Bitwise chief investment officer Matt Hougan believes Solana is positioning itself as the blockchain of choice for Wall Street as institutions look for scalable infrastructure to power the next phase of digital finance. Key Takeaways: Bitwise CIO believes Solana’s speed positions it as Wall Street’s preferred blockchain for stablecoins and tokenization. Hougan says tokenized stocks will reshape payments, stocks, bonds, and real estate. Bitwise sees Solana gaining ground, especially in ETF potential d ...

Cesar Pereira, vice president of business development at Kadena, believes tokenization will transform the way markets operate but not every asset is an ideal candidate. “In the most simplest terms, tokenization is nothing more than taking an asset and digitizing that asset and representing that asset in a digital token format on the blockchain,” Pereira said in an interview with TheStreet Roundtable. From gold and real estate to bonds and private equity, he noted, “literally we can tokenize just about an ...

A recent flood of institutional demand for blockchain technology has helped to mint a new unicorn. Zerohash, a crypto and stablecoin infrastructure company headquartered in Chicago, announced Tuesday that it had raised $104 million at a $1 billion valuation. Interactive Brokers, a publicly traded brokerage, led the round. In a crowded field of infrastructure companies, Zerohash has carved out a name for itself by helping financial institutions and fintechs build out their own products for stablecoins, c ...

Core Insights - Zerohash, a crypto infrastructure startup, has successfully raised $104 million in funding, achieving a valuation of $1 billion, with participation from notable financial firms such as Morgan Stanley and SoFi [1][2][4] Funding and Valuation - The Series D funding round was led by Interactive Brokers, a global automated trading firm, and included investments from funds managed by Apollo [1][2] - The funding aims to accelerate the adoption of blockchain-based products in crypto trading, stablecoins, and tokenization [4] Regulatory Environment - The regulatory landscape for cryptocurrencies has shifted positively under President Donald Trump, moving from skepticism to a more favorable stance, encouraging financial firms to engage with crypto [3][4] - This change has prompted major financial institutions, including Morgan Stanley and Bank of America, to express interest in cryptocurrency involvement [3] Company Operations - Founded in 2017, Zerohash provides banks and fintech firms with the capability to offer blockchain-based products, focusing on three main areas: crypto trading, stablecoins, and tokenization [4] - Interactive Brokers is already utilizing Zerohash for crypto trading and custody, and plans to launch a stablecoin product in collaboration with the firm [4] Future Announcements - While specific details about Morgan Stanley and SoFi's client status were not disclosed, the CEO of Zerohash indicated that announcements regarding these partnerships are forthcoming [5]

Core Insights - Visa Inc. is evolving from a traditional transaction processor to a provider of value-added services (VAS) aimed at enhancing the payment experience for businesses and consumers [1][2] - The company's VAS includes real-time fraud monitoring, AI-driven analytics, digital checkout solutions, and tools for small and medium businesses [1][2] Financial Performance - Visa's value-added services experienced a robust 26% year-over-year growth in constant dollars during Q3 of fiscal 2025, driven by key portfolios such as advisory services, issuing solutions, and acceptance solutions [3][8] - The company's payment volume increased by 8% year-over-year in the same quarter [4] Competitive Landscape - Competitors like Mastercard and American Express are also enhancing their value-added services, focusing on features such as AI-driven fraud detection and secure digital payment options [5][6] - Mastercard's VAS aims to improve payment experiences through innovative solutions, while American Express emphasizes building stronger connections with consumers and businesses [5][6] Valuation Metrics - Visa's shares have risen by 8.1% year-to-date, outperforming the industry average increase of 2.3% [7] - The company trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 26.67, which is above the industry average of 21.49 [9] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Visa's fiscal 2025 earnings suggests a 13.7% increase compared to the previous year [11]

This entire year, we have been putting a spotlight on all of the moves that are being made around crypto within and even outside of the US. Let's just be honest here. Things are accelerating faster than we ever thought possible.And I really do want you guys to realize how amazing this is for the entire crypto space. I'm not the only one that is really noticing this. Narolshi recently put out a post saying the SEC crypto task force met today with several uh companies to discuss convergence of crypto and AI.R ...

