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MARKETS
💰 Trump Organization to Tokenize Maldives Resort, Opening Luxury Project to Everyday Investors
(Credit: Asad Photo Maldives/Pexels)
The Scoop: The Trump Organization is launching a Trump-branded Maldives resort with Saudi-backed Dar Global, and for the first time, plans to fund part of it through tokenized ownership, a blockchain-based model Eric Trump says will let ordinary people “have a piece of something that we do,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
The Details:
The company is tokenizing the development phase itself, giving investors early exposure rather than a stake in a finished property.
It hasn’t disclosed whether token holders will receive profits or only access-style perks, describing the offer as a chance to join a “high-growth, premium” project from the ground up.
Eric Trump has been openly pushing to merge crypto with real estate, pitching tokenized stakes as an alternative to bank financing and a way for smaller investors to own a fraction of marquee developments.
The resort — 80 ultra-luxury beach and overwater villas about 25 minutes from Malé — is slated to open by late 2028.
What’s Next:
Market Roundup
🏦 Economy
⭐ Editor’s Pick: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman plans to visit Washington to meet Trump, focusing on defense agreements, artificial intelligence collaboration, and civilian nuclear energy. (RTS)
Trump attributed his hoarse voice to repeatedly shouting at "stupid" people amid a trade dispute over a country's bid to renegotiate terms. (X)
U.S. construction spending rose 0.2% to an annualized $2.17 trillion in August, surpassing expectations for a decline. (AGC)
Renaissance Macro economist Neil Dutta warned that the Federal Reserve risks a policy error by maintaining steady interest rates, contending that officials have misinterpreted indicators like falling job vacancies. (BN)
📈 Hot Stock Picks
⭐ Editor’s Pick: Morningstar highlights unconventional AI stocks for investors to consider, including Cognizant Technology Solutions for AI services to smaller firms, and Energy Transfer for its pipelines supporting AI energy demands. (MS)
Roku earned Zacks' Bull of the Day designation with a #1 (Strong Buy) rank, propelled by robust user engagement, international expansion, and a forward P/E of 32 amid projections for 21% revenue growth. (ZCK)
Applied Digital is positioned for substantial growth in the AI data center sector with forecasts of $3 billion in annual revenue by 2030, prompting a buy recommendation, according to Seeking Alpha. (SA)
FuboTV, a small-cap streaming service with a $1.2 billion market value, stands to gain subscribers from the recent 15-day blackout of ESPN channels on YouTube TV, bolstering its position, according to Motley Fool. (MF)
🏢 Industry
⭐ Editor’s Pick: The Treasury minted its final five ceremonial pennies, bearing a rare omega mark, with experts projecting auction values of $2 million to $5 million. (FOX13)
Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers announced he is stepping back from public commitments after emails revealed his continued correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein. (NYP)
Ford partnered with Amazon to launch certified pre-owned vehicle sales on Amazon Autos, enabling online browsing, financing, and purchases. (VER)
Sinclair Broadcast Group acquired an 8% stake in E.W. Scripps to advance its proposed takeover of the local TV broadcaster. (WSJ)
🛢️ Energy & Commodities
⭐ Editor’s Pick: A new study reveals that AI's energy consumption in the U.S. equates to only a modest influence on global greenhouse-gas emissions, countering exaggerated fears. (STD)
China is aggressively accumulating gold reserves, potentially reaching 5,500 metric tons to rank as the world's second-largest holder, as part of a de-dollarization push. (FOR)
India signed a landmark agreement to source 10% of its liquefied petroleum gas imports, approximately 2.2 million tons, from the U.S. in 2026. (IEX)
Goldman Sachs forecasts a decline in oil prices through 2026, projecting Brent crude to average $56 a barrel and WTI $52. (INV)
🌕 Crypto
⭐ Editor’s Pick: Crypto exchange-traded products recorded their largest weekly outflows since February, with investors withdrawing $2 billion amid whale selling. (CT)
Bitcoin briefly fell below $90,000 amid profit-taking and concerns over shifting Federal Reserve policy expectations. (TB)
The Digital Chamber launched its State Network to bolster advocacy for digital-asset policies at the state level, supporting pro-crypto candidates in 2026 midterms. (TB)
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TECH
💻 Valar Atomics Achieves First Controlled Fission Reaction in Major Nuclear Milestone
(Credit: Markus Distelrath/Pexels)
The Scoop: Valar Atomics and Los Alamos National Laboratory announced Monday that the startup’s NOVA core has reached zero-power criticality at the Nevada National Security Site, a key physics milestone that verifies the company’s high-temperature gas reactor design ahead of power operations next year.
The Details:
Zero-power criticality was achieved at LANL’s National Criticality Experiments Research Center, confirming the core can sustain a self-driving fission chain reaction under cold, low-energy conditions.
Federal officials say the milestone positions Valar to move into higher-temperature testing as the administration pushes for advanced reactors to reach full criticality by July 2026.
Company leaders describe the achievement as the first criticality by a venture-backed nuclear firm, calling it a foundational step toward factory-built reactors for industry, hydrogen and data-center power.
