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The least surprising chapter of the Manus story is what’s happening right now | TechCrunch

The least surprising chapter of the Manus story is what’s happening right now | TechCrunch

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Okay, so the U.S. and China are locked in an all-out race to build the most powerful AI on the planet. Beijing is throwing billions at homegrown models, tightening its grip on the tech sector, and watching nervously as its best AI talent gravitates to U.S. companies. Yet Manus — one of China’s most buzzed-about AI startups — quietly relocated to Singapore and sold itself to Meta for $2 billion.

Did anyone think there would not be a reckoning over this tie-up?

As industry watchers know, Manus burst onto the scene in the spring of last year with a demo video showing an AI agent screening job candidates, planning vacations, and analyzing stock portfolios, and it cheekily claimed it outperformed OpenAI’s Deep Research. Within weeks, Benchmark — the consummate Silicon Valley venture firm — led a $75 million funding round at a $500 million valuation. That was surprising. (Senator John Cornyn had thoughts, tweeting at the time, “Who thinks it is a good idea for American investors to subsidize our biggest adversary in AI, only to have the CCP use that technology to challenge us economically and militarily? Not me.”)

By December, Manus had millions of users and was pulling in over $100 million in annual recurring revenue. Then Meta came calling, and Mark Zuckerberg, who has staked the company’s future on AI, snapped it up for $2 billion. That, too, was surprising.

It’s worth noting that Manus didn’t just sell itself to an American buyer; it spent the better part of last year actively trying to operate outside China’s orbit. The company relocated its headquarters and core team from Beijing to Singapore, restructured its ownership, and after the Meta deal was announced, Meta pledged to cut all ties with Manus’s Chinese investors and shut down its operations in China entirely. By every measure, Manus was trying to make itself a Singapore company.

But if that string of events raised eyebrows in Washington, you can only imagine that in Beijing, they were apoplectic.

China has a phrase for all of this: “selling young crops” — homegrown AI companies that move abroad and sell themselves to foreign buyers before they’ve fully matured, taking their intellectual property and talent with them.

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Beijing also hates it and has spent years establishing that no company operates outside its reach. Surely, we all remember that time Jack Ma gave a speech in 2020, mildly criticizing Chinese regulators, after which he disappeared from public life for months, Ant Group’s blockbuster IPO was killed overnight, and Alibaba was handed a $2.8 billion fine. China then spent the next two years methodically dismantling its own booming tech sector, wiping out hundreds of billions in market value. Chinese leaders are many things, but subtle is not one of them.

Which is why it wasn’t entirely surprising when, on Tuesday, the Financial Times reported that Manus co-founders Xiao Hong and Ji Yichao were summoned to a meeting this month with China’s National Development and Reform Commission and told that they wouldn’t be leaving the country for a while.

No formal charges have been filed — just an inquiry into whether the Meta deal violated Beijing’s foreign investment rules.

Beijing is calling it a routine regulatory review.

At some point, someone at Manus probably thought they’d gotten away with it, and maybe they still will. But given the stakes of the AI race, that was always a big gamble. Now Beijing wants answers; Manus’s founders are apparently not going anywhere until it gets them.

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Microsoft is purchasing 650,000 metric tons of carbon removal credits from startup BioCirc, the company said today. 

As carbon removal deals go, it’s not a big buy. But this one is notable because last month, two reports said the tech giant was pausing its carbon removal deals. BioCirc confirmed for TechCrunch that the purchase agreement was signed in May, weeks after Microsoft reportedly paused new deals.

For the carbon removal industry — and the startups that depend on it — there’s a big difference between a pause and a recalibration. Microsoft is reportedly responsible for more than 90% of the carbon removal credit market, meaning its purchasing decisions alone can determine whether young companies in the space survive.

Microsoft repeatedly denied that it had paused its carbon removal purchases. “Our carbon removal program has not ended,” Melanie Nakagawa, chief sustainability officer at Microsoft, told TechCrunch in a statement. “At times we may adjust the pace or volume of our carbon removal procurement as we continue to refine our approach toward sustainability goals.”

The new deal generates carbon removal credits from five BioCirc biogas projects. The biogas plants take biomass waste — frequently from agriculture — and use industrial bioreactors to turn it into methane and carbon dioxide. BioCirc captures the carbon dioxide and stores it in an underground reservoir offshore. The methane is then burned in a power plant. 

