Eli Lilly & Co., the Fortune 500 pharma firm that manufactures weight-loss injection Zepbound (tirzepatide), has a comparable oral medication in the works that could be approved by the FDA as early as 2026, CEO Dave Ricks told Bloomberg TV on Jan. 13, 2025.

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Microsoft and OpenAI announced Tuesday that they have adjusted their partnership so that OpenAI can access competitors’ compute.

The new agreement “includes changes to the exclusivity on new capacity, moving to a model where Microsoft has a right of first refusal (ROFR),” Microsoft says. “To further support OpenAI, Microsoft has approved OpenAI’s ability to build additional capacity, primarily for research and training of models.”

The foundation of their relationship (which runs through 2030) stays pretty much the same — Microsoft keeps its exclusive rights to OpenAI’s tech for products like Copilot, and OpenAI’s API remains exclusive to Azure. They’ll maintain their two-way revenue-sharing setup (it’s been reported that Microsoft gets 20 percent of OpenAI’s revenue). Prior to today’s change, OpenAI was locked into using Microsoft’s Azure cloud infrastructure exclusively for its computing needs.

The models OpenAI hopes to build and the user base it’s looking to serve require billions of dollars in compute. It has been previously reported that some OpenAI shareholders felt Microsoft wasn’t moving fast enough to supply OpenAI with computing power, hence why the startup partnered with Oracle back in June (with the blessing of Microsoft) for the necessary compute.

There’s been a lot of buzz about Microsoft and OpenAI facing relationship woes after OpenAI CEO Sam Altman was briefly ousted from the company, causing a lot of very public drama. The New York Times reported that the relationship has grown increasingly strained due to financial pressures at OpenAI, concerns about stability, and growing friction between employees at both companies.

Last March, Microsoft hired Inflection CEO Mustafa Suleyman to lead its consumer AI efforts, along with most of Inflection’s staff, in a $650 million deal. According to The New York Times report, this move particularly angered some OpenAI leadership, including Altman.

OpenAI’s deal with Microsoft also has an unusual escape clause: if OpenAI creates artificial general intelligence (AGI), it could close off Microsoft’s access to some of its most powerful models developed after that point. AGI, reportedly, is defined as a system capable of generating more than $100 billion in profits. This was originally meant to keep such powerful AI from being commercialized, but now OpenAI is reportedly considering dropping this provision, likely to secure more Microsoft funding.

Jessie Tinsley, CEO of a workforce management company, Employer.com, is conducting what could become the year’s wildest acquisition spree.

First, Employer.com announced its plan last month to acquire Bench, the Canadian accounting startup that abruptly shut down over the holidays.

Now, Tinsley and Employer.com have joined hands with YouTuber MrBeast and others to save TikTok by submitting an all-cash bid for the app, according to a report in Bloomberg.

They haven’t disclosed the bid’s amount. The group’s legal counsel includes Brad Bondi, the brother of Trump’s attorney general pick, Pam Bondi.

TikTok briefly went dark on Saturday but reinstated itself shortly before President Trump signed an executive order on Monday delaying any potential ban for 75 days.

It’s not clear if TikTok’s owner ByteDance has seriously considered the offer, Bloomberg reported. Others floated as potential buyers include Elon Musk, Amazon, Oracle, and a syndicate headed by billionaire Frank McCourt.

Analyzing 5 cryptos for 2025, led by new contender Rexas Finance.

2025 is giving bullish sentiment with Donald Trump as the new U.S. president. Investors are looking to position themselves in order to capitalize on this bullish trend, and top analysts have identified some of the coins with the potential to drive riches. 

Rexas Finance, Nodle, Bifrost, Shiden Network, and KILT Protocol have stood out. Of the five, Rexas Finance is making waves with its transformative approach to real-world asset (RWA) tokenization and its selling out presale.

Rexas Finance

Rexas Finance has caught the eye of both investors and analysts due to its focus on RWA tokenization. This is a new way of tokenizing physical and digital assets, offering fractional ownership and greater liquidity. 

RXS is in Stage 11 of its presale, which is currently priced at $0.175, having already raised $36,381,133 out of its $41 million funding target. The presale has been on a lot of people’s radar, with 399 million tokens already bought out of a total of 425 million.

Rexas Finance is listed on CoinMarketCap and CoinGecko, further boosting confidence. The project also has a Certik audit, showing that it takes its security and transparency seriously. As the presale continues, RXS could soar to incredible price heights in 2025.

Nodle

Another cryptocurrency that is picking up speed is Nodle, which is worth about $0.00247. Nodle has gotten investors looking for potential growth, witnessing a price increase of almost 8% in the past 24 hours. 

Analysts believe that Nodle could offer an ROI of about 320%. Therefore, as a decentralized wireless network, it is well-placed to take advantage of the steadily increasing demand.

Bifrost

Built on Bifrost’s proprietary technology, which aims to bridge different blockchain ecosystems, the token is currently trading at $0.2162, with minor growth of 1.62% over the past week. 

It is anticipated that it will scale to the all-time high (ATH) of $0.81, around 300% growth. As more projects try to operate across blockchains, Bifrost could be at the center of making these connections possible.

