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Michael Saylor, CEO of MicroStrategy (NASDAQ: MSTR), who is permanently bullish on bitcoin, reiterated his positive outlook for the leading crypto in an interview on Thursday. Note that MicroStrategy currently holds a trove of 129,218 bitcoins, approximately worth $3.73 billion at current prices.
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Alternative Investments/ESG: Dimensional Has Four Sustainable ETFs On The Anvil
Dimensional Fund Advisors is planning to launch a suite of four new sustainable ETFs offering exposures to the US, International, Emerging and Fixed Income markets, with a focus on lower emissions. Currently listed Dimensional ETFs aggregate AUM of about US$48 billion across 20 funds.
Artificial Intelligence: AI Predicts Cardiac Attacks, Analyzes Urine, And Hernia Surgery Outcomes
Three stories that show how AI is assisting the medical profession. Olive: Urine Analysis on an Apple Watch Olive KG, a non-invasive, toilet-mounted, AI-based optical device by Olive Diagnostics automatically sends its results for display on an Apple Watch via an app called Olive WatchOS. The AI in the sensor measures molecules, biomarkers in urine…
Digital Assets: Peter Thiel Targets Wall Street Head Honchos In Blistering Tirade
Speaking at the Bitcoin 2022 conference in Miami on Thursday, billionaire entrepreneur Peter Thiel questioned why bitcoin could not achieve the market capitalizations of gold ($12 trillion) and the equities market ($115 trillion).
FinTech: India’s BankBazaar Is IPO-Bound, Sezzle Expands BNPL, Le Monde Hires Stripe, And More
News from around FinTech.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Neuberger Berman Launches Carbon Transition ETF
Neuberger Berman on Thursday launched its first actively managed ETFs covering the themes of technology disruption, digitally connected consumers, and infrastructure-enabling decarbonization. The new ETFs are Neuberger Berman’s Connected Consumer ETF (NYSEARCA: NBCC); Carbon Transition & Infrastructure ETF (NYSEARCA: NBCT); and the Disrupters ETF (NYSEARCA: NBDS).
Artificial Intelligence: Le Monde, The Iconic French Paper, Now Uses AI-Powered Translation
The 78-year-old newspaper is using AI-powered translation to create its digital English edition. ‘Le Monde’ launched a new English language digital edition on Thursday, April 7, comprising translated versions of a diverse selection of articles produced by its editorial team. It marks an effort to broad-base and grow the paper’s subscription base, as well as…
Venture Capital: Better Origin, Maker Of Modular, AI-Powered Insect Farms, Raises $16M
Better Origin works on the premise that insects serve as carbon-negative animal feed because they need far less water and land compared to traditional feeds like soy. By cultivating them onsite, a farm can save as much as 574 tonnes of CO₂e a year. What’s more, the insects are packed with protein and other nutrients that are good for the animals and also boost farm productivity. Better Origin announced a Series A raise of $16 million.
Digital Assets: Online Checkout Company Bolt Acquires Blockchain Software Provider Wyre For $1.5B
Bolt Financial Inc will acquire Wyre Payments Inc in a transaction valued about $1.5 billion, according to Bloomberg, which quoted the WSJ for the deal amount. Both firms announced the takeover today citing the growing adoption of crypto for purchases of goods and services, as well as Web3.
Venture Capital: Consumer Tech Subscription Platform Grover Raises $330M In Series C Funding
Berlin-based Grover, an online platform that offers tech products for monthly rental subscriptions, has nabbed a massive $330 million Series C round. Of this $110 million came in the form of equity with Energy Impact Partners as lead investor. Fasanara Capital put in $220 million in the form of debt financing.
Alternative Investments: New ETFs From Direxion Provide Leveraged Exposure To TIPS
Direxion has launched ETFs that provide 2X leveraged bullish or bearish exposure to a TIPS index. Tips are securities issued by the U.S. Treasury that are designed to provide inflation protection to investors. These are income-generating instruments whose interest and principal payments are adjusted for inflation. Inflation is a sustained increase in prices that erodes the purchasing power of money.
FinTech: Discover’s Checking Account, The Uber Super App, And White Label BNPL
Discover’s all-new checking account comes with cash-back rewards. The Discover Checking Account Discover (NYSE: DFS) has launched a new, benefits-packed Cashback Debit account with user-friendly features, such as early access to paychecks up to two days in advance and a mobile-first banking experience. According to Discover Research, 90% of consumers say having no fees is…
Alternative Investments/Digital: Blockchain.com And Altis Partners Launch Crypto Asset Management Platform
BCAM is targeted at institutions, family offices and high net worth individuals. Blockchain.com announced the launch of Blockchain.com Asset Management (BCAM), a crypto asset management platform offered in partnership with Altis Partners. The collaboration marries Blockchain.com’s expertise in digital asset trading, security, data, research and market access with Altis’ expertise in systematic trading, risk management,…
Alternative Investments/Digital: ProShares Proposes Inverse Bitcoin ETF
An inverse ETF works opposite to the index it tracks. An investor in a short bitcoin ETF would make money if bitcoin, and the tracking index, declines. In Canada, the BetaPro Inverse Bitcoin ETF (TSE: BITI) has been trading since April 2021. In the US there is no similar product, but that could change, because ProShares has applied for one.