Microsoft’s sustainability goals have been strained by the company’s push into AI. To power its data centers in Texas, Microsoft last month said it was working with Chevron and Engine No. 1 to build a natural gas power plant in the state that could eventually generate 5 gigawatts of electricity. Emissions from that project alone promise to dwarf the deal with BioCirc.

Internally, Microsoft employees have also been debating whether to abandon the company’s goal of matching zero emissions electricity with its energy use on an hourly basis. Today, the company matches on an annual basis. That approach gives the company more flexibility to, say, use more natural gas to power its data centers at night, but it also makes the company’s clean energy claims harder to verify.

If Microsoft continues to pursue fossil fuel power plants, it’ll need to ramp up its carbon removal purchases to meet its 2030 target of becoming a carbon negative company (one that removes more greenhouse gases from the atmosphere than it generates). 

Last year, Microsoft signed several deals worth millions of tons of carbon removal credits. The program’s reported pause set off alarm bells throughout the carbon removal industry, which is still in its infancy.

The new deal suggests that Microsoft is, in fact, recalibrating its carbon removal program — not abandoning it. Whether that remains true as AI drives its energy consumption higher is something the industry will be watching.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

#Microsofts #carbon #removal #plans #arent #dead #TechCrunchMicrosoft,biogas,Exclusive,carbon credits,carbon removal">Microsoft’s carbon removal plans aren’t dead after all | TechCrunch Microsoft is purchasing 650,000 metric tons of carbon removal credits from startup BioCirc, the company said today.  As carbon removal deals go, it’s not a big buy. But this one is notable because last month, two reports said the tech giant was pausing its carbon removal deals. BioCirc confirmed for TechCrunch that the purchase agreement was signed in May, weeks after Microsoft reportedly paused new deals. For the carbon removal industry — and the startups that depend on it — there’s a big difference between a pause and a recalibration. Microsoft is reportedly responsible for more than 90% of the carbon removal credit market, meaning its purchasing decisions alone can determine whether young companies in the space survive. Microsoft repeatedly denied that it had paused its carbon removal purchases. “Our carbon removal program has not ended,” Melanie Nakagawa, chief sustainability officer at Microsoft, told TechCrunch in a statement. “At times we may adjust the pace or volume of our carbon removal procurement as we continue to refine our approach toward sustainability goals.” The new deal generates carbon removal credits from five BioCirc biogas projects. The biogas plants take biomass waste — frequently from agriculture — and use industrial bioreactors to turn it into methane and carbon dioxide. BioCirc captures the carbon dioxide and stores it in an underground reservoir offshore. The methane is then burned in a power plant.  Microsoft’s sustainability goals have been strained by the company’s push into AI. To power its data centers in Texas, Microsoft last month said it was working with Chevron and Engine No. 1 to build a natural gas power plant in the state that could eventually generate 5 gigawatts of electricity. Emissions from that project alone promise to dwarf the deal with BioCirc. Internally, Microsoft employees have also been debating whether to abandon the company’s goal of matching zero emissions electricity with its energy use on an hourly basis. Today, the company matches on an annual basis. That approach gives the company more flexibility to, say, use more natural gas to power its data centers at night, but it also makes the company’s clean energy claims harder to verify. If Microsoft continues to pursue fossil fuel power plants, it’ll need to ramp up its carbon removal purchases to meet its 2030 target of becoming a carbon negative company (one that removes more greenhouse gases from the atmosphere than it generates).  Last year, Microsoft signed several deals worth millions of tons of carbon removal credits. The program’s reported pause set off alarm bells throughout the carbon removal industry, which is still in its infancy. The new deal suggests that Microsoft is, in fact, recalibrating its carbon removal program — not abandoning it. Whether that remains true as AI drives its energy consumption higher is something the industry will be watching. When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.#Microsofts #carbon #removal #plans #arent #dead #TechCrunchMicrosoft,biogas,Exclusive,carbon credits,carbon removal

two reports said the tech giant was pausing its carbon removal deals. BioCirc confirmed for TechCrunch that the purchase agreement was signed in May, weeks after Microsoft reportedly paused new deals.

