Skybridge Capital founder Anthony Scaramucci anticipates a significant increase in Bitcoin&#8217;s value, foreseeing a potential shift towards a less politicized regulatory environment for cryptocurrencies under <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/11/41866624/scaramucci-on-trump-win-i-got-it-wrong-im-not-going-to-whine-about-it">the upcoming U.S. administration</a>.



What Happened: Scaramucci, who will be a headline speaker at Benzinga's upcoming <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/events/digital-assets/agenda/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Future of Digital Assets</a> event on Tuesday, expressed optimism about U.S. crypto policy in a recent interview <a href="https://www.home.saxo/en-gb/insights/us-elections">with</a> Saxo.



Being a significant investor in Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) and Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>), Scaramucci believes that a depoliticized regulatory landscape could fuel growth in the decentralized finance and blockchain sectors.



Scaramucci predicts Bitcoin&#8217;s value could surge to $150,000 if the regulatory issues are addressed. He also mentioned that ex-U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Jay Clayton and former Acting Comptroller of the Currency Brian Brooks are allegedly working on a &#8220;100-day plan&#8221; to revise stablecoin legislation and clarify asset classifications. 



According to Scaramucci, this move could greatly benefit the cryptocurrency sector.



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/06/39447328/anthony-scaramucci-says-crypto-will-soar-if-this-presidential-candidate-wins-the-election-">Anthony Scaramucci Says Crypto Will Soar If This Presidential Candidate Wins The Election: &#8216;I Think We&#8217;ll See All-Time Highs For Bitcoin And Other Assets&#8217;</a>



Despite his endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris over Donald Trump for the 2024 presidential race, Scaramucci recognized Trump&#8217;s positive stance on cryptocurrencies and expressed his readiness to contribute to shaping crypto regulations if given the opportunity. 



However, he cautioned that Trump&#8217;s isolationist policies could potentially impact the U.S. economy negatively.



&#8220;I think Bitcoin has been suppressed by U.S. faulty politicized regulation and so this is one of the good things about the Trump administration they're going to depoliticize the cryptocurrency regulations be very good for crypto,&#8221; he said during the interview. 



Why It Matters: The potential shift towards a less politicized regulatory environment for cryptocurrencies could lead to significant growth in the defi and blockchain sectors. 



This change, coupled with the proposed updates to stablecoin legislation and asset categorizations, could provide a more favorable environment for cryptocurrencies, potentially driving their values higher. 



Scaramucci&#8217;s prediction of Bitcoin reaching $150,000 reflects this optimism. However, the impact of political changes on the regulatory landscape remains to be seen.



Read Next



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/05/39020792/bitcoin-to-hit-1-million-in-next-10-to-18-months-says-crypto-analyst-were-still-so-early-i" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin To Hit $1 Million In Next 10 To 18 Months, Says Crypto Analyst: ‘We're Still So Early In The Bitcoin Story'</a>

Cryptocurrency

News

Markets

$BTC

$SOL

Scaramucci: Trump's Crypto Support Could Push Bitcoin To $150K

President-elect Donald Trump has selected Chris Wright, a prominent figure in the fracking industry and a generous donor, to lead the Department of Energy.



What Happened: As per a <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/4994399-trump-taps-fracking-ceo-chris-wright-for-energy-secretary/">report</a> by The Hill, Trump lauded Wright&#8217;s vast experience in the energy sector. Wright, who is the CEO of&nbsp;Liberty Energy Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LBRT#NYSE">LBRT</a>), a company specializing in fracking and oilfield services, will require Senate approval to take up the position of energy secretary.



Trump said that Wright will be a part of the National Energy Council that will be headed by Interior Secretary-designate Doug Burgum, who is currently the governor of North Dakota. The council&#8217;s main objective will be to cut down regulations and increase investments to boost oil and gas production.



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/41964758/trumps-attorney-general-pick-matt-gaetz-once-proposed-collecting-federal-income-taxes-in-bitcoin-apart-from-co-sponsoring-bill-to-abolish-the-fed?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump&#8217;s Attorney General Pick Matt Gaetz Once Proposed Collecting Federal Income Taxes In Bitcoin, Apart</a>



In a video uploaded to LinkedIn last year, Wright said, "There is no climate crisis, and we're not in the midst of an energy transition either.&#8221;



Despite the U.S. setting oil production records under the Biden administration, Trump has expressed his desire to ramp up drilling activities once he assumes office. He has also been a vocal supporter of the fracking industry.



Why It Matters: The nomination of Wright, a key player in the fracking industry, signals Trump&#8217;s commitment to boost oil and gas production. The move could potentially lead to increased drilling activities and a greater focus on fracking, despite the U.S. already setting oil production records.



The implications of this decision could be far-reaching, impacting both the energy sector and the nation&#8217;s environmental policies.



Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/11/41961033/gene-munster-says-elon-musks-doge-efficiency-plans-should-not-be-underestimated-but-warns-itll-likely-take-many-years-to-achieve-2-trillion-in-government-spending?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gene Munster Says Elon Musk&#8217;s DOGE Efficiency Plans Should Not Be Underestimated</a>



This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.



Image: Wikimedia Commons

Politics

LBRT

Trump Taps Liberty Energy CEO Chris Wright For Energy Secretary

Benzinga examined the prospects for<a href="http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas"> many investors&#8217; favorite stocks</a> over the last week — here&#8217;s a look at some of our top stories.



The major indexes, which had been climbing following Trump&#8217;s election victory, lost momentum this week, with the S&amp;P 500 down 2.1%, the Nasdaq dropping 3.2%, and the Dow shedding 1.2%. 



October consumer inflation matched expectations, but producer inflation exceeded forecasts, sparking concerns about the sustainability of disinflation as the year closes. 



Investor sentiment weakened further after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell made unexpectedly hawkish comments, emphasizing the Fed&#8217;s cautious approach and lack of urgency to reduce interest rates. As a result, market expectations for a December rate cut have significantly decreased, leaving traders uncertain <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/24/11/42018463/trumps-post-election-rally-fades-dollar-surges-to-over-1-year-highs-powell-puts-december-interest-rate-cut-into-question-this-week-in-the-market">about the Fed's next steps.</a>



Benzinga provides daily reports on the stocks most popular with investors. Here are a few of this past week&#8217;s most bullish and bearish posts that are worth another look.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">The Bulls</h3>



&#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/11/41988194/trump-plans-to-erase-ev-tax-credit-analyst-says-its-net-bullish-calls-sell-off-wrong-knee-jerk-reaction">Trump Plans To Erase EV Tax Credit: Tesla Analyst Says It&#8217;s &#8216;Net Bullish,&#8217; Calls Sell-Off &#8216;Wrong Knee-Jerk Reaction&#8217;</a>,&#8221; by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/adam-eckert">Adam Eckert</a>, discusses Donald Trump&#8217;s plan to end the $7,500 EV tax credit, which initially caused a sell-off in Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) shares. However, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives sees it as a &#8220;net bullish&#8221; move for Tesla long-term, with minimal impact due to the company's strong market position.



&#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/41897397/bitcoin-to-peak-between-100k-150k-solana-to-top-600-this-cycle-say-hedge-funds-vcs">Bitcoin To Peak Between $100K-150K, Solana To Top $600 This Cycle, Say Hedge Funds, VCs</a>,&#8221; by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/aniket-verma">Aniket Verma</a> reveals predictions from venture capital and hedge fund managers that Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) could peak at $150,000 and Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>) at $600 this bull cycle, reflecting tempered optimism amid recent market volatility.



&#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/sports/24/11/42015289/disney-q4-report-had-a-lot-to-like-analyst-calls-it-a-high-quality-profit-growth-performer">Disney Q4 Earnings Show &#8216;A Lot To Like&#8217;: Analyst Calls It &#8216;High-Quality&#8217; Profit Growth Performer</a>,&#8221; by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/chris-katje">Chris Katje</a>, highlights The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIS#NYSE">DIS</a>) exceeding Q4 direct-to-consumer profit estimates and unveiling multi-year guidance, prompting analysts like Guggenheim&#8217;s Michael Morris to raise price targets, citing double-digit EPS growth expected by 2026.



