Visa Introduces USDC Settlement in the U.S. and Promotes Onchain Payments
Visa's USDC Settlement Initiative: Visa Inc. is modernizing payment systems by allowing U.S. institutions to settle obligations using USDC, a stablecoin, alongside traditional methods, enhancing speed and liquidity in transactions.
Collaboration with Circle and Blockchain Development: Visa is partnering with Circle to develop Arc, a high-performance Layer 1 blockchain, aimed at supporting Visa's commercial activities and USDC settlements, further integrating blockchain technology into its operations.
Strategic Positioning in Financial Services: This initiative positions Visa as a bridge between traditional finance and blockchain infrastructure, with plans for broader U.S. access by 2026 and the establishment of a Stablecoins Advisory Practice to assist financial institutions.
Stock Performance and Market Outlook: Visa's shares have increased by 8.7% over the past year, contrasting with a decline in the industry, while other financial service stocks like OppFi, FirstCash, and Dave have shown strong earnings growth and upward revisions in estimates.
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- Data Platform Advantage: CoStar's commercial data platform, built on nearly four decades of data collection and a 93% renewal rate, creates a deep lock-in effect that is difficult to replicate; despite its stock price being nearly halved in the past six months, its commercial core remains robust.
- Residential Investment Dilemma: CoStar invested $850 million into Homes.com in 2025, resulting in a net operating loss, and although management plans to cut over $300 million in investment, breakeven for this segment is not expected until 2030.
- Margin Improvement: The information and marketplace segment achieved a 47% profit margin in Q3 2025, up 400 basis points year-over-year, driven by a 23% increase in CRE transaction volume, showcasing the strength of its core business.
- Stock Buyback Plan: CoStar's board authorized a $1.5 billion stock buyback and holds $942 million in net cash, with the stock currently trading at about 23 times the 2026 EBITDA forecast, indicating relative attractiveness.
- Earnings Release Announcement: Akamai Technologies is set to release its Q4 earnings after the market closes on February 19, with analysts projecting earnings per share of $1.75, an increase from $1.66 in the same quarter last year, indicating sustained improvement in profitability.
- Revenue Growth Expectations: Analysts anticipate Akamai's quarterly revenue to reach $1.08 billion, up from $1.02 billion a year earlier, reflecting the company's positive performance amid recovering market demand.
- Strategic Partnership for Security: On December 17, Akamai partnered with Visa to enhance identity verification and user recognition, a move that is expected to bolster its competitive edge in the agentic commerce sector.
- Stock Price Increase: Akamai shares rose 0.8% to close at $109.31 on Wednesday, suggesting market optimism regarding the upcoming earnings report and reflecting investor confidence in the company's future growth.
- Program Overhaul Context: United Airlines is significantly revamping its MileagePlus program to reward high-spending customers, effective April 2, marking the largest change in over a decade and reflecting the airline's efforts to differentiate itself in a competitive market.
- Mileage Reward Changes: Customers holding United credit cards will earn 6 miles per dollar spent on tickets, while those without the card will see their earnings drop to 3 miles, significantly enhancing the value proposition for credit card users and encouraging card adoption.
- Redemption Rate Discounts: Cardholders will now redeem miles at a discount of at least 10%, for instance, an economy-class ticket that costs 15,000 miles will now be available for 13,500 miles, incentivizing more customers to apply for the credit card to maximize their travel value.
- Elite Customer Benefits: Cardholders with elite MileagePlus Premier status will receive deeper discounts, with long-haul business class seats dropping from 200,000 miles to 170,000 miles, further enhancing loyalty and satisfaction among high-value customers.
- Stock Decline: CoStar Group's stock has nearly halved over the past six months, currently priced at $48.97 with a market cap of $21 billion, reflecting investor concerns over its residential business despite the stability of its commercial core.
- Data Network Effects: CoStar has established a robust data network by connecting 8.5 million properties with over 230,000 professionals, facilitating deal closures and demonstrating its competitive edge in the commercial real estate sector.
- High Renewal Rates: CoStar boasts a 93% quarterly renewal rate, with its multifamily marketplace Apartments.com achieving a remarkable 99% renewal rate, underscoring the platform's significance and customer stickiness in the industry.
- Investment and Buyback: Despite an $850 million investment in Homes.com leading to net operating losses, CoStar plans to cut $300 million in spending and has authorized a $1.5 billion stock buyback, projecting an EBITDA of approximately $770 million for 2026, indicating confidence in future profitability.
- Ethereum Price Decline: As of February 18, Ethereum has dropped over 34% in the past three months, indicating a bearish market sentiment that may lead to short-term capital outflows and diminished investor confidence.
- Solana's Market Position: Despite a 35% decline over the last three months, Solana boasts a market cap of $46 billion and ranks second only to Ethereum in active developer count, showcasing its potential in programmable cryptocurrencies and attracting interest from major financial institutions like JPMorgan.
- Monero's Privacy Demand: With a market cap of $6.1 billion, Monero faces regulatory risks and delistings, yet the demand for privacy coins is growing, evidenced by a nearly 125% price increase in 2025, highlighting the increasing importance of privacy in cryptocurrency adoption.
- Investment Risk Advisory: Before investing in Solana or Monero, investors should assess how these high-risk assets fit within their broader portfolio, especially given the ongoing slump in the crypto market, ensuring that digital assets comprise only a small portion of their investments.
- Rate Decision Impact: If the Fed cuts rates, bond yields will fall, easing financial conditions and prompting more investors to take on debt and shift towards riskier investments, which could broadly benefit the financial sector.
- ETF Performance Mechanism: Direxion's Daily Financial Bull 3x Shares ETF (FAS) aims to triple the daily performance of the S&P Financial Select Sector Index, which includes 76 top financial stocks, with major holdings like Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan.
- High Expense Ratio: Direxion charges a high expense ratio of 0.89% for FAS to cover interest payments to banks, which adds to the cost for investors seeking high returns while also facing significant expenses.
- Short-Term Trading Tool: While FAS may spike if the Fed adopts a dovish stance, it remains a short-term trading tool rather than a reliable long-term investment, requiring investors to exercise caution.











