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.
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.