Latest news for Epic (OTC:EPORP) Stock

Epic Corp is a special purpose vehicle providing turn-key solutions to qualified companies to enable them to raise capital and to provide investors an exit strategy through the EPIC Process. The turn-key solutions include exempted transactions from registration of short and long term integrated private and public solicitations of capital that provide a builtin exit strategy. The EPIC Process enables a qualified private company through a qualified private placement or a qualified merger to raise capital at a low cost, in the short and long term, while establishing a built-in exit strategy. The exit strategy enables it to become a development stage public company that will have a higher intrinsic value then remaining private and provide a basis for raising additional capital at a lower cost.

Epic Corp

News

ASTS

AST SpaceMobile Prices $400M Private Offering Of 4.25% Convertible Notes Due 2032

IPOs

COLAU

Reported Earlier, Columbus Acquisition Corp Prices $60M Initial Public Offering Of 6M Units At $10/Unit, Trading To Begin January 23 On Nasdaq

<ul>
<li>Tamboran Resources Corporation and Santos Limited (ASX: STO) have entered into a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to undertake technical studies relating to a potential Darwin LNG (DLNG) Train 2 expansion and collaborative work on the jointly owned EP 161 acreage (Santos 75% operator, Tamboran 25%) in the Beetaloo Basin.</li>
<li>The goal of the studies is to evaluate options for supplying natural gas to a potential expansion train at the existing DLNG facility at Middle Arm. DLNG was approved to a nominal 10 million tonnes of LNG per annum (MTPA), with this expansion opportunity up to ~6 MTPA.</li>
<li>Santos is the operator of the existing DLNG project with a 43.4% working interest.</li>
<li>Tamboran and Santos are joint venture partners in the EP 161 acreage which holds ~300,000 acres of Mid Velkerri B Shale at depths below 8,850 feet (~2,700 metres). The region has demonstrated Marcellus Basin-type decline curves from two Tanumbirini wells that were drilled and flow tested in 2022.</li>
<li>Tamboran remains committed to progressing the development of the proposed NTLNG project at Middle Arm, which is currently undergoing pre-FEED studies with Bechtel Corporation.</li>
<li>Tamboran and Santos are both committed to supplying natural gas from the Beetaloo Basin into both the Australian domestic gas and international LNG markets.</li>
</ul>

Reported Earlier, Tamboran Resources And Santos Sign MOU To Advance Darwin LNG Train 2 Expansion Studies

The Reverse Stock Split is primarily intended to bring the Company to compliance with the $1.00 minimum bid price requirement in order to maintain its listing on Nasdaq. There is no guarantee the Company will meet the minimum bid price requirement.

Reported Earlier, Inspire Veterinary Partners Announces 1-for-25 Reverse Stock Split Effective January 27, 2025

XERI

XTIA

Reported Earlier, Xeriant's Legal Claims Against XTI Aircraft Proceed After Court Denies Motion To Dismiss

Disc intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to fund research and clinical development of its current or additional product candidates, to support the potential commercialization of bitopertin for erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) and X-linked protoporphyria (XLP), as well as for working capital and other general corporate purposes.

IRON

Reported Earlier, Disc Medicine Prices $225.5M Upsized Offering Of 3,918,182 Common Shares At $55 Each And 181,818 Warrants At $54.9999 Each

The Reverse Stock Split is primarily intended to bring the Company into compliance with the $1.00 minimum bid price requirement in order to maintain its listing on Nasdaq. There is no guarantee the Company will meet the minimum bid price requirement.

GITS

Reported Earlier, Global Interactive Technologies Announces 1-for-20 Reverse Stock Split Effective January 27

ZL-1310 will be eligible for certain development incentives, including a waiver of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act registration application fee, tax credits for certain clinical trials and the potential to receive a seven-year U.S. market exclusivity period granted upon product approval.

ZLAB

Reported Earlier, Zai Lab Gains FDA Orphan Drug Designation For ZL-1310 In Small Cell Lung Cancer

In addition to the newly added battery service and balancing capability, the Envirotech electric vehicle service center features multi-point vehicle inspections and repair, including tires and brakes.