For the carbon removal industry — and the startups that depend on it — there’s a big difference between a pause and a recalibration. Microsoft is reportedly responsible for more than 90% of the carbon removal credit market, meaning its purchasing decisions alone can determine whether young companies in the space survive.

Microsoft repeatedly denied that it had paused its carbon removal purchases. “Our carbon removal program has not ended,” Melanie Nakagawa, chief sustainability officer at Microsoft, told TechCrunch in a statement. “At times we may adjust the pace or volume of our carbon removal procurement as we continue to refine our approach toward sustainability goals.”

The new deal generates carbon removal credits from five BioCirc biogas projects. The biogas plants take biomass waste — frequently from agriculture — and use industrial bioreactors to turn it into methane and carbon dioxide. BioCirc captures the carbon dioxide and stores it in an underground reservoir offshore. The methane is then burned in a power plant. 

Microsoft’s sustainability goals have been strained by the company’s push into AI. To power its data centers in Texas, Microsoft last month said it was working with Chevron and Engine No. 1 to build a natural gas power plant in the state that could eventually generate 5 gigawatts of electricity. Emissions from that project alone promise to dwarf the deal with BioCirc.

Internally, Microsoft employees have also been debating whether to abandon the company’s goal of matching zero emissions electricity with its energy use on an hourly basis. Today, the company matches on an annual basis. That approach gives the company more flexibility to, say, use more natural gas to power its data centers at night, but it also makes the company’s clean energy claims harder to verify.

If Microsoft continues to pursue fossil fuel power plants, it’ll need to ramp up its carbon removal purchases to meet its 2030 target of becoming a carbon negative company (one that removes more greenhouse gases from the atmosphere than it generates). 

Last year, Microsoft signed several deals worth millions of tons of carbon removal credits. The program’s reported pause set off alarm bells throughout the carbon removal industry, which is still in its infancy.

The new deal suggests that Microsoft is, in fact, recalibrating its carbon removal program — not abandoning it. Whether that remains true as AI drives its energy consumption higher is something the industry will be watching.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

#Microsofts #carbon #removal #plans #arent #dead #TechCrunchMicrosoft,biogas,Exclusive,carbon credits,carbon removal">Microsoft’s carbon removal plans aren’t dead after all | TechCrunch

Microsoft is purchasing 650,000 metric tons of carbon removal credits from startup BioCirc, the company said today. 

As carbon removal deals go, it’s not a big buy. But this one is notable because last month, two reports said the tech giant was pausing its carbon removal deals. BioCirc confirmed for TechCrunch that the purchase agreement was signed in May, weeks after Microsoft reportedly paused new deals.

For the carbon removal industry — and the startups that depend on it — there’s a big difference between a pause and a recalibration. Microsoft is reportedly responsible for more than 90% of the carbon removal credit market, meaning its purchasing decisions alone can determine whether young companies in the space survive.

Microsoft repeatedly denied that it had paused its carbon removal purchases. “Our carbon removal program has not ended,” Melanie Nakagawa, chief sustainability officer at Microsoft, told TechCrunch in a statement. “At times we may adjust the pace or volume of our carbon removal procurement as we continue to refine our approach toward sustainability goals.”

The new deal generates carbon removal credits from five BioCirc biogas projects. The biogas plants take biomass waste — frequently from agriculture — and use industrial bioreactors to turn it into methane and carbon dioxide. BioCirc captures the carbon dioxide and stores it in an underground reservoir offshore. The methane is then burned in a power plant. 

Microsoft’s sustainability goals have been strained by the company’s push into AI. To power its data centers in Texas, Microsoft last month said it was working with Chevron and Engine No. 1 to build a natural gas power plant in the state that could eventually generate 5 gigawatts of electricity. Emissions from that project alone promise to dwarf the deal with BioCirc.

Internally, Microsoft employees have also been debating whether to abandon the company’s goal of matching zero emissions electricity with its energy use on an hourly basis. Today, the company matches on an annual basis. That approach gives the company more flexibility to, say, use more natural gas to power its data centers at night, but it also makes the company’s clean energy claims harder to verify.

If Microsoft continues to pursue fossil fuel power plants, it’ll need to ramp up its carbon removal purchases to meet its 2030 target of becoming a carbon negative company (one that removes more greenhouse gases from the atmosphere than it generates). 

