🤑Musk Or Ellison May Buy TikTok

☀️Good morning. It's Wednesday, Jan. 22, and we're covering, OpenAI, SoftBank, And Oracle Launch $500 Billion AI Data Center Initiative, Trump Supports Musk Or Ellison Buying TikTok In A 50-50 Deal, Israel’s Top General Resigns Over October 7 Attacks, 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 $3.62 Trillion, a 3.08% increase in the last 24 hours.

• The total crypto market volume over the last 24 hours is $191.52B, which makes a 31.28% decrease.

• The total volume in Defi is currently $10.59B, 5.53% of the total crypto market 24-hours.

• The volume of all stablecoins is now $173.97B, which is 90.84% of the total market 24-hour volume.

• Bitcoin’s dominance is currently 57.54%, a decrease of 0.04% over the day.

Crypto Industry Awaits Trump’s Promised Reforms After Inauguration Day Disappointment

Anticipation in the cryptocurrency sector was high leading up to Donald Trump’s second presidential inauguration, with many expecting a day-one executive order addressing digital assets. Speculation over the administration’s potential embrace of crypto pushed Bitcoin prices to an all-time high of $109,241 ahead of the ceremony. Despite the lack of immediate action, industry leaders remain confident that Trump’s administration will address key issues for the digital asset sector in the coming months.(Read Deeper)

BUSINESS & FINANCE

OpenAI, SoftBank, And Oracle Launch $500 Billion AI Data Center Initiative

OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle have launched a joint venture called the Stargate Project, aimed at building multiple AI data centers across the U.S. The initiative will start with a large data center in Texas, with plans to expand nationwide. Initially, $100 billion will be committed, with the potential for up to $500 billion invested over four years. The project will include data centers designed to support OpenAI’s AI models, with the potential for custom AI chips to be developed in collaboration with semiconductor firms.

Takeaway: The project aims to create hundreds of thousands of jobs and bolster American leadership in AI. Key partners include Microsoft, Arm, Nvidia, and the Middle East AI fund MGX. SoftBank will take the financial lead, with OpenAI responsible for operations. Oracle, which has an existing deal with OpenAI, will provide computing resources. While some concerns exist about the environmental and job impact of such massive data centers, the investment in infrastructure aligns with the rapid growth of AI. (Read Deeper)

Netflix Shares Surge After Price Hikes And Record Subscriber Gains

Netflix reported record-breaking subscriber growth in the fourth quarter, adding 18.9 million subscribers to reach a global total of nearly 302 million. The surge was driven by a mix of live events like NFL games and Beyoncé’s halftime performance, hit shows like Squid Game and Stranger Things, and a growing slate of exclusive content. The company raised prices in several regions, including the U.S., where its ad-supported plan now costs $7.99, and its premium package is $24.99. The move boosted investor confidence, driving Netflix's stock up 13%, adding nearly $50 billion in market value.

Takeaway: The company exceeded earnings expectations, reporting $4.27 per share and annual operating income surpassing $10 billion for the first time. Revenue grew 16% to $10.2 billion for the quarter. Netflix revised its 2025 revenue guidance to $43.5–44.5 billion and announced a $15 billion stock buyback plan. The company also expanded live-streaming events, securing deals like FIFA Women's World Cup rights to attract real-time audiences and advertisers. (Read Deeper)

TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE

Trump Supports Musk Or Ellison Buying TikTok In A 50-50 Deal

President Donald Trump has suggested Elon Musk or Oracle chairman Larry Ellison as potential buyers for TikTok’s U.S. operations. At a press conference with Ellison, Trump proposed a deal where the U.S. government would receive half of TikTok in exchange for permitting its operations. This unconventional 50-50 arrangement, however, raises significant legal challenges. Legal experts argue that U.S. law requires ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to fully divest from the platform to address national security concerns.

Takeaway: TikTok’s sale has become a strategic bargaining chip in U.S.-China relations. Analysts believe Musk, as the owner of X, is well-positioned to negotiate a deal, while Ellison’s Oracle already hosts TikTok data, making them key players. However, the proposal faces potential legal challenges from Congress, TikTok’s competitors, and constitutional law constraints. (Read Deeper)

Perplexity AI Launches Sonar API To Expand AI Search Offerings

Perplexity AI has launched Sonar, an API service that allows developers and enterprises to integrate its generative AI search tools into their own applications. Sonar offers two tiers: a base version for faster and cheaper searches and Sonar Pro, which provides more-detailed answers and handles complex queries with additional citations. The API is already being used by companies like Zoom, enabling real-time, citation-backed AI answers within its platform.

