In April 2025, Amazon launched “Buy for Me,” which lets its AI agent visit brand websites, select products, enter payment details, and complete purchases without the customer ever leaving the Amazon app. By September, OpenAI had introduced “Instant Checkout” with the open-source Agentic Commerce Protocol, enabling purchases directly inside ChatGPT. In January 2026, Google unveiled the Universal Commerce Protocol at the National Retail Federation conference: an open standard, built with Shopify, Target, Walmart, and more than 20 other partners, covering the shopping process from discovery to post-purchase support. Microsoft launched Copilot Checkout at the same conference, and Shopify has since switched on agent-readable storefronts by default across millions of merchants. Gartner now projects that by 2028, 90% of B2B purchases, more than $15 trillion, will flow through AI agent exchanges.
Investors have been treated to a pair of compelling investment opportunities in 2026. Two of the most anticipated initial public offerings in recent memory have experienced share price declines since their IPOs: Quantinuum(QNT -0.29%) and Space Exploration Technologies Corporation(SPCX +15.83%), better known as SpaceX.
Quantinuum is among the latest public companies in the exciting field of quantum computers. It was born out of a merger between Honeywell‘s quantum computing division and U.K.-based Cambridge Quantum. SpaceX made history as the biggest IPO ever.
Their share price pullback presents a potential entry point for those seeking exposure to the frontiers of space exploration and quantum computing. To choose between these newly public companies, here are insights into which one makes a better stock investment.
Image source: Getty Images.
A look at Quantinuum
Quantum computers harness the properties of quantum mechanics to execute complex computations beyond the capabilities of today’s computers. The company claims this enables its machines to achieve breakthroughs in areas such as healthcare, materials science, and energy.
Demand for Quantinuum stock was so large, the company upsized its IPO to $60 per share, raking in $1.7 billion. Since then, the price has sunk as low as $47.06 per share as its sky-high price-to-sales (P/S) ratio contributed to a sell-off. Even so, the stock’s sales multiple of 99 as of Aug. 6 remains elevated, indicating investors maintain high future growth expectations.
Quantinuum’s revenue in the first quarter was $5.2 million, down 73% from $19.1 million in 2025. However, because quantum computers are still an emerging technology with limited customer adoption, it’s typical for companies in the sector to see wide swings in sales, as a single big contract can make a huge difference. In fact, Quantinuum was awarded $100 million by the U.S. government this year in a sign of confidence in its ion-based technology.
A potential concern over the long run is Quantinuum’s rising operating loss, which totaled $77.2 million in Q1 2026, more than double the prior year’s loss of $29.9 million. Developing quantum tech requires substantial research investment, so the company is likely to continue experiencing losses over the next several quarters, if not for years.
Right now, the mounting losses are not a problem. Quantinuum had over $677 million in cash and equivalents at the end of Q1, and combined with the windfall from its IPO, it has enough funds to sustain operations as it builds up sales.
Today’s Change
(-0.29%) $-0.17
Current Price
$58.71
Key Data Points
Market Cap
$15BMarket cap calculated using publicly traded shares outstanding only. Does not include unlisted, private, or dual-class non-traded shares. Implied market cap may vary.
Day’s Range
$58.40 – $62.47
52wk Range
$47.06 – $86.79
Volume
1.1M
Avg Vol
3.3M
The case for SpaceX
SpaceX stock has steadily fallen since its IPO in part because its sales multiple of 73 is high. Yet after the company released its second-quarter earnings report, the first since going public, the stock rose 6% on Aug. 6, the day a share lockup for pre-IPO investors expired.
SpaceX put up solid Q2 2026 results, contributing to its post-earnings share price rise. This includes an impressive 92% year-over-year increase in revenue to $7.8 billion. Its artificial intelligence (AI) division was a key sales contributor with nearly 250% year-over-year growth to $2.6 billion, suggesting SpaceX’s investments in this area are paying off. The company also shrank its operating loss to $143 million compared to a $970 million loss in Q2 2025, a sign of strengthening financial health.
