Cryptocurrencies Gradually Going Mainstream
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Apr 11 2026
0mins
Source: Fool
- ETF Asset Surge: The iShares Bitcoin Trust has amassed $57 billion in assets, while the Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund manages $13.5 billion, indicating strong interest in Bitcoin ETFs and pushing cryptocurrencies into the mainstream investment spotlight.
- Visa Stablecoin Integration: Visa has successfully integrated stablecoin settlements in 50 countries and launched Intelligent Commerce Connect, enabling AI agents to participate in automated transactions, marking a significant move by traditional financial giants into the crypto space.
- Mastercard Partnership Program: Mastercard has initiated a crypto partner program, gathering 100 collaborators to develop next-generation payment systems, showcasing its innovation and adaptability in the digital asset landscape.
- American Express Ethereum Application: American Express has launched a travel and memories app utilizing Ethereum to store user data, further promoting the application of crypto technology in everyday consumer experiences and highlighting the potential for widespread cryptocurrency adoption.
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Analyst Views on V
Wall Street analysts forecast V stock price to rise
25 Analyst Rating
23 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 315.100
Low
330.00
Averages
406.59
High
450.00
Current: 315.100
Low
330.00
Averages
406.59
High
450.00
About V
Visa Inc. is a global payments technology company. It facilitates global commerce and money movement across more than 200 countries and territories among a global set of consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities through technologies. It operates through the Payment Services segment. It provides transaction processing services (primarily authorization, clearing and settlement) to its financial institution and merchant clients through VisaNet, its proprietary advanced transaction processing network. It offers a range of Visa-branded payment products that its clients, including nearly 14,500 financial institutions, use to develop and offer payment solutions or services, including credit, debit, prepaid and cash access programs for individual, business and government account holders. It also provides value-added services to its clients, including issuing solutions, acceptance solutions, risk and identity solutions, open banking solutions and advisory 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.
S&P 500 Index Hits Record High Amid Market Recovery
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- Strait of Hormuz Significance: This waterway handles 25% of the world's seaborne oil supply daily, and its reopening alleviated fears of a global energy shortage, although Iran's recent restrictions on commercial vessels create uncertainty for future developments.
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See More
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- Growth in Digital Commerce: Walmart's push into digital commerce is expected to boost revenue and reduce operating costs while enhancing its high-margin advertising business, highlighting its strategic importance in the retail industry's transformation.
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- Walmart's Price Advantage: Despite inflationary pressures, Walmart is expected to maintain its 'Everyday Low Price' guarantee, which should help sustain consistent store traffic and revenue growth, thereby enhancing its competitive edge in the retail market.
- Visa's Revenue Growth: Visa benefits from inflation as it charges fees per transaction, leading to increased revenue; although transaction volumes may decline, its vast addressable market and strong network effects will continue to support profitability.
- Netflix's Pricing Power: Netflix has successfully raised subscription prices while maintaining growth in paid subscribers and revenue, demonstrating its leadership in the streaming market and significant pricing power despite increasing competition.
- Long-Term Investment Potential: Walmart, Visa, and Netflix all exhibit strong long-term growth potential, particularly in an inflationary environment, making them attractive options for risk-averse investors seeking stable dividends and market performance.
See More
S&P 500 Index Hits Record High Amid Market Recovery
- Market Recovery: The S&P 500 index reached a new record high on April 15 after a 9% decline, reflecting a rebound in investor sentiment, particularly following the U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement that alleviated fears of a global energy shortage.
- Oil Price Volatility Risk: Despite the market recovery, Iran's recent restrictions on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz could lead to another spike in oil prices, potentially pressuring corporate earnings and necessitating caution from investors regarding short-term market fluctuations.
- Investment Strategy Adjustment: With a low expense ratio of 0.03%, the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF may yield modest returns of 5% or less over the next decade at current highs, prompting a recommendation for investors to adopt a strategy of regular small investments to mitigate risks of market corrections.
- Long-Term Return Potential: While the S&P 500 has delivered a compound annual return of 10.5% since 1957, the current price-to-earnings ratio exceeding 20 times necessitates careful evaluation of future investment opportunities to avoid significant losses from large investments at market peaks.
See More
S&P 500 Hits Record High Amid Ceasefire Agreement
- Market Sentiment Recovery: Following the ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran on April 8, the S&P 500 reached a record high on April 15, indicating a strong rebound from a recent 9% peak-to-trough decline and a restoration of investor confidence.