Shiden Network

Shiden Network also hits the headlines, trading at around $0.1425, up 3.03% in the 24 hours. Analysts believe that Shiden will gain 350% and reach $0.47. 

Shiden Network is a multi-chain decentralized application platform that seeks to improve scalability and usability for developers and users.

KILT Protocol

KILT Protocol currently trades at $0.1417. The KILT token has also been the subject of bullish analysis, with a price target of $0.51 or about 400% ROI. 

With privacy and security of digital interactions remaining an issue, KILT’s decentralized identity solutions come at the right time.

Conclusion

2025 presents a unique opportunity, with analysts listing coins with the potential for significant gains. Among the five, Rexas Finance stands out as a beacon with a potential ROI of o 12,740%.

For more information on Rexas Finance, visit their website, X, or Telegram.

Pretty much all of the tech giants offer cloud storage nowadays. However, you can easily find yourself shelling out serious money to store your digital data. As a more affordable alternative, Koofr is earning some serious plaudits.

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Cloud storage is really an essential tool in running any business. Whether it’s simple spreadsheets, promo videos, company logos or even customer data, having a secure online backup of your files is vital. Putting your files in the cloud also means you can work on any device.

About Koofr Cloud Storage

Koofr provides these benefits and more. This platform allows you to upload and view files on pretty much any device with a browser. This means you can log in on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Chrome laptops along with iOS and Android mobile devices. You can even connect via WebDAV.

Koofr’s desktop app makes it easy to manage your data, with smart features like duplicate removal and batch file renaming. The service uses absolutely no trackers, and you can easily connect other online accounts to import your files.

Another useful feature for businesses is the ability to share files via custom branded links. This means you can easily go above the file size limit on your email, with the ability to share the same link over and over again.

Order today for only $129.97 with code KOOFR to get your lifetime 1TB subscription, normally sold for $810.

Prices and availability are subject to change.

The Financial Times reported on Monday that World Liberty Financial (WLF), the digital asset venture associated with President Donald Trump, has successfully raised $1 billion through its token sales. 

Initially launched in October with a goal of selling only 20 billion WLF tokens, the decentralized finance’s (DeFi) venture token surpassed this target by selling 21 billion tokens, demonstrating robust demand despite a rocky start.

Eric Trump Champions World Liberty Financial At ‘High-Profile Event’

Per the report, this surge in interest comes as WLF announces the release of an additional 5 billion tokens from its total supply of 100 billion, citing “massive demand and overwhelming interest.” 

The Trump family’s foray into the cryptocurrency space has been marked by a blend of enthusiasm and controversy. Over the weekend, both Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, launched their own memecoins, which experienced rapid spikes in value. 

Related Reading

Eric Trump, actively promoting World Liberty Financial, also attended a “high-profile crypto event” in Washington, celebrating the intersection of politics and digital assets as his father prepares for a new administration.

Trump’s embrace of the crypto sector during his election campaign has resonated with industry executives, many of whom anticipate a more favorable regulatory environment compared to the policies of the outgoing Biden administration. 

The appointment of crypto-friendly figures, such as Paul Atkins to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and David Sacks as the newly created artificial intelligence (AI) and Crypto Czar, further underscores this potential shift. However, the venture has not been without its critics. 

Trump’s Memecoins Spark Controversy

Concerns arise over the limited rights associated with WLF tokens, which provide holders with only minimal voting rights and no economic entitlements. Furthermore, the tokens cannot be traded or sold back to WLF, leading to questions about their long-term value and utility.

Compounding the intrigue surrounding WLF, notable crypto entrepreneur and TRON blockchain founder Justin Sun recently revealed a significant investment of $45 million into the venture, raising his total stake to $75 million. 

The market’s reaction has been volatile, exemplified by Bitcoin’s brief spike to a record high of over $109,000 on Monday, followed by a retraction toward $102,000 after Trump’s inauguration speech. 

Analysts now speculate that upcoming executive orders from Trump could bolster the crypto industry’s fortunes in the US, although skepticism lingers among some industry veterans. 

Nic Carter, a venture capitalist, articulated concerns about the “ethical implications” of a sitting president engaging in business ventures that could be perceived as “conflicts of interest.”

Related Reading

The launch of Trump’s memecoins has also stirred controversy, with the Donald Trump memecoin experiencing a sharp decline from a weekend high of $75 to $52. 

Meanwhile, the Melania Trump memecoin, which disrupted the market dynamics of the Donald coin, saw its value fluctuate significantly from a high of $13.64 to $8.43.

Bernstein analysts have noted that this “chaotic crypto era” marks a critical juncture, suggesting that government engagement with cryptocurrencies may redefine the relationship between leadership and emerging technologies. 

The analysts assert that the launch of Trump and Melania’s memecoins signifies a potential regulatory shift in the country, where digital assets could serve as a direct connection to a mass audience.

Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com

Masayoshi Son (L), Chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group Corp, Larry Ellison (C), Executive Charmain Oracle and Sam Altman (R), CEO of Open AI listen to US President Trump speaks in the Roosevelt Room at the White House on January 21, 2025, in Washington, DC.

Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images