Venture Capital: Global Digital Sports Platform Fanatics Raises $1.5B Led By NFL, Others
Fanatics, the giant sports platform that has merchandise deals with NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB and colleges and universities, has raised $1.5 billion in a funding round led by the NFL, other major sports leagues, players unions and team owners. With a reported valuation of $27 billion, Fanatics now ranks 12th in the list of the world’s most valuable private companies as compiled by CB Insights.
Artificial Intelligence: OpenAI’s DALL-E 2 Program Draws (And Edits) Images From Text Commands
AI research group OpenAI has launched a revamped version of its DALL-E program that generates images from text commands. The all-new DALL-E 2 program is described as a new AI system that can create realistic images and art from a description in natural language.
Artificial Intelligence: Former DeepMind Developers To Build Next-Gen Algo Trading
The majority of founders at EquiLibre Technologies have worked previously as researchers at DeepMind or IBM, and hold a Ph.D. in math or computer science. Martin Schmid, Rudolf Kadlec and Matej Moravcik also developed DeepStack, the first AI to beat professional players in no-limit poker. Good enough qualifications to launch their ambitious venture to build the next generation of algorithmic trading.
Alternative Investments/Digital: DeFi Launches Cardano, Polkadot, And Solana ETPs on Euronext
DeFi Technologies’ subsidiary Valour Inc commenced trading of Valour Cardano (ADA), Valour Polkadot (DOT), and Valour Solana (SOL) ETPs on the Euronext exchanges in Paris and Amsterdam with effect from today. The ETPs offer a simple and secure route, through a bank or broker, to gain exposure to the ADA, DOT, and SOL tokens without the need to set up a crypto wallet.
FinTech: AI-Enabled Credit Platform Liquidity Raises $775M
Liquidity Group has secured capital commitments aggregating $775 million from Apollo (NYSE: APO) and MUFG Bank (NYSE: MUFG). The amount comprises $425 million from Apollo Funds as a credit facility scale up its lending volume, and $300 million from MUFG for a debt fund joint venture named Mars Growth Capital. This will now invest in late-stage tech unicorns. There is also a a $50 million SAFE note investment by Apollo Funds, MUFG Innovation Partners and Spark Capital.
Venture Capital: Carbon Removal Pioneer Climeworks Raises $650M
It’s the largest financing ever in a carbon capture startup. Climeworks, the leading startup developing technology to remove carbon dioxide from the air, announced today its 600 million francs ($650 million) funding round led by co-led by Partners Group (acting on behalf of its clients) and GIC, with further participation from Baillie Gifford, Carbon Removal Partners, Global Founders Capital, John Doerr, M&G, Swiss Re, as well as other new and existing shareholders including long-term investor and anchor shareholder BigPoint Holding AG.
Alternative Investments/Real Estate: First Trust Launches Disruptive Technology Real Estate ETF In Europe
The First Trust Alerian Disruptive Technology Real Estate UCITS ETF, a new launch from First Trust, offers investors exposure to unconventional, digital-related real estate plays around themes including cloud computing (through exposure to data centers), 5G connectivity (telecommunication tower sites), and e-commerce logistics (specialized buildings and warehouses).
Artificial Intelligence: Clearview AI To Expand Its Vistas Beyond Law Enforcement
Clearview AI, the facial recognition startup that has often been in the cross-hairs of privacy advocates, intends to branch out beyond its beat of law enforcement and governments to banks and other private businesses, and is not looking to sell itself
Alternative Investments/ESG: AXS Investments Continues Acquisition Spree, Acquires Six Tuttle ETFs
AXS Investments, a leading asset management firm providing investment opportunities in the alternatives space, has acquired a suite of ETFs from Tuttle Capital Management. The six ETFs together have assets under management of $417 million and include the $334 million Tuttle Capital Short Innovation ETF (NASDAQ: SARK), the inverse bet against Cathie Wood’s flagship ARK Innovation ETF (NYSEARCA: ARKK).
Venture Capital: Deepki, Which Provides ESG Intelligence For Real Estate, Raises $166M
Deepki, a French startup, offers a SaaS platform that helps real estate investors, owners and managers improve the ESG performance of their real estate assets and in the process, enhance their value. Claimed to be the only such ESG intelligence company in the world with a focus on real estate, Deepki collected €150 million in a Series C round of funding that was co-led by One Peak and Highland Europe, two London-based VC firms specializing in European investments. Bpifrance, Revaia, Hi Inov and Statkraft Ventures also participated in the funding.
Digital Assets: Crypto Mining – PrimeBlock To Merge With SPAC; Riot To Sell $500M Of Stock
Crypto mining company Prime Blockchain, which has over 110 megawatts of installed data center capacity across 12 facilities in North America, has been valued at $1.25 billion for its merger with 10X Capital Venture Acquisition Corp. II (Nasdaq: VCXA), announced Friday. 10X Capital Venture is a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) sponsored by 10X Capital, focused on identifying high growth technology and tech-enabled businesses domestically and abroad.