BLOCKCHAINEXECUTIVE
• RobinhoodPartnerswithMetaMasktoStreamlineCryptoTradeExperience
• ElSalvadorBitcoinPresidentCelebratesElectionVictory
• ArgentinePresidentApprovesCryptoTaxLawReform
• DisneyPromotesNewNFTPlatformFlow
• VertuLaunchesMetavertu2LuxurySmartphonewithAI&BlockchainFeatures
• AWSMarketplace:LatestBlockchainProducts
• DAPPRADAR:TopCryptoTokens
(MENLOPARK,California(Feb6,2024)–RobinhoodMarkets,Inc(NASDQ:HOODo),Ina strategicmovetobridgethegapbetweentraditionalfinancialservicesanddecentralized finance(DeFi), Robinhood Markets,Inchasannouncedagroundbreakingpartnershipwith MetaMask,themostpopularcryptowallet,aproductofConsenSys.Thiscollaborationaimsto simplifyandenhancetheuserexperiencefortradingandretailtransactionsincryptocurrencies, addressingthegrowingdemandforaccessibleandtrustworthysolutionsinthedecentralized financeecosystem
MetamaskWalletApp
TheintegrationofRobinhood'scost-efficientorderenginewithMetaMask'sleadingcrypto wallet,willresultintheRobinhoodConnectpartnershipThisfeatureenablesMetaMaskusers tofundtheirwalletsseamlessly,providinganautonomousandsecuresolutionforaccessing Web3services.
LorenzoSantosofConsenSys,developersofMetaMask,emphasizedthesignificanceof offeringMetaMaskusersvariousretailDeFiassolutionsoptionsfromtrustedserviceproviders.
RobinhoodMarketsInc.ReportsQ4andFull2023Results
• 2023RecordRevenuesof$1.9billion,up37%year-over-year,including$471millionin Q4
• NetpositivetransfersfromeverymajorbrokeragecompetitorfuelsstrongNetDeposits
• of$4.6billioninQ4
• Q4GAAPnetincomeof$30million,or$003pershare,andAdjustedEBITDAof $133million
“2023wasastrongyearasourproductvelocitycontinuedtoaccelerate,ourtradingmarket shareincreased,andwestartedtoexpandglobally,”saidVladTenev,CEOandCo-Founderof Robinhood.“Andwe'reofftoanevenbetterstartin2024,aswe'vealreadybroughtinmore FundedCustomersandNetDepositsthroughthefirsthalfofQ1thanwedidinallofQ42023.”
“Wedeliveredsignificantprofitablegrowthin2023,”saidJasonWarnick,ChiefFinancialOfficer ofRobinhood“Wedroverecordfull-yearrevenuesandsubstantiallyhighermargins,andinQ4 wehadpositiveGAAPnetincomeIn2024,weaimtocontinuedeliveringprofitablegrowthas weworktomaximizeearningspershareovertimetodrivelong-termshareholdervalue”
FourthQuarterResults:
• Totalnetrevenuesincreased24%year-over-yearto$471million,duetohighernet interest,transaction-based,andotherrevenues.
• Netinterestrevenuesincreased41%year-over-yearto$236million,drivenbygrowthin interest-earningassetsandhighershortterminterestrates
• Transaction-basedrevenuesincreased8%year-over-yearto$200million,primarily drivenbycryptocurrenciesrevenueof$43million,up10%,equitiesrevenueof $25million,up19%,partiallyoffsetbyoptionsrevenueof$121million,down2%.
• Otherrevenuesincreased30%year-over-yearto$35million,primarilydrivenbyhigher revenuesfromGoldsubscriptionsandSherwoodMedia.
• Netincomeincreasedyear-over-yearto$30million,orearningspershare(EPS)of$0.03, comparedwithanetlossof$166million,orEPSof-$019,inQ42022
• Totaloperatingexpensesdecreased17%year-over-yearto$445million
• AdjustedOperatingExpenses(non-GAAP)increased14%year-over-yearto$364million
• Share-basedcompensation(SBC)decreased49%year-over-yearto$81million
• AdjustedEBITDA(non-GAAP)increased62%year-over-yearto$133million.
