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FinTelegram

May 28, 2024

Elon Musk’s xAI Secures $6 Billion in Funding for AI Supercomputer Development!

Elon Musk's AI venture, xAI, has raised $6 billion to fuel its ambitious plans to compete with ChatGPT and other AI technologies. The funding, which values xAI at $18 billion, is aimed at bringing the startup’s first products to market, developing advanced infrastructure, and accelerating research and development. Founded last summer, xAI has already launched Grok, which is available exclusively to X Premium subscribers on X (formerly known as Twitter).

March 24, 2024

Reddit’s IPO Shines Despite Correction: The First Big Tech IPO in 2024 Gives Hope For More!

Reddit's much-anticipated Initial Public Offering (IPO) has successfully captivated the market's attention, marking a notable transition for the social media entity from a niche platform to a publicly traded company. Reddit's shares experienced a significant surge, closing 48% above its IPO price, which elevated its fully diluted market capitalization to an impressive $9.5 billion. It was the first big tech IPO in 2024, but we expect to see more as the year unfolds.

February 14, 2024

AI Hype Continues: Nvidia Overtakes Amazon in Market Value Amid Surging Demand for AI Chips!

In a remarkable milestone that underscores the booming demand for artificial intelligence (AI) technology, Nvidia, a dominant supplier of AI hardware and software headquartered in California, has outpaced Amazon in market capitalization, a feat not seen since 2002. This shift highlights the burgeoning investor interest in semiconductor companies, especially those at the forefront of AI chip production.

Markets

January 26, 2024

Driven by AI: Microsoft is now a $3 trillion company!

In an impressive surge driven by the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution, Microsoft has reached a monumental valuation, surpassing the $3 trillion mark. It’s the second company, after Apple, to reach the milestone valuation. This remarkable achievement positions Microsoft as the second company in history to breach this threshold, following closely behind Apple. Microsoft's shares have seen a significant upswing, climbing more than 7% this year after a notable 40% increase last year.

January 22, 2024

Tech Rules The World: The “Magnificent Seven” Tech Giants Spearhead S&P 500’s Rally!

A recent NYT article highlights the significant influence of seven major technology companies, dubbed the "Magnificent Seven," on the recent surge of the S&P 500 index. These companies – Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla – have collectively seen their value soar by nearly 117% since the S&P 500's low point in October 2022 propelled the index to new heights.

January 4, 2024

Mark Zuckerberg’s Strategic Stock Sell-Off: A Closer Look at Meta Platforms’ Mastermind!

Mark Zuckerberg, the co-founder of Facebook and the current executive chairman and CEO of Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook, Inc.), has recently made headlines with a significant stock sell-off, shedding nearly half a billion US dollars of Meta Platforms shares in the final two months of 2023. This move follows a two-year hiatus during which the company faced challenges, leading to its stock hitting its lowest point in seven years.

January 1, 2024

FinTelegram Insights: The Spectacular Crash and Burn of Elon Musk’s Twitter, Now X Holdings!

In what can only be described as a head-on collision with reality, Fidelity Investments has just delivered a staggering verdict on Elon Musk's X Holdings, the entity formerly known as Twitter. The financial behemoth, which once backed Musk's audacious $44 billion acquisition, now values X at a jaw-dropping 71.5% less than its purchase price. This isn't just a markdown; it's a nosedive, plunging through the end of November 2023.

Technology

December 6, 2023

Elon Musk’s xAI Aims to Raise $1 Billion

Elon Musk's AI venture, xAI, aims to raise a significant $1 billion from equity investors. Musk's company has already secured nearly $135 million. Musk's foray into the AI segment represents a significant shake-up in the competitive landscape of AI development. His track record of innovation and disruption suggests that xAI could introduce groundbreaking advancements and novel applications in AI.

Compliance

June 2, 2023

Private Affairs: GDPR Fine Tracker Exposes The Poor Privacy Ethics Of Large Internet Companies!