For additional bullish calls of the past week, check out the following:



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/price-target/24/11/41884655/bank-of-america-predicts-positive-stock-re-rating-for-wells-fargo-after-asset-cap-removal">Bank Of America Predicts Positive Stock Re-Rating For Wells Fargo After Asset Cap Removal</a>



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/41890600/anthony-scaramucci-optimistic-of-a-us-strategic-bitcoin-reserve-trumps-victory-accelerated-the-cycle">Anthony Scaramucci Optimistic On US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve: &#8216;Trump&#8217;s Victory Accelerated The Cycle&#8217;</a>



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/11/41991912/sam-altman-backed-oklo-reports-q3-earnings-momentum-is-building-every-week">Sam Altman-Backed Oklo Reports Q3 Earnings: &#8216;Momentum Is Building Every Week&#8217;</a>



The Bears



&#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/41932146/spirit-airlines-shares-plunge-nearly-63-after-hours-as-it-delays-q3-results-mulls-equity-cancellation">Spirit Airlines Nears Bankruptcy, Creditors May Approve Equity &#8216;Cancellation:&#8217; Here&#8217;s What It Means For Investors As Shares Fall With A Thud</a>,&#8221; by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/rishabhmishra-benzinga-com">Rishabh Mishra</a>, details Spirit Airlines Inc.&#8216;s (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SAVE#NYSE">SAVE</a>) 63% share plunge after delaying Q3 earnings and entering restructuring talks, potentially canceling existing equity. 



&#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/specialty-etfs/24/11/41888750/gold-etf-hit-with-1-billion-outflow-investors-dump-safe-haven-asset-after-trump-win">Gold ETF Hit With $1 Billion Outflow: Investors Dump Safe Haven Asset After Trump Win</a>,&#8221; by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/piero-cingari">Piero Cingari</a>, highlights a $1 billion outflow from SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GLD#NYSE">GLD</a>) as investors shift from gold, citing expectations of a stronger dollar and economic growth under Donald Trump&#8217;s re-election, while Bitcoin gains popularity as &#8220;digital gold.&#8221;



&#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/11/41986341/what-is-plug-powers-future-analysts-warn-of-cash-crunch-and-slow-hydrogen-market-growth">What Is Plug Power&#8217;s Future? Analysts Warn Of Cash Crunch And Slow Hydrogen Market Growth</a>,&#8221; by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/lekha-gupta">Lekha Gupta</a>, highlights concerns over Plug Power Inc.&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLUG#NASDAQ">PLUG</a>) high cash burn and weak Q3 results, with analysts forecasting revenue below estimates for 2024 and 2025, despite potential DOE loan support and European hydrogen project backing.



For more bearish takes, be sure to see these posts:



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/24/11/41941228/att-data-breach-exposes-50-billion-records-hackers-identified-ransom-paid">AT&amp;T Data Breach Exposes 50 Billion Records: Hackers Identified, Ransom Paid</a>



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/11/41880110/solar-renewables-stocks-crash-after-trump-win-should-you-buy-now-at-cheap-valuations">Solar, Renewables Stocks Crash After Trump Win: Should You Buy Now At Cheap Valuations?</a>



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/11/41902202/trumps-china-hawks-rumored-for-top-roles-yuan-hits-3-month-low">Chinese Currency Hits 3-Month Low: Trump&#8217;s Anti-China Cabinet Appointments Rattle Investors</a>



Keep up with all the latest breaking news and trading ideas by following<a href="https://twitter.com/Benzinga"> Benzinga</a><a href="http://twitter.com/Benzinga"> on Twitter</a>.



Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

Equities

Long Ideas

Short Ideas

Trading Ideas

PLUG

SAVE

TSLA

Benzinga Bulls And Bears: Tesla, Disney, Gold — And Hedge Funds Project Bitcoin To Hit $100K-$150K

The European Union has directed&nbsp;Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) to discontinue geo-blocking on its media services. The European Commission has identified several geo-blocking practices on Apple's platforms, including the App Store, Apple Arcade, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/11/41897368/apple-ordered-by-eu-to-end-geo-blocking-on-app-store-itunes-and-other-apps" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Music, iTunes Store, Books, and Podcasts</a>.



Following the 2024 U.S. Presidential election, Taylor Swift's fanbase, known as "Swifties," have reportedly started leaving Elon Musk‘s social media platform X, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/41872302/taylor-swift-fans-abandon-elon-musks-x-for-bluesky-how-trumps-election-victory-triggered-swifties-uprising" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">formerly </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/41872302/taylor-swift-fans-abandon-elon-musks-x-for-bluesky-how-trumps-election-victory-triggered-swifties-uprising" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Twitter</a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/41872302/taylor-swift-fans-abandon-elon-musks-x-for-bluesky-how-trumps-election-victory-triggered-swifties-uprising" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">, for </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/41872302/taylor-swift-fans-abandon-elon-musks-x-for-bluesky-how-trumps-election-victory-triggered-swifties-uprising" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bluesky</a>.



Gaming



Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) Gaming CEO&nbsp;Phil Spencer&nbsp;has confirmed the company has its sights set on a handheld gaming device under the Xbox brand. He did temper expectations, saying the device is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/11/41948549/xbox-handheld-a-few-years-out-says-microsoft-gaming-ceo-hints-at-cross-platform-games-new-acquisitions" rel="noreferrer noopener">still &#8220;a few years out&#8221;&nbsp;from release</a>.



Nintendo Co., Ltd. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NTDOY#OTC">NTDOY</a>) filed a lawsuit against a gamer for allegedly streaming pirated games <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/11/41887408/nintendo-sues-streamer-over-pirated-games-claims-millions-dollars-lost-revenue" rel="noreferrer noopener">before their&nbsp;official release dates</a>.



Valve is launching a limited-edition Steam Deck OLED: White Edition on Nov. 18, with global <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/11/41914135/valves-steam-deck-oled-gets-makeover-heres-what-you-need-to-know" rel="noreferrer noopener">availability and limited stock.</a>



Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/11/41884190/did-rockstar-drop-gta-6-trailer-hint-fans-spot-moon-clue-pointing-to-nov-22" rel="noreferrer noopener">Did Rockstar Drop GTA 6 Trailer Hint? Fans Spot Moon Clue Pointing To Nov. 22</a>



Smartphones



Apple introduced an automatic reboot feature for idle&nbsp;iPhones in its latest&nbsp;iOS 18.1 update <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/24/11/41873261/apples-ios-18-1-update-adds-inactivity-reboot-to-lock-down-unused-iphones-heres-how-it-protects-your-privacy" rel="noreferrer noopener">to bolster device security</a>.



Apple has begun selling repair parts&nbsp;for its latest&nbsp;iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models via <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/11/41870693/apple-starts-selling-iphone-16-repair-parts-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-diy-fixes-for-your-iphone" rel="noreferrer noopener">its self-service repair store</a>.



Apple reportedly plans to make its "first foray" into the smart home IP camera market in 2026, aiming for "tens of millions" of annual shipments, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/11/41891237/apples-smart-camera-coming-in-2026-cupertino-eyeing-tens-of-millions-in-annual-shipments-says-top-supply-chain-analyst" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/11/41891237/apples-smart-camera-coming-in-2026-cupertino-eyeing-tens-of-millions-in-annual-shipments-says-top-supply-chain-analyst" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ming-Chi Kuo</a>.



Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/11/41894509/apples-next-big-bet-think-smaller-says-analyst-there-will-never-be-another-iphone" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple&#8217;s Next Big Bet? Think Smaller, Says Analyst: &#8216;There Will Never Be Another… iPhone&#8217;</a>



Apple reportedly plans to unveil a new AI wall tablet to challenge&nbsp;Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) and&nbsp;Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/24/11/41928049/apples-new-ai-wall-tablet-with-siri-and-video-calling-set-to-challenge-amazon-and-google-in-smart-home-race" rel="noreferrer noopener">in the smart home race</a>.



Apple announced a new feature for its Find My app that allows users to share the location of lost items <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/11/41931360/apples-airtag-users-can-now-share-location-with-airlines-for-faster-recovery-of-lost-luggage" rel="noreferrer noopener">with third parties, including airlines</a>.



Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/11/41931521/apples-2024-mac-mini-is-a-compact-powerhouse-but-its-power-button-placement-is-not-the-most-accessible-here-are-some-workable-fixes" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple&#8217;s 2024 Mac Mini Is A Compact Powerhouse, But Its Power Button Placement Is Not The Most Accessible: Here Are Some Workable Fixes</a>



Consumer group&nbsp;Which?&nbsp;has filed a £3 billion ($3.81 billion) legal claim against&nbsp;Apple, accusing the tech giant of breaching U.K. competition law <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/11/41964915/apple-faces-legal-action-over-rip-off-icloud-charges-could-pay-out-38b-to-uk-customers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">through its&nbsp;iCloud service</a>.