Even so, the company’s rapidly rising capital expenditures are a reasonable concern. Q2 capex totaled $18.4 billion, an enormous increase from the $2.8 billion spent in 2025. While SpaceX may be known for its reusable rockets, $15.8 billion of its capex spending went to AI. Despite this, the company turned to debt to continue funding its AI ambitions with a $25 billion bond issuance.
Space Exploration Technologies
Today’s Change
(15.83%) $18.19
Current Price
$133.11
Key Data Points
Market Cap
$1.7TMarket cap calculated using publicly traded shares outstanding only. Does not include unlisted, private, or dual-class non-traded shares. Implied market cap may vary.
Day’s Range
$114.53 – $133.48
52wk Range
$104.83 – $225.64
Volume
242.1M
Avg Vol
124.1M
Choosing between Quantinuum and SpaceX stock
While both Quantinuum and SpaceX operate in emerging sectors brimming with promise, the latter looks like the better investment right now. SpaceX’s sales are growing, a sign that its offerings are capturing customers, while its operating loss is improving. Also, its P/S ratio of 73 is much lower than Quantinuum’s 99, indicating its share price valuation is more reasonable.
In addition, quantum computing is still a nascent field. It’s too early to tell if Quantinuum’s tech will ultimately win out in a highly competitive industry that includes big players with deep pockets, such as IBM.
SpaceX possesses a differentiated offering in its rocket and satellite-based internet businesses, although it’s also battling in a competitive field when it comes to AI. Its strong sales growth in the artificial intelligence division points to the ability to capture its share of the customer demand driving AI industry expansion. These factors tilt the pendulum in SpaceX’s favor, making it the better long-term stock investment.
British Columbia’s housing minister said her government is working with Ottawa to help fund the infrastructure needed as it pushes to build more homes in the province.
Once a dominant force in cryptocurrency derivatives trading, BitMEX has failed to complete a long-running sale process, according to people familiar with the matter. The platform, which pioneered perpetual futures contracts and once commanded a large share of leveraged trading activity, spent roughly two years seeking a buyer before its parent company decided to wind down operations.
Potential acquirers ultimately walked away, citing persistent founder ownership stakes and a steadily shrinking business as key obstacles.
Investment bank Broadhaven advised on the sale, which reportedly targeted a valuation near $1 billion.
Discussions involved rival exchanges as well as payments and wallet firm Exodus.
Yet none of the talks produced a completed transaction. Sources indicated that buyers grew uneasy over the continued majority equity control held by co-founders Arthur Hayes, Ben Delo, and Samuel Reed.
Although the three had stepped away from day-to-day management after US criminal charges related to anti-money laundering compliance in 2020, their substantial ownership remained intact.
This structure complicated negotiations, as acquirers typically prefer arrangements that allow them to retain and incentivize key personnel through portions of the purchase price rather than navigating significant founder influence post-deal. Compounding the ownership issue was BitMEX’s deteriorating market position.
Throughout the sale process, trading activity continued migrating to larger centralized platforms such as Binance and Bybit, as well as emerging decentralized perpetual futures venues.
Market share eroded sharply from the double-digit percentages the exchange once enjoyed to fractions of a percent in recent periods.
Daily volumes in some segments fell to levels that made growth-oriented revenue multiples difficult to justify.
Lingering reputational concerns tied to earlier regulatory actions further deterred interest, even after the co-founders received presidential pardons in 2025.
The unsuccessful sale paved the way for the decision to close.
HDR Global Trading, the Seychelles-based operator, announced that BitMEX would cease operations on September 23, 2026.
New user registrations stopped immediately, with risk limits and forced position closures planned in the intervening weeks to allow an orderly exit.
The company has stated that assets exceed liabilities and that no customer funds were ever lost to hacks over its more than decade-long history.
Still, the combination of regulatory history, competitive pressure, and the inability to secure an exit via sale left continued independent operation unviable.
BitMEX’s trajectory illustrates broader shifts in the crypto derivatives landscape.
The perpetual swap product it helped popularize now dominates volume across many competing venues, yet the original innovator could not maintain its early advantages.
Declining liquidity and the challenges of operating a fully compliant global platform under reduced activity levels made a clean sale elusive.
For potential buyers, the risks associated with founder ties and a contracting franchise outweighed any remaining brand value or technical infrastructure.
