MagazinAisle

Blog

  • iPhone 18 Pro Expected Today. Here Are the Rumors That Look Legit

    Tim Cook is out, and John Ternus is in, and he’ll introduce himself to Apple fans today, when the company hosts its “Surprise and shine” event. It’s set to be a packed presentation.

    What can we expect? And how much more expensive will Apple’s latest and greatest be, given the memory crunch? Apple already raised prices across several major product lines in June, but iPhone pricing has remained steady, helping drive iPhone 17 sales during the last quarter. However, “For September, we expect to pay even higher memory costs,” Cook said during a recent earnings call.

    With Apple’s foldable expected to cost north of $2,000, the iPhone 18 Pro is probably the more economical choice if you’re looking to upgrade this fall. To help you know what to expect, we’ve rounded up the biggest iPhone 18 Pro rumors we have heard so far.

    iPhone 18 Pro: Revised Lineup

    The biggest rumor around the iPhone 18 lineup is its release timeline. Unlike previous years, where Apple released four phones in the same series in one go, Bloomberg reports Apple could take a two-pronged approach to ensure consistent revenue throughout the year.

    Flagship phones, such as the iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max, and the foldable iPhone, will be unveiled in September, while the base iPhone 18, iPhone Air 2, and the iPhone 18e could be launched in spring 2027. We discuss the foldable iPhone in detail in a separate rumor roundup, so we’ll just stick to the Pro models here.

    iPhone 18 Pro: Design and Colors

    The iPhone 17 Pro models brought a major overhaul to Apple’s smartphone design language, with a new camera “plateau” and two-toned color scheme. This year, Apple isn’t expected to drastically change the device’s appearance, but it could add a few bold colors and return to a more uniform color scheme on the back.

    Several leakers, including Sonny Dickson and Instant Digital, claim that Apple could go with a never-before-seen cherry red and a new light blue, alongside the regular dark gray. Dickson also shared pictures of potential dummies, including one in light gray. In a fresh leak last week, Fixed Focus Digital backed dark cherry, sky blue, and dark gray colors for the new models, but noted that light gray or white/silver was highly unlikely.

    While the appearance of the rear is expected to remain the same, the in-hand feel could be a lot different. Ice Universe says the battery could get slightly larger on the iPhone 18 Pro Max, contributing to increased weight and bulk. More precisely, the leaker expects the device to be 0.25mm thicker and 7 grams heavier.

    iPhone 18 Pro Display

    On the front, we might see one significant change. The Dynamic Island, or the camera cutout, could be reduced by 35%, Ice Universe says. This won’t shrink the feature’s overall functionality, but it could move the Face ID sensor’s illuminator to one corner below the screen.

    When it comes to display sizes, the consensus is that the iPhone 18 Pro will come in its usual 6.3-inch screen, while the Pro Max will have a 6.9-inch screen. Apple, however, has reportedly been pushing suppliers to provide much brighter displays and could use the more power-efficient LTPO+ display tech.

    iPhone 18 Pro Cameras

    The iPhone 17 Pro lineup bumped all three cameras to 48MP. For the iPhone 18 Pro, the biggest camera-related rumor we have heard is around variable aperture. While the iPhone 17 models had a fixed aperture, the iPhone 18 Pro may introduce a variable aperture. ETNews reports that the modified system has already entered production and would help the cameras deliver more light to the sensors in dark conditions and reduce light in bright conditions.

    Apple may also modify its relatively new Camera Control button. Introduced with the iPhone 16, the capacitive button at the bottom right of the phone lets you quickly launch the Camera app, take pictures, and adjust settings for zoom, exposure, depth, and other controls. Mastering the capacitive button, however, has proved difficult, with users noting that they have been accidentally launching the Camera app. Apple may finally fix the problem by removing the touch-sensitive components of the button and delivering a more user-friendly experience, 9to5Mac reports.

    iPhone 18 Pro Performance

    The iPhone 18 Pro is likely to receive a performance boost with the A20 chip. It will use TSMC’s 2nm technology, an upgrade from the previous generation’s 3nm tech. The transition will allow more transistors on each chip but also raise chip costs by 50%, MacRumors reports.

    The chip is also rumored to have TSMC’s Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WMCM) technology, which infuses RAM into the same wafer as the CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine. Overall, it is expected to be 18% faster and 30% more power-efficient than previous generations, according to leaker Fixed Focus Digital.

    Apple usually reserves the base variant of its chip series for the standard iPhone models, while the Pro models get the corresponding Pro chip. With the iPhone 18 series, Apple is reportedly considering offering just the high-end variant across the lineup.

