Cathie Wood Acquires Significant Google Shares During AI Chip Turmoil — Ark Invest Increases Meta Holdings, Offloads Palantir and AMD Stocks
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Nov 26 2025
0mins
Source: Benzinga
Ark Invest's Major Trades: Cathie Wood's Ark Invest executed significant trades across multiple ETFs, focusing on tech and cryptocurrency companies, including substantial purchases of Meta Platforms and Alphabet Inc.
Meta and Alphabet Investments: Ark Invest bought 33,837 shares of Meta, valued at $21.5 million, and 174,293 shares of Alphabet, worth $56.4 million, amid rising stock prices and speculation about AI collaborations.
CoreWeave and AMD Transactions: Ark purchased 396,198 shares of CoreWeave for $28.2 million while selling 106,651 shares of AMD, valued at $21.98 million, reflecting strategic shifts in response to market conditions.
Circle and Block Acquisitions: Ark's ARKK fund acquired 108,450 shares of Circle Internet Group for $7.6 million and 212,538 shares of Block Inc for $13.5 million, indicating a focus on emerging technologies and digital finance.
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Analyst Views on XYZ
Wall Street analysts forecast XYZ stock price to rise
30 Analyst Rating
25 Buy
3 Hold
2 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 69.090
Low
55.00
Averages
86.51
High
108.00
Current: 69.090
Low
55.00
Averages
86.51
High
108.00
About XYZ
Block, Inc. builds technology to increase access to the global economy. The Company operates through two segments: Square and Cash App. The Square includes managed payment services, software solutions, hardware, and financial services offered to sellers, excluding those that involve Cash App. The Cash App segment includes the financial tools available to individuals within the mobile Cash App, including peer-to-peer payments, bitcoin and stock investments. The Cash App also includes Cash App Card, which is linked to customer stored balances that customers can use to pay for purchases or withdraw funds from an ATM. Cash App also includes the BNPL platform. Its Afterpay business is transforming the way customers manage their spending over time. Its TIDAL business is a music platform that empowers artists to thrive as entrepreneurs. Its Bitkey business is a simple self-custody wallet built for bitcoin. Proto business is a suite of bitcoin mining products and services.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Huge Market Potential: By the end of 2025, the number of merchants accepting Bitcoin transactions in North America is expected to reach 6,500, and Block's initiative is paving the way for broader adoption of Bitcoin as a payment option, likely attracting more merchants into this payment ecosystem.
- Limited Financial Impact: Although Bitcoin trading accounted for only 2.3% of Block's total gross profit in Q1, the activation of Bitcoin functionality by 1 million sellers by mid-May suggests that if adoption among Square merchants increases, it could send positive market signals for Block and Bitcoin's usage.
- Driving Bitcoin Development: By launching the Bitkey Bitcoin hardware wallet and Proto mining equipment, Block is further solidifying its position within the Bitcoin ecosystem, demonstrating its commitment to promoting Bitcoin as a widely used medium of exchange, thereby enhancing its competitiveness in the financial services sector.
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- Significant Market Potential: The Square platform now allows over 4 million merchants to accept Bitcoin payments, marking a major advancement in Bitcoin penetration and expected to attract more merchants, thereby increasing market demand for Bitcoin.
- Bitcoin Functionality Activation: As of mid-May, 1 million merchants have activated Bitcoin functionality; although Bitcoin activities account for only 2.3% of Block's total gross profit, this growth indicates a gradual increase in market acceptance of Bitcoin.
- Far-reaching Strategic Implications: Block's innovation not only promotes Bitcoin's application but may also encourage other payment companies to follow suit, accelerating the adoption of Bitcoin as a medium of exchange and further solidifying its position in the global economy.
See More
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- Automated Deposit Feature: Sellers can automate a percentage of their daily sales to deposit into their savings account via the Square Dashboard, simplifying fund management and improving capital efficiency, thereby enhancing seller financial resilience and satisfaction.
- Strategic Deposit Growth: The introduction of this account reflects Square Financial Services' strategy to grow core deposits, enabling SFS to fund lending programs at a lower cost of capital as deposits increase, supporting Block's expansion in financial services.
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See More
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- Bitcoin Payment Feature Launch: Block has introduced a Bitcoin payment feature on its Square platform, enabling over 4 million U.S. merchants (excluding New York) to accept Bitcoin at checkout, significantly enhancing Bitcoin's penetration among merchants and potentially driving more businesses to adopt this emerging payment method.
- Huge Market Potential: By the end of 2025, the number of merchants accepting Bitcoin transactions in North America is expected to reach 6,500, and Block's initiative is paving the way for broader adoption of Bitcoin as a payment option, likely attracting more merchants into this payment ecosystem.
- Limited Financial Impact: Although Bitcoin trading accounted for only 2.3% of Block's total gross profit in Q1, the activation of Bitcoin functionality by 1 million sellers by mid-May suggests that if adoption among Square merchants increases, it could send positive market signals for Block and Bitcoin's usage.
