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  • šŸš€ OpenAI Buys Statsig | šŸ’° Anthropic Hits $183B | šŸ” Google Must Share Data

šŸš€ OpenAI Buys Statsig | šŸ’° Anthropic Hits $183B | šŸ” Google Must Share Data

AI heats up with big deals and valuations, while regulators clamp down on Big Tech data practices.

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šŸ–‹ Today’s Angle

  • OpenAI just spent $1.1 billion to buy a Silicon Valley startup that helps companies test software more efficiently—and its CEO landed a new CTO gig at OpenAI.

  • AI startup Anthropic’s valuation more than doubled to $183 billion after a $1.3 billion fundraising round, fueling the AI arms race.

  • A key antitrust ruling lets Google keep its Chrome deal with Apple but forces it to share data with competitors, shaking up search.

  • The U.S. SEC and CFTC teamed up to clear regulatory paths for spot crypto trading on registered exchanges, setting the stage for market growth.

  • Ethereum whales scooped up 260,000 ETH in just 24 hours, sparking hopes of a rally toward $5,000.

––Sascha Thiele

šŸš€ Tech & Business

What Happened: OpenAI announced its acquisition of Statsig, a startup that builds tools for software testing and feature flagging, in an all-stock deal valued at around $1.1 billion. As part of the deal, Statsig's CEO Vijaye Raji will become OpenAI’s newly minted Chief Technology Officer of Applications, overseeing product engineering for ChatGPT and other AI tools. The deal aims to accelerate AI product development and experimentation while letting Statsig operate independently from its Seattle base.

Why It Matters: This move signals OpenAI’s commitment to refining its AI products by integrating powerful experimentation platforms, positioning it strongly amid fierce AI competition. Landing a seasoned engineer like Raji also strengthens OpenAI’s leadership in applications engineering.

What Happened: AI startup Anthropic completed a $1.3 billion funding round, more than doubling its valuation to $183 billion. The massive fundraiser reflects soaring investor appetite for cutting-edge AI technologies and reinforces Anthropic as a formidable competitor in the AI space.

Why It Matters: Anthropic’s funding boost pumps more fuel into the AI arms race, increasing pressure on rivals like OpenAI to innovate rapidly. This infusion also highlights how investors are betting heavily on AI’s transformative potential across industries.

What Happened: A federal judge ruled that Google must share portions of its search data with competitors to foster competition, but rejected calls to force Google to sell its Chrome browser or break up. The ruling allows Google to maintain lucrative payments to Apple for search placements but imposes data-sharing as a remedy for Google's search monopoly.

Why It Matters: This nuanced ruling preserves Google's dominance in browsers while aiming to level the online search playing field. Google’s promise to appeal means this landmark antitrust battle will continue to influence Big Tech's future market dynamics.

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šŸ’° The Finance Overview

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The Big Tech Barometer sees OpenAI’s aggressive moves and Anthropic's fundraising as signals of intensifying AI sector competition, driving investor interest in AI stocks. FAANG names experienced mixed movements influenced by regulatory concerns, especially around Google’s recent antitrust ruling.

The Startup Thermometer highlights continued heavy capital flow into late-stage AI companies despite broader funding tightness elsewhere.

Infrastructure Watch notes chip and cloud companies eyeing AI hardware demand as Anthropic and OpenAI scale up. A Wild Card emerges in regulatory arenas as US agencies SEC and CFTC unify crypto oversight, clearing pathways for exchange-traded spot crypto products that could spur market liquidity and innovation.

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What Happened: The SEC and CFTC issued a joint staff statement clarifying that crypto exchanges registered with either agency can facilitate spot trading of digital assets, opening pathways for regulated spot crypto markets in the U.S. This coordination helps end policy fragmentation and provides clearer compliance frameworks for market operators.

Why It Matters: By harmonizing regulation, this move could lead to more exchange listings for spot crypto products like Bitcoin and Ethereum, encouraging innovation and protecting investors. It signals growing government support to make the U.S. a hub for crypto markets.

What Happened: Large holders of Ethereum — known as whales — purchased 260,000 ETH within a single day, quietly accumulating as prices hovered around $4,400. This buying signals growing confidence in Ethereum’s near-term recovery.

Why It Matters: Whale accumulation often precedes price rallies. With these significant purchases reducing the circulating supply, market watchers are optimistic that ETH will push toward the $5,000 milestone. This trend highlights Ethereum’s enduring appeal as a leading cryptocurrency.

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šŸ Tomorrow’s Forecast

AI’s battle for dominance heats up, but regulation tries to keep the playing field fair āš–ļø

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