solana, XRP, and CRO [4] - The current ETFs from Trump Media are themed around "America first" and include various sectors such as real estate and defense [5] - Shares of Trump Media closed at $10.98, reflecting a nearly 39% decline over the past six months [6]

Core Viewpoint - The rise of stablecoins, particularly Tether (USDT), is seen as a significant trend in the cryptocurrency market, potentially surpassing Bitcoin in market capitalization as risk assets weaken [1][4]. Group 1: Stablecoin Market Dynamics - Tether's USDT stablecoin has a market cap of $184.6 billion, making it the largest stablecoin, with the total stablecoin market cap at $307.1 billion [2]. - The second-largest stablecoin, Circle's USDC, has a market cap of $73.2 billion, indicating Tether's dominance in the market [2]. - The growth of stablecoin market caps, especially during periods of declining risk assets, suggests a shift towards defensive investment behavior [2]. Group 2: Market Implications for Ethereum and Bitcoin - Ethereum (ETH) has recently experienced a technical breakdown, losing a key support level of $2,500 and now targeting $1,500 as the next support [3]. - If ETH continues to decline while USDT supply expands, Tether could surpass Ethereum in market cap, highlighting a preference for capital preservation [3]. - Bitcoin has seen a significant decline of over 44% from its peak of $124,000, currently hovering around $68,741, which could lead to Tether surpassing Bitcoin if the trend continues [4]. Group 3: Market Sentiment and Future Outlook - The scenario presented indicates a deep bear market characterized by risk-off sentiment, with sustained demand for dollar-backed liquidity and a preference for stability over volatility among investors [5].