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Global smartphone sales plunged by 20% in Q1, due to Coronavirus

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Global smartphone sales plunged by 20% in Q1, due to Coronavirus

More blue numbers confirm what we are already aware of: Q1 2020 was tough for an already struggling smartphone division. Gartner’s latest report sets the global market at a 20.2% slide as compared to the same time last year, thanks in large portion to fallout from the Coronavirus pandemic.

Every single one of the global top-five productions saw significant drops for the quarter, save for Xiaomi, which saw a small uptick of 1.4%. The Chinese smartphone maker got a surprise bump, courtesy of international sales. Samsung and Huawei and Oppo all observed double-digit drop-offs at 22.7%, 27.3%, and 19.1%, while Apple declined 8.2%. Other companies consolidated for a sizable 24.2% loss for Q1.

The reasons are ones we’ve gone over several times before, nearly all about the global pandemic. Chief among them are comprehensive stay at home orders and general economic uncertainly. Issues with the worldwide supply chain have no doubt been a factor, as well, as Asia was the first to get hit with the virus.

All of this comes in addition to an already plateauing/declining smartphone market. Analysts had expected that the arrival of 5G would help stem the tide a bit — but, well, some stuff happened in there. Notably, Apple’s slide wasn’t as bad as it might have been thanks to a strong start to the year.

“If COVID-19 did not happen, the vendor would have likely seen its iPhone sales reached a record level in the quarter. Supply chain disruptions and declining consumer spending put a halt to this positive trend in February,” Gartner’s Annette Zimmermann said in a release. “Apple’s ability to serve clients via its online stores and its production returning to near normal levels at the end of March helped recover some of the early positive momenta.”

Overall, I suspect that recovery won’t be instantaneous for the market. The future of COVID-19 still feels largely uncertain as countries have begun the process of reopening, and a pricey investment always may not be in the cards for many who are struggling to make ends meet.

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Crypto

Strategy Buys $2.5B in Bitcoin, Holdings Surpass 800,000 BTC

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Michael Saylor’s company Strategy has made another massive Bitcoin purchase, pushing its total holdings past 800,000 BTC and reinforcing its position as the largest public holder of the asset.

Massive $2.5 Billion Bitcoin Purchase

Strategy acquired 34,164 Bitcoin for approximately $2.54 billion between April 13 and April 19, according to a recent SEC filing.

The purchase ranks as the company’s third-largest Bitcoin buy ever, highlighting its continued aggressive accumulation strategy.

The coins were bought at an average price of $74,395 per BTC, slightly below Strategy’s overall average purchase price.

Total Holdings Now Above 800K BTC

Following the latest acquisition, Strategy now holds:

  • 815,061 BTC total
  • Purchased for roughly $61.56 billion

This milestone comes just one week after the company revealed a separate $1 billion Bitcoin purchase, showing how rapidly it continues to scale its position.

Funded Largely Through STRC Offering

A significant portion of the latest purchase was funded through Strategy’s preferred stock offering:

  • $2.18 billion (85.7%) came from STRC issuance
  • $366 million came from selling Class A shares (MSTR)

The STRC program has become a core funding mechanism for Strategy’s Bitcoin accumulation strategy.

Record-Breaking Buying Activity

The company also set new internal records during the buying period.

On April 13 and 14 alone, Strategy executed massive purchases tied to its at-the-market (ATM) program:

  • ~7,741 BTC in one day
  • ~9,364 BTC the next day

Combined, these two days accounted for over 17,000 BTC, marking a sharp increase compared to previous weekly averages.

Saylor Teased the Move

Michael Saylor hinted at the purchase ahead of time with a cryptic “Think Even Bigger” post, a pattern he has used before major acquisition announcements.

Dividend Strategy to Boost Demand

Alongside its Bitcoin buying spree, Strategy is also exploring changes to its investor offering.

The company recently proposed semi-monthly dividend payments for its STRC preferred shares, aiming to:

  • Stabilize share price
  • Increase liquidity
  • Attract more investor demand

If approved, Strategy would become one of the few companies globally to offer such frequent dividend payouts.

Strategy Doubles Down on Bitcoin Conviction

This latest purchase reinforces Strategy’s long-term bet on Bitcoin as a primary treasury asset.

Despite market volatility and unrealized losses in prior quarters, the company continues to accumulate aggressively, signaling strong confidence in Bitcoin’s future value.

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Bitnomial Launches Injective Futures in US, Eyes Potential ETF Path

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Chicago-based crypto exchange Bitnomial has introduced monthly futures contracts tied to Injective, marking the first US-regulated derivatives product for the token and a potential step toward future ETF approval.

The launch gives traders regulated exposure to Injective’s native token without needing to directly hold the asset.