EVTV

Reported Earlier, Envirotech Vehicles Expands New Jersey Service Center To Support Zero-Emission Growth

EV giant Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) will increase the prices of its entire car lineup starting Feb. 1. The prices of the Model 3 are expected to rise by as much as C$9000 (about $6,253).
What Happened: While Model Y prices will increase by up to C$4000 on Feb 1, Model 3 prices will increase by up to C$9000, the company said in announcements on its Canadian website.
The company said that the starting price on all variants of Model X and Model S will increase by C$4000 starting next month, without offering a reason for the price hike. Tesla did not immediately respond to Benzinga&#8216;s request for comment.
There are no warnings for a possible price hike on the Cybertruck. 
Why It Matters: The EV giant does not manufacture in Canada but imports vehicles from its factories outside the country. The Canadian government levies 100% tariffs on all EVs manufactured in China and sold in the country, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/08/40619796/tesla-appealed-for-reduced-tariffs-on-its-china-made-evs-in-canada-similar-to-eu-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">including Tesla EVs</a>.
Earlier this month, the company increased the price of all Model Y and Model 3 variants in Canada by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/42937389/tesla-hikes-model-3-y-prices-in-canada-by-c1000-after-announcing-price-increase-in-china">C$1,000</a>.
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Future Of Mobility coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link.</a>
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43120483/ford-mustang-architect-hal-sperlich-dies-at-95-lot-of-people-who-make-great-cars-but-so-few-who-invent-segments-like-hal-did-says-jim-farley" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ford Mustang Architect Hal Sperlich Dies At 95: ‘Lot Of People Who Make Great Cars But So Few Who Invent Segments Like Hal Did,' Says Jim Farley</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Tech

TSLA

Tesla To Raise Prices In Canada: Model 3 Sees Up To $6,200 Hike

The market continues to see an uptick in volatility while simultaneously printing higher stock prices. This usually means there is a topping formation in progress. That said, financials continue to move constructively northward and the heels of earnings for American Express (AXP) take place on Friday morning.
So today we're looking at a bullish trade on AXP's earnings.
Today's trade will be a long call butterfly spread. When we position with long call butterfly spreads, we attempt to collect a premium that is generated by a strong move in the underlying stock's chart. We offset the cost of the long calls into earnings with a short call spread that mitigates some of the risk premium incurred taking the position
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Trade structure – the long call butterfly with a twist</h2>
The long call butterfly consists of two spreads – a long call spread and a short call spread that attempts to capture the potential upward spike in price from the earnings release. To help pay for this position we will sell a short call spread to collect a premium.
AXP's stock price is currently range bound with resistance near $340 and support near $300. With that in mind, here's the trade:
<ul>
<li>Buy to open 1 AXP 21 Feb 330 calls</li>
<li>Sell to open 1 AXP 21 Feb 340 calls</li>
<li>Buy to open 1 AXP 21 Feb 345 calls</li>
</ul>
At this writing the debit cost is $1.90 and the maximum profit will be the distance between the first two strikes (330 and 340), which is $10, less the cost of $1.90 = $8.10 or $810. Notice, however, that the short call spread is only $5 wide, so if the price action shoots past $345, we would still have $5 from the first spread, less the cost – and this would still deliver over 150% gains.
Our maximum risk is simply the cost of the spread – if the price action fades, or does not rise past $330, we will lose the cost of the debit.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Trade Management</h2>
The strategy result provides three ways to exit the trade:
<ol>
<li>Sell the butterfly once it gets to an acceptable profit margin for you. I customarily look for 150%-300% profit for these kinds of trades in the current environment of volatility.</li>
<li>Sell the butterfly once it hits a loss threshold as determined by personal risk – this will happen with extreme movement. I customarily look at about 70% though depending on my size.</li>
<li>Ssell the butterfly into the week before expiration, if all is going well and you have decided to hold the trade into closer to the end of expiration (I have had many a trade go sideways taking it down to the wire and not capturing gains, so I do not advise this).</li>
</ol>
Every morning our experts zero in on ONE stock flashing clear technical signals. Then hand you a power-packed chart setup with high profit potential – confusion free. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge/?utm_source=WebRD-0123&amp;el=ResearchDaily&amp;he={{email}}&amp;adt_ei={{email}}">Come Join Us Every Morning Here</a>
Image via Shutterstock