The Irish Data Protection Authority (DPA) recently imposed a record fine of €1.2 billion on Facebook parent Meta Inc for unlawful data transfers to the US. In 2018, the GDPR became effective in the EEA countries. Since then, Private Affairs has tracked the penalties issued via its GDPR Fines Tracker & Statistics and publishes the relevant statistics on its website. They show that many companies are very careless with user data and have poor privacy ethics.

Compliance

May 22, 2023

Facebook Owner Meta Fined A Record €1.2B For Allowing US Intelligence Agencies Data Access!

Meta, the owner of Facebook, has been fined a record €1.2 billion by Ireland's Data Protection Commission for violating European Union data protection rules. They have also been ordered to cease transferring data collected from Facebook users in Europe to the United States. The penalty is a significant outcome under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDRP), marking one of the most important rulings in the past five years.

November 5, 2022

Brace For Tech Winter! Massive Layoffs On The Road To Global Recession!

One of the clearest indicators that an economic downturn, if not a recession, is knocking at the door is when companies start with layoffs. Twitter was this week just the last tech giant that announced and executed a massive layoff, allegedly firing half of its staff. Stripe CEO Patrick Collison announced the layoffs of over 14% of its workforce, amounting to more than 1,000 jobs. Raid-hailing operator Lyft announced the layoff 13% of its workforce, or nearly 700. Brace for the Tech Winter.

FinTech Crisis

May 27, 2022

Bolt Financial Switches Into Crisis Mode And Fires 250 Employees!

Earlier this week, Swedish FinTech unicorn Klarna announced an austerity program and the layoff of 10% of its workforce. San Francisco-based Bolt Financial had to follow this path and lay off around a third of its workforce, or around 250 employees, to reach profitability with the money available. The Bolt layoffs came just months after investors valued FinTech at $11 billion. PayPal and other FinTechs also announced layoffs and hiring freezes. Evidently, the FinTech sector switches into crisis mode.

Compliance Report: Sergey Mendeleev, Garantex, and Exved – The Rising Role of Crypto in Russia’s Sanctions Evasion Strategy

Sergey Mendeleev, a prominent figure in Russia's cryptocurrency scene, has played a central role in the establishment and operation of two key platforms—Garantex and Exved. These platforms have been instrumental in facilitating cross-border payments and crypto transactions, potentially serving as important tools for Russia’s sanctions evasion strategy. Mendeleev's growing influence in this space, coupled with Russia's evolving regulatory framework, positions him as a key player in Russia.

Russia’s New Crypto Strategy for Sanctions Evasion

Russia’s new crypto laws, allowing mining and international payments in digital currencies, are part of a broader strategy to evade Western sanctions and reduce dependence on the U.S. dollar. This move, led by the Central Bank of Russia (CBR), opens up new compliance risks for global financial institutions dealing with Russian entities. The new laws are set to take effect in September for cross-border payments and in November for crypto mining.

Secretive Cyprus Funds Used to Obscure Megayachts and Real Estate Linked to Sanctioned Russian Banker

A recent OCCRP investigation revealed that Cyprus-registered RAIFs were used to hide megayachts and real estate linked to sanctioned Russian banker Andrei Kostin. These secretive funds, managed by Inveqo, allowed clients to avoid disclosing their ownership, raising concerns about the effectiveness of sanctions and regulatory enforcement. The case highlights the challenges of ensuring transparency and preventing financial crime in the global investment landscape.

First-Ever Crypto Seizure in Scotland Under New UK Law

Crypto has undoubtedly become mainstream, particularly in the cybercrime sphere. In a first for Scottish law enforcement, £110,000 in cryptocurrency has been confiscated from John Ross Rennie following a violent robbery. Under new UK rules, police can now seize crypto assets without needing to make an arrest, highlighting a growing focus on tackling digital crime as incidents involving cryptocurrency continue to rise.

Former Lebanon Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh Charged with Financial Crimes

It was a long-expected move. The powerful former Lebanon Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh has been arrested and charged with embezzling $42 million in public funds, part of a broader $110 million fraud case. His detention comes amid ongoing domestic and international investigations into financial misconduct during his controversial three-decade tenure. In 2022, the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) froze assets worth €120 million tied to Salame.