Online Retail



In a move to attract holiday shoppers,&nbsp;Amazon.com rolled out early Black Friday discounts on a range of&nbsp;Apple products. These deals offer significant savings on the latest MacBook Pro, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/11/41872968/amazon-offers-early-black-friday-deals-with-up-to-350-off-on-apple-macbooks-heres-more" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mac mini, and MacBook Air models</a>.



Amazon is reportedly&nbsp;developing smart eyeglasses for its&nbsp;delivery drivers, aiming to streamline&nbsp;the final stretch of an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/24/11/41891126/amazons-new-smart-eyeglasses-for-drivers-aim-to-shave-seconds-off-deliveries-but-theres-more-than-what-meets-the-eye" rel="noreferrer noopener">order's journey to a customer's&nbsp;home</a>.



Amazon is preparing to introduce its newest artificial intelligence chips in December. His strategic move aims to leverage Amazon's significant investments in semiconductors and reduce reliance on Jensen <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/11/41895759/amazon-set-to-introduce-new-ai-chips-in-december-to-rival-jensen-huangs-ai-stalwart-we-want-to-be-absolutely-the-best-place-to-run-nvidia" rel="noreferrer noopener">Huang's&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/11/41895759/amazon-set-to-introduce-new-ai-chips-in-december-to-rival-jensen-huangs-ai-stalwart-we-want-to-be-absolutely-the-best-place-to-run-nvidia" rel="noreferrer noopener">NVIDIA Corporation </a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/11/41895759/amazon-set-to-introduce-new-ai-chips-in-december-to-rival-jensen-huangs-ai-stalwart-we-want-to-be-absolutely-the-best-place-to-run-nvidia" rel="noreferrer noopener">(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>)</a>.



Amazon.com&nbsp;confirmed a vendor data breach exposing employee contact information, linking the company to the widening&nbsp;MOVEit&nbsp;hack. The exact number of affected employees is unclear, but a screenshot from the hacking forum shows over 2.8 million lines <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/24/11/41927913/amazon-confirms-vendor-data-breach-affecting-2-8m-employee-contacts-adds-to-growing-list-of-moveit-hack-victims" rel="noreferrer noopener">in the alleged Amazon dataset</a>.



Socia Media &amp; Technology



Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>)&nbsp;is reportedly planning to introduce ads on its&nbsp;Threads&nbsp;platform in early 2025 as&nbsp;Elon Musk's X&nbsp;is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/11/41963996/mark-zuckerbergs-meta-eyes-2025-to-introduce-ads-on-threads-as-elon-musks-x-loses-favor-with-major-brands-report" rel="noreferrer noopener">losing favor with major brands</a>.



Several prominent French media organizations, including those owned by billionaire&nbsp;Bernard Arnault, have filed a lawsuit against&nbsp;Elon Musk's&nbsp;social media platform&nbsp;X&nbsp;for allegedly using <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/11/41964636/elon-musk-bernard-arnault-once-discussed-potential-spacex-louis-vuitton-collab-the-french-billionaires-media-group-has-now-sued-x-over-alleged-unpaid-content-use" rel="noreferrer noopener">their content without compensation</a>.



Google Gemini&nbsp;app has been spotted as a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/11/41891904/googles-standalone-gemini-app-for-iphone-spotted-with-live-activity-what-it-could-mean-for-your-ai-experience" rel="noreferrer noopener">standalone&nbsp;app on the&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/11/41891904/googles-standalone-gemini-app-for-iphone-spotted-with-live-activity-what-it-could-mean-for-your-ai-experience" rel="noreferrer noopener">App Store</a>.



Microsoft President&nbsp;Brad Smith&nbsp;emphasized China's swift technological advancements, suggesting they <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/11/41939983/microsoft-president-warns-beijings-tech-progress-is-catching-up-with-the-west-people-who-dont-go-to-china-too-often-assume-theyre-behind" rel="noreferrer noopener">are on par with Western nations</a>.



Artificial Intelligence



To counter AI-driven misinformation,&nbsp;OpenAI's ChatGPT&nbsp;rejected 250,000 deepfake image requests of candidates in the month<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/41870783/chatgpt-denies-250k-deepfake-requests-in-lead-up-to-election-day-aiming-to-curb-ai-driven-misinformation-in-2024-presidential-race" rel="noreferrer noopener"> before the&nbsp;2024 election</a>.



OpenAI CEO&nbsp;Sam Altman&nbsp;has expressed his appreciation for&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;and&nbsp;SpaceX&nbsp;CEO&nbsp;Elon Musk's&nbsp;initial financial <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/41893707/openai-ceo-sam-altman-thanks-elon-musk-for-early-support-in-chatgpts-rise-and-shares-advice-hed-give-his-younger-self-at-stanford" rel="noreferrer noopener">backing&nbsp;in&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/41893707/openai-ceo-sam-altman-thanks-elon-musk-for-early-support-in-chatgpts-rise-and-shares-advice-hed-give-his-younger-self-at-stanford" rel="noreferrer noopener">ChatGPT</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/41893707/openai-ceo-sam-altman-thanks-elon-musk-for-early-support-in-chatgpts-rise-and-shares-advice-hed-give-his-younger-self-at-stanford" rel="noreferrer noopener">-parent</a>.



OpenAI co-founder&nbsp;Greg Brockman&nbsp;has announced his comeback to the AI startup<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/11/41927135/greg-brockman-returns-to-work-at-chatgpts-parent-company-back-to-building-openai" rel="noreferrer noopener"> after a three-month leave</a>.



OpenAI&nbsp;reportedly plans to launch a new&nbsp;AI agent, codenamed <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/24/11/41964846/openais-operator-ai-agent-will-perform-tasks-like-coding-travel-booking-and-more-launch-expected-in-january-next-year-report" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8220;Operator,&#8221; in January</a>.



Dario Amodei, CEO of&nbsp;Anthropic, predicts&nbsp;AGI could become&nbsp;a reality by 2026 or 2027 but warns that external <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/11/41928832/anthropic-ceo-says-ai-similar-to-human-intelligence-could-be-around-the-corner-well-get-there-by-2026-or-2027" rel="noreferrer noopener">factors may delay progress</a>.



Unbabel, a startup based in Lisbon, has introduced a new AI-powered translation service called Widn.AI. The company's CEO,&nbsp;Vasco Pedro, predicts that human translators might become<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/11/41932536/ai-coming-for-translator-jobs-this-ceo-says-humans-wont-be-needed-for-translation-except-most-difficult-use-cases-in-3-years" rel="noreferrer noopener"> obsolete within the next three years</a>.

Retail Sales

Tech

AAPL

AMZN

GOOG

MSFT

NTDOY

NVDA

Consumer Tech News (November 11-15): Apple Plans To Launch An AI Wall Tablet, Meta Plans To Introduce Ads On Threads & More

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Man Sentenced To 12 ½ Years For Bitcoin Money Laundering On The Darknet&nbsp;</h2>



Roman Sterlingov was sentenced <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/bitcoin-fog-operator-sentenced-money-laundering-conspiracy">last Friday</a> to 12 years and six months in prison for his operation of the longest-running Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) money laundering service on the darknet. 



Sterlingov was also ordered to pay a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $395,563,025.39 and forfeiture of seized cryptocurrencies and monetary assets valued at approximately $1.76 million. Additionally, he was ordered to forfeit his interest in the Bitcoin Fog wallet, totaling approximately 1,345 bitcoin and currently valued at more than $103 million.



Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/11/41949068/bitcoin-could-reach-1-million-by-2037-economist-says-buy-of-a-lifetime-opportunity">Bitcoin Could Reach $1 Million By 2037, Economist Says: &#8216;Buy Of A Lifetime&#8217; Opportunity</a>



According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from 2011 through 2021, Sterlingov was involved in operating Bitcoin Fog, the darknet's longest-running cryptocurrency "mixer." Bitcoin Fog became known as a money laundering service for criminals and processed transactions involving over 1.2 million bitcoin, valued at approximately $400 million at the time the transactions occurred.&nbsp;



"Roman Sterlingov ran the longest-running bitcoin money laundering service on the darknet, and today he paid the price," said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.&nbsp;



"In the deepest corners of the internet, he provided a home for criminals of all stripes, from drug traffickers to identity thieves, to store hundreds of millions of dollars in illicit proceeds," Monaco said.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Man Pleads Guilty To Conspiracy To Launder Cryptocurrency Scam Proceeds</h2>



Daren Li, a dual citizen of China and St. Kitts and Nevis, pleaded guilty <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/foreign-national-pleads-guilty-laundering-millions-proceeds-cryptocurrency-investment-scams">on Tuesday </a>to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering for his role in a scheme to launder millions of dollars in proceeds of cryptocurrency investment scams.



