I had a chance to see Dreame’s newest robot vacuum, the Dreame X50 Ultra Complete, in action. With its cutting-edge features, this brand is the one to watch. In fact, it might even make me switch allegiance from my current favorite bot brand, Roborock.

We saw plenty of impressive robot vacuum innovations at CES 2025 in January, but the X50 Ultra Complete has the most… well, complete feature set I’ve seen.

Fineqia AG, the European subsidiary of digital assets and investment firm Fineqia International, has unveiled the first-ever exchange-traded note that deploys Cardano assets for yield bearing in decentralized finance.

The Fineqia FTSE Cardano Enhanced Yield ETN, which went live on the Vienna Stock Exchange on Jan.24, will allow investors to tap into opportunities around Cardano (ADA) price appreciation while still earning yield regardless of the underlying asset’s price movement. 

ETNs are debt instruments that collateralize an exchange-traded product’s underlying asset, including crypto. The Cardano ETN, which trades under the ticker YADA, provides access to yield by deploying ADA across yield-bearing DeFi protocols.

The global DeFi market currently holds over $155 billion in total value locked across various protocols. According to DeFiLlama, the TVL peaked at $207 billion during the last bull market. Meanwhile, research platform Statista estimates that the global DeFi ecosystem could see its revenue grow to $542 billion by 2025.

Fineqia’s offering is a collaboration with FTSE Russell, a subsidiary of the London Stock Exchange, which will serve as the ETN’s index provider.

The launch of the Cardano ETN follows Fineqia AG’s base prospectus approval from the Liechtenstein Financial Market Authority. Approval from the FMA allows the company to issue crypto-backed exchange-traded notes across the European Union.

YADA adds to the growing crypto ETN market in the EU, with a third of the 139 products listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange. Increased adoption of digital assets as investment vehicles has led to the availability of over 220 crypto ETPs globally. These products currently account for more than $216 billion in assets under management.

Among these ETPs are U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs, which have recorded over $121 billion in AUM since their debut in January 2024. Experts attribute the positive market sentiment to Trump’s victory and assumption of office.

Spot Bitcoin ETFs have seen over $4.2 billion in net inflows year-to-date, reflecting the broader optimism surrounding the market.

David Sacks has introduced a new perspective on non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and meme coins, describing them as a distinct class of digital assets.

In an interview with Fox Business, the AI and crypto czar spoke on the growing complexity of classifying digital assets, categorizing the two as collectibles.

Digital Asset Classification

“When you talk about digital assets, it could mean many things… you’re talking about a vast area of innovation,” Sacks stated in the interview. He explained that virtual assets cover a broad spectrum, including securities and commodities, placing NFTs and meme coins in the collectible category.

This classification could influence the way the two are perceived, shifting the focus from their volatility to their potential as items of cultural and commemorative significance. Sacks elaborated on this idea, comparing such assets to traditional memorabilia.

Speaking on the Solana-based Official Trump (TRUMP) meme coin, he said:

“I think the Trump coin is a collectible. It’s like a baseball card or a stamp. People buy it because they want to commemorate something.”

However, he clarified that his statements should not be interpreted as a regulatory position.

NFT and Meme Coin Legitimacy Debate

The legitimacy of non-fungible tokens and meme coins is still a hot topic. Last August, NFT marketplace OpenSea received a Wells notice from the SEC over claims that such assets on its platform might be regarded as unregistered securities. In December, the gaming-focused NFT project Cyberkongz was sent a similar warning from the regulator.

This debate has intensified with the recent launches of the official TRUMP and MELANIA meme coins. Senator Elizabeth Warren, a crypto skeptic, has urged federal regulators and the Office of Government Ethics to investigate the TRUMP meme coin. In a January 22 letter, she alleged it had enriched the President and provided a means for crypto funds to flow to him.

At a recent press briefing, Trump downplayed the situation by saying he did not know whether he had benefited financially from the project and claimed to have no knowledge of the coin’s value.

The introduction of these tokens also caused some constitutional compliance concerns, with Zack Guzman from Coinage noting that while the emoluments clause prohibits presidents from profiting from their office, meme coins challenge these existing rules.

Meanwhile, billionaire investor Mark Cuban previously dismissed the Trump project as a gamble, suggesting it could harm the crypto industry’s reputation, especially if proper regulations were not in place. Similarly, former Coinbase CTO Balaji Srinivasan described such tokens as speculative assets, famously calling them a “zero-sum lottery.”

Target on Friday said it’s rolling back diversity, equity and inclusion programs — including some that aim to make its workforce and merchandise better reflect its customers.

In a memo sent to its employees, the Minneapolis-based retailer said it will end its three-year DEI goals, stop reports to external diversity-focused groups like the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index and end a program focused on carrying more products from Black- or minority-owned businesses.

The memo was sent to staff Friday and viewed by CNBC. It was written by Kiera Fernandez, chief community impact and equity officer for Target.