- Strait of Hormuz Significance: This waterway handles 25% of the world's seaborne oil supply daily, and its reopening alleviated fears of a global energy shortage, although Iran's recent restrictions on commercial vessels create uncertainty for future developments.
- Tech Sector Dominance: The top three companies in the S&P 500, Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft, represent a combined market cap of $12 trillion, highlighting the significant role of the technology sector in the index and its potential for future growth.
- Investment Strategy Adjustment: With the S&P 500 currently trading at over 20 times forward earnings and projected annual returns potentially below 5% over the next decade, investors are advised to consider dollar-cost averaging through smaller, consistent investments rather than making large lump-sum purchases at record highs.
See More
Comparing Transaction Volumes of Solana and Ethereum
- Transaction Volume Comparison: Solana processed nearly 9 billion transactions last month compared to Ethereum's 69 million, showcasing Solana's significant advantage in transaction processing capabilities, having surpassed 500 billion total transactions against Ethereum's 3 billion, indicating its potential in high-volume markets.
- Market Positioning Differences: Solana is designed to be a fast, low-cost, scalable cryptocurrency suitable for gaming, trading, and financial services, while Ethereum focuses more on security and high-value transactions, holding nearly $56 billion in funds, accounting for about 55% of total cash across blockchain networks.
- Future Growth Potential: Although Solana boasts high transaction volumes, its growth relies on bots and memecoins, which may affect its future stability; in contrast, the growth potential of stablecoins and tokenized assets is more promising, with Solana's partnership with Visa marking a significant step in this direction.
- Investment Advice: Both Solana and Ethereum can have a place in a cryptocurrency portfolio, but purchasing Solana should not be based solely on transaction volumes, especially as its potential for integration with traditional finance is more exciting, indicating its possible crucial role as blockchain becomes mainstream.
See More
Solana Surpasses Ethereum in Transaction Volume
- Transaction Volume Comparison: Solana processed nearly 9 billion transactions last month compared to Ethereum's 69 million, highlighting Solana's significant advantage in transaction numbers, which, while lower in value, indicates strong potential in high-speed transaction markets.
- Market Applications: Designed as a fast, low-cost, and scalable cryptocurrency, Solana can handle massive microtransactions, making it ideal for gaming, trading, and financial services, although its growth is partly reliant on controversial memecoin activities.
- Stablecoin Partnership: Solana's partnership with Visa for stablecoin settlements marks a significant advancement in blockchain payments, indicating its potential to play a larger role in traditional finance and further solidifying its market position.
- Ethereum's Strengths: Despite Ethereum's lower transaction volume, it boasts nearly $56 billion in funds within its ecosystem, accounting for 55% of total cash on blockchain networks, and enhances scalability through Layer-2 solutions, showcasing its advantages in security and reliability.
See More
Investment Opportunities Amid Inflation Impact
- Walmart's Price Advantage: As one of the largest retailers globally, Walmart is expected to maintain its 'Everyday Low Price' promise despite inflationary pressures, which should help sustain consistent store traffic and revenue growth, leading to strong returns in the coming years.
- Visa's Profit Potential: Visa benefits from inflation as it charges fees on transactions, leading to higher revenue despite potential declines in transaction volume; its vast market potential and deep network effects provide a strong competitive edge during inflationary periods.
- Netflix's Pricing Power: Despite a recent price hike, Netflix continues to see growth in paid subscribers and revenue, leveraging its strong pricing power and content strategy to maintain its leading position in a competitive streaming market.
- Growth in Digital Commerce: Walmart's push into digital commerce is expected to boost revenue and reduce operating costs while enhancing its high-margin advertising business, highlighting its strategic importance in the retail industry's transformation.
See More
Investment Opportunities Amid Inflation
- Walmart's Price Advantage: Despite inflationary pressures, Walmart is expected to maintain its 'Everyday Low Price' guarantee, which should help sustain consistent store traffic and revenue growth, thereby enhancing its competitive edge in the retail market.
- Visa's Revenue Growth: Visa benefits from inflation as it charges fees per transaction, leading to increased revenue; although transaction volumes may decline, its vast addressable market and strong network effects will continue to support profitability.
- Netflix's Pricing Power: Netflix has successfully raised subscription prices while maintaining growth in paid subscribers and revenue, demonstrating its leadership in the streaming market and significant pricing power despite increasing competition.
- Long-Term Investment Potential: Walmart, Visa, and Netflix all exhibit strong long-term growth potential, particularly in an inflationary environment, making them attractive options for risk-averse investors seeking stable dividends and market performance.
See More