Last year, Microsoft signed several deals worth millions of tons of carbon removal credits. The program’s reported pause set off alarm bells throughout the carbon removal industry, which is still in its infancy.

The new deal suggests that Microsoft is, in fact, recalibrating its carbon removal program — not abandoning it. Whether that remains true as AI drives its energy consumption higher is something the industry will be watching.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

#Microsofts #carbon #removal #plans #arent #dead #TechCrunchMicrosoft,biogas,Exclusive,carbon credits,carbon removal
Garmin now wants to help address through a new initiative in partnership with MyKrida. The company has equipped seven emerging athletes from tribal regions across India with Garmin Forerunner smartwatches to help them access structured performance tracking and training insights.

Garmin Wants to Bring Data-Driven Training to More Athletes

Garmin Partners With MyKrida to Support Grassroots Athletes in India Fitness wearables today are usually marketed toward marathon runners, cyclists, and people already deep into the fitness ecosystem. But for many talented athletes in India, especially those from remote or underrepresented regions, access to proper training tools remains a major challenge. That’s something Garmin now wants to help address through a new initiative in partnership with MyKrida. The company has equipped seven emerging athletes from tribal regions across India with Garmin Forerunner smartwatches to help them access structured performance tracking and training insights. Garmin Wants to Bring Data-Driven Training to More Athletes The idea behind the initiative is fairly straightforward. Garmin’s Forerunner smartwatches can track metrics like heart rate, pace, distance, recovery, sleep quality, and training load. For professional athletes, this kind of data is already standard. But for many young athletes in smaller regions, access to these tools can genuinely change how they train. Garmin says the watches are meant to help athletes train smarter and improve consistency through better recovery and performance monitoring rather than simply increasing training intensity. According to Deepak Raina, Director at AMIT GPS & Navigation LLP: India has immense untapped athletic potential, particularly in regions where access to structured training tools remains limited. At Garmin, our focus is on enabling athletes with reliable, performance-led technology that brings clarity to how they train, recover, and improve. Through this initiative, we aim to support long-term athletic development and help these athletes compete with greater confidence and consistency. The on-ground implementation is being managed by MyKrida, which works across grassroots and elite sports development programs in India. The platform focuses heavily on identifying athletes early and connecting them with structured support systems. According to MyKrida founder Shubham Sharma, the collaboration with Garmin helps bring “world-class performance technology directly to these athletes.” #Garmin #Partners #MyKrida #Support #Grassroots #Athletes #IndiaGarmin

The idea behind the initiative is fairly straightforward. Garmin’s Forerunner smartwatches can track metrics like heart rate, pace, distance, recovery, sleep quality, and training load. For professional athletes, this kind of data is already standard. But for many young athletes in smaller regions, access to these tools can genuinely change how they train. Garmin says the watches are meant to help athletes train smarter and improve consistency through better recovery and performance monitoring rather than simply increasing training intensity.

According to Deepak Raina, Director at AMIT GPS & Navigation LLP:

India has immense untapped athletic potential, particularly in regions where access to structured training tools remains limited. At Garmin, our focus is on enabling athletes with reliable, performance-led technology that brings clarity to how they train, recover, and improve. Through this initiative, we aim to support long-term athletic development and help these athletes compete with greater confidence and consistency.

The on-ground implementation is being managed by MyKrida, which works across grassroots and elite sports development programs in India. The platform focuses heavily on identifying athletes early and connecting them with structured support systems. According to MyKrida founder Shubham Sharma, the collaboration with Garmin helps bring “world-class performance technology directly to these athletes.”

