⏱️ State of Crypto This Week: Your 60-second review• YouTube enables PYUSD stablecoin payouts for US creators, with PayPal's May Zabaneh emphasizing the platform doesn't have to touch crypto while simplifying creator payments.• CFTC scraps 'actual delivery' crypto guidance under Acting Chairman Caroline Pham, giving exchanges more flexibility after withdrawing outdated commodity guidance finalized in 2020.• SEC Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw criticizes crypto industry in final weeks, saying standards have " ...

Core Insights - The concept of 'hybrid finance' is emerging as blockchain technology integrates with traditional financial systems, creating a new infrastructure that neither sector could develop independently [2][3][9] - Major financial institutions, including BlackRock and J.P. Morgan, are actively participating in the blockchain space, indicating a shift from traditional finance being an observer to a builder on public blockchains [4][5] Hybrid Finance Development - Stablecoin transaction volumes are now comparable to those of Visa and Mastercard, with projections estimating a US$3 trillion market by 2030 [3] - Tokenised assets, particularly in private credit and US Treasuries, have more than doubled in 2025, showcasing significant growth in this sector [3] - AAVE, a decentralized finance (DeFi) lending protocol, has achieved liquidity levels comparable to the largest banks in the U.S. [3] Bitcoin's Mainstream Adoption - U.S. spot ETFs have attracted over US$90 billion, and corporate treasuries now hold over one million BTC across 190 public companies, nearly quadrupling in the last eighteen months [5] - The report anticipates further mainstreaming of Bitcoin in 2026, with major financial institutions opening Bitcoin ETF allocations and providing direct settlement services [6] Price Forecasts - CoinShares outlines three potential Bitcoin price scenarios for 2026: a soft landing could push prices beyond US$150,000, stable growth may see prices range between US$110,000 and US$140,000, while stagflation or recession could create near-term pressure [7] Platform Competition - Ethereum remains the dominant platform for hybrid finance, with US$13 billion in ETF net inflows, while Solana has increased its stablecoin supply from US$1.8 billion to US$12 billion since January 2024 [8] - Hyperliquid, a derivatives platform, has processed nearly US$3 trillion in cumulative volume, returning 99% of revenue to token holders [8] Regulatory Landscape - The EU's MiCA framework provides legal certainty for digital assets, while the U.S. GENIUS Act classifies payment stablecoins as non-securities, creating new demand for U.S. government debt [9][10] - Asia is adopting Basel-inspired standards, with Hong Kong finalizing crypto capital requirements effective January 2026 [10] Industry Transformation - Bitcoin miners are transitioning into diversified compute infrastructure providers, announcing US$65 billion in contracts with hyperscalers [11] - Prediction markets are gaining mainstream relevance, with Intercontinental Exchange investing up to US$2 billion in Polymarket, which is now seen as a reliable forecasting system [11]

Key Takeaways EXOD posts 51% revenue growth and an 82% rise in Q3 swap volume.Partner additions and entry into stablecoin payments boost momentum.EXOD holds $315M in liquid assets and trades at a 1.41X price-to-book ratio.Exodus Movement (EXOD) is growing fast as a self-custodial wallet and Web3 financial services solution provider. Exodus Movement revenues climbed 51% year over year on the back of rising digital asset prices throughout 2025. The company also saw 82% year-over-year growth in swap volume in ...

Core Insights - PayPal Holdings' stock has decreased by 27.5% year-to-date due to macroeconomic uncertainties, increased competition, and tariff-related challenges in Asia [1][7] - Competitors like Visa and Mastercard have seen stock gains of 5.7% and 3.5% respectively, intensifying pressure on PayPal's market position [1] Strategic Transformation - PayPal is evolving from a payments company to a comprehensive commerce platform, introducing tools like "PayPal Ads Manager" and "PayPal links" to enhance user engagement and revenue generation for small businesses [3][4] - The launch of "PayPal World" integrates multiple payment systems and digital wallets, expanding access for merchants and consumers [3] Growth Drivers - Venmo is a key growth driver, with Q3 2025 revenues increasing by 20% year-over-year and total payment volume (TPV) growing by 14% [8] - Branded experiences also contribute to growth, with TPV increasing by 8% on a currency-neutral basis in Q3 2025, outpacing online-only branded checkout TPV growth [9] Valuation and Estimates - PayPal shares are currently trading at a low valuation, with a forward 12-month P/E of 10.62X compared to the industry average of 20.25X and competitors like Visa and Mastercard [10] - Positive estimate revisions indicate expected earnings growth, with 2025 earnings projected at $5.34 per share, reflecting a 14.8% increase over 2024 [11] Long-term Opportunities - The company is focusing on four key growth areas: enhancing checkout experiences, scaling Venmo, improving payment services profitability, and investing in AI and stablecoins [13] - PayPal's scale, with over $458.1 billion in quarterly TPV, provides resilience and strengthens its long-term investment case [14]