Opinion

Trading Ideas

How to Trade Tomorrow's Earnings

Cathie Wood, the founder of asset management firm&nbsp;Ark Invest, expressed uncertainty about the utility of President Donald Trump&#8217;s coin on Wednesday, adding that her company has avoided memecoin investments.
What Happened: During an interview with Bloomberg TV, Wood labeled the launch of Official Trump&nbsp;(TRUMP)&nbsp;as part of a &#8220;memecoin moment,&#8221; but only time will tell if it becomes useful in some way.
&#8220;I mean there is speculation that you&#8217;ll get to meet President Trump as one of the utilities of owning this coin. I don&#8217;t know if that&#8217;s the case or not. But so far, we don&#8217;t know of much utility for this coin, except that it is a meme coin of President Trump,&#8221; the veteran investor said.
That said, Wood noted that the launch could potentially symbolize the &#8220;next phase of&nbsp;the cryptocurrency revolution.&#8221;
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">.<a href="https://twitter.com/ARKInvest?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ARKInvest</a> CEO and CIO Cathie Wood says we don&#39;t know if President Trump&#39;s memecoin holds much utility, but Trump is &quot;ushering in the next phase of the crypto revolution.&quot; She speaks with <a href="https://twitter.com/scarletfu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@scarletfu</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/kgreifeld?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kgreifeld</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/EricBalchunas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EricBalchunas</a> on &quot;ETF IQ&quot; <a href="https://t.co/YbD2ANk8TA">https://t.co/YbD2ANk8TA</a> <a href="https://t.co/pxlEjL3ZUA">pic.twitter.com/pxlEjL3ZUA</a>
&mdash; Bloomberg TV (@BloombergTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/BloombergTV/status/1882153888981123336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
When asked if she would buy the cryptocurrency, Wood responded that Ark Invest has mostly stayed away from meme coins, focusing instead on the &#8220;Big Three,&#8221; namely Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>), Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>), and Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>).
See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42735744/pharma-bro-martin-shkreli-predicts-doom-for-michael-saylors-microstrategy-as-stock-dips-below-300-in-after-hours-trading"> </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/01/43119637/michael-saylors-proposal-to-increase-microstratagys-share-count-approved-by-shareholders-more-bitcoin-purchases-on-the-cards">Michael Saylor&#8217;s Proposal To Increase MicroStratagy&#8217;s Share Count Approved By Shareholders — More Bitcoin Purchases On The Cards?</a>
Why It Matters: The meme coin, which was <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/01/43080060/donald-trump-and-melania-memecoins-combined-market-value-is-now-higher-than-that-of-warren-buffetts-hot-pick">launched last weekend</a>, has seen wild fluctuations in its price and capitalization.
At its peak, the coin spawned a fully diluted valuation of nearly $75 billion, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/01/43080060/donald-trump-and-melania-memecoins-combined-market-value-is-now-higher-than-that-of-warren-buffetts-hot-pick">well over many reputed publicly-listed firms</a>. As of this writing, the valuation has halved to $36.79 billion.
Entities affiliated with The Trump Organization control 80% of the coin&#8217;s supply. When President Trump was asked about the "several billion dollars" the memecoin has raked in, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/01/43118779/trump-memecoin-regains-momentum-rallies-22-as-the-president-calls-billions-earned-through-the-venture-as-peanuts">he deemed them</a> &#8220;peanuts.&#8221;
Price Action: At the time of writing, TRUMP was exchanging hands at $36.59, crashing 11.94% in the last 24 hours, according to data from <a href="https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/official-trump/">CoinMarketCap</a>.
Image via Flickr
Read Next:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/01/43118234/president-trump-signs-executive-order-to-pardon-silk-road-creator-ross-ulbricht">President Trump Signs Executive Order To Pardon Silk Road Creator Ross Ulbricht</a></li>
</ul>

Coverage of Bitcoin, Etherum, Ripple and all the latest digital currencies.