First US-Regulated Futures for Injective

According to the announcement, the new contracts settle in INJ and come with monthly expiries. Traders can gain price exposure while using either crypto or US dollars as margin through Bitnomial’s clearinghouse.

The move establishes a formal trading history for Injective in regulated markets, which could be significant for future financial products.

ETF Eligibility Could Follow

The listing also initiates a six-month track record, a key requirement that could support the approval of a spot exchange-traded fund under US Securities and Exchange Commission rules.

Earlier, Canary Capital filed for a staked INJ ETF, with Cboe BZX Exchange submitting a related rule change proposal to the SEC.

Institutional traders can access the futures immediately, while retail users are expected to gain access soon through Bitnomial’s Botanical platform. The exchange also plans to expand its offerings with perpetual futures and options tied to INJ.

Injective’s Role in DeFi Infrastructure

Injective operates on a Layer 1 blockchain designed for financial applications. It features an onchain order book and supports cross-chain functionality with networks such as Ethereum and Solana.

This infrastructure positions Injective as a key player in decentralized finance, particularly for trading and derivatives use cases.

Bitnomial Expands Altcoin Derivatives

Bitnomial, which operates under Commodity Futures Trading Commission oversight, continues to expand its range of crypto derivatives products.

In January, the exchange launched futures tied to Aptos, marking another step toward bringing altcoins into regulated US derivatives markets.

However, expanding beyond major cryptocurrencies has not been without challenges.

Regulatory Hurdles Persist

US-regulated crypto futures are still largely concentrated around Bitcoin and Ether, with altcoin-based products facing greater scrutiny.

Bitnomial previously attempted to list XRP futures in 2024, but the effort was challenged by the SEC. After legal proceedings, the exchange ultimately launched regulated XRP futures in March 2026, citing a shift in the regulatory landscape.

Other platforms have taken a more gradual approach. Coinbase introduced regulated Bitcoin and Ether futures for institutional clients in 2023 and later expanded access to retail traders. Meanwhile, Kraken strengthened its position in derivatives by acquiring NinjaTrader in a $1.5 billion deal.

Growing Momentum in US Crypto Derivatives

The launch of Injective futures reflects a broader push to expand regulated crypto derivatives offerings in the United States.

As regulatory clarity improves, more exchanges are exploring ways to introduce new products tied to altcoins, potentially paving the way for a wider range of ETFs and institutional investment opportunities.

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Crypto

CoreWeave Signs $6B Deal With Jane Street to Power AI Trading Operations

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CoreWeave has secured a major $6 billion agreement with quantitative trading firm Jane Street, as demand for high-performance AI computing continues to grow across financial markets.

The deal will see Jane Street use CoreWeave’s AI cloud infrastructure to support its trading and research operations, which increasingly rely on advanced data processing and machine learning models.

Jane Street Taps GPU Power for Trading Edge

Under the agreement, CoreWeave will provide computing capacity from multiple data centers, giving Jane Street access to large-scale GPU-powered infrastructure.

The trading firm said it requires this level of computing power to stay competitive as artificial intelligence becomes more deeply integrated into trading strategies and research workflows.

In addition to the infrastructure deal, Jane Street also invested $1 billion in CoreWeave, purchasing Class A common stock at $109 per share.

CoreWeave Stock Sees Modest Uptick

Following the announcement, shares of CoreWeave (CRWV) rose about 1.5%, reaching approximately $119.04 at the time of reporting.

The deal adds to growing investor confidence in the company’s role as a key provider of AI-focused cloud infrastructure.

Expanding AI Partnerships

The Jane Street agreement comes just one week after CoreWeave announced a separate partnership with Anthropic.

Under that deal, Anthropic will use CoreWeave’s infrastructure to run its Claude AI models, further strengthening CoreWeave’s position in the AI ecosystem.

From Crypto Mining to AI Infrastructure

CoreWeave originally launched in 2017 as a crypto mining company under the name Atlantic Crypto before pivoting to AI cloud computing in 2019.

This early transition has given the company a significant advantage as demand for GPU-based computing has surged.

The shift also highlights a broader trend in the industry, where former crypto mining firms are repurposing their infrastructure to support AI workloads as mining revenues become less predictable.

Leading the “Neocloud” Market

CoreWeave is now considered a leader in the so-called “neocloud” sector, which focuses on GPU-driven cloud computing designed specifically for AI applications.

Unlike traditional cloud providers that rely on CPUs for general computing tasks, neocloud platforms are optimized for intensive AI workloads such as model training and large-scale data analysis.

Analysts from Bernstein noted that CoreWeave stands out among its peers, including IREN and Nebius, due to its strong commercial performance, diverse customer base, and mix of long-term contracts and on-demand services.

The company also claims that nine of the top ten AI model providers now use its platform, underscoring its growing influence in the space.

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