Marketing & Communication in Crypto - The crypto industry should value concise, evidence-based storytelling ability, moving beyond on-chain stats like TVL, transaction count, and fees [1] - Most crypto projects focus too much on marginal advantages over market leaders instead of explaining the core value proposition [2] - To attract attention, protocols should focus on stablecoins, tokenization, ETH productive yield, and strategic scarcity via treasuries [3] - Projects need to articulate the important problem they are solving and paint a vision of a better future with their product [4] - Projects should build a community and share the upside, rather than focusing solely on exit liquidity [4] - In 2025, a compelling narrative will be crucial for standing out, as feature lists alone are insufficient [5] Investment & Market Perspective - ETH's current state is comparable to BTC before 2017, gaining institutional recognition and real-world applications, making it attractive to institutional investors [2] - Founders should communicate the deeper motivation behind their projects beyond just financial gain [4] - Examples of compelling narratives include Pudgy Penguins (spreading good vibes), Worldcoin (proof of humanity), Hyperliquid (replacing CEXs), Liquity (decentralized stablecoin), and Polymarket (truth in the fake news era) [4] - New zkEVM L2 for DeFi is considered boring, while visions of blockchain neo-banks are exciting [4]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Consumer spending trends have remained stable, with low unemployment and wage growth supporting purchasing power [7][9] - Cross-border travel growth rate was reported at 16%, indicating a healthy trend despite some volatility in select markets [12][16] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company has seen strong performance in cross-border e-commerce, which remains consistently strong with no changes reported [16] - The commercial payments segment is identified as a significant opportunity, with a serviceable addressable market sized at $80 trillion [66] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company operates in a highly competitive landscape with increased competition from local schemes, international networks, and digital wallets [21][22] - 70% of the company's revenue comes from outside the United States, highlighting the importance of international markets [29] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company emphasizes the importance of trust and flexibility in navigating a complex operating environment influenced by geopolitical and regulatory changes [3][4] - Partnerships with local wallets and digital payment solutions are being pursued to enhance market presence and consumer engagement [32][41] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledges the macroeconomic challenges but emphasizes the company's diversified model and ability to adapt to various economic conditions [10][96] - The company is optimistic about the growth potential in emerging markets and the ongoing digital transformation in payments [30][64] Other Important Information - The company is focusing on tokenization as a foundational layer for enhancing security and programmability in transactions [43][45] - Recent partnerships, such as with Alipay and GCash, aim to extend the use of local e-wallets for cross-border payments [33][36] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are the consumer spending trends? - Consumer spending trends have remained stable, supported by low unemployment and wage growth [7][9] Question: Can you discuss cross-border travel trends? - Cross-border travel growth rate is at 16%, with some volatility in select markets but overall solid performance [12][16] Question: How is the competitive environment affecting the company? - The market is highly competitive with various players, but the company is winning through trust and tailored solutions [21][22] Question: What is the company's approach to tokenization? - Tokenization is growing rapidly, with 35% of all switch transactions already tokenized, enhancing security and user experience [44][45] Question: How does the company view the role of stablecoins? - Stablecoins are seen as having potential in B2B and cross-border payments, with the company ready to enable stablecoin settlement when regulatory clarity is achieved [56][64]

Summary of Mastercard (MA) FY Conference Call - May 13, 2025 Company Overview - **Company**: Mastercard (MA) - **Industry**: Payments and IT Services Key Points and Arguments Macro Economic Insights - **Consumer Spending**: Strong consumer spending observed in Q1, indicating a healthy consumer environment [6][7] - **Unemployment Rates**: Unemployment levels are at record lows, contributing to consumer spending power [8][9] - **Wage Growth vs. Inflation**: Wage growth is exceeding inflation in most markets, maintaining consumer purchasing power [10][11] Cross-Border Spending - **Trends**: Overall cross-border spending trends remain stable, with a year-to-date growth of approximately 16% in local currency [14] - **Moderation in Specific Markets**: Notable moderation in cross-border travel spending in select markets in the Middle East and Africa [13] Financial Performance and Guidance - **Q1 Performance**: Slightly ahead of expectations due to higher FX volatility and lower rebates and incentives than anticipated [16][17] - **Future Guidance**: Anticipated impacts from FX volatility, lapping of new deals, and the Capital One debit book migration [15][22] Strategic Partnerships and Investments - **CorePay Investment**: Minority investment in CorePay to enhance cross-border payment capabilities, focusing on large ticket payments [30][34] - **Acquisition of Recorded Future**: Acquisition aimed at enhancing cybersecurity capabilities through threat intelligence [56][59] Technology and Innovation - **Mastercard Agent Pay**: New solution aimed at enabling commerce transactions through agents, leveraging tokenization for secure payments [36][38] - **Tokenization Growth**: Approximately 35% of Mastercard's switched transactions are tokenized, leading to improved authorization rates and reduced fraud [43][45] Value-Added Services - **Service Portfolio Growth**: Growth driven by security products, consumer engagement, business insights, and other solutions [49][52] - **Recurring Revenue**: About 85% of value-added services revenue is based on recurring revenue, indicating sustainable growth potential [54] Market Position and Strategy - **Customer Engagement**: Emphasis on strong customer engagement and solution selling to retain and grow business relationships [25][26] - **M&A Strategy**: Focus on acquiring companies that align with Mastercard's strategy and can drive exponential growth [62][66] Stablecoins - **Position on Stablecoins**: Mastercard views stablecoins as an important evolution in payments, enabling settlement on their network [67][71] Closing Remarks - **Volatility Management**: Mastercard is focused on executing its strategy amidst market volatility, leveraging strong fundamentals and secular tailwinds [74][76] Additional Important Insights - **Diverse Customer Base**: Recorded Future serves a diverse customer base, including corporates and governments, enhancing Mastercard's cybersecurity offerings [58] - **Synergistic Partnerships**: Collaboration with CorePay aims to combine strengths in large and small ticket cross-border payments [32][34] This summary encapsulates the key insights and strategic directions discussed during the Mastercard FY Conference Call, highlighting the company's performance, market trends, and future outlook.