Crypto Expansion Likely Under Trump

TECH
Crypto Expansion Likely Under Trump

PayPal emphasized unifying its brand at its investor day, forecasting earnings growth in the coming years. The company introduced PayPal Open, a new merchant platform integrating PayPal, Venmo, Fastlane, and Pay Later solutions into one system. Businesses will gain access to PayPal’s 400 million active accounts, including 92 million Venmo users. The platform launches in the U.S. this spring, expanding to the U.K. and Germany later this year.

CEO Alex Chriss highlighted structural changes within PayPal, merging previously separate teams like Venmo under a single go-to-market approach. This shift streamlines operations and strengthens engagement with large businesses.

PayPal expects non-GAAP earnings per share to grow in the low teens by 2027, with transaction margins rising by high single digits. The company aims for long-term 20% growth.

Meanwhile, PayPal’s crypto division sees opportunity under the Trump administration, anticipating regulatory clarity and industry expansion. Senior VP Jose Fernandez da Ponte called the shift “very, very good for crypto.”

ECONOMY
Trump Proposes $5M U.S. Citizenship Card

President Donald Trump proposed a new “gold card” program on Tuesday, offering foreign investors a $5 million pathway to U.S. citizenship. This would replace the existing EB-5 immigrant investor visa, which grants green cards to foreigners who invest in U.S. businesses that create jobs.

“We are going to be selling a gold card,” Trump told reporters. “It’s going to give you green card privileges and a route to citizenship.” He added that the details would be released in two weeks.

When asked if Russian oligarchs could qualify, Trump responded, “Yeah, possibly. Hey, I know some Russian oligarchs that are very nice people.”

The EB-5 program, established in 1990 to stimulate economic growth, has faced criticism over fraud and inefficiencies. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick called it “full of nonsense” and said Trump’s gold card plan would offer a more straightforward alternative. The administration expects the program to attract wealthy investors looking for a fast-track route to U.S. residency.

FINANCE
Buffett’s Berkshire Pays Record Taxes

Warren Buffett revealed in his annual shareholder letter that Berkshire Hathaway paid a record-breaking $26.8 billion in taxes for 2024, the highest corporate tax payment in U.S. history. Despite the hefty sum, Buffett expressed no complaints, instead urging the government to use the funds wisely to help struggling Americans.

Berkshire’s tax bill accounted for roughly 5% of all corporate taxes collected in 2024, surpassing payments from trillion-dollar tech giants. Since Buffett took control in 1965, Berkshire has contributed $101 billion in taxes.

Buffett emphasized the company’s reinvestment strategy as a key factor in its tax obligations, crediting shareholders for allowing Berkshire to grow into such a significant taxpayer. However, future tax payments may be lower due to the one-time sale of Apple stock and President Trump’s proposed corporate tax cut from 21% to 15%.

Still, Buffett maintained his gratitude, saying, “Thank you, Uncle Sam. Someday, we hope to send even larger payments.”

DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.