Cryptocurrency

Markets

$BTC

$ETH

$SOL

Cathie Wood Was Asked If She Would Buy TRUMP Coin, Here's What She Said

Macro Economic Events

Econ #s

Economics

BBJP

WisdomTree Trust Japan Total Dividend Fund

Reported Earlier, Japan Trade Balance For December 130.9B Vs. 55.0B Est.; -110.3B Prior

Reported Earlier, Japan Exports (YoY) For December 2.8% Vs. 2.3% Est.; 3.8% Prior

Reported Earlier, Japan Adjusted Trade Balance -0.03T Vs. -0.51T Est.; -0.39T (Revised) Prior

Wall Street personalities and market watchers are closely monitoring coal stocks following unexpected industry dynamics, with CNBC&#8217;s Jim Cramer hinting at a potential sector resurgence.
What Happened: Cramer&#8217;s cryptic Wednesday post on X, questioning &#8220;And what if coal makes a comeback??? Stay tuned&#8230;&#8221;, preceded a notable decline in coal-related equities.
Major industry players like Peabody Energy Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BTU#NYSE">BTU</a>) and Warrior Met Coal Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HCC#NYSE">HCC</a>) experienced significant price corrections, with the Exchange Traded Concepts Trust Range Global Coal Index ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COAL#NYSE">COAL</a>) dropping 2.20%.
The potential shift comes amid President Donald Trump&#8216;s aggressive energy infrastructure plans, which emphasize expanding <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/01/42865106/trump-vows-to-power-ai-boom-with-expanded-oil-drilling-need-double-the-electricity-at-least-that-we-have-right-now">domestic drilling and electricity production</a> to support the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43111153/nvidia-and-ai-stock-rises-as-trump-announces-500-billion-stargate-ai-infrastructure-venture">burgeoning artificial intelligence sector</a>. 
Trump has pledged to unlock 625 million acres of offshore reserves <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/01/42865106/trump-vows-to-power-ai-boom-with-expanded-oil-drilling-need-double-the-electricity-at-least-that-we-have-right-now">valued at $50-$60 trillion</a>, directly challenging existing environmental restrictions.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">And what if coal makes a comeback??? Stay tuned&#8230; <a href="https://twitter.com/MadMoneyOnCNBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MadMoneyOnCNBC</a>
&mdash; Jim Cramer (@jimcramer) <a href="https://twitter.com/jimcramer/status/1882212612391506216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/25/01/43150781/netflix-crushed-q4-thanks-to-sports-squid-game-says-gary-black-analyst-highlights-low-attrition-despite-price-hikes-predicts-stock-upside">Netflix Crushed Q4 Thanks To Sports, Squid Game, Says Gary Black: Analyst Highlights Low Attrition Despite Price Hikes, Predicts Stock Upside</a>
Why It Matters: Notably, the AI-driven energy transformation is sparking unprecedented electricity demand. The Department of Energy projects AI-related data center electricity consumption <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/01/43107819/i-wish-i-couldve-predicted-it-the-27-billion-gas-deal-behind-ais-energy-appetite">could triple within three years</a>, forcing a reevaluation of traditional energy strategies.
Energy consultancy Enverus <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/01/43107819/i-wish-i-couldve-predicted-it-the-27-billion-gas-deal-behind-ais-energy-appetite">projects 80 new gas-fired plants</a> will be constructed by 2030, adding 46 gigawatts of power capacity. This expansion represents a 20% increase over recent construction rates and signals a potential renaissance for fossil fuel infrastructure.
Major tech companies are already positioning themselves strategically. Meta Platforms Inc. plans to power a $10 billion AI data center through a $3.2 billion gas plant expansion exemplifies the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/01/43107819/i-wish-i-couldve-predicted-it-the-27-billion-gas-deal-behind-ais-energy-appetite">industry&#8217;s current trajectory</a>.
While renewable energy development continues, industry leaders argue that current battery technologies cannot match gas plants&#8217; reliability for <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/01/43107819/i-wish-i-couldve-predicted-it-the-27-billion-gas-deal-behind-ais-energy-appetite">power-intensive AI operations</a>. 
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43150793/nvidia-supplier-sk-hynix-soars-102-in-revenue-but-stock-slides-310-despite-ai-memory-boom">Nvidia Supplier SK Hynix Soars 102% In Revenue, But Stock Drops Despite AI Memory Boom</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Equities

COAL

Jim Cramer Hints At Coal 'Comeback' As Stocks Dip, Trump's Energy Agenda Fuels Debate

