Google Co-Founder’s $1.1 Billion Stock Gift: Philanthropy Hits Peak AI Boom

Sergey Brin sold Alphabet stock worth over $1.1 billion this week, with most of the proceeds going to a charity founded by the Google co-founder.

 

A regulatory filing that revealed the donation on Friday did not specify the recipient of the more than 3.5 million shares. A representative for Brin’s family office states that Catalyst4, which Brin started in 2021 to fund research into central nervous system disorders and climate change solutions, will receive about $1 billion in stock.

Brin is also donating roughly $90 million to his family foundation and $45 million to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s disease research. Brin previously donated $700 million worth of Alphabet shares to the same three charities in May.

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Brin, 52, has a fortune of $255.5 billion, making him the fourth richest person in the world.

Thanks to an increase in Alphabet shares, which hit a high of $323 on Tuesday due to the company’s advances in artificial intelligence, his net worth has soared this year. Brin’s wealth has grown by $97.3 billion this year, and he owns about 6% of the company overall.

Prosus Share Price JSE Extends the Fall, Breaking Uptrend, but Fundamentals Hold Steady

Prosus entered late 2025 with exceptional momentum, but market turbulence has interrupted what had been one of the JSE’s strongest rallies of the year. Continue reading “Prosus Share Price JSE Extends the Fall, Breaking Uptrend, but Fundamentals Hold Steady”

XRP Exodus: Binance Reserves Plunge 10% in 7 Weeks—HODLers Strike Back!

XRP reserves held on Binance have significantly decreased in recent weeks, signaling increased pressure on the liquid exchange supply. CryptoQuant’s XRP exchange reserves fell from about 3 billion tokens in mid-October to just 2.71 billion, coinciding with a persistent slowdown in price momentum

Exchange-held reserves have declined alongside the steady drop in XRP’s price since early November, suggesting a possible inverse relationship between available liquidity and investor confidence.

A reduced supply can ease sell-side pressure and boost price responsiveness in case of renewed demand, which is why declining exchange reserves are generally viewed as a long-term bullish sign.

However, this move also highlights the fragility of short-term sentiment, as market players remain hesitant to invest until XRP breaks above key resistance levels, most notably the $2.40–$2.50 range, which has halted several upward attempts this month.

Roger Bayston, Head of Digital Assets at Franklin Templeton, aims to offer clients packaged investments that include a comprehensive cryptocurrency portfolio.

Diversification might be what attracts significant attention this year, Bayston told The Block.

He also mentioned that there will be many ETF options and diversified portfolios, describing single-asset ETFs as “super interesting” with “a lot of community enthusiasm.” Grayscale and Franklin Templeton’s new spot XRP ETFs each drew over $60 million on their first day of trading.

Financial institutions have shown strong interest in launching altcoin-based funds that track well-known tokens like XRP, Solana, and Dogecoin, following the success of Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs. Bayston expressed enthusiasm about the next phase Franklin Templeton can offer to its diverse client base, which includes wealth managers and investment advisors.

Historically, accumulation from high-net-worth clients and custodial platforms seeking low entry points has increased after supply reductions on major exchanges like Binance.

Nonetheless, momentum in the broader altcoin markets remains weak, aligning with increased macroeconomic uncertainty ahead of the Federal Reserve meeting in December.

XRP is currently trading near its two-week moving average, indicating sideways consolidation. Exchange reserves are at their lowest level since August, making it more critical whether XRP can hold support above $2.15. Below this level, a breakdown could happen.

Oracle Faces Pressure as Rebounds Fail, ORCL Stock Points Below $200 Next Week

Oracle’s recent decline raises more questions about whether the company’s costly foray into cloud computing and artificial intelligence will maintain investors’ waning enthusiasm. Continue reading “Oracle Faces Pressure as Rebounds Fail, ORCL Stock Points Below $200 Next Week”

iPhone Empire Strikes Back: Apple Tops Samsung After 14 Years, Wall Street Eyes $345 Target

Apple is expected to ship more smartphones than Samsung in 2025 for the first time in 14 years, according to Counterpoint Research. Apple will ship about 243 million iPhone units this year, compared to Samsung’s 235 million.

 

Samsung’s share of the global smartphone market is expected to be 18.7%, while Apple’s is expected to be 19.4%. Sales are not directly correlated with shipments, which are the quantity of devices that vendors send to retail channels. Nonetheless, they offer information about consumer demand and sales projections from smartphone manufacturers.

The iPhone 17 series, introduced in September, and had a “bumper” holiday sales season, according to Counterpoint, is the main driver of Apple’s success. US sales of the iPhone 17 series, including the iPhone Air, were 12% greater than those of the iPhone 16 series, excluding the iPhone 16e, in the first four weeks following launch, according to the research firm. China is an important market.

The replacement cycle reaching its turning point is the primary factor driving the improved shipment outlook amid extremely favorable market reception for the iPhone 17 series. According to Yang Wang, senior analyst at Counterpoint Research, “consumers who bought smartphones during the COVID-19 boom are now entering their upgrade phase,” the note stated.

According to Counterpoint, Samsung may encounter difficulties from Chinese competitors in the low-to-mid tier of the smartphone market, making it difficult for the South Korean behemoth to regain the top spot.

AAPL shares have demonstrated resilience in late November 2025, trading in a comparatively narrow range. The stock closed at $277.55 on November 27, 2025, a slight increase from $276.97 on November 26 (the day the shipment news broke).

With consistent volume (usually 40–60 million shares per day) and a year-to-date gain of about 25%, shares have rallied by about 3%  from early November levels around $270. Average 12-Month Price Target: $278–$289, with highs at $345