📱Apple Unveils iPhone 16E

☀️Good morning. It's Thursday, Feb. 20, and we're covering, Nigeria’s Central Bank Likely To Pause Rate Hikes, Apple Unveils $599 iPhone 16e With AI Features, Launches February 28, Trump Calls Zelensky A ‘Dictator,’ Sparking International Backlash, and much more. First time reading? Sign up to get this newsletter: Sign up here. 
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MARKETS

Cryptocurrency Prices by Market Cap

• The global cryptocurrency market cap today is $3.19 Trillion, a 1.31% increase in the last 24 hours.

• The total crypto market volume over the last 24 hours is $84.25B, which makes a 19.25% decrease.

• The total volume in Defi is currently $6.89B, 8.17% of the total crypto market 24-hours.

• The volume of all stablecoins is now $78.95B, which is 92.95% of the total market 24-hour volume.

• Bitcoin’s dominance is currently 60.18%, an increase of 0.00% over the day.

Bitcoin Faces Potential Drop To $86K As Demand And Network Activity Weaken

Bitcoin briefly recovered to $93,000, but analysts warn of further downside risks, possibly dropping to $86,000 due to weakening demand, reduced liquidity inflows, and declining network activity. BTC demand surged in late 2024 after Trump’s election but has since dropped from 279,000 BTC (Dec 4) to 70,000 BTC. BTC hit $109K in January, fueled by optimism around Trump’s presidency, but has since stagnated. Bitcoin remains in a corrective phase, and a market reset may be near. The next move hinges on whether $90K holds or breaks lower toward $86K.(Read Deeper)

BUSINESS & FINANCE

Nigeria’s Central Bank Likely To Pause Rate Hikes

Nigeria’s central bank is expected to keep interest rates at 27.5% on Thursday, marking a pause in its aggressive rate-hike cycle. This follows a sharp drop in inflation to 24.5% in January—down from 34.8% in December due to a revised calculation method. While some economists expect rate cuts by Q3 2025, analysts warn that inflation trends remain unclear, making it likely that the CBN will remain cautious to maintain policy credibility.

Takeaway: Since 2022, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has raised rates by 16 percentage points to curb inflation and stabilize the naira, which depreciated 70% following 2023 currency reforms. Under Governor Olayemi Cardoso, the tightening has helped the naira stabilize between ₦1,470-₦1,550 per dollar since December. (Read Deeper)

Japanese Companies View Trump’s Policies As Harmful To Business

A Reuters survey found that 86% of Japanese companies expect Donald Trump’s policies to negatively impact their business, up from 73% in December. The main concerns are higher tariffs (72%) and U.S.-China trade friction (26%). Trump has already imposed tariffs on steel, aluminum, and Chinese goods and threatened a 25% auto tariff by April. Some companies (37%) see deregulation and tax cuts as beneficial, while another 37% favor his fossil fuel policies.

Takeaway: However, most businesses (80%) have no immediate plans to change U.S. operations. On Japan’s recent rate hike from 0.25% to 0.5%, 61% of companies viewed it as appropriate, though many believe further increases could hurt capital spending. 44% say a 1% rate could limit investment, while 21% warn against rates above 1.5%. (Read Deeper)

TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE

Apple Unveils $599 iPhone 16E With AI Features, Launches February 28

Apple has officially announced the iPhone 16e, a new addition to its smartphone lineup that replaces the iPhone SE series. Priced at $599, the device will be available for pre-order starting February 21 and will begin shipping on February 28. The device runs on Apple’s A18 processor, the same chip found in the flagship iPhone 16 models, featuring a 16-core neural engine for AI tasks.