    Recommended by Our Editors

    ios battery icon

    iPhone against a pile of cash

    Another expected upgrade is for the modem. The iPhone 17 Pro models had an unspecified third-party modem, but the iPhone 18 Pro could get the company’s proprietary C2 modem. It will support 5G satellite connectivity and reduce the scope of location data retained by networks, according to MacRumors.

    iPhone 18 Pro Battery

    Apple never reveals its battery capacities, but multiple leakers have indicated a larger and more efficient battery for the iPhone 18 Pro Max. According to Digital Chat Station, the top variant will have a capacity of up to 5,200mAh, slightly better than the 5,088mAh capacity of its predecessor. With a more efficient modem and processor, the battery life could be significantly longer. The iPhone 18 Pro, on the other hand, could see a minimal bump from 4,252mAh to 4,288mAh.

    More recently, leaks posted on Korean and Chinese social media sites tip a US iPhone 18 Pro Max model with a 5,567mAh battery, a nearly 10% increase over the iPhone 17 Pro Max, MacRumors notes.

    iPhone 18 Pro: Pricing and Release

    This is what much of the decision-making hinges on. According to The Wall Street Journal‘s estimate, rising component costs would push the iPhone 18 Pro to start at $1,299. If you couple that with recent Apple trends, the iPhone 18 Pro Max could be priced $100 higher, taking its starting price to $1,399. In comparison, the iPhone 17 Pro starts at $1,099, while the 17 Pro Max starts at $1,199.

    When asked on a recent earnings call about potential price hikes for the iPhone, Cook said it’s “too early to come to a definitive conclusion of what happens there. Because it takes a little while for the channels to adjust since there’s channel inventory, it takes a while for the consumer to respond. We’ll understand that more in the weeks ahead.”

    With the event scheduled for Sept. 9, preorders will likely begin a few days later, ahead of the launch the following week.

    About Our Expert

  • Martin Herlihy of Please Don’t Destroy Exits ‘SNL’

    Martin Herlihy of Please Don’t Destroy Exits ‘SNL’

    Please Don’t Destroy the SNL cast.

    Martin Herlihy has decided to exit Saturday Night Live after five seasons, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Hollywood Reporter.

    Herlihy, who primarily served as a writer on the show, is one-third of comedy group Please Don’t Destroy and the son of SNL legend Tim Herlihy. Martin Herlihy follows fellow Please Don’t Destroy nepo-comic John Higgins, the son of Steve Higgins, out the Studio 8H door — albeit one year (and one week) later. Steve Higgins has been an SNL producer since the mid-1990s; he’s also Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show announcer. The other member of Please Don’t Destroy, Ben Marshall, was upped to SNL‘s main cast last year. To this point, Marshall is considered the standout of the bunch — it probably doesn’t hurt to be 6’5″ with red hair.

    Please Don’t Destroy will continue on as a comedy trio. Though the Saturday Night Live sketches ended with Higgins’ exit, the guys toured a live stage show last year.

    Martin Herlihy has been getting a good number of acting roles, beyond just playing exaggerated versions of himself (like in the Please Don’t Destroy shorts). He recently starred opposite Glen Powell in the Running Man remake, had roles in Roommates and The Breadwinner, and acted in dad’s Happy Gilmore 2. Tim Herlihy and Adam Sandler have been working together since their old SNL days.

    Please Don’t Destroy effectively took over the SNL Digital Shorts scene following the departure of another trio, The Lonely Island: Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer. They carried the torch quite well, and even got a movie out of their newfound exposure: 2023’s Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain. Please Don’t Destroy first formed in 2017 at NYU.

    Some of the standout Please Don’t Destroy sketches that made NBC’s airwaves include “Roast” starring Dakota Johnson, “Mean Cute” with Charli xcx and “Three Sad Virgins,” which featured Taylor Swift.

    Herlihy’s exit from the series follows the high-profile departure of Chloe Fineman in July. Season 52 of Saturday Night Live premieres on Sept. 26; the host and musical guest have yet to be announced.

  • Zoom In on This Deal: Save 30% Off an Eufy Outdoor Security Camera Today

    Zoom In on This Deal: Save 30% Off an Eufy Outdoor Security Camera Today

    Protect your peace with this epic deal. Amazon has the Eufy SoloCam S340 outdoor security camera on sale for $139.99, down from its regular $199.99 list price. This gives you a 30% discount on a subscription-free outdoor surveillance powerhouse featuring a dual-lens system with 3K wide-angle and 2K telephoto optics, 8x hybrid zoom, motorized 360-degree pan and 70-degree tilt tracking, a removable 2.2-watt solar panel for continuous power, and 8GB of built-in local storage.