According to court documents, Li admitted that he conspired with others to launder funds obtained from victims through cryptocurrency scams and related fraud. Li instructed co-conspirators to open U.S. bank accounts on behalf of shell companies and would then monitor the receipt interstate and international wire transfers of victim funds.&nbsp;



Read More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/11/41993328/trump-media-insiders-sell-more-than-16-million-in-djt-stock">Trump Media Insiders Sell More Than $16 Million In DJT Stock</a>



Li and his co-conspirators received victim funds in financial accounts they controlled, and then monitor the conversion of victim funds to virtual currency, specifically Tether (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">USDT</a>), and the eventual distribution of the virtual currency to cryptocurrency wallets controlled by Li and his co-conspirators.



"Financial criminals and the money launderers who enable them wreak untold harm, ruining lives in the process," said United States Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California.&nbsp;



"Investors should be diligent and on guard against anyone offering quick riches via new, exotic investments. A healthy dose of skepticism could prevent financial ruin down the road," Estrada said.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">SEC Charges Invesco Advisers For Misleading Statements About ESG Investments</h2>



Last Friday, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged Invesco Advisers, Inc. for making <a href="https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2024-179">misleading statements</a> about the percentage of company-wide assets under management that integrated environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in investment decisions.&nbsp;



According to the SEC's order, from 2020 to 2022, Invesco told clients and stated in marketing materials that between 70% and 94% of its parent company's assets under management were "ESG integrated." However, these percentages included a substantial amount of assets that were held in passive ETFs that did not consider ESG factors in investment decisions. The SEC's order also found that Invesco lacked any written policy defining ESG integration.



"As stated in the order, Invesco saw commercial value in claiming that a high percentage of company-wide assets were ESG integrated. But saying it doesn't make it so," said Sanjay Wadhwa, Acting Director of the SEC's Division of Enforcement.&nbsp;



"Companies should be straightforward with their clients and investors rather than seeking to capitalize on investing trends and buzzwords," Wadhwa added.&nbsp;



Invesco agreed to cease and desist from violations of the charged provisions, be censured and pay a $17.5 million civil penalty to settle the SEC's charges.&nbsp;



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/large-cap/24/11/42009316/jeff-bezos-ex-wife-mackenzie-scott-sells-more-amazon-shares">Jeff Bezos&#8217; Ex-Wife MacKenzie Scott Sells More Amazon Shares</a></li>
</ul>



Image: NoName_13 from Pixabay

Legal

$USDT

Financial Crime Weekly: Darknet Money Laundering, Crypto Scams, Invesco Pays $17.5M SEC Penalty

In light of President-elect Donald Trump&#8216;s commitment to trim U.S. government expenditures, the World Bank, currently under investigation for the misplacement of $24 billion in climate funds, is bracing for <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/11/41869407/trump-says-he-wont-sell-truth-social-stock-calls-for-probe-on-rumors">substantial budget reductions</a>.



What Happened: Senior officials at the World Bank are expressing concern following Trump&#8217;s election win. The Washington-based financial institution, criticized for functioning like a bureaucratic slush fund despite its mission to fight poverty and climate change, is wary of the incoming administration&#8217;s fiscal austerity.



According to a report <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/11/15/business/world-bank-fears-donald-trumps-austerity-axemen-could-demand-spending-cuts-sources/">by</a> the New York Post, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are poised to head a White House advisory body, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which could single out the World Bank for budgetary cutbacks.



An anonymous staffer told the outlet, &#8220;They have been running around like headless chickens since Trump won.&#8221;



One potential area for cost reduction is the World Bank&#8217;s lavish spending on air travel, which allows unelected officials to upgrade to business class for flights longer than five hours. 



Leaked documents show nearly $9,000 was spent on a round-trip business class ticket with a private suite from Washington Dulles airport to Baku, Azerbaijan.



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/11/41869001/heres-how-trumps-policies-might-shape-the-markets-future">Here&#8217;s How Trump&#8217;s Policies Might Shape The Market&#8217;s Future</a>



During Trump&#8217;s previous term, World Bank officials made attempts to maintain a good relationship with the President, often inviting his daughter and then-advisor Ivanka Trump to speak at their conferences. 



However, following Trump&#8217;s victory over Kamala Harris, there is &#8220;lots of anxiety&#8221; within the global organization, a second World Bank source told The Post.



According to a World Bank spokesperson, a productivity savings initiative was launched last year, requiring each vice presidency to reduce its budget by 5% annually from less essential expenses. 



Ajay Banga, the Biden-nominated head of the World Bank, has set the lender &#8220;on a fast course to become better and more effective.&#8221;



Why It Matters: The World Bank&#8217;s anticipated budget cuts come at a time when the institution is already under scrutiny for mismanagement of funds. 



The potential cutbacks, coupled with the existing investigation, could significantly impact the World Bank&#8217;s ability to fulfill its mandate of combating poverty and climate change. 



The appointment of Musk and Ramaswamy to lead the DOGE could further intensify the scrutiny on the World Bank&#8217;s spending.



Read Next



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/40001426/trump-aims-to-make-us-crypto-capital-of-the-planet-well-get-it-done" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump Aims To Make US ‘Crypto Capital Of The Planet': ‘We'll Get It Done'</a>



This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.



Photo: Wikimedia Commons

World Bank Worries Over Budget Cuts After $24B Mishap, Trump Win

Goldman Sachs Research predicts a strong year for global economic growth in 2025, forecasting a 2.7% increase in global GDP on an annual average basis, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/economic" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">just above the consensus</a>.



The US is expected to lead the way, with GDP growth of 2.5%, significantly surpassing the consensus of 1.9%, Goldman Sachs Research said in a report. The consensus forecast is done by economists surveyed by Bloomberg.



However, the euro area is projected to lag behind, with growth forecasted at just 0.8%, below the consensus of 1.2%. A key factor driving these disparities is the potential for new trade policies under President-elect Donald Trump, who is predicted to impose fresh tariffs, particularly on China and imported cars.



Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/10/41631465/us-gdp-rises-2-8-in-q3-but-can-the-momentum-last-what-6-top-economists-are-saying" rel="noreferrer noopener">US GDP Rises 2.8% In Q3, But Can The Momentum Last? What 6 Top Economists Are Saying</a>



Goldman Sachs Chief Economist Jan Hatzius highlights that global inflation has significantly declined over the past two years, which supports real income growth and allows central banks to normalize monetary policy.



The US Federal Reserve is expected to cut its policy rate to 3.25-3.5%, while the European Central Bank is anticipated to lower its rate to 1.75%. Despite these adjustments, inflation in the US is expected to slow to 2.4% by late 2025, although an across-the-board 10% tariff could push it higher.



The forecast for the US economy reflects continued strong productivity growth, which has outpaced other developed markets. Since 2019, US labor productivity has grown at an annualized rate of 1.7%, compared to just 0.2% in the euro area.



However, potential US trade policies could create headwinds. Tariffs are expected to subtract 0.4% from global GDP, with larger tariffs possibly having a more severe impact.



For the euro area and China, trade uncertainty could reduce GDP growth by up to 0.9% and 0.7%, respectively. Despite this, Goldman Sachs remains optimistic about global economic growth, assuming that trade tensions do not escalate further.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/24/11/42024210/benzinga-bulls-and-bears-tesla-disney-gold-and-hedge-funds-project-bitcoin-to-hit-100k-150k" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Bulls And Bears: Tesla, Disney, Gold — And Hedge Funds Project Bitcoin To Hit $100K-$150K</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Macro Economic Events

General

Goldman Sachs: US To Dominate 2025 Growth With 2.5% GDP Boost, Euro Area Will Struggle

Amid the transformative rise of digital currencies and blockchain technology, one project has captured global attention for its simplicity and ingenuity: Notcoin. Conceived by Sasha Plotvinov and his team at Open Builders, what began as a straightforward clicker game has blossomed into a viral phenomenon, drawing over 35 million users on Telegram in record time.



