Watch the full interview with WazirX CEO Nischal Shetty — Part 1 and Part 2 out now on Roundtable WazirX, the Indian cryptocurrency trading exchange, has finally resumed operations after completing a Singapore court-approved restructuring process. It marks a rare comeback for the exchange, which suffered a shocking exploit of $234.9 million in July 2024—only six years after its launch in March 2018. However, there is one question that the Indian crypto community is still confused about: Who owns WazirX? ...

Core Viewpoint - SoFi has experienced significant stock performance in 2025, with shares increasing by 77% year-to-date, but recently faced a decline of about 9% following the announcement of a $1.5 billion capital raise [1][2]. Group 1: Capital Raise Announcement - SoFi announced a new equity offering of $1.5 billion, priced at $27.50 per share, which is below the previous closing price of $29.60 [2]. - The company plans to utilize the raised funds for general corporate purposes, including enhancing capital position and funding growth opportunities [3]. Group 2: Market Reaction and Implications - The stock's decline can be attributed to shareholder dilution concerns and the timing of the capital raise despite already strong capital levels [4]. - SoFi has several growth initiatives underway, such as cryptocurrency trading and international money transfers, which may justify the need for additional capital [5]. - This capital raise is not unprecedented, as SoFi completed a similar $1.5 billion offering in July, which initially caused a negative reaction but led to a rebound in stock price [6].

Core Viewpoint - The decline in cryptocurrency popularity, driven by regulatory warnings from the People's Bank of China, poses a significant risk to Robinhood Markets' stock performance, as the company's revenue heavily relies on crypto trading activities [1][3][4]. Group 1: Cryptocurrency Market Impact - The People's Bank of China has issued warnings about a resurgence in speculation within the cryptocurrency market, leading to a sell-off among investors [1]. - Following the warnings, Bitcoin prices fell over 6% to below $86,000, while Ethereum and Solana experienced declines of 7% and 8%, respectively [1]. - Many crypto investors may have utilized leverage, which could exacerbate the downturn in the crypto market [2]. Group 2: Robinhood's Financial Performance - In its Q3 earnings report, Robinhood reported a 129% year-over-year increase in transaction-based revenues, totaling $730 million, with cryptocurrency revenue alone reaching $268 million, up over 300% [3]. - The majority of Robinhood's revenue growth is attributed to cryptocurrency trading, and any decline in investor confidence in crypto could significantly impact the company's trading volumes and growth rate [4]. - Robinhood's stock is currently priced at over 50 times trailing earnings, indicating that a growth rate above 50% is necessary to maintain its attractiveness as an investment [6].

Core Insights - The article summarizes significant research calls from Wall Street, highlighting upgrades and downgrades of various companies that could impact investor decisions [1] Upgrades - Wolfe Research upgraded Inspire Medical (INSP) to Outperform from Peer Perform with a price target of $180, citing a "surprise" 50% Medicare reimbursement increase as a positive factor for the stock [2] - UBS upgraded Cummins (CMI) to Neutral from Sell with a price target of $500, increased from $350, indicating a balanced risk/reward as the truck cycle is expected to bottom in 2026 [2] - Raymond James upgraded CDW (CDW) to Strong Buy from Outperform with a price target of $185, noting that easing cost headwinds may lead to growth acceleration [3] - Citi upgraded Brinker (EAT) to Buy from Neutral with a price target of $176, up from $144, as the cost environment improves with reduced food tariffs in Brazil, potentially boosting sales through fiscal 2026 [3] - UBS upgraded Applied Materials (AMAT) to Buy from Neutral with a price target of $285, raised from $250, based on a more optimistic outlook for wafer fab equipment spending in 2026 and 2027 [4] Downgrades - Argus downgraded Coinbase (COIN) to Hold from Buy with no price target, citing the stock's high valuation at 39 times expected forward earnings compared to lower multiples of other exchanges [5] - Rothschild & Co Redburn downgraded Estee Lauder (EL) to Sell from Neutral with a price target of $70, down from $83, due to the need for deeper investment despite improving sales growth [5] - Canaccord downgraded Exact Sciences (EXAS) to Hold from Buy with a price target of $105, up from $85, following the announcement of an acquisition agreement by Abbott (ABT) at $105 per share [5] - Northland downgraded Green Dot (GDOT) to Market Perform from Outperform with a price target of $14.25, down from $18, after the announcement of complex strategic transactions separating its fintech and bank operations [5] - Barclays downgraded Camden Property (CPT) to Equal Weight from Overweight with a price target of $118, down from $127, as its total return profile is now seen as average compared to the apartment REIT sector [5]

The cryptocurrency marketplace posted a profit of $437.1 million in the third quarter, compared with $75.5 million a year earlier. ...

Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, announced it will suspend new user registrations in Japan starting October 31 as the country’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) prepares to roll out tighter oversight of the crypto sector. In a statement on Wednesday, the exchange said the suspension is part of its “proactive approach” to comply with Japan’s evolving regulatory framework for digital assets. Bybit Hits Pause in Japan — Compliance Move or Caution Signal? According ...

Core Insights - Mastercard is reportedly in late-stage discussions to acquire zerohash, a startup focused on crypto and stablecoin infrastructure, with a potential deal valued between $1.5 billion and $2 billion [2][3] Company Developments - Zerohash recently raised $104 million in a Series D-2 funding round to accelerate product expansion and talent acquisition, driven by increased demand for enterprise-grade on-chain infrastructure [3][4] - The company has established partnerships, including one with Morgan Stanley to enable cryptocurrency trading on E-Trade's platform by 2026, initially allowing trades in bitcoin, ether, and solana [4] - Zerohash will also provide cryptocurrency trading and custody services for OnePay, a FinTech company majority-owned by Walmart, enabling access to bitcoin and ether later this year [5] Market Context - The surge in demand for crypto infrastructure is attributed to growing consumer adoption and new regulatory clarity in the United States and Europe [3] - Mastercard is also competing with Coinbase to acquire BVNK, a FinTech company that specializes in stablecoin payment infrastructure [6]

Core Insights - Robinhood Markets (NASDAQ: HOOD) experienced a significant stock price increase of 38% in September, outperforming the S&P 500 index's 3.5% rise, and has seen a year-to-date increase of 263% [1][2] Group 1: Stock Performance and Market Position - The inclusion of Robinhood in the S&P 500 index at the end of the first week of September acted as a catalyst for the stock's rally, replacing Caesars Entertainment [3] - Being part of the S&P 500 index enhances Robinhood's visibility and attractiveness to index funds, contributing to the rise in its share price [4] Group 2: Operational Metrics - Robinhood's monthly operational update showed strong performance metrics, with equity trading volume more than doubling to $199 billion, and cryptocurrency trading volume reaching nearly $14 billion, reflecting a 154% year-over-year increase [5][6] - The number of funded customers increased by 10%, reaching 26.7 million, indicating growth in the client base and higher trading activity [6] Group 3: Market Sentiment and Analyst Reactions - Analysts responded positively to Robinhood's operational developments, leading to bullish adjustments in their outlook on the company, which further supported positive market sentiment [7] - Robinhood is recognized as a highly dynamic and active brokerage, with significant year-over-year growth in various metrics [8]

Core Viewpoint - Banco Santander has announced the merger of Openbank and Santander Consumer Finance into a single legal entity under the Openbank brand, aiming to streamline its European consumer finance operations, starting with Germany [1][5]. Group 1: Merger Details - The merger is intended to simplify operations and provide competitive financing solutions for partners such as auto manufacturers, dealers, and merchants [2]. - Openbank is Santander's flagship brand for digital-first consumer banking, which will carry the endorsement "by Santander" to emphasize its global banking association [2]. - The merger will allow customers of both Openbank and SCF to access a comprehensive range of offerings through a unified digital platform, providing a single entry point for banking, lending, and payment solutions [4]. Group 2: Operational Scope - Santander Consumer Finance operates in 18 countries with a loan volume exceeding €140 billion, supporting around 16,000 new customers daily across Europe [3]. - Openbank currently operates in Spain, Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands, and has expanded to the US and Mexico [2]. - The combined management of Openbank and SCF has established partnerships with major retailers such as Apple, Amazon, and Vodafone [3]. Group 3: Service Offerings - Openbank provides various services, including an automated investment service known as Robo Advisor, which uses AI tools to offer target prices for European and US stocks [4]. - Openbank has recently introduced a cryptocurrency trading service, further diversifying its offerings [5]. Group 4: Strategic Initiatives - Santander is advancing its commitment to a data and AI-centric approach through collaboration with OpenAI, aiming to position itself as an "AI-native" bank [6].

Group 1 - Coinbase Global Inc. announced a new investment in Indian cryptocurrency exchange CoinDCX, setting its post-money valuation at $2.45 billion [1][3] - This investment builds on previous investments made by Coinbase through its venture capital arm, Coinbase Ventures, highlighting CoinDCX as a "high-growth, financially sound" business expanding in the Middle East [2] - CoinDCX's valuation increased from $2.15 billion in April 2022 to $2.45 billion in this latest funding round [3] Group 2 - CoinDCX claims to have over 20 million users and supports more than 500 cryptocurrencies [4] - Earlier this year, CoinDCX experienced a security breach that resulted in a loss of nearly $44 million from one of its internal operational accounts [4] - Following the announcement, Coinbase shares rose by 0.52% in after-hours trading after a 4.33% decline during the regular trading session [4]