    Securing a 3K dual-camera outdoor security hub with motorized 360-degree tracking, forever solar charging, and zero monthly subscription fees for under $140 is an extraordinary value. This deal makes now the best time to upgrade the security of your driveway, backyard perimeter, or detached garage.

    Today’s 30% price cut gives homeowners, property managers, and renters a chance to secure their property with simultaneous wide-angle and zoomed-in footage without the strain of standard retail prices. Get one, and sleep peacefully.

    AMAZON DEAL ALERT


    Eufy SoloCam S340 Outdoor Security Camera on white background

    Eufy SoloCam S340 Outdoor Security Camera

    3K dual lens, 8x hybrid zoom, 360° pan/tilt, solar powered, 8GB local storage, no monthly fees

    $139.99
    at Amazon

    $199.99
    Save $60.00


    Get Deal

    The Eufy SoloCam S340 powers your outdoor surveillance with 3K dual-camera optics and 8x hybrid zoom for detailed identification at 50 feet. It uses motorized 360-degree pan and 70-degree tilt with automatic AI tracking to secure your perimeter. With an adjustable 2.2-watt solar panel for continuous power, color night vision with a built-in spotlight, 8GB of free local storage, and Alexa/Google Assistant support, it secures your home easily without monthly fees.

    PCMag expert John R. Delaney rated it “Excellent” in his in-depth review. He also gave it our Editors’ Choice award for “offering lots of bang for your buck, including sharper video than similarly priced competitors, free local storage, and mechanical pan and tilt capabilities.”

    Recommended by Our Editors

    The Eufy SoloCam S340 successfully pairs dual-lens 3K telephoto clarity with motorized 360-degree tracking and continuous solar charging. At 30% off, it puts an 8x hybrid zoom, local storage, and automated AI motion tracking directly on your exterior walls. Don’t overthink it.

    For more amazing tech upgrades like this, check out our PCMag Amazon Labor Day roundup, which still has epic discounts on gear by Bose, Garmin, HP, and more.

    More Deals on Outdoor Security Cameras

    *Deals are selected by our commerce team

    About Our Expert

  • Scripps, PWHL Ink Media Rights Deal for 2026-27

    Scripps, PWHL Ink Media Rights Deal for 2026-27

    The Professional Women’s Hockey League is expanding its TV presence in the United States.

    Scripps Sports and the PWHL on Wednesday announced a media rights deal for the 2026-27 season — the first season-long deal in the brief history of the league, which began play in 2024. The agreement will bring a PWHL Game of the Week to Scripps’ Ion network on Saturday nights. Ion will also continue to broadcast the Walter Cup Finals series and add another playoff series to its slate.

    Scripps Sports Network, the company’s FAST channel for sports, will also show two PWHL games per week. The league’s YouTube channel and website will also continue streaming every game.

    “A season-long national television presence in the U.S. is something we’ve been working toward and represents a significant step in our continued growth as a league,” said Amy Scheer executive vp business pperations for the PWHL. “Scripps continues to be a committed partner in shining a spotlight on women’s sports, and for the first time, our American fans will have the opportunity to follow the league on national television throughout an entire season, making the PWHL more accessible than ever before.”

    The PWHL deal is a further investment for Scripps and Ion into women’s sports. The network also carries WNBA and NWSL games and will air events for the soon-to-launch Women’s Team Golf League. As part of the PWHL deal, Scripps affiliates in Detroit (WMYD) and Las Vegas (KMCC) will become the local broadcast partners for expansion teams in those cities as the league grows to 12 teams.

    “Women’s sports is a cornerstone of our mission to create meaningful connections between communities and the sports and teams they love,” said Brian Lawlor, president of Scripps Sports. “This partnership further demonstrates Ion as the premier destination for women’s sports, where athletes can showcase their talents on the biggest stage and fans can discover their next favorite team.”

  • Jeff Goldblum on Being Honored by Oceana and Hosting ‘SNL U.K.’ Season 2 Premiere: ‘I’m a Big Anglophile’ (EXCLUSIVE)

    Jeff Goldblum on Being Honored by Oceana and Hosting ‘SNL U.K.’ Season 2 Premiere: ‘I’m a Big Anglophile’ (EXCLUSIVE)

    It’s just a couple of days before Jeff Goldblum is getting ready to head to London to host the Season 2 premiere of “SNL U.K.” on Sept. 12.