As the platform prepares for final shutdown, the episode underscores how ownership structures and sustained competitive performance can determine outcomes in crypto mergers and acquisitions. What began as an ambitious effort to transfer a pioneering exchange ended without a deal, marking the close of a significant chapter in the crypto industry’s development.
This report is relevant for a wide range of stakeholders involved in or affected by the growing role of finfluencers in capital markets. Regulators and policymakers, capital market firms, social media platforms, investors, and finfluencers can all gain insight from this research.
Investors: When making investment decisions and acting on advice, investors need to stay vigilant about fraud and misrepresentation for informed decision making. Investors should find this report useful in understanding risks with unrealistic promises, allowing them to be realistic in their return expectations.
Regulators and policymakers: The report will interest regulators (including SEBI) and other relevant authorities as they continue to assess and strengthen frameworks to capture finfluencer activity and decide whether additional supervision and clarity are required.
Capital market firms: This report is relevant for capital market firms and advisers that engage with (or are evaluating engaging with) finfluencers or social media channels as part of their product distribution architecture. The findings should inform compliance considerations when using such distribution channels.
Social media platforms: The report highlights the responsibility of social media platforms, whose function in hosting, amplifying, and monetising financial content raises important questions around platform responsibility, content governance, disclosure standards, and cooperation with financial regulators.
Finfluencers: Content creators and finfluencers themselves may find this report useful in understanding emerging expectations around ethical conduct, transparency, and accountability, which are essential to maintaining credibility and supporting financial market integrity.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Key Takeaways
The springtime of your career encompasses those early years when you’re busy planting the seeds of new ideas and dreaming of the future. It’s all about potential.
The summer of your career is when you start making investments, cultivating the seeds you planted years ago, then carefully pruning and protecting your business ideas so they can grow.
Autumn is harvesting season — you’re reaping what you’ve sown. And winter is a time for taking stock of what you have and preparing for the future.
We don’t get to be young forever, but that’s actually a good thing. Like Pete Seeger of The Byrds sang back in 1962:
“To everything there is a season And a time to every purpose under heaven A time to be born, a time to die A time to plant, a time to reap A time to kill, a time to heal A time to laugh, a time to weep”
Of course, those lyrics are even older than that. They originally appeared in the Book of Ecclesiastes, which is part of the Old Testament. If you’re looking for proof of the value in old things, I don’t know where you’re going to find a better example than that.
But this isn’t just a feel-good article for my older readers about how age brings wisdom. The point I’m using those lyrics to illustrate is actually that there are distinct seasons to your career, each of which brings valuable perspective. You just have to acknowledge which season you’re in instead of staying in denial about it.
My priorities when I entered the roofing industry as a teenager were very different from the ones I have today, but that hasn’t hampered my business. My company, Roof Maxx, is presently valued at over eight figures and has dealers selling our roof restoration solution across the country.
Here’s how each season of my career helped me refine my pathway to success — and how yours can do the same for you if you let it.
Spring: New ideas and early growth
The springtime of your career encompasses those early years when you’re busy planting the seeds of new ideas and dreaming of the future. It’s arguably the most conceptual time in an entrepreneur’s life, because it’s all about potential. You’re not yet so invested in anything that you’re thinking only about dollars and cents; the future is a blank slate, and you have enough time ahead of you to dream a little.
Now, the likelihood is that not all of those dreams are going to come true, at least not in the way you thought they would. When I was in my teens and twenties, I had no idea that I was eventually going to start Roof Maxx. I got into roofing with simpler ambitions — of becoming a successful contractor, of working with my family, and of building a recognizable brand in our home state of Ohio that would become my legacy.
That didn’t exactly happen. In fact, I worked for 15 years as a roofing contractor and was on the verge of financial failure for most of that time. But as I grew older and wiser, the dream evolved. Things eventually turned out even better than I could have imagined.
Summer: Long days and late nights
The truth is that big plans aren’t enough to succeed in business. You also need to make smart investments. That’s what the summer of your career is for: cultivating the seeds you planted years ago, then carefully pruning and protecting your business ideas so they can grow.
An investment isn’t just about money, either. Not every early-to-mid-career entrepreneur has cash to spare. The time you invest is equally important. And if you invest your time carefully, my experience has taught me that other resources will often become available.