As the creative mind behind Notcoin, a wildly popular Telegram-based clicker game, Sasha and his team have redefined how people interact with blockchain.



In an exclusive interview with Benzinga, Sasha shares his goal on how to transform Notcoin into a vibrant, community-powered gaming ecosystem which can bridge the gap between entertainment and blockchain technology.



How was your journey with Notcoin from 70,000 users to 35 million users. Share with us the success story so far.



The journey is interesting. There is a saying that it&#8217;s not the station, it&#8217;s a journey, but maybe it&#8217;s who you become in this journey, right? So, the team transforms a lot right now, and I really like to see many things that happens right now that did not happen there at the time. And, I mean, every time a person creates something big, it changes them as well. So, imagine you as a developer, you always worked with applications that would have 100K users, that&#8217;s it, and then 10 million and it moved on further.



From my perspective, I want to not only build it, but also shape the vibe. I&#8217;m still doing all my Notcoin social media myself, just for fun. It&#8217;s just some kind of thing that I just don&#8217;t want to delegate to anyone. About new games, all the new projects that we&#8217;re working with, we help docs, for example, to basically, the core idea of the mining through your age in Telegram is something that we contributed in some part of the product as well.



You need to make sure that the games are new and authentic enough, so people are not bored before, because right now, it&#8217;s hard to attract people to top tier.



Share something about the Tap to Earn and why do you think this Tap to Earn model resonates so strongly with users?



In Tap to earn model, you just tap to the something, button, or a coin or something, and then you see how more and more coins are adding to your balance. Then you can, let&#8217;s say, spend these coins to some in-app boosts and so on and so on, and then you can compete with others. Basically, it&#8217;s more like, again, it&#8217;s just a simple mechanic that allows people to mine coins. You can do this in many ways. You cannot ask to tap. You can ask to open it.



So, I mean, it&#8217;s just different ways to do the same thing. Make a distribution of coins across millions of users while they&#8217;re doing some actions for that.



Which marketing strategies were most effective in building Not&#8217;s user base? 



I think if you&#8217;re talking about real practical advice and so on, I don&#8217;t see that purchasing traffic as a way because it&#8217;s just, you know, you&#8217;ll spend too much. And usually, if you need to spend too much money to traffic, that&#8217;s the smallest thing and not really engaging with your product. It doesn&#8217;t make any sense. It&#8217;s just wasting your money. So, in my opinion, Notcoin and all other successful apps, they&#8217;re doing just some mechanic within the game or app that basically using motivation that users have.



And then the horizontal layer is just going broad and that&#8217;s where it starts. It means that you just create a system when people are motivated enough to invite other people. Basically, that&#8217;s the pure advice, how to make whatever 10, 50 million user applications.



How does Notcoin manage technical challenges with such rapid user growth?



We have learned a lot. At the beginning, it was hard. Then we figured out how to do stuff. And then in couple of months we became professionals, we started advising other apps how to do that because we already knew many, many limitations, many, many ways how to optimize it and so on. So basically, there are two difficulties. First one is just data server and database and all this stuff. So, you can work with different backend language and stack. You can work with different databases.



You can work with different approaches, how to build these things. And because of that, some spikes might occur. So, you must be smart on building this in the remaining components. Another thing is the Telegram API, building on top of Telegram, obviously. So, Telegram has its own limitations. So, for example, you cannot send more than two million-ish notifications per day. If you&#8217;re building the app that gives 50 million people, like, it&#8217;s hard to engage them without any notification experience.



You must learn how to navigate through all these limitations. And the better you adjust, in general, the better you survive.



What strategies are in place to keep users engaged over the long term?



It&#8217;s the same how games work in general. You see, like, what kind of games usually people play for a long time? I think there are two types. First one is that when you have cycles, let&#8217;s say Tetris, you have a cycle. You start, the speed is growing up, then you got some score, you start again from scratch. Fortnite, the same thing. You are deploying with 100 people, the circle gets smaller, smaller, smaller, then you repeat again, once again, if you win or lose, it doesn&#8217;t matter.



So that kind of cycles, Counterstrike, everything. I mean, this is kind of games that people playing for many, many, many years. I think that&#8217;s one of the ways. Another way is to go with long, you know, kind of building a character, building a profile. Let&#8217;s say World of Warcraft, people are playing this for many, many years. EVE Online, like EVE Online is crazy.



It&#8217;s like 16% of people that played EVE Online on the first year, 10 years ago, are still playing the game, That&#8217;s quite huge. People are so stick to this game and all the new users are coming as well.



How does Notcoin plan to differentiate itself as more projects adopt similar models?



I think the only way is basically just to be ready for a change. So, it&#8217;s true. Everything that worked in April doesn&#8217;t work right now. Everything that worked on the summer doesn&#8217;t work right now.



Your advertisement model doesn&#8217;t work anymore because everyone can dump their price. Their community is more kind of, how to say that, like not that loyal, not that cool, not that wealthy. And they always will have lower price. You cannot fight and compete with them, right? So, we must learn and see, okay, what model we can use right now. Right now, we think our advantage is to build things with soul inside. Let&#8217;s say we help projects to build games that are really touching, nice games, that it&#8217;s not just make people addictive or something.



It&#8217;s more about real emotional experience that you have for some time. Again, Pixel Battle is a great example. Another one, Lost Dogs. I don&#8217;t see a big difference between TV show, game, book, because it&#8217;s all imagined, some worlds that are kind of existing in imagination and people, they can play and they can believe in this world. You literally start believing in this in-game economy as a real one because people can trade with each other, some things, some items, some goods and so on. It&#8217;s like, it&#8217;s really the whole markets that that exists within the game.



What's next for Notcoin as it continues to grow?



Two things. First one, we learn how to do these experiences, games, all those things. We just want to replicate it. We have some teams that are working right now on different stuff. We help them, we build together. We&#8217;re making sure that it&#8217;s not just a random clicker or something. It&#8217;s just interesting. Emotionally game creates emotional connection. This is the one thing; this is a really good side because we learned a lot in our experience right now. And we can really use this expertise to launch projects to 10, 20, 50 million people. That&#8217;s no brainer.



On the other side, we understood business part as well. So, we know how to right now to make a business from this. And also from our community side, what we do right now, we&#8217;re trying to put Notcoin community holders in the center of every single thing we&#8217;ve built. Let&#8217;s say we help game to go and be published through Notcoin. And we have agreement that 20% of the stock of this game will go to the Notcoin community. 



So that&#8217;s the way how we basically attract more and more value into the ecosystem. We do what we know how to do, and we just continue to grow the ecosystem. Sometimes I think we switch our tactical plans, but the strategy is the same.

Interview

Notcoin's Plotvinov On Making Blockchain Accessible Through Gaming: 'A Game Creates Strong Emotional Connection'

Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban is well known for investing in cash-hungry startups on the popular television show &#8220;Shark Tank.&#8221; Interestingly enough, if you really want to make the &#8220;big bucks,&#8221; Cuban says you shouldn&#8217;t be <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/01/30510598/mark-cuban-has-4-rules-for-making-money-how-you-can-succeed-and-become-a-millionaire-1">raising capital for your business</a>. 



Instead, you should be trying to launch a business &#8220;with as little money as possible,&#8221; Cuban said at the 2023 SXSW Conference,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/09/mark-cuban-best-way-to-start-a-business-is-with-little-to-no-money.html#Echobox=1681052365">per&nbsp;</a>CNBC.



Cuban&#8217;s Advice: Although Cuban spends a lot of time investing in startups, he doesn&#8217;t recommend that entrepreneurs take on investors if they really want to make the &#8220;big bucks.&#8221;



&#8220;The more of your equity that you can retain and control, the more the upside,&#8221; Cuban said.



The thing that people forget is that when you raise money from someone, that person expects a return, he said, adding&nbsp;you are actually better off using your own personal savings and letting that money take you as far as you can.



Check This Out: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/11/41865587/mark-cuban-planned-to-retire-by-age-35-he-says-theres-only-one-reason-he-didnt">Mark Cuban Planned To Retire By Age 35: He Says There&#8217;s Only One Reason He Didn&#8217;t</a>



There are plenty of examples of people who have sold companies for billions of dollars, but didn&#8217;t&nbsp;end up with nearly as much profit as you would think, Cuban said: &#8220;They own 2% of the company, when it was all said and done.&#8221;



Fresh out of college, Cuban founded&nbsp;software consulting business&nbsp;MicroSolutions. He sold the company for $6 million by the time he turned 32, pocketing around $2 million in profit.