    “I’m a big Anglophile,” he tells me on a Zoom from Italy, where he and his wife Emilie are enjoying a summer vacation. “I’ve read all of P.G. Wodehouse. We recently filmed ‘Wicked’ there, and I did the last ‘Jurassic’ movie there. I’ve spent a lot of time in London. I’ve done a couple of things on the West End. I’m a big fan. I’m excited and humbled and thrilled to be part of it.”

    Goldblum is a two-time host of “Saturday Night Live” in the U.S. in 1993 and 1997.

    “It’ll get your blood going and put you on alert,” he recalls. “It’s a fun, exciting, creatively chaotic and delicious week. It seems they’re following something of the same schedule this week. I kind of remember it in my bones. When you finally get yourself out there, you’re trying to just do the assignment. It’s a blast.”

    Just three days after “SNL,” Goldblum and Emilie will be honored at Oceana’s annual New York gala at the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center on Sept. 15 for their work over the last almost 20 years championing the organization and its work to protect the world’s oceans. Martha Stewart will be named this year’s Ocean Champion. Sam Waterston, an Ocean Board member, will serve as master of ceremonies. The evening will mark Oceana’s 25th anniversary.

    Goldblum was first introduced to Oceana through his manager Keith Addis, who is a longtime environmental activist. The Goldblums’ love of the water even inspired their sons’ names, Charlie Ocean, 11 and River Joe, 9.

    “Charlie Ocean is so named apropos because he cannot stay out of that water, like just in and out, in and out, swimming all day long, body surfing,” Emilie says.

    Emilie and Jeff Goldblum attend Oceana: Sting Under the Stars on July 18, 2016, in Los Angeles.

    Penske Media via Getty Images

    The couple also loved the ocean when they were kids. Jeff and his family would travel from their Pittsburgh-area home to Atlantic City in the summer. “I have a memory of my mother taking me into the ocean and holding me in her arms, cradling me in her arms and feeling for the first time waves,” he says. “I didn’t know about waves. Like what’s this movement in the water going up and down and up and down, bobbing up and down?”

    Emilie, who grew up in Canada, spent time at the beach when she visited her grandparents in France. “There would be these little campgrounds, and we’d always camp close to an ocean,” she says. “That’s where we’d spend the whole day, and I would do gymnastics on the beach, tumbling and playing.”

    Jeff joined Oceana in lobbying California lawmakers in Sacramento in support of SB 54, regulations that aim to decrease single-use packaging and plastic waste. The act was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2022. To date, Oceana’s New York Gala has contributed $20 million to support policy victories throughout the world.

     “It’s magical,” Jeff says of the world’s oceans. “It’s part of our paradise of a planet. And woe be us, and shame on us if we don’t do everything to counteract the damage we’ve already begun.”

  • Elon Musk’s Estranged Daughter Vivian Wilson Goes Anti-AI Fronting Desigual Fashion Campaign

    Elon Musk’s Estranged Daughter Vivian Wilson Goes Anti-AI Fronting Desigual Fashion Campaign

    Elon Musk’s estranged trans daughter, Vivian Wilson, has hit out at artificial intelligence and robotics as the face of a fall 2026 fashion campaign, “Born to Disobey,” from the Spanish fashion label Desigual.

    In a spot posted to Instagram, Wilson, who is also a model, appears in a series of scenes alongside malfunctioning robot, leading her to conclude: “Some things aren’t meant to be fixed.” In the ad, the DESI84 robot is used as a golf tee, walked like a dog and fails to say “Desigual” on command. As the spot ends, the robot is left banging its head against a wall.

    On the Desigual website, the fashion label describes its “Born to Disobey” campaign with Wilson as a “pulse that rises above the machines, born from the same free, rebellious spirit as Desigual itself. She doesn’t fight the system. She refuses to belong to it.” Wilson, sporting a “Born to Disobey” t-shirt in the ad, also models a host of Desigual designs as part of its latest clothing line.

    While not naming her father, Wilson as she fronts the “Born to Disobey” fashion campaign, is subtly trolling Elon Musk, the billionaire Tesla head who has invested heavily in the future of AI with Grok and other ventures like Starlink and SpaceX.

    Musk is also making headlines as Alex Gibney’s four-hour documentary, Musk, makes its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival. The Musk film will continue its fall festival and awards season run at the Toronto Film Festival.