When Todd and I discovered the Roof Maxx formula, which could extend the usable lifespan of asphalt shingle roofs for years as long as they were in decent condition, we didn’t have much in the way of liquid assets. But we had years of experience as roofers, which allowed us to recognize the market potential for a cost-effective restoration solution in an industry then-dominated by contractors who only sold roof replacements, regardless of whether their customers’ roofs could still be saved.
We also had a company that we could sell, so that’s what we did. The money from that sale allowed us to pivot into the business that would eventually become Roof Maxx. What looked like a new company was actually the culmination of years of effort.
Autumn: Harvesting season
Roof Maxx didn’t succeed overnight, but it did disrupt the roofing industry relatively quickly. Homeowners realized we were offering them a way to keep using their current roofs for years to come at a fraction of what it would cost to replace them, and many were eager to try it for themselves.
Our flagship product had undergone extensive testing at Ohio State University, and our dealers were carefully instructed to inspect each homeowner’s roof for suitability before recommending Roof Maxx. We also included a tune-up as part of our complete roof restoration process, which addressed minor damage like nail pops or isolated damaged shingles before the product was applied. This maximized its efficacy and ensured better results for customers.
As a result, many customers who tried Roof Maxx were happy to leave us positive reviews or refer new business our way. As demand grew, we found ourselves presiding over a national dealer network with a presence in all 50 states.
Winter: Preparing for the future
As I write this article, I’m less than a month away from my 60th birthday. I only have a few years left before I’m at what most people consider retirement age. The winter of my career has finally arrived.
But this doesn’t fill me with apprehension. Winter is a time for taking stock of what you have and preparing for the future. Every December, families gather together to celebrate and prepare for the coming year. Roof Maxx started as a family business, and it’s a legacy I’ll be proud to pass on to the next generation once I’ve made the proper arrangements.
When you’re young, you dream of the future. As you gain experience, your focus turns to time and money. Invest those wisely, and you’ll reap what you’ve sown for years to come. After all that, it’s only natural to think about what you’re leaving to others. To everything there is a season.
Key Takeaways
The springtime of your career encompasses those early years when you’re busy planting the seeds of new ideas and dreaming of the future. It’s all about potential.
The summer of your career is when you start making investments, cultivating the seeds you planted years ago, then carefully pruning and protecting your business ideas so they can grow.
Autumn is harvesting season — you’re reaping what you’ve sown. And winter is a time for taking stock of what you have and preparing for the future.
We don’t get to be young forever, but that’s actually a good thing. Like Pete Seeger of The Byrds sang back in 1962:
“To everything there is a season And a time to every purpose under heaven A time to be born, a time to die A time to plant, a time to reap A time to kill, a time to heal A time to laugh, a time to weep”
Of course, those lyrics are even older than that. They originally appeared in the Book of Ecclesiastes, which is part of the Old Testament. If you’re looking for proof of the value in old things, I don’t know where you’re going to find a better example than that.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s stunning election win eight years ago heralded the start of a broader political shift, and the New York Democrat sees that swelling into a transformational movement.
In an interview Sunday on ABC News’ This Week, she acknowledged that her party had lost support from young people in earlier election cycles, especially young men, and said Democrats must engage with them to build a winning coalition.
“When we look at this insurgent wave of what is happening, oftentimes when people are doing that Monday morning quarterbacking and what demographics voted where, the big one that’s being ignored is the generational tidal wave, a tsunami,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
For now, the data indicates a modest bump in recent elections. According to polling tracker Catalist, millennials made up 25% of the electorate in 2024, up from 23% in 2020.
Baby boomers comprised a larger share of voters in 2024, accounting for 32%, but they are trending lower after hitting a peak of 36% in 2016.
Ocasio-Cortez, a millennial herself, expects the younger generation will soon tip the scales in American politics.
“Millennials are not punk kids anymore. We’re grown adults with mortgages and kids,” she said. “And we—that generation is starting to be decisive at the polls. And there is anger at being ignored, sidelined, having our economic futures mortgaged by the generations that came before us on everything from the economy to climate. And we’re taking the reins.”