A few years later, he bought a small audio network startup and turned it into Broadcast.com, which he went on to sell to Yahoo!&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/02/31092598/mark-cuban-celebrates-closing-5-7b-deal-with-middle-seat-flight-to-vegas-this-is-just-perfect-1">for $5.7 billion</a>.



&#8220;If you look at people with a B next to their name, it's because they own all that equity in their company,&#8221;&nbsp;Cuban said.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/startups/24/11/41869153/mark-cuban-reveals-regrettable-shark-tank-deal-that-drives-him-crazy-was-a-chocolate-covered-pretzel-company-who-offered-free-shipping">Mark Cuban Reveals Regrettable Shark Tank Deal That &#8216;Drives Him Crazy&#8217; Was A Chocolate Covered Pretzel Company Who Offered Free Shipping</a></li>
</ul>



Some elements of this story were previously reported by Benzinga and it has been updated.



Photo: courtesy of ABC.

Entrepreneurship

Startups

Mark Cuban Says Most Entrepreneurs Make The Same Critical Mistake When Starting A Business

An endorsement of Donald Trump by Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) CEO Elon Musk angered some existing owners of vehicles made by the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/10/41501607/tesla-q3-earnings-highlights-eps-beat-revenue-miss-shares-climb-on-2025-timeline-for-lower-cost-evs">electric vehicle company</a>.



People who are embarrassed to be driving Tesla vehicles after the 2024 election are buying bumper stickers to show their anger of the Trump endorsement.



What Happened: Tesla owners may <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39804113/exclusive-elon-musk-is-burning-his-own-blue-bridges-by-donating-to-trump-says-market-expert">disagree with Musk</a> many times throughout the year, whether it's his posts on X, views on cryptocurrency or his recent increased political campaigning and funding.



The endorsement of Trump in the 2024 election may have been the final straw for some Tesla owners. While some Tesla owners may decide to sell their vehicle in protest and get a different vehicle, some are likely to keep the vehicle due to Tesla's advanced technology.



Those who love their Tesla vehicles, but are mad at Musk have turned to a solution of plastering anti-Elon Musk bumper stickers on their vehicle.



Matthew Hiller of Hawaii has a sticker business <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/MadPufferStickers">called </a>Mad Puffer Stickers on Etsy (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ETSY#NASDAQ">ETSY</a>) that has been among the places where Tesla owners are turning after the election.



Hiller shared with <a href="https://heatmap.news/electric-vehicles/anti-elon-bumper-sticker-tesla">Heatmap </a>that the sticker business is his side hustle to a full-time job at an aquarium. As a fan of making fish stickers and other designs, Hiller used his personal experience of wanting to buy a Tesla in early 2023, but not agreeing with everything Musk stood for.



"When he bought Twitter, he started extreme censoring of information, taking verification marks off The New York Times and things like that to sow discontent, disinformation, and push his agenda. And it was ugly," Hiller said.



Hiller realized that there were likely many people who were now embarrassed to be driving their Teslas around.



"So I made the fist sticker, which said, ‘I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy.'"



Hiller printed up a small run and after a slow initial time to see some sales, the stickers went viral a couple of times. Eventually Hiller was selling five to seven stickers a day and some days he would sell 50 because of a picture going viral.



"And now, at this point, it's gone insane."



Hiller told Heatmap his sales have been "unbelievable" since the 2024 election.



After the election, Hiller said he sold between 250 and 300 in one day and said the sales have "been steady ever since."



"I can barely keep up."



You may not be a billionaire like Elon Musk, but you can uncover hidden gems in the stock market using our proprietary data and pattern recognition — <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/10/41187322/benzingas-stock-whisper-index-5-stocks-investors-secretly-monitor-but-dont-talk-about-yet">check out five </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/space/24/11/42013739/benzingas-stock-whisper-index-5-stocks-investors-secretly-monitor-but-dont-talk-about-yet-43">stocks </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/10/41187322/benzingas-stock-whisper-index-5-stocks-investors-secretly-monitor-but-dont-talk-about-yet">flying under the radar that deserve your attention.</a>



The sticker entrepreneur said he can barely keep up with the momentum and comes home from the aquarium to start packing stickers until night.



Hiller estimates that he's sold around 10,000 stickers since he started on Etsy and he is currently selling around 180 total stickers per day, a total that doesn't just include anti-Elon Musk stickers.



The most popular sticker sold by Hiller is the "I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy," which he said is by far the top seller. &nbsp;



Along with being a popular seller on Etsy, the anti-Musk bumper stickers are also among the top sellers on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tesla-Bumper-Sticker-Bought-Accessories/dp/B0C4KHKN4S/ref=zg_bs_g_268880011_d_sccl_3/142-4678181-8008934?psc=1">Amazon </a>with Hiller's most popular design ranked among the top five bumper stickers on the e-commerce site, sometimes hitting number one in the category.



"That's insane. People hate Elon more than they love Trump or Kamala?" Hiller added.



Read Next: 



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/24/11/41985486/if-tesla-stock-hits-all-time-highs-in-2025-will-it-be-driven-by-trump-musk-relationship-benzinga-readers-say-this">If Tesla Stock Hits All-Time Highs In 2025, Will It Be Driven By Trump-Musk Relationship? Benzinga Readers Say This</a>

Success Stories

ETSY

Tesla Owners Who Don't Like Musk Are Letting Bumper Stickers Do The Talking

Sean Parker, the Napster co-founder and Facebook's (now called Meta Platforms) first president, has reached $3 billion in net worth, as <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/sean-parker/">per</a> Forbes.



A teenage hacker turned billionaire entrepreneur, Parker's career spans revolutionary tech ventures, philanthropy, and political donations.



A defining quote from him encapsulates his entrepreneurial mindset: &#8220;Your biggest challenge as an entrepreneur is not concealing your idea from others or keeping your idea secret. It's actually convincing people that you're not crazy and that you can pull it off.&#8221;



Here&#8217;s a look at his journey:



Early Days: From Hacker To Napster



Born in Herndon, Virginia, Parker's journey began with hacking. By his teenage years, he had broken into systems of universities and Fortune 500 companies, though this led to community service after an FBI investigation.&nbsp;



At 19, he <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/12/06/2644261/facebook-and-napster-men-to-launch-airtime">co-founded Napster with</a> Shawn Fanning in 1999, a file-sharing platform that revolutionized music consumption. Despite its eventual shutdown after lawsuits, Napster cemented Parker's reputation as a tech innovator.



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/11/41997920/if-you-dropped-1000-on-spotify-when-joe-rogans-show-became-an-exclusive-heres-how-much-youd-have-today">If You Dropped $1,000 On Spotify When Joe Rogan&#8217;s Show Became An Exclusive, Here&#8217;s How Much You&#8217;d Have Today</a>



Facebook And Beyond



In 2004, Parker <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/17/11/10754929/sean-parker-on-social-media-god-only-knows-what-its-doing-to-our-childrens-brai">joined Facebook as its first president</a> at age 24. He was pivotal in securing early investments and shaping the platform's trajectory.



Parker's early 4% stake in Facebook skyrocketed in value after the company's IPO in 2012, solidifying his financial standing.



Despite stepping down in 2005 following a controversial arrest, Parker's influence on Facebook persisted.



Beyond Facebook, Parker's investments have been instrumental in maintaining his fortune. In 2010, he invested $15 million in a 5% stake in Spotify Inc. and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41137657/spotify-ceo-daniel-ek-says-he-stays-away-from-sports-competition-with-facebook-co-founder-mark-zucke">served on its board until 2017</a>.



Earlier this year in June, he joined Stability AI, a generative AI company, as executive board chairman, signaling his continued belief in transformative technologies.



Philanthropy And Political Impact



Now 44, Parker channels his wealth into philanthropy and politics. In 2015, he launched the Parker Foundation with $600 million to support life sciences, global health, and civic engagement.



Notable initiatives include the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and funding for allergy research at Stanford.



Politically, Parker has donated millions to candidates across party lines and played a key role in the Opportunity Zones provision of the 2017 Jobs Act to boost investment in underprivileged U.S. communities.