• FundedCustomers(previouslyNetCumulativeFundedAccounts,pleasesee"Key PerformanceMetrics"belowformoreinformation)increasedby420thousand year-over-yearto23.4million.
• AssetsUnderCustody(AUC)increased65%year-over-yearto$1026billion,primarily drivenbycontinuedNetDepositsandhigherequityvaluations
• NetDepositswere$46billion,whichtranslatestoanannualizedgrowthrateof21% relativetoAUCattheendofQ32023Overthepasttwelvemonths,NetDepositswere $17.1billion,whichtranslatestoagrowthrateof27%relativetoAUCattheendofQ4 2022.
• Goldsubscribersincreased25%year-over-yearto1.42million.
• AverageRevenuePerUser(ARPU)increasedby23%year-over-yearto$81.
Cashandcashequivalentstotaled$48billioncomparedwith$63billionattheendofQ42022 Thedecreasewasprimarilydrivenbythepurchaseof55millionRobinhoodshares,movement ofsomecorporatecashintoinvestments,andtheacquisitionofX1Inc(now"Robinhood Credit").
ElSalvador'sBukeleRe-ElectedasPresidentinLandslideWin
SANSALVADOR,(Feb.4,2024)–IncumbentcandidateofElSalvador,PresidentNayibBukele wonanotherterminofficeinElSalvador'selections,despitevotersconcernsovertheerosionof democracyduringabrutalgangcrackdownintheCentralAmericancountry
InitialresultsshowedBukelewinning83%support,withjustover70%oftheballotscounted Bukeledeclaredhimselfthewinnerbeforefinalresultswereannounced,claimingtohave attainedmorethan85%ofthevote.
BitcoinLaw
ThegovernmentofElSalvadorpurchased₿400,worthabout$20.9millionatpurchasedate,on September6.OnSeptember7,2021,theBitcoinLawcameintoeffectandbitcoinbecamelegal tenderinElSalvador,makingitthefirstcountryintheworldtoadoptacryptocurrency
ThegovernmentannouncedanairdropofUS$30inbitcointocitizenswhosigneduptousean electronicwalletcalled‘Chivo’(Salvadoreanslangfor'cool'),atacostofupto$75million
TheChivowalletisrunbyaprivateenterprise,butinformationregardingtheplatformandits policiesarecontrolledbythegovernment.MostSalvadoreansareunbanked,illiterate,and lackedinternetaccessduringthecryptorollout.
ThetextoftheBitcoinLawstatesthat,“thepurposeofthislawistoregulatebitcoinas unrestrictedlegaltenderwithliberatingpower,unlimitedinanytransaction,andtoanytitlethat publicorprivatenaturalorlegalpersonsrequirecarryingout”
Accordingpublicinformationreportedonnayibtrackercom,ElSalvadorheld 2,762bitcoin,with anaveragepriceof$42,433.42andacurrentmarketvalueofover$115millionDec4,2023.
BUENOSAIRES(Jan.31,2024)–ArgentinePresidentJavierMileihassubmitteda reformbill to Congress,proposingfar-reachingchangestothecountry'staxsystem,cryptotaxes,electoral lawandpublicdebtmanagement
Argentinaended2023with211%inflation,thehighestinmorethanthreedecades
PresentJavierMileistartedtorelaxcurrencyandpricecontrolsinstitutedbyprevious administrations.
Mileihaschosentoremoveaproposedcryptocurrencytaxregimefromacontroversial omnibusreformbill.
Currently,holdingcryptoormakingpaymentsisnotandwouldnotbetaxed.