Core Insights - Upstart Holdings (UPST) is diversifying its business beyond personal loans, with new verticals like auto, home, and small-dollar loans becoming significant contributors to its platform [1][8] - In Q3, these new products accounted for nearly 12% of total originations and 22% of new borrowers, indicating substantial growth [1][8] Business Performance - Auto lending is the fastest-growing segment, with Upstart doubling its active lending rooftops and expanding into four additional states, achieving over 70% sequential growth in auto-retail transaction volume [2] - Year-over-year, transaction volumes for auto, home, and small-dollar loans each increased by approximately 300% [2][8] - Home lending is also advancing, with automation improvements raising automatic HELOC approvals from below 1% in June to about 20% in October [3] Funding and Investor Confidence - Upstart added seven new bank and credit union partners in Q3, achieving record monthly funding capacity and maintaining 100% retention across private-credit partners [4] - The September securitization was oversubscribed across all tranches, reflecting strong investor confidence as the company expands into various credit categories [4] Competitive Landscape - Other fintechs like PayPal and Intuit are also diversifying their offerings, with PayPal expanding into merchant services and consumer credit products, while Intuit is building a broader financial ecosystem [5][6] Valuation and Estimates - Upstart shares have declined 24% over the past six months, underperforming the broader industry and the S&P 500 [7] - The current forward 12-month Price/Sales (P/S) ratio for Upstart is 3.00X, slightly below the industry average of 3.06X, indicating that shares may be overvalued [9] - The full-year 2025 Zacks Consensus Estimate for EPS has been revised upward, while the estimate for 2026 has seen downward revisions, though both suggest significant year-over-year increases [10]

Core Insights - Upstart Holdings (UPST) is expanding its services beyond personal loans, leveraging its AI-powered platform to enter new markets such as auto loans, home equity, and small-dollar credit, with these segments accounting for nearly 20% of new borrowers in Q2 2025 [1][8] - The company has more than doubled its revenues year over year and achieved GAAP profitability earlier than expected [1] Auto Lending - Auto loan originations surged 87% sequentially to $114 million in Q2 2025, driven by the adoption of Upstart's Auto Retail software among car dealerships [2][8] - A focus on simplifying financing has led to increased dealer-driven loan requests and finalized agreements [2] Home Equity - The home equity segment has seen a nearly ninefold increase in originations year over year, reaching $68 million, facilitated by advancements in instant property verification technology [3][8] - This technology allows borrowers to complete ownership and income checks in under a minute, streamlining the traditionally slow HELOC process [3] Small-Dollar Loans - Small-dollar "relief" loans have increased by 40% sequentially as Upstart tests its AI models across a broader borrower base [4] - The latest underwriting model, Model 22, has improved accuracy and conversion rates, supporting the growth of these new verticals [4] Diversification Strategy - Upstart plans to move most Auto and Home loans off its balance sheet by late 2025, relying on third-party funding and partnerships with banks and credit unions to support this diversification [4] Industry Comparisons - Other fintech companies like PayPal and Intuit are also diversifying their revenue streams, with PayPal expanding into merchant solutions and consumer credit, while Intuit has developed a full financial ecosystem [5][6] Valuation and Performance - Upstart's shares have increased by 16.8% over the past six months, although this performance lags behind the broader industry and the S&P 500 [7] - The current forward 12-month Price/Sales (P/S) ratio for Upstart is 3.77X, which is above the industry average of 3.52X, indicating that the shares may be overvalued [9] Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimates for EPS for the full years 2025 and 2026 have been revised downward, but they still indicate significant year-over-year increases [10]

Stablecoin issuer Paxos said it mistakenly minted $300 trillion of PayPal’s PYUSD stablecoin Wednesday before burning the tokens minutes later https://t.co/JQPexyjZn6 ...

Growth Metrics - PayPal's PYUSD stablecoin circulating supply nearly doubled in the past month, increasing by approximately 92% from ~$13 billion to ~$25 billion [1] - PYUSD is the fastest-growing stablecoin on both ETH and Solana during the specified period [1]

Core Insights - PayPal's stock price has rebounded this week, continuing a trend that began in late September when it was trading at $65.30 [1] - The rebound is attributed to the company's stablecoin growth and increased investor interest [1] Company Performance - The stock price recovery indicates positive market sentiment towards PayPal, reflecting confidence in its business model and future growth prospects [1] - The stablecoin segment is a significant driver of this growth, suggesting that PayPal is successfully capitalizing on emerging trends in digital currencies [1]

Stablecoin Expansion - PayPal's PYUSD stablecoin expands to nine new blockchains [1] - LayerZero, an interoperability protocol, unveils additional support for PYUSD [1]