Lavish Lifestyle And Cultural Impact



Parker is known for his extravagant lifestyle, including properties worth over $100 million, and his Tolkien-themed wedding in 2013, which cost $4.5 million.



Despite criticism over its ecological impact, the event underscored his penchant for luxury.



Hollywood also immortalized Parker's influence. Justin Timberlake portrayed him in "The Social Network," though Parker dismissed the character as a fictional exaggeration.



Read Next:



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/41941113/these-analysts-increase-their-forecasts-on-spotify-following-q3-earnings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">These Analysts Increase Their Forecasts On Spotify Following Q3 Earnings</a></li>
</ul>



Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.



Photo courtesy: Wikimedia

Sean Parker's Net Worth Touches $3B: From Launching Napster To Becoming Facebook Billionaire, The Story Of Teenage Hacker Turned Entrepreneur

Cathie Wood, CEO of ARK Invest, has publicly backed Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) Elon Musk's appointment to lead the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/department-of-government-efficiency">Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)</a>.



What Happened:&nbsp;In an <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/video/2024/11/15/watch-cnbcs-full-interview-with-ark-invest-ceo-cathie-wood.html">interview</a> with CNBC on Friday, Wood said that Musk's understanding of technology and data will be key in his new role at DOGE.



DOGE, named after the cryptocurrency Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>), aims to minimize waste, eliminate unnecessary regulations, and reorganize agencies to enhance efficiency.



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42010539/whats-going-on-with-palantir-technologies-stock-today?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">What&#8217;s Going On With Palantir Technologies Stock Today?</a>



Wood stated that Musk's companies, including X, formerly Twitter, Neuralink, and SpaceX, gather vast amounts of data, putting him in a unique position to improve government operations.



&#8220;The way we're looking at this is, Elon understands we are at the threshold of a convergence among many technologies,&#8221; she stated.



Adding, &#8220;AI being at the center of it, and proprietary data is winning. So he has more proprietary data from all of these companies than I think any other CEO.&#8221;



Musk, who was appointed by President-elect Donald Trump, will spearhead the commission aimed at reducing the U.S. federal budget, to cut up to $2 trillion.



Vivek Ramaswamy, a former Republican primary candidate, will co-direct the group with Musk.



Why It Matters:&nbsp;On Thursday, the official X, formerly Twitter, account of DOGE called for high-IQ candidates willing to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/11/41998717/elon-musk-and-vivek-ramaswamy-are-looking-for-high-iq-small-government-revolutionaries-who-are-willing-to-put-in-80-hours-at-doge">work 80+ hours a week</a> to streamline government spending and cut bureaucracy.



This criterion is similar to Musk's well-known 2022 late-night email to Twitter employees, where he encouraged them to be "extremely hardcore" and commit to "long hours at high intensity."



However, analysts have warned that Musk&#8217;s efficiency plans should not be underestimated, but it will <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/11/41961033/gene-munster-says-elon-musks-doge-efficiency-plans-should-not-be-underestimated-but-warns-itll-likely-take-many-years-to-achieve-2-trillion-in-government-spending">likely take many years</a> to achieve $2 trillion in government spending cuts.



Trump has previously stated that the work of the DOGE department is expected to be completed by July 4, 2026, at the latest.



Price Action: Dogecoin is currently priced at $0.378, reflecting a 4.14% rise in the last 24 hours. However, its trading volume has dropped by 37.06%, reaching $10.12 billion as of this writing.



Tesla shares closed Friday's trading up 3.07%, ending at $320.72. In after-hours trading, the stock saw a slight increase, reaching $320.74 at the time of writing, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/11/41938105/bitcoin-proxy-microstrategy-director-sells-40k-company-shares-worth-12m-as-stock-hits-all-time-high?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin Proxy MicroStrategy Director Sells 40K Company Shares Worth $12M As Stock Hits All-Time High</a></li>
</ul>



Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.



Photo courtesy: World Economic Forum

Media

$DOGE

Cathie Wood Backs Elon Musk's $2 Trillion DOGE Initiative, Says Tesla CEO's Access To 'Proprietary Data' And AI Gives Him An Edge

The United States has agreed to provide up to $6.6 billion in direct funding to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>) to build advanced chip facilities in the U.S.



The deal aims to enhance domestic semiconductor production and bolster national security by reducing reliance on foreign suppliers, Barron's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.barrons.com/news/us-finalizes-up-to-6-6-bn-funding-for-chip-giant-tsmc-65252814" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>.



The Biden administration announced that Taiwan Semiconductor's investment will attract $65 billion in private capital to establish three state-of-the-art plants in Arizona.



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The announcement comes just before President-elect Donald Trump assumes office. Trump had previously attacked Taiwan for allegedly undermining the U.S. chip industry and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/24/11/41845483/taiwan-semiconductor-us-expansion-plans-unfazed-by-trump-win-report" rel="noreferrer noopener">criticized the U.S. Chips Act</a>.



The first of Taiwan Semiconductor's facilities will likely commence operations by early 2025, focusing on producing cutting-edge logic chips. These chips will power next-generation technologies, including 5G/6G smartphones, autonomous vehicles, and AI applications.



Early production at the Arizona plant reportedly matches the quality of Taiwan Semiconductor's facilities in Taiwan, showcasing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/10/41545709/usa-scores-big-win-taiwan-semiconductor-arizona-plant-sees-good-production-yields" rel="noreferrer noopener">strong initial yields</a>.



Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told Barron's the importance of manufacturing these advanced chips domestically, emphasizing their role in AI, quantum computing, and military hardware.



The initiative aims to mitigate risks associated with overseas supply chains by producing these chips on U.S. soil, addressing a critical national security concern.



Trending: ‘Scrolling to UBI': Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones –<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/mode-mobile-2"> invest today with $1,000 for just $0.25/share</a>



In addition to the direct funding, the U.S. government is extending up to $5 billion in proposed loans to support Taiwan Semiconductor's Arizona project.



The investment will likely generate approximately 6,000 direct manufacturing jobs. A senior U.S. official told Barron's that at least $1 billion of the allocated funding could be distributed to Taiwan Semiconductor this year, contingent on meeting specific milestones.



Meanwhile, Taiwan Semiconductor remains focused on consolidating its moat while diversifying its footprint beyond Taiwan as global governments dole out attractive subsidies.



The contract chipmaker has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/emerging-markets/24/11/41951575/taiwan-semi-boosts-advanced-chipmaking-with-record-euv-expansion-grabs-56-global-share" rel="noreferrer noopener">ramped up its</a> deployment of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems, a vital technology in semiconductor production, even with the substantial expense involved.



Each EUV machine costs more than $100 million, making them some of the most costly assets in the chip manufacturing sector.



Industry analysts suggest that TSMC has significantly boosted its EUV capacity, increasing its share of global EUV installations from 50% in 2020 to 56% by 2023.



In Asia, Japan has also earmarked over $64.9 billion to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/24/11/41939018/japan-increases-semiconductor-funding-as-us-trade-policies-pressure-taiwan-semiconductor" rel="noreferrer noopener">boost the semiconductor and AI</a> sectors. Taiwan Semiconductor is eyeing a second facility in Japan's Kumamoto region, considering a $13.5 billion investment after its first $8.6 billion wafer factory there.



Additionally, the company intends to establish a third advanced chip plant valued at $20 billion in Kumamoto to produce 3-nanometer chips.



Taiwan Semiconductor stock is up 86% year-to-date.



Price Actions: TSM stock is down -2.57% at $186.01 at the last check on Friday.



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<li>Deloitte's fastest-growing software company partners with Amazon, Walmart &amp; Target – <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/mode-mobile-2">Last chance to get 4,000 of its pre-IPO shares for with $1,000 for just $0.25/share before prices change next week!</a></li>
</ul>



Image via Shutterstock

Government

Regulations

Just Before Biden's Term Ends, Taiwan Semiconductor Lands $6.6 Billion in US Funding to Build Advanced Chip Plants

Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood has been a vocal bull for the cryptocurrency sector for years, specifically for leading cryptocurrency Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>), which she recently said could be helped by the incoming <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/41928272/cathie-woods-ark-invest-foresees-crypto-industry-boost-under-incoming-trump-administration">White House administration</a>.



Wood has shared price targets for Bitcoin over the years, including a high of $3.8 million for BTC by the year 2030. Here's a look at how much a small investment in Bitcoin today could increase over time if Wood's various price targets are reached in the future.



