53% Of Enterprise Unicorns Have Received Investment From Blockchain Coinvestors
"The trend of blockchain coinvestments in enterprise unicorns is a reflection of the growing interest in these high-growth firms. As technology continues to evolve, businesses want to tap into the potential that comes with investing in startups and venture capital firms. Furthermore, blockchain projects provide investors with an opportunity to access new markets and capitalize on opportunities that other investors may not be aware of," explained Jonathan Merry, CEO of BanklessTimes. Blockchain coinvestors are investing in Enterprise Unicorns due to several reasons. These companies have a high growth potential and are often disruptors in their respective industries. By investing in these companies, Blockchain coinvestors can gain huge returns. Besides, Enterprise Unicorns are integrating into Blockchain technology to improve their operations. Blockchain enhances the security and transparency of their systems. Blockchain coinvestors are typically well-versed in this technology. So, they provide valuable insights and support to these firms in their integration efforts. The full story and statistics can be found here: 53% Of Enterprise Unicorns Have Received Investment From Blockchain Coinvestors
Metaverse Trademark Applications See 200% Surge in 2022 Against a Backdrop of Economic Instability
In 2022, there was a significant surge in trademark applications related to the Metaverse and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), indicating the growing importance and potential profitability of these emerging industries. According to data collected by Blockchain Centre, there were 5,850 new Metaverse trademark applications and 7,746 NFT trademark applications registered last year. This represents a growth rate of 205.64% and 259.61%, respectively, from the previous year. The monthly trends for trademark registrations steadily increased throughout the year, with at least 300 new applications filed every month.
Wading through financial stability risks: An Action Plan
George Smith, CFA, Portfolio Strategist, LPL Financial
Jeffrey Buchbinder, CFA, Chief Equity Strategist, LPL Financial
Lawrence Gillum, CFA, Fixed Income Strategist, LPL Financial
The Federal Reserve (Fed) has a history of raising short-term interest rates until something “breaks.” Considering the Fed has raised rates from a near-zero level to 4.75% (upper bound) over the course of only one year, it was almost a near certainty this time would be no different. Recent bank failures suggest things are indeed starting to break. However, we don’t think we’re on the brink of a full-blown crisis, as market indicators we follow suggest contagion risks are still currently low. And while we don’t think a full-blown crisis is imminent, financial stability risks have clearly increased, which makes a prudent asset allocation plan a must.
Contagion
The aftermath of the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and other bank failures in the U.S. rippled into Europe last week as Credit Suisse’s (CS) troubles moved firmly into the spotlight. The Swiss bank’s shares slid to an all-time low on Wednesday after the Saudi National Bank (which owns almost 10% of CS) stated it would not provide additional financial support after CS earlier acknowledged “material weakness” in its financial reporting. This followed a series of missteps and compliance issues that have hindered the bank’s global standing in recent years. Then, on Thursday, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) issued a note aiming to regain confidence in CS, saying they “will provide liquidity to the global active bank if necessary”. Hours later CS announced it had taken the SNB up on this offer and would borrow up to $54 billion (50 billion Swiss Francs) in what the bank called a "decisive action to pre-emptively strengthen its liquidity." After a week of such high drama, which culminated in UBS’ takeover of Credit Suisse over the weekend, we look at a few key indicators to gauge how various market indicators we watch are reacting to the turmoil in the banking sector. The word at a the top of everyone’s mind at the moment is “contagion”: Will the troubles at SVB, CS, and others spread to the wider banking sector and lead to a 2008-like banking crisis? Credit Default Swaps (CDS), a derivative financial instrument that market participants can use to insure against default, on European banks so far don’t seem to be indicating contagion in the European banking sector (Figure 1). Prior to the UBS tie-up, the CDS on CS may have reached deep distressed levels not seen at a major global bank since the financial crisis, but European bank sector CDS are still below levels seen as recently as fall 2022.