Takeaway: The 16e introduces Apple's AI-powered features, including text summarization, image generation, and integration with ChatGPT via Siri—without requiring an OpenAI account. The phone eliminates the Touch ID home button in favor of Face ID and brings back the iPhone X-style notch. It also adopts USB-C. he iPhone 16e has a 48-megapixel rear camera with 2x zoom and the ability to capture 24MP images. (Read Deeper)

Microsoft Unveils Majorana 1 Chip, Claims Quantum Computing Breakthrough

Microsoft has announced a major advancement in quantum computing with the unveiling of its Majorana 1 chip, which the company claims could accelerate the development of practical quantum computers from "decades" to just a few years. Microsoft joins competitors like Google, which recently unveiled its "Willow" quantum chip, in the multi-billion-dollar race to build a truly powerful quantum computer.

Takeaway: The Majorana 1 chip is based on a topological conductor, a new material developed by Microsoft, which the company believes could revolutionize computing in the same way semiconductors did. Microsoft argues that its approach will allow for meaningful, industrial-scale quantum computing in years, not decades. The chip currently contains eight topological qubits, far fewer than competitors' designs. (Read Deeper)

AROUND DE WORLD & POLITICS

Trump Calls Zelensky A ‘Dictator,’ Sparking International Backlash

President Donald Trump escalated tensions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling him a “dictator” during a speech in Florida and in a Truth Social post. Trump accused Zelensky of refusing to hold elections, having low approval ratings, and mishandling Ukraine’s war with Russia. Trump claimed that Zelensky “played Joe Biden like a fiddle” and blamed Ukraine for the war, saying it “could have been settled easily.”

Takeaway: The controversy comes as the U.S. and Russia held high-level talks in Saudi Arabia, excluding Ukraine, further straining U.S.-Ukraine relations. The EU announced new sanctions targeting Russian aluminum, oil shipments, banks, and media outlets in response to continued Russian aggression. (Read Deeper)

Pope Francis Shows ‘Slight Improvement’ Amid Pneumonia Battle

Pope Francis, 88, remains hospitalized at Rome’s Gemelli hospital with double pneumonia but has shown “slight improvement”, according to the Vatican. Recent blood tests indicate progress, particularly in reducing inflammation. Messages of support have poured in, and pilgrims have gathered at the Vatican and the hospital to pray for his recovery.

Takeaway: The pontiff is stable, breathing on his own, and able to sit in an armchair while continuing some work. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, his first known visitor, said he was “alert, responsive, and joking.” Doctors are administering targeted therapy for the polymicrobial infection, and all public engagements are canceled through Sunday. (Read Deeper)

ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS

Mbappe Shines As Real Madrid Eliminate Man City From Champions League

Real Madrid secured a 3-1 victory over Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu, winning their Champions League tie 6-3 on aggregate to advance to the last 16. Kylian Mbappe was the star of the night, scoring a hat-trick to lead his team to a dominant win. He opened the scoring in the 4th minute with a lob over Ederson, added a second after a brilliant team move on 31 minutes, and completed his hat-trick in the 61st minute with a curled finish. (Read Deeper)

Elon Musk's Father Criticizes His Parenting, Calls for Public Acknowledgment Of 13th Child

Elon Musk’s father, Errol Musk, criticized his son’s parenting style, claiming Elon relied too much on nannies to raise his children. Speaking on the Wide Awake podcast, Errol, 78, said Elon’s children grew up with excessive childcare help, especially after his 2008 divorce from Justine Musk, with whom he shares five sons. Since his first marriage, Elon has had multiple children, including with Grimes and Shivon Zilis. His most recent child was born in June 2024 with Zilis. (Read Deeper)

PODCAST(WHAT WE ARE LISTENING TO)

• Palantir CEO Alex Karp recently criticized traditional educational teachings, stating that "everything you learned in school about the world is intellectually incorrect." (Listen)

EXTRA BREVITI

• China's Private Ports Facilitate Sanctioned Russian and Iranian Oil Shipments. (Read More)

• BYD CEO Wang Chuanfu claims China's electric vehicle (EV) industry is 3-5 years ahead of global competitors. (Read More)

• Dubai-based Mansa, a liquidity provider for payments companies, has secured $10 million in seed funding. (Read More)