Following Wood Into Bitcoin: With Bitcoin<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/41778425/bitcoins-all-time-high-a-groundbreaking-milestone-and-strong-post-election-rally-coming-ex"> hitting all-time highs </a>after the 2024 presidential election, big questions remain about how high the leading cryptocurrency can go and how long it will take to reach various milestones like $100,000.



Earlier this year, Wood laid out <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/23/02/30660447/cathie-woods-ark-sees-bitcoin-joining-trillion-dollar-club-by-2030-here-are-its-bea">her price targets </a>for Bitcoin based on a bear case, base case and bull case for the year 2030. Wood also added a new bull case that includes the potential highest price Bitcoin <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/03/37902973/cathie-wood-says-bitcoin-could-skyrocket-to-3-8m-by-2030-thanks-to-institutional-gr">could reach by 2030</a> if companies allocated 5% to Bitcoin.



With Bitcoin trading at $89,384.76 at the time of writing, an investor could buy 0.00112 BTC today with $100. Here is a look at how much that $100 would be worth in the future under Wood's various price targets.



<ul>
<li>Bear Case, $258,500: $100 today would be worth $289.52, up 189.5%</li>



<li>Base Case, $682,000: $100 today would be worth $763.84, up 663.8%</li>



<li>Bull Case, $1,480,000: $100 today would be worth $1,657.60, up 1,557.6%</li>



<li>Bullish Case, $3,800,000: $100 today would be worth $4,256.00, up 4,156.0%</li>
</ul>



As you can see, a small investment would turn into a sizable return if Wood&#8217;s base or bullish predictions come true. Even the bearish price target hitting would more than double the investment from today.



While there&#8217;s no guarantee that any of the price targets will hit, the exercise shows how a small investment in cryptocurrency could add up over time.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/23/08/34028505/exclusive-why-does-cathie-wood-think-bitcoin-is-going-to-1-million-what-does-she-know-that">EXCLUSIVE: Why Does Cathie Wood Think Bitcoin Is Going To $1 Million — What Does She Know That We Don&#8217;t?</a>



What's Next: Wood recently reiterated her price targets in a CNBC <a href="https://x.com/BitcoinMagazine/status/1857483221857865879">interview </a>while highlighting how Ark Invest was early to investing in Bitcoin.



"We were the first public asset manager to gain exposure to Bitcoin in 2015 at $250," Wood said.



Wood said that even with Bitcoin trading around $90,000, the company believes there is a long way to go.



The fund manager said that getting regulatory relief with a new administration is one of the most important things for Bitcoin. Wood also sees Bitcoin being viewed as a new asset class, leading to more institutions and asset allocators wanting to invest in the top cryptocurrency.



Wood&#8217;s Ark Invest <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/01/36605838/ark-invest-ceo-cathie-wood-projects-a-single-bitcoin-could-be-worth-1-5m-by-2020-probabili" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">was also one of several companies&nbsp;</a>to have a Bitcoin ETF approved by the SEC with its&nbsp;Ark 21 Shares Bitcoin ETF&nbsp;(BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKB#BATS">ARKB</a>).



Wood's most recent $3.8 million price target might be one of the biggest from a fund manager and among the most bullish bets on cryptocurrency. The target came from the approval and early success of Bitcoin ETFs earlier this year.



&#8220;With this institutional green light that the SEC has provided, kicking and screaming though it did, the analysis we&#8217;ve done is that if institutional investors were to allocate a little more than 5% of their portfolios to bitcoin, as we think they will over time, that alone would add $2.3 million to the projection I just gave you,&#8221; Wood said.



Adding $2.3 million to the $1.5 million leads to a new price target of $3.8 million for 2030.



The approval of<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/bitcoin-etf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> the Bitcoin ETFs </a>led Wood to say in an interview that &#8220;the probability of the bull case has increased.&#8221;



Wood and Ark Invest aren't just betting on the success of Bitcoin with its cryptocurrency holdings and the ETF, the company is also investing in crypto-related companies.



The flagship Ark Innovation ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKK#NYSE">ARKK</a>) <a href="https://www.ark-funds.com/funds/arkk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has </a>Coinbase Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COIN#NASDAQ">COIN</a>) as its third-largest holding, accounting for 9.5% of its assets. Robinhood Markets (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HOOD#NASDAQ">HOOD</a>) is the fund's sixth-largest holding, accounting for 5.0% of its assets.



Bitcoin hit an all-time high of $93,434.36 on Nov. 13, one of several records set after the 2024 election.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/41951961/bitcoin-to-100k-benzinga-readers-predict-if-btc-can-hit-new-milestone-before-end-of-2024">Bitcoin To $100K? Benzinga Readers Predict If BTC Can Hit New Milestone Before End Of 2024</a></li>
</ul>



This article was previously published by Benzinga and has been updated.



Image created using a photos courtesy of Ark Invest and Shutterstock.

Education

ARKB

ARKK

COIN

HOOD

Here's How Much $100 In Bitcoin Could Be Worth In 2030 If Cathie Wood's Price Target Is Reached

<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/11/41884428/warren-buffetts-166-billion-warning-to-wall-street-has-hit-a-fever-pitch-and-the-financial-world-cant-afford-to-ignore-it">Warren Buffett's</a> investment strategy is a case study in bold and safe play. Nearly $99 billion is pegged on two iconic names: Apple and Coca-Cola. Through Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett has channeled a whopping half of his equity holdings into Apple alone and he's held tight to his Coca-Cola shares since the late 1980s.&nbsp;



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His strategy here is simple but powerful – backing companies with brand strength and consistent financials. Apple's stock, for instance, surged 31% this year and many see this as Buffett's savviest move yet. Some say it's his "crown jewel," lauding his foresight in spotting a tech company that's proven as resilient as it is profitable.



But as with any big bet, Buffett's heavy reliance on Apple has sparked some chatter. Skeptics say putting so many eggs in one tech basket could be risky. With tech stocks, there's always the threat of shifting consumer trends, not to mention the occasional market shake-up.&nbsp;



Trending: The global games market is projected to generate $272B by the end of the year —<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/gameflip"> for $0.55/share, this VC-backed startup with a 7M+ userbase gives investors easy access to this asset market.</a>



And while Apple has shown impressive gains this year, the latest numbers hint at a slight cooling. In the last fiscal year, Apple's total revenue dipped by 0.8% – a small shift but enough to raise eyebrows. Still, Morgan Stanley analyst Erik Woodring believes Apple has room to climb, setting a price target of $273, which would mark a 20% rise from current levels.



Apple's pivot toward services is holding it steady. Though iPhone sales may ebb and flow, Apple's revenues from the App Store, streaming and cloud services have grown by 23% over the past few years.&nbsp;



Services have also helped Apple boost its profit margins, going from 43.3% in 2022 to 46.2% in 2024, catching Wall Street's attention. These margins and the cash flow from services make Apple's high share prices easier to swallow, especially as it could mean bigger dividends for shareholders.



Trending: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing —<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/boxabl"> you can become an investor for $0.80 per share today.</a>



Then there's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/24/07/40046044/grant-cardone-says-buffett-made-508-million-as-an-investor-in-coca-cola-last-year-the-ceo-made-5">Coca-Cola</a>, which stands out as Buffett's textbook choice. It's familiar, steady and beloved worldwide. His initial investment in Coca-Cola in the late ‘80s has since grown to a $27.67 billion stake and despite recent bumps – like a 12% drop from September's peak – investors still see value here.&nbsp;



Morgan Stanley's Dara Mohsenian predicts Coca-Cola could climb to $76 a share, marking a potential 19% increase. Investors love Coca-Cola for its dependable growth and steady dividend payouts. Coca-Cola just raised its dividend for the 62nd consecutive year, offering a 3% yield – a rarity in today's market.&nbsp;



Unlike the roller-coaster nature of tech, Coca-Cola's simpler, time-tested business model gives it a stability that's hard to beat. The company's revenue ticked up, with a 5.0% rise in the first nine months of 2024 alone and management projects 10% organic sales growth for the year – proof of the brand's staying power.



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<li>With over 7.8K investors including Meta, Google, And Amazon Execs — this AI Startup's valuation has skyrocketed from $5 million to $85 million in just three years. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/rad-ai">Be an early investor with just $1,000 for only $0.50/share today before the offer closes in 2 weeks.</a></li>
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$99 Billion Bet: Warren Buffett Invests Heavily In 2 Stocks Expected To Jump 19% And 20%, Wall Street Analysts Predict

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