#Garmin #Partners #MyKrida #Support #Grassroots #Athletes #IndiaGarmin">Garmin Partners With MyKrida to Support Grassroots Athletes in India Fitness wearables today are usually marketed toward marathon runners, cyclists, and people already deep into the fitness ecosystem. But for many talented athletes in India, especially those from remote or underrepresented regions, access to proper training tools remains a major challenge. That’s something Garmin now wants to help address through a new initiative in partnership with MyKrida. The company has equipped seven emerging athletes from tribal regions across India with Garmin Forerunner smartwatches to help them access structured performance tracking and training insights. Garmin Wants to Bring Data-Driven Training to More Athletes The idea behind the initiative is fairly straightforward. Garmin’s Forerunner smartwatches can track metrics like heart rate, pace, distance, recovery, sleep quality, and training load. For professional athletes, this kind of data is already standard. But for many young athletes in smaller regions, access to these tools can genuinely change how they train. Garmin says the watches are meant to help athletes train smarter and improve consistency through better recovery and performance monitoring rather than simply increasing training intensity. According to Deepak Raina, Director at AMIT GPS & Navigation LLP: India has immense untapped athletic potential, particularly in regions where access to structured training tools remains limited. At Garmin, our focus is on enabling athletes with reliable, performance-led technology that brings clarity to how they train, recover, and improve. Through this initiative, we aim to support long-term athletic development and help these athletes compete with greater confidence and consistency. The on-ground implementation is being managed by MyKrida, which works across grassroots and elite sports development programs in India. The platform focuses heavily on identifying athletes early and connecting them with structured support systems. According to MyKrida founder Shubham Sharma, the collaboration with Garmin helps bring “world-class performance technology directly to these athletes.” #Garmin #Partners #MyKrida #Support #Grassroots #Athletes #IndiaGarmin

now wants to help address through a new initiative in partnership with MyKrida. The company has equipped seven emerging athletes from tribal regions across India with Garmin Forerunner smartwatches to help them access structured performance tracking and training insights.

Garmin Wants to Bring Data-Driven Training to More Athletes

Garmin Partners With MyKrida to Support Grassroots Athletes in India Fitness wearables today are usually marketed toward marathon runners, cyclists, and people already deep into the fitness ecosystem. But for many talented athletes in India, especially those from remote or underrepresented regions, access to proper training tools remains a major challenge. That’s something Garmin now wants to help address through a new initiative in partnership with MyKrida. The company has equipped seven emerging athletes from tribal regions across India with Garmin Forerunner smartwatches to help them access structured performance tracking and training insights. Garmin Wants to Bring Data-Driven Training to More Athletes The idea behind the initiative is fairly straightforward. Garmin’s Forerunner smartwatches can track metrics like heart rate, pace, distance, recovery, sleep quality, and training load. For professional athletes, this kind of data is already standard. But for many young athletes in smaller regions, access to these tools can genuinely change how they train. Garmin says the watches are meant to help athletes train smarter and improve consistency through better recovery and performance monitoring rather than simply increasing training intensity. According to Deepak Raina, Director at AMIT GPS & Navigation LLP: India has immense untapped athletic potential, particularly in regions where access to structured training tools remains limited. At Garmin, our focus is on enabling athletes with reliable, performance-led technology that brings clarity to how they train, recover, and improve. Through this initiative, we aim to support long-term athletic development and help these athletes compete with greater confidence and consistency. The on-ground implementation is being managed by MyKrida, which works across grassroots and elite sports development programs in India. The platform focuses heavily on identifying athletes early and connecting them with structured support systems. According to MyKrida founder Shubham Sharma, the collaboration with Garmin helps bring “world-class performance technology directly to these athletes.” #Garmin #Partners #MyKrida #Support #Grassroots #Athletes #IndiaGarmin

The idea behind the initiative is fairly straightforward. Garmin’s Forerunner smartwatches can track metrics like heart rate, pace, distance, recovery, sleep quality, and training load. For professional athletes, this kind of data is already standard. But for many young athletes in smaller regions, access to these tools can genuinely change how they train. Garmin says the watches are meant to help athletes train smarter and improve consistency through better recovery and performance monitoring rather than simply increasing training intensity.

According to Deepak Raina, Director at AMIT GPS & Navigation LLP:

India has immense untapped athletic potential, particularly in regions where access to structured training tools remains limited. At Garmin, our focus is on enabling athletes with reliable, performance-led technology that brings clarity to how they train, recover, and improve. Through this initiative, we aim to support long-term athletic development and help these athletes compete with greater confidence and consistency.

The on-ground implementation is being managed by MyKrida, which works across grassroots and elite sports development programs in India. The platform focuses heavily on identifying athletes early and connecting them with structured support systems. According to MyKrida founder Shubham Sharma, the collaboration with Garmin helps bring “world-class performance technology directly to these athletes.”