What’s Next: LANL and Valar will continue NOVA experiments to refine reactor models before transitioning to heat-generating operations, a progression that will determine whether the startup’s Ward250 system can stay on track for federal pilot-program goals and eventual commercial deployment.
Tech Roundup
🧠 AI
⭐ Editor’s Pick: Instagram promoted its new free AI creation tool with a user-generated video depicting Trump kneeling before a demon, which Meta later removed. (DW)
xAI unveiled Grok 4.1, an advanced AI model boasting superior reasoning, emotional intelligence, and creative abilities. (XAI)
A journalist found Google's new Canvas AI trip-planning tool a game-changer, generating detailed day-by-day itineraries with flights, hotels, and reviews for a New York City history-focused getaway. (ZDN)
Google DeepMind showcased WeatherNext 2, an advanced AI weather-forecasting model that promises faster and more precise predictions than prior versions. (BBG)
Nykaa launched Skin Scan, an AI-powered tool that analyzes user selfies to assess tone, texture, hydration, and aging signs, while delivering personalized product recommendations. (TOI)
🤖 Hardware & Robots
⭐ Editor’s Pick: Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot aims to leverage the company's AI and battery expertise for factory tasks and broader societal roles like caregiving. (ATL)
Direct Drive Technology unveiled the D1, a modular dog-shaped robot capable of splitting into two independent units for enhanced maneuverability before seamlessly rejoining. (DB)
Hanger 18 restaurant in Windsor, Illinois, has introduced Bella, a Pudu Robotics server bot that delivers pizza and beer orders to tables. (WAND)
A seventh-grade student engineered a robot that solves a Rubik's Cube in under a minute. (QAZ)
🚀 Defense & Space
⭐ Editor’s Pick: A Chinese conglomerate, Fosun Group, acquired a U.S. insurer in 2015 that provided specialized coverage for CIA agents. (BBC)
The U.S. will sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia ahead of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's White House visit. (DN)
Joby Aviation's turbine-electric VTOL demonstrator achieved its first hybrid-powered flight from Marina, California, extending range and payload for military and commercial missions. (NGD)
The Pentagon unveiled a comprehensive six-part strategy that positions quantum technology at the heart of future U.S. military operations. (QI)
💰Venture Capital
⭐ Editor’s Pick: Ramp reached a $32 billion valuation after raising $300 million in a primary financing round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners. (BBG)
Databricks is negotiating a new funding round at a valuation exceeding $130 billion. (TI)
Celero Communications raised $140 million in funding to develop a specialized chip enabling efficient long-distance optical connectivity between AI data centers. (RTS)
Runlayer, which aims to make it easy for companies to securely scale MCP servers, emerged from stealth with an $11 million seed from Khosla Ventures. (TC)
FREEDOM
📢 Wall Street Power Brokers Plot to “Cripple” Mamdani’s Socialist Agenda
(Credit: Gage Skidmore)
The Scoop: Wall Street power brokers privately discussed backing Rep. Elise Stefanik (R) for New York governor during a White House dinner with Donald Trump, as business leaders seek to “cripple” mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s socialist agenda, The Telegraph reports.
The Details:
Top executives, including Blackstone’s Stephen Schwarzman, Goldman Sachs’ David Solomon and KKR’s Henry Kravis, signaled interest in supporting Stefanik’s 2026 bid, according to people familiar with the dinner.
The gathering also drew JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon, Nasdaq’s Adena Friedman and BlackRock’s Larry Fink.
Business leaders’ alarm follows Mamdani’s win over Andrew Cuomo, fueled by a platform centered on wealth taxes, rent freezes, corporate tax hikes and free buses.
Wall Street fears the agenda will drive out investment; Trump has repeatedly labeled Mamdani a “communist” and threatened to withhold federal funds.
Stefanik, a close Trump ally, launched her campaign last week and has sharply attacked Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) while tying her to Mamdani.
What’s Next: Republican donors and executives are weighing whether to consolidate behind Stefanik as the party tests whether a well-funded challenge can capitalize on voter frustration with crime, costs and Mamdani’s rise, and potentially deliver New York’s first GOP governor in nearly two decades.
Freedom Roundup
🏛️ Policy & Culture
⭐ Editor’s Pick: Europe's hate-speech laws are increasingly used to prosecute Christians for expressing biblical views on marriage, sexuality, and Islam. (SO)
The Trump administration mandated SNAP benefit reapplications to curb fraud after uncovering 186,000 deceased recipients and 500,000 duplicates. (BLA)
At the University of Oklahoma, multiple students were caught on video tampering with Turning Point USA yard signs promoting a Steven Crowder event, including one who kicked and trampled a sign. (CR)
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DISCLAIMER: The CAPITAL newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or professional advice. Readers should conduct their own research and consult a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The CAPITAL newsletter and its owner and operator, Josh Caplan, are not liable for any loss or damage resulting from reliance on this information. The CAPITAL newsletter is solely owned and independently operated by Josh Caplan, separate from any employer affiliations.
