US–Ukraine Agreement

The United States and Ukraine signed an agreement in Washington on Wednesday establishing an investment fund for the reconstruction of the war-torn country and granting President Donald Trump’s administration access to Ukraine’s mineral resources.

Trump had demanded rights over Ukraine’s mineral wealth as compensation for the billions of dollars in American weapons sent during the tenure of former Democratic President Joe Biden, following the Russian invasion just over three years ago.

Rare earths are a group of 17 chemical elements (15 lanthanides plus scandium and yttrium) essential for modern technologies such as solar panels, permanent magnets (used in electric motors), and electronic devices.

Meta: All Systems Go

Meta Platforms reported stronger-than-expected first-quarter results on Wednesday and issued an optimistic outlook highlighting increased investment in artificial intelligence, easing concerns over a slowdown in AI demand.

Meta shares surged over 6% in pre-market trading on Thursday.

For the three months ending 31 March, the company posted earnings of $6.43 per share on revenue of $42.31 billion.

For Q2, Meta projected total revenue between $42.5 billion and $45.5 billion, exceeding the consensus estimate of $43.81 billion.

Ruling Against Apple

A US federal judge ruled that Apple violated a 2021 order requiring the tech giant to allow developers to offer external payment methods (outside the App Store) without being charged commission fees.

Report 05/05/2025

Apple shares dropped over 1% in pre-market trading on Thursday.

Microsoft Recommendations

Goldman Sachs maintained its bullish stance on Microsoft Corporation, raising the tech giant’s price target from $450 to $480 while reiterating a Buy rating.

Currently trading at $395.26, Microsoft’s analyst targets range between $415 and $650, with a consensus recommendation of “Strong Buy.”

According to InvestingPro data, the company holds an overall financial health score of “EXCELLENT” at 3.03 out of 5, supported by strong profitability and growth metrics.

Russia Expands Crypto Market

Russia’s Ministry of Finance and Central Bank are collaborating to launch a centralised cryptocurrency exchange.

This initiative is part of the country’s broader efforts to leverage digital assets to bypass international sanctions.

Both the government and business sector have endorsed the move, with discussions underway on a rouble-backed stablecoin.

Initially, the exchange will be open only to “super-qualified” investors — those holding at least 100 million roubles ($1.2 million) in securities and deposits or with annual incomes above 50 million roubles ($600,000).

Atkins Takes Over as SEC Chair: BTC Boost

Paul Atkins officially assumed his role as Chairman of the SEC. Notably, he holds over $6 million in cryptocurrency exposure and is a vocal advocate for the digital asset ecosystem.

Atkins stated he anticipates “enormous benefits” from blockchain technology through efficiency, risk mitigation, transparency, and cost reduction.

He reaffirmed that one of his goals at the SEC would be to establish “clear regulatory rules” for crypto assets, suggesting that the previous leadership under Gary Gensler had contributed to regulatory and market uncertainty.

“I look forward to engaging with market participants and collaborating with colleagues in President Trump’s administration and Congress to establish a rational and adequate framework for crypto assets,” Atkins said.

Report 05/05/2025

New Bitcoin Whale: Tether

Backed by Japanese conglomerate SoftBank, Tether — the issuer of leading stablecoin USDT — has taken a major step to reposition itself as a top-tier institutional financial player.

Through its parent group, which also controls crypto exchange Bitfinex, Tether has launched Twenty One Capital, a new firm debuting with over 42,000 Bitcoins in treasury.

This makes it the world’s third-largest corporate BTC holder, behind only MicroStrategy and Tesla.

Mastercard Integrates Stablecoins

Mastercard has announced the integration of stablecoins into everyday payments via new tools and partnerships, enabling stablecoins such as USDC to be used as easily as traditional currency.

From buying coffee to sending money abroad, consumers will be able to spend stablecoins at millions of merchants, while businesses receive them seamlessly. This move further solidifies Mastercard’s leadership in the global payments industry.

New Gold Token: XAUT

Tether has released its first official attestation certifying the full physical gold reserves backing its XAUT token.

The Q1 2025 audit confirms that every XAUT in circulation is backed 1:1 by certified and stored physical gold.

According to the report, Tether holds more than 7.7 tonnes of gold in custody, equivalent to 246,523.33 troy ounces, stored in high-security vaults in Switzerland.

Tesla: Entering Its Biggest Innovation Cycle Yet

Tesla is entering what analysts from Wedbush — one of the largest investment firms in the US — describe as the company’s “biggest innovation and technology cycle” in its history.

A $35,000 low-cost model is expected before summer, aiming to significantly boost global EV demand.

Report 05/05/2025

Wedbush has added Tesla to its Best Ideas list and addressed investor concerns regarding CEO Elon Musk’s leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency and its potential impact on Tesla sales.

In addition, the firm noted that Tesla’s primary market was the fastest-growing region for crypto adoption in 2024, up 116% according to payment services provider Triple-A.