#Garmin #Partners #MyKrida #Support #Grassroots #Athletes #IndiaGarmin">Garmin Partners With MyKrida to Support Grassroots Athletes in India

Fitness wearables today are usually marketed toward marathon runners, cyclists, and people already deep into the fitness ecosystem. But for many talented athletes in India, especially those from remote or underrepresented regions, access to proper training tools remains a major challenge. That’s something Garmin now wants to help address through a new initiative in partnership with MyKrida. The company has equipped seven emerging athletes from tribal regions across India with Garmin Forerunner smartwatches to help them access structured performance tracking and training insights.

Garmin Wants to Bring Data-Driven Training to More Athletes

Garmin Partners With MyKrida to Support Grassroots Athletes in India Fitness wearables today are usually marketed toward marathon runners, cyclists, and people already deep into the fitness ecosystem. But for many talented athletes in India, especially those from remote or underrepresented regions, access to proper training tools remains a major challenge. That’s something Garmin now wants to help address through a new initiative in partnership with MyKrida. The company has equipped seven emerging athletes from tribal regions across India with Garmin Forerunner smartwatches to help them access structured performance tracking and training insights. Garmin Wants to Bring Data-Driven Training to More Athletes The idea behind the initiative is fairly straightforward. Garmin’s Forerunner smartwatches can track metrics like heart rate, pace, distance, recovery, sleep quality, and training load. For professional athletes, this kind of data is already standard. But for many young athletes in smaller regions, access to these tools can genuinely change how they train. Garmin says the watches are meant to help athletes train smarter and improve consistency through better recovery and performance monitoring rather than simply increasing training intensity. According to Deepak Raina, Director at AMIT GPS & Navigation LLP: India has immense untapped athletic potential, particularly in regions where access to structured training tools remains limited. At Garmin, our focus is on enabling athletes with reliable, performance-led technology that brings clarity to how they train, recover, and improve. Through this initiative, we aim to support long-term athletic development and help these athletes compete with greater confidence and consistency. The on-ground implementation is being managed by MyKrida, which works across grassroots and elite sports development programs in India. The platform focuses heavily on identifying athletes early and connecting them with structured support systems. According to MyKrida founder Shubham Sharma, the collaboration with Garmin helps bring “world-class performance technology directly to these athletes.” #Garmin #Partners #MyKrida #Support #Grassroots #Athletes #IndiaGarmin

The idea behind the initiative is fairly straightforward. Garmin’s Forerunner smartwatches can track metrics like heart rate, pace, distance, recovery, sleep quality, and training load. For professional athletes, this kind of data is already standard. But for many young athletes in smaller regions, access to these tools can genuinely change how they train. Garmin says the watches are meant to help athletes train smarter and improve consistency through better recovery and performance monitoring rather than simply increasing training intensity.

According to Deepak Raina, Director at AMIT GPS & Navigation LLP:

India has immense untapped athletic potential, particularly in regions where access to structured training tools remains limited. At Garmin, our focus is on enabling athletes with reliable, performance-led technology that brings clarity to how they train, recover, and improve. Through this initiative, we aim to support long-term athletic development and help these athletes compete with greater confidence and consistency.

The on-ground implementation is being managed by MyKrida, which works across grassroots and elite sports development programs in India. The platform focuses heavily on identifying athletes early and connecting them with structured support systems. According to MyKrida founder Shubham Sharma, the collaboration with Garmin helps bring “world-class performance technology directly to these athletes.”

#Garmin #Partners #MyKrida #Support #Grassroots #Athletes #IndiaGarmin

In a recent SEC filing, AI Financial has indicated that it may not be able to survive another year writing, “These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date these financial statements are issued.”

AI Financial is a publicly-traded company that serves as a major holder of World Liberty Financial’s WLFI tokens. In its quarterly report for the period that ended March 28th, the company posted a net loss from continuing operations of $271.3 million during the quarter, driven largely by a $348.3 million unrealized loss on its massive WLFI token holdings. The company reported only $4.7 million in revenue for the quarter (all from its fintech segment), and it ended the period with $10.5 million in cash and a $5.5 million working-capital deficit, while burning $12.3 million in operating cash flow.

However, management did also outline several potential paths to stabilize the business in their recent filing. The company had already secured a $15 million loan from World Liberty Financial in late January, providing some short-term breathing room. More importantly, it controls approximately 7.28 billion WLFI tokens, which were valued at about $706 million on the balance sheet at quarter end. Those tokens were acquired in August 2025 and remain subject to contractual lock-up provisions until around August 2026. Once unlocked, the company hopes to monetize portions of the position to cover operating needs, alongside plans for fintech revenue growth and possible additional debt or equity raises. 

