Kraken Launches 24/7 Tokenized Stocks

CRYPTO
Kraken Launches 24/7 Tokenized Stocks

Kraken is launching 24/7 global trading of tokenized U.S. stocks and ETFs, starting with over 50 assets including Nvidia, Tesla, Apple, SPY, and GLD. These tokenized shares—called “xStocks”—are issued on the Solana blockchain and backed 1:1 by real shares held by Backed Finance. They can be redeemed for their cash value. This move makes Kraken the first exchange to successfully roll out tokenized U.S. equities after Binance’s failed 2021 attempt.

The offering initially launched in April via Kraken Securities in 10 U.S. states, and is now expanding internationally to Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Kraken’s xStocks compete with platforms like Robinhood and reflect growing interest in asset tokenization, a trend now totaling over $65 billion in market cap. Kraken says it is working with regulators globally to ensure legal compliance across jurisdictions. Tokenization is quickly becoming a key innovation in how traditional assets are accessed and traded.

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When the team that co-founded Zillow and grew it into a $16B real estate leader starts a new company, investors notice. That’s why top firms like SoftBank invested in Pacaso.

Disrupting the real estate industry once again, Pacaso’s streamlined platform offers co-ownership of premier properties – revamping a $1.3T market.

By handing keys to 2,000+ happy homeowners, Pacaso has already made $110m+ in gross profits.

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_{This is a paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals. Under Regulation A+, a company has the ability to change its share price by up to 20%, without requalifying the offering with the SEC.}

TECH
BYD Surpasses Tesla in Europe

For the first time, Chinese automaker BYD surpassed Tesla in pure battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales in Europe last month, according to JATO Dynamics. BYD’s registrations surged 359% year-over-year in April, while Tesla’s fell 49%, marking what JATO called a “watershed moment” in the region’s auto market. Despite entering most European markets only in late 2022, BYD is now outselling not just Tesla but also established European brands like Fiat and Seat.

The growth comes ahead of BYD’s Hungary plant launch and despite EU tariffs on Chinese EVs. Tesla’s lower tariff rate (7.8%) compared to BYD’s (17%) hasn’t prevented BYD’s rise, as the brand diversified into plug-in hybrids, which are not currently tariffed. JATO noted rising European demand for EVs overall, with registrations for BEVs and hybrids up 28% and 31%, respectively. Meanwhile, Tesla faces ongoing challenges, including protests and backlash tied to Elon Musk’s political affiliations.

TECH
Google Faces Antitrust AI Probe

The U.S. Justice Department is investigating whether Google violated antitrust laws through a deal with Character.AI, a chatbot startup known for its AI technology. Regulators are examining whether Google structured the agreement to sidestep formal merger scrutiny. The deal, made last year, allowed Google a non-exclusive license to Character.AI’s tech while the startup’s founders and some staff joined Google—raising concerns among antitrust officials.

Although Google has no ownership stake, the Justice Department is exploring whether such partnerships give big tech firms an unfair advantage in the fast-growing AI sector. The probe is part of a broader effort under the Biden administration to monitor competition in AI, from chips to software. While Google says it welcomes regulatory inquiries, the investigation adds to mounting scrutiny following prior rulings that the company held monopolies in search and ad tech. No wrongdoing has been alleged yet, and the probe remains in its early stages.

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.