“Many years of data, insights, listening and learning have been shaping this next chapter in our strategy,” she said in the memo. “And as a retailer that serves millions of consumers every day, we understand the importance of staying in step with the evolving external landscape, now and in the future – all in service of driving Target’s growth and winning together.”

A Target spokesperson said there are no job cuts as part of Friday’s DEI announcement.

With the move, the Minneapolis-based discounter joins a growing list of companies including Tractor Supply, Facebook’s parent Meta, Walmart and McDonald’s that have dropped DEI-related pledges and goals. Some of those companies faced pressure from conservative activists or cited the Supreme Court’s ruling blocking affirmative action at colleges — which may not compel corporations to take any action on the issue.

The company’s decision also follows President Donald Trump’s executive orders, made almost immediately after his Inauguration, to end the government’s DEI programs and put federal officials overseeing those initiatives on leave.

Not all companies have joined the trend. On Thursday, Costco said at its annual meeting that more than 98% of shareholders voted against a proposal to review risks of its DEI programs. Costco’s board of director had urged shareholders to vote it down.

Many corporations’ diversity commitments, including Target’s go back for years and were strengthened in the wake of the “Black Lives Matter” protests and the murder of George Floyd in 2020.

Four years ago, Target CEO Brian Cornell said the murder — which happened just a short distance from Target’s headquarters in its hometown — felt personal. He said it motivated him to step up Target’s diversity and equity efforts.

“That could have been one of my Target team members,” he said at the time, recounting his thoughts as he watched the video of Floyd taking his final breaths.

Target expanded its diversity goals at the time, saying it would increase representation of Black employees across its workforce by 20% over the next year. The company started a new program to help Black entrepreneurs develop, test and scale products to sell at mass retailers like Target. And it promised to spend more than $2 billion with Black-owned businesses by 2025, from construction companies that build or remodel stores to advertising firms that market its brand.

The company and its foundation also gave $10 million to support social justice groups, including the National Urban League and African American Leadership Forum.

On its website in recent years, Target has touted Cornell’s and the company’s “steadfast commitment to stand with Black families and fight against racism.” In other posts on its website, the company provided updates on its efforts to add more officers of color, reduce turnover of people of color and increase promotions of women and minorities.

One post was titled “We Are Never Done,” and started off with a quote from Black poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou.

Target dissolved the goals at a time when conservative politicians and activists have increasingly turned their focus on company efforts to be more inclusive.

Target had already felt the heat from conservative groups over some of its other longstanding initiatives. About two years ago, the retailer pulled items from its Pride Month collection after backlash and threats to employees about some merchandise it sold, such as “tuck-friendly” swimsuits for trans people.

Cornell said in 2023 that the backlash contributed to weaker quarterly sales for the company. He said, however, that it would continue to mark heritage months with merchandise collections, such as Black History Month and Pride Month.

Target’s employee base had grown more diverse in recent years.

About 43% of Target’s workforce was white, 31% was Hispanic/Latino, 15% was Black, and 5% was Asian in the fiscal year that ended early February 2024, according to the company’s most recent diversity report.

The company’s leadership team is less diverse than its overall workforce. Seventy-two percent of the leadership was white, followed by 11% Hispanic/Latino, 11% Asian and 6% Black.

Rivian is planning to launch a hands-free driving assistant system for its electric R1T and R1S vehicles later this year, followed by an “eyes-off” version in 2026, reveals Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe in a press roundtable interview according to a post on Rivian Forums and reported by Electrek. The first part of the system sounds like it will work similarly to Ford’s Blue Cruise or GM’s Super Cruise software, which are Level 2 assistants that only work on highways fully mapped by each manufacturer.

It’s unclear if current Gen 1 and Gen 2 Rivian vehicles will support the upcoming hand-free assistant software or if it will come to upgraded models or the upcoming R2 SUV.

Gen 2 vehicles already come with exclusive features like matrix headlights and an upgraded light bar that can change colors, which Scaringe says could be used as an indicator to let others know a Rivian is operating autonomously, according to a Rivian Forum user. Gen 2 vehicles also come with a newer Rivian Autonomy Platform, which might mean Gen 1 vehicles aren’t going to get some of the upcoming advanced ADAS features.

Currently, Rivian trucks have available “Driver Plus” advanced driver assistant systems (ADAS) that work similarly to Tesla’s standard Autopilot software in that they enable lane keeping and auto speed up / slow down on highways. However, like other Level 2 systems, you still need to pay attention to the road.

In an email to The Verge, Rivian’s product communications manager, Courtney Richardson, confirms Scaringe’s comments about the upcoming ADAS upgrades in the interview yesterday. Richardson says there are no further details to add at this time. Currently, only Mercedes-Benz ships a Level 3 autonomous system that works in some states in the US, which allows drivers to look away from the road.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced on Thursday, January 23, the rescission of Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) No. 121, a directive that had imposed stringent accounting requirements on crypto custody for US banks and financial institutions. The move, encapsulated in the newly issued SAB 122, is poised to serve as a more substantial catalyst for Bitcoin’s price dynamics than the anticipated US Bitcoin Reserve (SBR), according to several industry experts.