Samsung Electronics Co. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SSNLF#OTC">SSNLF</a>) and Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google have decided to team up to develop <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43114842/meta-expands-ai-wearables-with-oakley-smart-glasses-camera-equipped-earbuds-in-development">augmented reality glasses</a>.
What Happened: The development was confirmed by TM Roh, the president of Samsung's Mobile Experience division, in an <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-22/samsung-set-to-enter-ar-glasses-market-in-race-with-meta-apple">interview</a> with Bloomberg.
However, the specific details and a release timeline remain undisclosed. The companies &#8220;will try to reach the quality and readiness we want as soon as possible,&#8221; he stated.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/25/01/43150781/netflix-crushed-q4-thanks-to-sports-squid-game-says-gary-black-analyst-highlights-low-attrition-despite-price-hikes-predicts-stock-upside">Netflix Crushed Q4 Thanks To Sports, Squid Game, Says Gary Black: Analyst Highlights Low Attrition Despite Price Hikes, Predicts Stock Upside</a>
The development follows the introduction of Samsing's Project Moohan, a mixed-reality headset, that operates on Google&#8217;s Android XR platform.
The South Korean giant is still finalizing the release date and price for this product, expected to launch in 2026, the report noted.
According to Roh, the company is trying to ensure there is sufficient content available for the device for which Samsung and Google are partnering with third-party developers.&nbsp;
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It Matters: Samsung-Google collaboration will compete with major players like Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) in the rapidly growing AR market.
Meta plans to introduce its AR glasses, named Artemis, in 2027. Apple has been secretive about its AR ambitions.
Last year, Meta also unveiled its Orion AR glasses, described as an &#8220;impressive demo&#8221; but <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/41084112/mark-zuckerberg-says-orion-is-probably-going-to-be-the-next-major-platform-after-phones-metas-new-ar">not intended for consumer sale</a>. In 2024, Snap Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNAP#NYSE">SNAP</a>) has also entered the AR space <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40909648/snap-unveils-smart-glasses-to-bring-ar-technology-to-physical-world-what-investors-need-to-know">with its smart glasses</a>.
Notably, Google&#8217;s earlier AR venture, Google Glass Enterprise, was <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/03/31376205/what-went-wrong-with-google-glass-enterprise-inside-look-at-the-discontinued-ar-project">discontinued in 2023</a> due to challenges like privacy concerns.
Photo Courtesy: dennizn on Shutterstock.com
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/01/43047721/apple-cfo-denies-claims-of-75-profit-margins-on-app-store-i-wouldnt-say-theyre-accurate" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple CFO Denies Claims Of 75% Profit Margins On App Store: ‘I Wouldn't Say They're Accurate'</a></li>
</ul>

Media

AAPL

GOOG

GOOGL

SNAP

SSNLF

Samsung, Google Team Up On AR Glasses Development, Duo To Enter Race Against Meta And Apple