The ties between AI Financial and World Liberty Financial run deep. Zachary Witkoff serves as chairman of AI Financial while also acting as CEO and co-founder of World Liberty Financial. Board member Zachary Folkman is another World Liberty Financial co-founder. World Liberty Financial itself holds a substantial stake in AI Financial, including 1 million common shares plus warrants and pre-funded warrants that together represent roughly 46% ownership on a fully diluted basis. Notably, World Liberty Financial is a Trump family project. Donald Trump is listed as co-founder emeritus and chief crypto advocate. His sons Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Barron Trump are co-founders and actively participate in the venture.

In practice, AI Financial functions as a treasury company for the WLFI token. The strategy mirrors what Michael Saylor has pursued at Strategy with bitcoin, where the public company accumulates and holds the asset as its primary reserve. In AI Financial’s case, the reserve asset is the much newer WLFI token. Critics have occasionally labeled the Strategy approach as resembling a Ponzi scheme because it depends on continued capital raises and asset appreciation to sustain operations. Applying a similar model to WLFI introduces additional layers of risk given the token’s shorter history, higher volatility, and dependence on the success of a single Trump-affiliated crypto project.

Although crypto-related projects reportedly increased the Trump family fortune by $1.4 billion in 2025 alone, a number of these Trump-linked projects have faced trouble this year. Most recently, World Liberty Financial filed a defamation lawsuit against crypto billionaire Justin Sun in Florida after Sun accused the project of improperly freezing his token holdings and pressuring him for further investments. Sun had previously purchased billions of WLFI tokens and served in an advisory role.

According to data from CoinMarketCap, the TRUMP memecoin is down 84% over the past year and World Liberty Financial’s WLFI token is down 73%.

Going forward, a key area of concern for many Trump-affiliated crypto businesses will likely be the potential inclusion of ethics or corruption-related provisions in the crypto regulatory bill known as the CLARITY Act, which is currently making its way through the U.S. Senate. The legislation advanced out of the Senate Banking Committee on a 15-9 vote in mid-May 2026, but several Democrats have signaled they will block final passage unless it includes stronger language that would restrict the president, vice president, and their families from certain digital asset transactions.

Much of the investment into these projects has drawn scrutiny over alleged conflicts of interest, including the pardon granted to former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao, the administration’s approval of hundreds of thousands of advanced Nvidia AI chips for the United Arab Emirates shortly after a UAE royal invested $500 million in World Liberty Financial, and the aforementioned Sun’s ability to settle a prior SEC enforcement case after pouring an estimated $175 million into Trump-linked crypto tokens.