    Musk has famously criticized Wilson, continuing to refer to her as his son, Xavier, who he says is suffering from “a tragic mental illness caused by the evil woke mind virus.”

    And he told controversial academic Jordan Peterson in a 2024 interview that he was “tricked” into supporting Wilson’s transition.

    “It happened to one of my older boys, where I was essentially tricked into signing documents for one of my older boys, Xavier. This is before I had any understanding of what was going on. COVID was going on, so there was a lot of confusion, and I was told Xavier might commit suicide if he doesn’t,” Musk said.


     
     

  • Beehiiv Expands Roster of Creators With Dana Harris-Bridson, David Covucci and Peter Greenberg

    Beehiiv Expands Roster of Creators With Dana Harris-Bridson, David Covucci and Peter Greenberg

    Beehiiv, the creator platform that has gained traction through associations with independent journalists such as Oliver Darcy and Joanna Stern, unveiled an expansion of its Media Collective, a roster of journalists who have turned to the company to help launch new digital efforts.

    The new creators are Peter Greenberg, a longtime travel editor at CBS News; Dana Harris-Birdson, former editor in chief of IndieWire; and tech and politics reporter David Covucci.

    Beehiiv launched the Media Collective in 2024, offering support in areas such as legal, healthcare, technology, audience, monetization and other operations, while journalists tend to their work and business.

    “We started the Media Collective to solve a problem I kept hearing from journalists: they wanted to bet on themselves, but going independent meant losing the support system they had spent their careers relying on,” said Tyler Denk, co-founder and CEO of Beehiiv, in a statement. “The Media Collective gives them the scaffolding to build something of their own while staying focused on what they do best: reporting. It’s grown faster and been more successful than we anticipated.”

    The company said its “collective” now includes more than 30 journalists, who together reach more than 1 million active subscribers. Media Collective members keep 100% of the revenue they earn.

    Greenberg will on September 15 launch “The Upgrade,” reporting on things of key interest to travelers, including airline and hotel practices, cruise ship safety, loyalty programs, travel disruptions and the oversight of aircraft maintenance and airworthiness. Greenberg hosts and produces three long-running television programs: “The Royal Tour,” “Hidden,” and “The Travel Detective.”

    Harris-Bridson will launch Flamingo Media in January, 2027. Flamingo will cover what Harris-Bridson calls the “Story Economy,” the increasingly interconnected market spanning entertainment, creators, brands, platforms, technology and capital.

    Covucci, a former editor with The Daily Dot and Uproxx Media, recently started FOIAball, an independent investigative publication that uses public-records laws to uncover stories tied to college sports, including political influence, surveillance technology, labor rights and wealthy donors.

  • Consensys Software Inc. Splits In Two, Rebrands As MetaMask

    Consensys Software Inc. Splits In Two, Rebrands As MetaMask

    Consensys Software Inc. is separating into two companies, the firm said Wednesday.

    The existing corporate entity will continue and rebrand as MetaMask, running the wallet and its consumer products under co-founder Joe Lubin as chairman and chief executive. Its Protocols Group and institutional blockchain infrastructure business, including the Linea layer 2, becomes a newly formed company named Consensys.

    The split separates Ethereum’s most widely used wallet from one of its largest protocol development shops for the first time since Lubin founded the company in 2014. Each side gets its own chief executive, board and capital allocation: a consumer business now selling stablecoin yield and card spending, and an enterprise business selling tokenization infrastructure to banks.

    Who Runs What

    Mike Kriak becomes chief executive of the new Consensys, with David Cunningham as president and Declan Fox as chief product officer, according to the company’s post on X. Lubin will be executive chairman. That entity keeps Linea, the Besu Ethereum execution client used in permissioned enterprise networks, the Teku consensus client and Consensys’ Ethereum protocol work. The announcement does not say which company takes Infura, whose website now brands it as part of MetaMask Developer.

    MetaMask keeps the wallet and the Money Account, the self-custodial product combining automated yield, card spending and swaps that launched on June 30 paying up to 4% on stablecoin balances. The company says the wallet has passed 100 million downloads across roughly 190 countries. Completion of the separation is expected by the end of 2026, and users need to take no action.

    “Stepping into this role full-time is a recognition that consumer finance deserves the same focus and ambition that we’ve brought to building Ethereum itself,” Lubin said in the announcement.

    The Institutional Pitch

    Cunningham framed the institutional side around settlement plumbing. “Financial institutions and market infrastructure are moving to always-on operations with tokenization at the core,” he said. The release cited a June 2026 Citi report estimating tokenized assets could reach $5.5 trillion to $8.2 trillion by 2030.