World Network (WLD) was one of the cryptocurrency market's biggest gainers on Wednesday amid the hype surrounding OpenAI's ambitious $500 billion Project Stargate.
What happened: WLD, the native currency of the decentralized identity verification project, surged over 4%, becoming the third best-performing cryptocurrency over the last 24 hours.
The coin&#8217;s trading volume surged 22.50% to $819 million, indicating significant buying pressure.
The rally defied downturns in market heavyweights like Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) and Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>), which fell 2.71% and 3.19%, respectively.
See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42735744/pharma-bro-martin-shkreli-predicts-doom-for-michael-saylors-microstrategy-as-stock-dips-below-300-in-after-hours-trading"> </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/01/43119637/michael-saylors-proposal-to-increase-microstratagys-share-count-approved-by-shareholders-more-bitcoin-purchases-on-the-cards">Michael Saylor&#8217;s Proposal To Increase MicroStratagy&#8217;s Share Count Approved By Shareholders — More Bitcoin Purchases On The Cards?</a>
Why It Matters: The uptick comes after President Donald Trump announced an <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43111153/nvidia-and-ai-stock-rises-as-trump-announces-500-billion-stargate-ai-infrastructure-venture">AI infrastructure joint venture</a> in the U.S., with OpenAI, a leading AI research company, taking operational responsibilities.
Note that the company's CEO and co-founder, Sam Altman, launched the World Network project, formerly Worldcoin, last year. The coin has rallied <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/09/41038522/sam-altman-founded-worldcoin-becomes-crypto-markets-biggest-gainer-on-openai-ceos-equity-s">in response to developments</a> around Altman and OpenAI in the past as well.
The project collects people's irises to authenticate their humanness and creates a digital ID, thereby making them eligible to receive free WLD tokens.
However, the project has faced government scrutiny over concerns around personal data privacy. The project has been banned in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/24/05/38981228/sam-altman-founded-worldcoin-shown-the-door-in-hong-kong-over-privacy-concerns">Hong Kong</a>, Kenya, and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/06/39176283/sam-altman-founded-worldcoins-suspension-extended-in-spain-crypto-plunges-55-since-march-p">Spain</a>.
Price Action: At the time of writing, WLD was exchanging hands at $2.25, up 4.31% in the last 24 hours, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;380nj0&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTEyOTAyOTcxMy4xNzEzMzY0NTYy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDk4MzIzMi42LjEuMTcxNDk4OTE0Ni4wLjAuMA..">data from Benzinga Pro</a>. Year-to-date, the cryptocurrency has gained 7.56%. Last year, it recorded a drop of 42%. 
Image by CryptoFX on Shutterstock
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Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives has raised Tesla Inc.&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) price target to $550, signaling growing confidence in the electric vehicle manufacturer&#8217;s demand and autonomous potential under President Donald Trump&#8216;s administration. 
What Happened: Ives characterized the emerging landscape as a &#8220;golden era&#8221; for CEO Elon Musk and Tesla heading into 2025.
The price target increase comes amid complex market dynamics, including challenges in vehicle deliveries and potential policy changes. Tesla&#8217;s U.S. deliveries declined 5.6% in 2024 to 633,762 units, yet the company remains the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42967593/cybertruck-sales-rise-in-2024-weighed-down-on-tesla-model-s-deliveries-in-us-shows-data">dominant electric vehicle brand nationwide</a>.
Simultaneously, debates around Tesla&#8217;s future have intensified. Investor Gary Black cautioned against <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/01/42904377/tesla-bull-gary-black-warns-against-inflated-optimus-robot-assumptions-get-pounded-each-time-i-try-to-right-size-expectations">inflated expectations</a> for the Optimus robot program, estimating it could add only $0.70 to earnings per share by 2027. 
Bank of America analyst John Murphy valued the Optimus segment between $14 billion and $95 billion, representing just 2% of Tesla&#8217;s total estimated value.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">We do not include Optimus yet in our valuation. Bull case is $650 &#x1f447; <a href="https://t.co/mGPSeIxK4v">https://t.co/mGPSeIxK4v</a>
&mdash; Dan Ives (@DivesTech) <a href="https://twitter.com/DivesTech/status/1882079361656049883?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43150793/nvidia-supplier-sk-hynix-soars-102-in-revenue-but-stock-slides-310-despite-ai-memory-boom">Nvidia Supplier SK Hynix Soars 102% In Revenue, But Stock Drops Despite AI Memory Boom</a>
Why It Matters: The potential elimination of the $7,500 federal electric vehicle tax credit under the Trump administration introduces additional uncertainty. While Musk previously suggested minimal impact on Tesla, Black warned of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/01/43122855/trumps-plan-to-revoke-7500-ev-tax-credit-is-a-huge-negative-for-tesla-says-gary-black-downplays-impact-on-rivals">significant pricing challenges</a>.
Notably, Tesla&#8217;s stock performance has lagged behind market expectations, with <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/01/42904377/tesla-bull-gary-black-warns-against-inflated-optimus-robot-assumptions-get-pounded-each-time-i-try-to-right-size-expectations">fiscal 2025 and 2026 earnings estimates</a> declining 39% and 45% respectively over the past year. 
Despite these challenges, Ives remains optimistic, setting a bull case target of $650, representing a 56% increase from the current trading price, without factoring in Optimus&#8217; potential.
Price Action: Tesla stock closed at $415.11 on Wednesday, down 2.11% for the day. In after-hours trading, the stock dipped further 0.32%. Over the past year, Tesla's stock has gained 98.81%, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.
Tesla has a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/TSLA/analyst-ratings">consensus price target</a> of $308.4, with a high of $550 and a low of $24.86. The average target from Wedbush, Piper Sandler, and Barclays is $458.33, implying a 10.77% upside.
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/22215448/Screenshot-2025-01-23-at-8.24.05%E2%80%AFAM-1024x375.png" alt="" class="wp-image-745862" style="width:678px;height:auto" /></figure>
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Image Via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Dan Ives Raises Tesla Price Target To $550, Sees 'Golden Era' For Elon Musk Under Trump, Sees Bull Case Upside Of Over 56% If Optimus Robot Counted In Valuation

