Circle Skyrockets in Market Debut

CRYPTO
Circle Skyrockets in Market Debut

Circle (CRCL) shares soared on their first day of trading, closing at $83 — a 167% jump from the IPO price of $31. The stock reached an intraday peak of $104 before settling back, reflecting strong early demand. This performance mirrors the initial excitement seen during Coinbase’s 2021 IPO, which quickly faded.

The big question now is whether Circle can sustain this momentum or if it will follow a similar path of post-hype decline. The debut coincided with a modest uptick in stablecoin activity: USDC volume rose 22%, and USDT climbed 13%, hinting at renewed interest in the space. As the issuer of USDC, Circle plays a crucial role in crypto trading and payments. While Thursday’s rally may signal investor appetite for digital dollar infrastructure, the real test lies ahead — when excitement fades and fundamentals take center stage.

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FINANCE
Tesla Tumbles Amid Political Drama

Markets slipped Thursday as a swirl of headlines sent investors into retreat. The Dow dropped 0.25%, the S&P 500 fell 0.53%, and the Nasdaq sank 0.83%. While President Trump’s call with China’s President Xi on trade briefly lifted sentiment, the bigger shock came from a very public falling-out between Trump and Elon Musk.

Tesla shares plunged over 14% as tensions flared between the two former allies on Truth Social and X. Musk criticized Trump’s new spending bill as a “disgusting abomination,” while Trump claimed Musk had gone “crazy” after losing EV policy support.

The drama escalated as Musk even hinted at Trump being linked to the Epstein case. Analysts, including Tesla bull Dan Ives, warned the feud could jeopardize Tesla’s regulatory standing and future launches, such as its upcoming Cybercab. Investors are watching closely to see if this high-profile clash continues—or cools off.

TECH
Anduril Secures $2.5B Funding Round

Defense tech firm Anduril has raised $2.5 billion in an oversubscribed funding round, more than doubling its valuation to $30.5 billion. Led by Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund, which contributed $1 billion, the raise marks the fund’s largest investment ever. Founded in 2017 by Oculus creator Palmer Luckey and others, Anduril builds AI-powered defense tools like autonomous drones and AR systems.

The company has quickly become a major force in defense tech, landing multi-billion-dollar contracts with the U.S. military. In 2024 alone, Anduril doubled its revenue to $1 billion and took over Microsoft’s $22 billion AR headset project for the U.S. Army. It plans to use the new capital to expand manufacturing, hire globally, and invest in product development. As the Pentagon increases collaboration with startups, Anduril is now rivaling legacy defense contractors in size—reshaping how military innovation is funded and built in an era of rising global tension.

DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.