Incometaxesapplytotheprofitmadefromthesaleofdigitalassets,aboveaspecified threshold
DisneyPromotesNewNFTPlatformFlow
BURBANK,California(Nov.14,2023)–WaltDisneyCompany(NASDAQ:DIS)
Disneywilllaunchan“all-newsociallydrivencollectibleexperience,”calledDisneyPinnaclelater thisyear,tokenizingcharactersfromPixar,StarWars,anditsclassicanimatedfilmsinto tradabledigitalpinsTheDisneyPinnaclewebsitehasawaitlistforinterestedtradersand collectors
AccordingtoaStatista report,revenuesfromtheNFTmarketareexpectedtoreach $3.162billionby2027,representingacompoundannualgrowthrateof18.55%.IntheNFT market.Thenumberofusersisexpectedtoreach19.31millionby2027.
TheWaltDisneyCompany4QandFull-YearEarningsReportforFISCALYear2023
TheWaltDisneyCompanyreportedearningsforitsfourthquarterandfullyearended September30,2023.
Revenuesforthequarterandyeargrew5%and7%comparedtotheprior-yearquarterandprior year,respectively
Dilutedearningspershare(EPS)fromcontinuingoperationsforthequarterincreasedto$014 from$009inthenprior-yearquarterandfortheyear,decreasedto$129from,$175intheprior year
Excludingcertainitems,dilutedEPSforthequarterincreasedto$0.82from$0.30inthe prior-yearquarterandfortheyear,increasedto$3.76from$3.53intheprioryear.
KeyPoints:
• Disney+addednearly7millioncoresubscribersinthefourthquarter.Keystreaming contentinthequarterincludedtheatricaltitlesElemental,LittleMermaidandGuardians oftheGalaxyVol3,originalseriesAhsokaandtheKoreanoriginalseriesMoving
• DomesticESPNrevenueandoperatingincomegrewyearoveryearinbothfiscalyear 2022andfiscalyear2023,demonstratingthevalueofsportsandthepoweroftheESPN brand.
• Experiencesoperatingincomeincreasedbyover30%versustheprior-yearquarter,with yearoveryeargrowthacrossallinternationalsites,DisneyCruiseLine,DisneyVacation ClubandDisneylandResortAtWaltDisneyWorld,wecontinuetomanageagainstwage inflationandchallengingcomparisonstotheprioryearfromthe50thanniversary celebration
• Wecontinuetoaggressivelymanageourcostbase,andhaveincreasedourannualized efficiencytargetto$7.5billion,versus$5.5billionpreviously.
• Weexpecttogrowfreecashflowinfiscal2024significantlyversusfiscal2023, approachinglevelslastseenpre-pandemic.Thiscontinuedrobustfreecashflow growth,alongsideourstrongbalancesheet,willpositionuswelltoaddressour investmentandshareholdergoalsfortheyearandgoingforward
“Ourresultsthisquarterreflectthesignificantprogresswe’vemadeoverthepastyear,”said RobertA.Iger,ChiefExecutiveOfficer,TheWaltDisneyCompany.“Whilewestillhaveworkto do,theseeffortshaveallowedustomovebeyondthisperiodoffixingandbeginbuildingour businessesagain.Wehaveasolidfoundationofcreativeexcellenceandinnovationbuiltover thepastcentury,whichhasonlybeenreinforcedbytheimportantrestructuringandcost efficiencyworkwe’vedonethisyear,andwe’reontracktoachieveroughly$75billionincost
reductionsCombinedwithourportfolioofvaluablebusinesses,brandsandassets–thewaywe managethemtogether–Disneyhasastronghandthatdifferentiatesusfromothersinour industry.”
“Aswelookforward,therearefourkeybuildingopportunitiesthatwillbecentraltoour success:achievingsignificantandsustainedprofitabilityinourstreamingbusiness,building ESPNintothepreeminentdigitalsportsplatform,improvingtheoutputandeconomicsofourfilm studios,andturbocharginggrowthinourparksandexperiencesbusinessWehavealready madeconsiderableadvancementsinthesefourareasandwillcontinuetomoveforwardwitha senseofpurposeandurgency,andI’mbullishabouttheopportunitieswehavebeforeusto createlastinggrowthandincreaseshareholdervalue.”