BlackRock CEO Larry Fink touted Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) as a tool for overcoming economic and political uncertainties on Wednesday, projecting it to rise to as much as $700,000 if the world catches up with this narrative.
What Happened: During an interview with Bloomberg on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, Fink stated that Bitcoin could serve as a hedge against local fears related to currency debasement and political instability.
&#8220;If you&#8217;re frightened of the debasement of your currency or you&#8217;re frightened of the economic or political stability of your country, You could have an internationally based instrument called Bitcoin that will overcome those local fears, &#8221; the CEO of the world&#8217;s largest asset manager said.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">&quot;Crypto is a currency of fear&#8230;you can have an internationally based instrument called bitcoin that will overcome those local fears,&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/BlackRock?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BlackRock</a>&#39;s Larry Fink talks crypto&#39;s ability to withstand economic and political instability. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BloombergHouse?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BloombergHouse</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WEF25?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WEF25</a> &#x23ef;&#xFE0F;<a href="https://t.co/2Bkhd9o3JY">https://t.co/2Bkhd9o3JY</a> <a href="https://t.co/2ZwVmMFS3W">pic.twitter.com/2ZwVmMFS3W</a>
&mdash; Bloomberg Live (@BloombergLive) <a href="https://twitter.com/BloombergLive/status/1882102462259114009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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He also mentioned discussions he regularly has&nbsp;with the sovereign wealth funds&nbsp;about the possibility of allocating 2% to 5% of their portfolio to Bitcoin.
&#8220;If everybody adopted that conversation, you know, it would be $500,000, $600,000, $700,000 per Bitcoin,&#8221; Fink made a bold prediction.
See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42735744/pharma-bro-martin-shkreli-predicts-doom-for-michael-saylors-microstrategy-as-stock-dips-below-300-in-after-hours-trading"> </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/01/43119637/michael-saylors-proposal-to-increase-microstratagys-share-count-approved-by-shareholders-more-bitcoin-purchases-on-the-cards">Michael Saylor&#8217;s Proposal To Increase MicroStratagy&#8217;s Share Count Approved By Shareholders — More Bitcoin Purchases On The Cards?</a>
Why It Matters: Fink&#8217;s views on Bitcoin <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/09/40937953/larry-fink-defies-blackrocks-largest-shareholder-to-make-a-bold-bet-on-bitcoin-heres-how-h">have evolved with time</a>. Back in 2017, he famously said, "Bitcoin just shows you how much demand for money laundering there is in the world."
The skepticism has given way to endorsement in recent years. In October, Fink deemed <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/10/41323418/blackrock-ceo-larry-fink-says-bitcoin-other-cryptos-have-bright-future-regardless-of-wheth">Bitcoin a unique asset class</a>, comparable to commodities like gold, and predicted an expansion in its investment appeal.
His firm BlackRock recently <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42463001/blackrock-advocates-for-2-bitcoin-allocation-in-multi-asset-portfolios">suggested a &#8220;reasonable range&#8221; for Bitcoin allocation</a> in multi-asset portfolios to be between 1% and 2%.
The company debuted its U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund, iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBIT#NASDAQ">IBIT</a>), last year, which ended up <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42737368/blackrocks-bitcoin-fund-breaks-records-with-historic-etf-launchwill-it-surpass-the-worlds-biggest-gold-etf-in-january">becoming the most successful ETF launch</a> in history.
Price Action: At the time of writing, Bitcoin was exchanging hands at $102,438.56, down 2.93% in the last 24 hours, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;380nj0&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTEyOTAyOTcxMy4xNzEzMzY0NTYy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDk4MzIzMi42LjEuMTcxNDk4OTE0Ni4wLjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data from Benzinga Pro</a>. 
Image via Flickr/ Jolanda Flubacher
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