In fact, off-year elections in 2025 and mid-term primaries this year have seen younger candidates oust older or longtime establishment figures.
Many of them also identify as democratic socialists with more left-wing positions. But Ocasio-Cortez suggested maturity brings some moderation.
Regarding efforts to defund the police that surged in the wake of George Floyd’s murder during the COVID lockdown, she told ABC that “the doors were really open in trying to entertain any and every policy that was going to get us to a better place.”
Then she admitted “rhetoric in that time is not rhetoric that we would use today.”
The influence of millennial voters will be put to the test this November, particularly in races where the candidates represent different generations as well as parties.
The generational tension has been bubbling for years, including in the housing market, where high mortgage rates and home prices have locked out many younger families.
Meanwhile, empty-nest boomers sit on a disproportionate share of the family-size homes that millennial parents need but cannot find or afford.
Boomers are also sitting on immense wealth after benefiting from a historic era of economic growth and financial gains.
Some estimates of their collective fortune put it as high as $124 trillion, raising hopes for a massive transfer of wealth to younger generations. But millennial and Gen X heirs should only expect to receive a fraction of that amount.
Still, there are also signs that boomers are already handing over their wealth before they die, and helping millennials in the housing market.
Among millennial homeowners, about a quarter got help on the down payment from their parents and wouldn’t have been able to buy their current home without it, according to a report last month from Visa Business and Economic Insights.
“Rather than waiting to pass down inheritances later, many boomers are using their wealth to help their children clear major financial hurdles now, when the support will have the greatest impact,” Visa said.
Check your American Express credit cards for a new Amex Offer that can save you 10% at IKEA. You can find this offer in your Amex consumer and business credit cards. Check out the full details of the offer below.
Offer Details
Earn 10% back as a statement credit after using your enrolled eligible Card to make purchases in-store at IKEA or online at ikea.com by 8/31/2026. Limit of $27 back in total statement credits.
Offer and availability may vary by cardholder. Just login to your American Express account(s) to see if you are eligible to add this offer to your card(s).
Important Terms
Offer valid in-store at participating locations in the US and online at US website ikea.com only.
Excludes outlet locations.
Not valid for online orders shipped outside of the US.
Purchases must be made in USD, and offer is only valid on purchases made directly with the merchant.
Offer not valid on purchases made using third parties, such as resellers, delivery services, or other intermediaries.
About Amex Offers
Amex Offers are an extra perk on all American Express credit cards, charge cards, and even prepaid cards. You can see these offers in your accounts either as a statement credit or extra Membership Rewards points for spending a certain amount at eligible merchants. You will need to add the offer to a specific card first, and then use that card to get the credit. Here are a few things you should know:
Guru’s Wrap-up
This is a good offer that seems to be widely available for most cardholders. Check your accounts and add it now if you plan on purchasing anything from IKEA this month.
You can maximize savings by spending $270 at IKEA, either in-store or online.
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Disclaimer
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This video is created solely for educational and informational purposes and is based on individual research. It should not be considered as financial, investment, or trading advice. We are not SEBI-registered investment advisors or analysts. Viewers are strongly advised to conduct their own research and consult with a SEBI-registered financial advisor before making any investment decisions.
As per SEBI’s study on the derivatives segment, nine out of ten traders in the Futures & Options (F&O) market incur losses, with the average loss-making trader losing significantly more than the profitable ones gain. Trading in derivatives involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors.
Regarding cryptocurrencies in India: Cryptocurrencies are currently not considered legal tender in India, but trading and holding crypto assets is not banned. However, they are unregulated, and the Government of India, RBI, and SEBI have repeatedly cautioned investors about the high volatility and risk of fraud. Crypto gains are subject to a 30% tax on profits and 1% TDS on transactions as per the current tax laws. Regulatory frameworks may change in the future, and viewers should stay updated with official guidelines before making any decisions in this space.
Stock market investments are subject to market risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. We do not guarantee any profits or protection against losses. This content is for educational purposes only and is based on personal research. Viewers should always conduct their own due diligence before making any financial decisions.
By watching this video, you acknowledge that we and our representatives are not liable for any financial losses or decisions made based on the information provided. Always trade and invest responsibly.