- Driving Bitcoin Development: By launching the Bitkey Bitcoin hardware wallet and Proto mining equipment, Block is further solidifying its position within the Bitcoin ecosystem, demonstrating its commitment to promoting Bitcoin as a widely used medium of exchange, thereby enhancing its competitiveness in the financial services sector.
See More
Block Introduces New Payment Mechanism to Boost Bitcoin Adoption
- Payment Mechanism Innovation: Block has introduced a new payment acceptance mechanism within its Square segment aimed at promoting Bitcoin as a widely used medium of exchange; while conclusions are premature, this move is seen as a bullish signal for digital asset investors.
- Significant Market Potential: The Square platform now allows over 4 million merchants to accept Bitcoin payments, marking a major advancement in Bitcoin penetration and expected to attract more merchants, thereby increasing market demand for Bitcoin.
- Bitcoin Functionality Activation: As of mid-May, 1 million merchants have activated Bitcoin functionality; although Bitcoin activities account for only 2.3% of Block's total gross profit, this growth indicates a gradual increase in market acceptance of Bitcoin.
- Far-reaching Strategic Implications: Block's innovation not only promotes Bitcoin's application but may also encourage other payment companies to follow suit, accelerating the adoption of Bitcoin as a medium of exchange and further solidifying its position in the global economy.
See More
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- High Yield Savings Account: Square Financial Services has launched a new high yield savings account offering a 3.50% APY for sellers maintaining a daily balance of $10,000 or more, significantly exceeding the national average of 0.39%, aimed at enhancing sellers' cash reserves.
- Automated Deposit Feature: Sellers can automate a percentage of their daily sales to deposit into their savings account via the Square Dashboard, simplifying fund management and improving capital efficiency, thereby enhancing seller financial resilience and satisfaction.
- Strategic Deposit Growth: The introduction of this account reflects Square Financial Services' strategy to grow core deposits, enabling SFS to fund lending programs at a lower cost of capital as deposits increase, supporting Block's expansion in financial services.
- Upcoming Feature Release: Square will soon launch an automated sales tax folder feature to assist small businesses in managing sales tax automatically, reducing the burden of manual tracking, and further enhancing seller experience and platform engagement.
See More
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- Mastercard Performance: Mastercard (MA) shares have declined by 16.6% over the past year, outperforming the financial transaction services industry's 27.1% drop, as management anticipates rising operating expenses due to investments in safety and digital initiatives, maintaining a neutral valuation outlook.
- Seagate Growth: Seagate (STX) shares surged 567% in the past year, significantly outperforming the computer integrated systems industry at 215.5%, with the company projecting at least 20% annual revenue growth over the next few years, driven by strong cloud demand and AI infrastructure investments.
- Direct Distribution Shift: Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) has transitioned to a direct distribution model in parts of Europe, and despite facing tariff-related gross margin pressures and expense growth, it continues to support revenue growth through increased system placements and a larger installed base, maintaining a flexible balance sheet.
- Microcap Performance: Monarch Cement (MCEM) shares rose 22.2% over the past year, supported by its vertically integrated operations and ongoing investments in equipment upgrades, enhancing competitiveness in the commoditized building materials industry.
See More
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- AI Efficiency Boost: Thoma Bravo's founder Orlando Bravo stated that AI is broadening the roles of young employees by reducing their time spent on models and comparables, allowing them to engage more quickly in investment operations and enhancing job satisfaction.
- Youth Unemployment Crisis: Official data reveals that over a million young people in the UK were not in education, employment, or training as of May, highlighting the increasing competition in the job market amid AI deployment and layoffs.
- Upskilling Initiatives: UK Technology Secretary Liz Kendall emphasized the government's commitment to upskill young workers through free AI courses, aiming to enhance the skills of 10 million workers by 2030, with 1.7 million AI skills courses already delivered to facilitate job transitions.
- Significant Salary Disparities: Recent data indicates that entry-level workers with AI skills can earn up to 25% more, underscoring the importance of AI competencies in the current job market and the necessity for investment in skills training by both government and businesses.
See More
AI Will Transform Junior Workers' Roles
- Changing Junior Roles: Thoma Bravo's founder Orlando Bravo stated that the integration of AI will significantly alter junior associates' roles, allowing them to mature faster by spending less time on models and comparables, thus focusing more on investment operations and enhancing their business thinking capabilities.
- Efficiency Gains from AI: Bravo highlighted that AI enables him to complete tasks quickly at midnight, reducing reliance on junior staff, which not only improves their work-life quality but also allows them to concentrate on building relationships with CEOs, driving business growth.
- Youth Employment Challenges: Despite AI being viewed as a tool for efficiency, over 50,000 layoffs in the U.S. attributed to AI have intensified competition for entry-level positions, posing significant challenges for young job seekers in both the U.S. and U.K.
- Government Upskilling Initiatives: U.K. tech secretary Liz Kendall announced a goal to upskill 10 million workers by 2030, having already delivered 1.7 million AI skills courses, emphasizing that entry-level workers with AI skills can earn 25% more, thereby aiding young people in adapting to the job market.
See More