Implications For Bitcoin

Originally enacted in 2022, SAB 121 mandated that banks classify customer-held cryptocurrencies as liabilities on their balance sheets. This classification significantly increased the operational costs and complexities for financial institutions, effectively deterring them from offering crypto-related services. Thus, the requirement acted as a barrier, limiting the integration of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies into mainstream banking operations.

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The withdrawal of SAB 121 through SAB 122 effectively removes this accounting impediment. SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce lauded the decision on social media, stating, “Bye, bye SAB 121! It’s not been fun: http://SEC.gov | Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 122.”

The Bitcoin community has responded favorably to the SEC’s decision. Andrew Parish, founder of x3, emphasized the significance of SAB 122 on X, asserting, “Rescinding of SAB 121 is a bigger catalyst for Bitcoin than the SBR. Bookmark this post.” Similarly, Fred Krueger, founder of Troop, highlighted the broader market implications, noting, “SAB 122 is extremely good for Bitcoin. More significant than the Bitcoin Reserve, which is also coming. Now watch the Banks start accumulating.”

Vijay Boyapati, an Ex-Google engineer and the author of The Bullish Case for Bitcoin, further elaborated on the transformative potential of the SEC’s action, stating, “It really is hard to emphasize how huge a sea change we’re witnessing. We went from the worst conceivable anti-Bitcoin, anti-innovation, anti-growth, anti-business administration to the most friendly Bitcoin administration you could hope for. This is 100% not priced in.”

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Michael Saylor, Executive Chairman of MicroStrategy, succinctly captured the market sentiment with his tweet: “SAB 121 has been rescinded, allowing banks to custody Bitcoin. 🚀” This aligns with Saylor’s previously outlined tgree catalysts for Bitcoin reaching $1 million per coin, where the facilitation of traditional bank custody stood as last open m factor.

The regulatory easing is expected to catalyze increased institutional participation in the BTC and crypto market. Brian Moynihan, CEO of Bank of America—the second-largest US bank by assets—addressed the potential for broader crypto adoption during an interview with CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Moynihan stated, “If the rules come in and make it a real thing that you can actually do business with, you’ll find that the banking system will come in hard on the transactional side of it.”

This statement aligns with the SEC’s latest directive, indicating that banks are now more likely to develop and offer crypto services, including custody solutions, which were previously constrained under SAB 121. The removal of these regulatory hurdles is anticipated to enhance the liquidity and accessibility of Bitcoin, potentially driving a new wave of demand similar to the spot ETFs in January last year.

At press time, BTC traded at $105,466.

Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

The massive $100 billion Stargate joint venture will reportedly be powered, at least in part, by solar and batteries.

The renewable power installations will be built by SoftBank-backed SB Energy, according to a report from Bloomberg, though they’re unlikely to be the venture’s sole source of energy. Stargate is a partnership between OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank Group, which promises to build a slew of new data centers to drive artificial intelligence applications. 

The growth in cloud computing and AI in recent years has sent developers and tech companies scurrying to secure power. The U.S. Department of Energy expects that data centers could consume as much as 12% of all power produced in the U.S. by 2028, up from 4.4% in 2023. The looming crunch could leave 50% of new data centers underpowered by 2027.

Nuclear power has emerged as a darling of data center developers and tech companies. Google signed a 500-megawatt deal with nuclear startup Kairos, and Microsoft is restarting one of the shuttered reactors at Three Mile Island. Data center operator Switch announced an agreement in December with Oklo, the Sam Altman-baked small modular reactor company, for 12 gigawatts of capacity.

But nuclear’s recent history has been beset by cost overruns and delays. The fresh crop of nuclear startups were largely founded to overcome those hurdles by modularizing and mass producing reactor components. If all goes as planned, the approach could speed approvals and construction of new nuclear plants. 

But despite progress, none of the startups has yet to complete a reactor, and the first of their commercial reactors aren’t expected to come online until 2030, doing little to ease the near-term energy shortage. Natural gas power plants, another possible source for data centers, will also take years to build.

Solar and wind farms are much quicker to stand up. Compared with nuclear and natural gas plants, they can be completed in about half the time, according to one study of 50 years worth of power plant projects. More recent estimates suggest that the average time to completion for a solar power plant is around 18 months. Because of their inherent modularity, they can start producing power before the bulk of the project is complete.

The longest part of any solar project is permitting and interconnection, when the facility is connected to the grid. For data centers, grid connections can be optional — many could take power directly from the source. And given the apparent urgency of Stargate, it’s possible that permitting could be sped along, too, leaving solar as the likely frontrunner for the first data centers.