Why It Matters: Perplexity claims Sonar Pro outperforms major competitors like Google and OpenAI on factual accuracy benchmarks. With competitive pricing and potential to grow its revenue, the startup aims to expand beyond its current offerings. Perplexity’s annual recurring revenue stands at $5–$10 million, and a recent funding round valued the company at $520 million. (Read Deeper)

AROUND DE WORLD & POLITICS

Israel’s Top General Resigns Over October 7 Attacks

Israel's top general, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, resigned on Tuesday, taking responsibility for security failures related to Hamas’ surprise attack on Oct. 7, 2023. This attack, which led to the deadliest assault on Israel in its history, killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in the abduction of 250 individuals. Halevi's resignation adds pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has resisted calls for a public inquiry into the incident, citing that it should wait until the war is over.

Takeaway: Alongside Halevi, Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman, head of Israel's Southern Command, also resigned. Halevi, in his resignation letter, emphasized the need for transparency and advocated for a public inquiry once military investigations are completed. This move comes as a fragile ceasefire with Hamas holds, and Israel continues military operations in the West Bank, where recent violence resulted in deaths and injuries. ( Read Deeper )

President Donald Trump Pardons Silk Road Founder Ross Ulbricht

President Donald Trump issued a full and unconditional pardon for Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the infamous Silk Road online marketplace, who had been serving a life sentence for his role in enabling over $200 million in illicit trade using Bitcoin. The decision fulfills a promise Trump made during his campaign and was announced on his social media platform, Truth Social. Trump criticized Ulbricht's conviction as part of what he called a broader weaponization of government, describing the pardon as a move toward justice.

Takeaway: Ulbricht, 40, has been incarcerated since his arrest in 2013, with his sentencing in 2015 marking a landmark case in the U.S. government's early regulatory actions against cryptocurrency-related activities. Prosecutors alleged that Silk Road facilitated illegal drug transactions and other illicit services through anonymous transactions on the dark web. Trump's pardon may signal a shift in policy regarding cryptocurrency regulation, marking a break from the stricter approach under President Joe Biden's administration. (Read Deeper)

ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS

Chris Brown Sues Warner Bros. And Documentary Producers For $500 Million

Chris Brown has filed a defamation lawsuit against Warner Bros. and the producers of the docuseries Chris Brown: A History of Violence, seeking at least $500 million in damages. The lawsuit stems from allegations made in the documentary, which aired in October, regarding accusations of sexual assault. Brown denies all wrongdoing and claims the producers knowingly aired false information, despite being presented with evidence that disproved the allegations. He argues that the woman involved in the accusations, Jane Doe, has a history of violent behavior and that the documentary falsely portrays him as a serial rapist. (Read Deeper)

Barcelona Stuns Benfica With Dramatic Comeback

Barcelona pulled off a dramatic comeback at Benfica, fighting back twice from two goals down, including capitalizing on two blunders by goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, to secure a thrilling 5-4 victory and advance to the Champions League last 16. Benfica got off to a dream start, with Greek striker Vangelis Pavlidis scoring a hat-trick in just 30 minutes, aided by two mistakes from Szczesny. Robert Lewandowski pulled one back for Barcelona from the penalty spot. ( Read deeper)

PODCAST(WHAT WE ARE LISTENING TO)

• Christina Cacioppo, the founder of Vanta, a security company valued at $2.5 billion, exemplifies the power of resilience in entrepreneurship. Before her success with Vanta, Christina experienced 22 unsuccessful ventures, each providing valuable lessons that shaped her approach to business.(Listen)

EXTRA BREVITI

• Bishop Calls on Trump to ‘Have Mercy’ on Migrants and LGBTQ+ People.(Read More)

• Elon Musk faced backlash after making a one-armed gesture during a speech at Donald Trump's inauguration celebration.(Read More)

• Microsoft No Longer Exclusive Cloud Provider for OpenAI as New Agreement Takes Shape. (Read More)

  Libya Warlord Arrested in Italy but Expelled After Tribunal Declines ICC Warrant.Libya Warlord Arrested in Italy. (Read More)