AssetTokenizationSolution
• LaunchTokensforequity,bond,realestatefunds
• Investorshares
• InvestorKYC/AMLand accreditation/qualificationstatus
• Transferrestrictions–Peer-to-Peercompliant
• transfers
• SecuritiesRecovery
• Voting
• Dividend
• Vesting
• DocumentsDistributionande-signatures
• CAPTableManagement
CHURCHCROOKHAM,Hampshire(Feb.4,2024)–Luxurysmartphonemaker,Vertu,launched theVertuumeta2,aWeb3smartphoneThedesignisacontinuationoftheclassicBritishstyle Thebackcoverhasthedesignthemeofashield,tosymbolizeprotection;a678-inchbright glass,fullscreenbluediamondarrangement,thatisimpact-resistant.
TheMETA2camerafeaturesdoubleanti-vibration,sapphirecrystalasthemirror,improvingthe wearresistance,andensureshighlighttransmittanceThe35mmmaincameraopticsis designedforthehumaneye,toofferphoto-realisticpictures
Thephonehasthreesystemswithindependentoperatingmodes:
MAINSYSTEMfordailylife, LUXURYTHEME+smoothoperation, METASPACE,whichallowstoaccesstheweb3world,conductcryptocurrencytransactions, andmanagementofdigitalassetsTheGhostsystemVPNprovidesownerswithahighlevelof privacy,andsecurityOnceasessionisended,alltracesofbrowsinghistoryareautomatically deleted.
Meta2ispoweredtheQualcomm4nmSnapdragon8Gen2chipthatwasintroducedin2022, andmanufacturedatTMSC(4NAP).ItIntegratesfouruniqueCPUclusterswithafastandbig primecorebasedontheARMCortex-X3architecture,thatisclockedatupto32GHzfor64bit applications
AccordingtoVertudesigners,“OneofourmainfunctionsinMETA2istomakemobilephones becomeour’secondbrain’.“WeaddedanAIassistanttoMETA2,andadoptedacombinationof distributedlanguagemodelandtrainingmodelLettheAIassistantlearnandunderstandyour needsandpreferencesincombinationwiththevariousdatageneratedinthemobilephone (includingyourpersonalinterestsandhobbies,etc)intheprocessofcommunication,soasto establishanindependentpersonaldatabasededicatedtoyouforcorresponding recommendations,inordertobemoreintelligentandunderstandyoubetter,youcancustomize yourAIpartner.”
VertuMeta2LuxurySmartphone
AWSMarketplace:LatestBlockchainProducts
Vendor Product Immutable Blockchaindevelopment Apps4Rent HyperledgerfabriconUbuntu2004for blockchain
HCLTech Assettokenization
CodeCreator Opensource(Geth)Ethereum TronBlockchain Tron(fullnode),privatelyuseTRONnetwork
DAPPRADAR-TopTokens(Feb13,2024)
BitcoinBTC$5994k+0509%+425%+1675%$224B$94499B
EthereumETH$268k+066%+79%+1548%$82B$30071B
TetherUSDT$1+009%-01%+009%$2885B$9647B
BinanceBNB$32676+0459%+838%+3%$51382M$4924B
SolanaSOL$11395+069%+939%+21%$151B$4657B
XRPXRP$052+011%+189%+494%$72681M$2855B
USDcoinUSDC$0999+006%-016%-006%$378B$2791B
LidoSTETH$268k+064%+795%+1549%$512M$2406B
CardanoADA$0553+036%+356%+1257%$4734M$1944B
AvalancheAVAX$3944+0819%+%155+%1525$84714M$1511B
Blackrock’sBitcoinETFreached100,000BTCundermanagementasinflowssurpassedanother recordat$6313millionCryptoinvestmentswerebuoyedbyBTCsoaringpast$50Kforthe firsttimesinceDecember2021.AccordingtoCTMarketsPro(Feb.14,2024),Bitcoin’smarket capwasvaluedat$982.42billion.