    Linea’s own numbers are smaller. The network holds $29 million in DeFi deposits, DefiLlama data show, against $38.1 million in stablecoins issued on it. LINEA trades at $0.002664, down 2.2% over 24 hours and 94% below its September 2025 all-time high, according to CoinGecko, for a market capitalization of $65.3 million. Another 960 million tokens unlock on Sept. 10.

    The token launched at roughly a $500 million market capitalization a year ago, and Lubin teased further rewards for holders after it halved within weeks.

    The $MASK Question

    Neither the press release nor Lubin’s accompanying blog post mentions a MetaMask token. Lubin confirmed on The Block’s podcast in September 2025 that a $MASK token was coming, and tied it to “the decentralization of certain aspects of the MetaMask platform.” The company registered a claim.metamask.io domain in October 2025 and has not shipped a token since.

    The announcement is also silent on the initial public offering the company has been preparing. Axios reported in October 2025 that Consensys had hired JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs to advise on a listing. Which of the two entities carries that process forward is unstated.

  • Fox Says DOJ Requests More Documents in Review of $22 Billion Roku Deal ‘as Expected’

    Fox Says DOJ Requests More Documents in Review of $22 Billion Roku Deal ‘as Expected’

    Fox Corp.‘s bid for streaming platform Roku is undergoing review by the Justice Department, with the U.S. agency requesting additional documents related to the proposed deal.

    On Tuesday, Sept. 8, “as expected, each of Fox and Roku received a request for additional information and documentary material” — referred to as a “second request” in regulatory lingo — from the U.S. Department of Justice in connection with the DOJ’s review of the merger agreement, Fox Corp. disclosed in a filing Wednesday with the SEC. “Fox and Roku will continue to work cooperatively with the DOJ in its review.”

    Fox still expects the Roku acquisition, valued at $22 billion, to be completed in the first half of calendar year 2027, subject to clearance by the DOJ and other regulators. The DOJ’s second request for documents extends the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino antitrust act for 30 days (during which time the parties are barred from closing the deal) after Fox and Roku have “substantially replied” to the information request.

    The deal also remains subject to approval by shareholders of Fox Corp. and Roku.

    In June, Fox announced an agreement to buy Roku for $160/share in a combination of about $14.2 billion in cash and the remainder in Fox Class A common stock.

    The deal would dramatically enhance Fox’s streaming footprint. Roku would instantly make the TV-centric company a much bigger player in digital video advertising as well as major player in premium subscription VOD distribution.

    The Roku acquisition “will transform the scope of our company into high-growth verticals and yield a step change in our overall growth profile,” Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch said in June.

    Fox said it’s “committed to continuing to operate Roku as an open, partner-friendly platform.” Roku founder and CEO Anthony Wood will have an ongoing role at the combined company once the deal closes.

  • Crypto Long & Short: Inside the 300-to-1 onchain gap between the dollar and euro

    Crypto Long & Short: Inside the 300-to-1 onchain gap between the dollar and euro

    Euro stablecoin activity is small, but rapidly growing. Euro vault AUM across DeFi increased from roughly €12 million a year ago to €135 million today, still representing only 2.4% of total vault AUM. We believe euro-denominated real-word asset (RWA) yield products will accelerate EUR stablecoin growth.

    Path Dependency & Missing Infra

    Onchain euro issuance is trailing the offchain world primarily for two reasons: a historical path dependency and lack of euro-denominated DeFi infrastructure.

    Path dependency. Stablecoins were built to settle crypto trading, and crypto pairs were originally priced in dollars. Since the base pair was USD, USD stablecoins launched to match the assets they settled.

    Missing infrastructure. Vault infrastructure and looping (where each loan funds the next purchase) accelerated dollar-denominated DeFi. Dollar-denominated yield-bearing assets were issued onchain. Lending protocols accepted them as collateral and issued dollar debt against them, allowing users to buy more dollar-denominated yield-bearing assets.

    Consequently, every major lending market onchain today reflects this dollar-denominated looping trade. Euro-denominated leverage markets did not take off because the legs of the loop didn’t exist.

    Dollar Defi is Insufficient for Euro-Denominated Users

    Euro-denominated vault infrastructure is a market necessity for European asset managers, corporate treasuries that operate and report in euros and European DeFi users who think in euro terms. These users represent significant latent demand, as they have been structurally limited from fully participating in the onchain economy due to burdensome FX risk and hedging costs.