#TrumpLinked #Crypto #Company #Notes #Substantial #Doubt #Survive #MonthsCryptocurrencies,Donald Trump,World Liberty Financial">Trump-Linked Crypto Company Notes ‘Substantial Doubt’ It Can Survive Another 12 Months In a recent SEC filing, AI Financial has indicated that it may not be able to survive another year writing, “These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date these financial statements are issued.” AI Financial is a publicly-traded company that serves as a major holder of World Liberty Financial’s WLFI tokens. In its quarterly report for the period that ended March 28th, the company posted a net loss from continuing operations of 1.3 million during the quarter, driven largely by a 8.3 million unrealized loss on its massive WLFI token holdings. The company reported only .7 million in revenue for the quarter (all from its fintech segment), and it ended the period with .5 million in cash and a .5 million working-capital deficit, while burning .3 million in operating cash flow. However, management did also outline several potential paths to stabilize the business in their recent filing. The company had already secured a million loan from World Liberty Financial in late January, providing some short-term breathing room. More importantly, it controls approximately 7.28 billion WLFI tokens, which were valued at about 6 million on the balance sheet at quarter end. Those tokens were acquired in August 2025 and remain subject to contractual lock-up provisions until around August 2026. Once unlocked, the company hopes to monetize portions of the position to cover operating needs, alongside plans for fintech revenue growth and possible additional debt or equity raises.  Trump says he knows nothing about the 0M Abu Dhabi investment in his family’s WLFI crypto project. “I don’t know about it… my family is handling it.” pic.twitter.com/sBEfXO1FCK — TFTC (@TFTC21) February 2, 2026 The ties between AI Financial and World Liberty Financial run deep. Zachary Witkoff serves as chairman of AI Financial while also acting as CEO and co-founder of World Liberty Financial. Board member Zachary Folkman is another World Liberty Financial co-founder. World Liberty Financial itself holds a substantial stake in AI Financial, including 1 million common shares plus warrants and pre-funded warrants that together represent roughly 46% ownership on a fully diluted basis. Notably, World Liberty Financial is a Trump family project. Donald Trump is listed as co-founder emeritus and chief crypto advocate. His sons Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Barron Trump are co-founders and actively participate in the venture. In practice, AI Financial functions as a treasury company for the WLFI token. The strategy mirrors what Michael Saylor has pursued at Strategy with bitcoin, where the public company accumulates and holds the asset as its primary reserve. In AI Financial’s case, the reserve asset is the much newer WLFI token. Critics have occasionally labeled the Strategy approach as resembling a Ponzi scheme because it depends on continued capital raises and asset appreciation to sustain operations. Applying a similar model to WLFI introduces additional layers of risk given the token’s shorter history, higher volatility, and dependence on the success of a single Trump-affiliated crypto project. Although crypto-related projects reportedly increased the Trump family fortune by .4 billion in 2025 alone, a number of these Trump-linked projects have faced trouble this year. Most recently, World Liberty Financial filed a defamation lawsuit against crypto billionaire Justin Sun in Florida after Sun accused the project of improperly freezing his token holdings and pressuring him for further investments. Sun had previously purchased billions of WLFI tokens and served in an advisory role. The perceived corruption associated with the CZ pardon will look even worse if the Samourai Wallet devs aren’t pardoned for similar charges. How much of World Liberty Financial’s USD1 stablecoin does one need to hold to receive a pardon? https://t.co/UwFQgJwhVc — Kyle Torpey (@kyletorpey) November 20, 2025 According to data from CoinMarketCap, the TRUMP memecoin is down 84% over the past year and World Liberty Financial’s WLFI token is down 73%. Going forward, a key area of concern for many Trump-affiliated crypto businesses will likely be the potential inclusion of ethics or corruption-related provisions in the crypto regulatory bill known as the CLARITY Act, which is currently making its way through the U.S. Senate. The legislation advanced out of the Senate Banking Committee on a 15-9 vote in mid-May 2026, but several Democrats have signaled they will block final passage unless it includes stronger language that would restrict the president, vice president, and their families from certain digital asset transactions. Much of the investment into these projects has drawn scrutiny over alleged conflicts of interest, including the pardon granted to former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao, the administration’s approval of hundreds of thousands of advanced Nvidia AI chips for the United Arab Emirates shortly after a UAE royal invested 0 million in World Liberty Financial, and the aforementioned Sun’s ability to settle a prior SEC enforcement case after pouring an estimated 5 million into Trump-linked crypto tokens. #TrumpLinked #Crypto #Company #Notes #Substantial #Doubt #Survive #MonthsCryptocurrencies,Donald Trump,World Liberty Financial

a recent SEC filing, AI Financial has indicated that it may not be able to survive another year writing, “These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date these financial statements are issued.”

AI Financial is a publicly-traded company that serves as a major holder of World Liberty Financial’s WLFI tokens. In its quarterly report for the period that ended March 28th, the company posted a net loss from continuing operations of $271.3 million during the quarter, driven largely by a $348.3 million unrealized loss on its massive WLFI token holdings. The company reported only $4.7 million in revenue for the quarter (all from its fintech segment), and it ended the period with $10.5 million in cash and a $5.5 million working-capital deficit, while burning $12.3 million in operating cash flow.

However, management did also outline several potential paths to stabilize the business in their recent filing. The company had already secured a $15 million loan from World Liberty Financial in late January, providing some short-term breathing room. More importantly, it controls approximately 7.28 billion WLFI tokens, which were valued at about $706 million on the balance sheet at quarter end. Those tokens were acquired in August 2025 and remain subject to contractual lock-up provisions until around August 2026. Once unlocked, the company hopes to monetize portions of the position to cover operating needs, alongside plans for fintech revenue growth and possible additional debt or equity raises. 

The ties between AI Financial and World Liberty Financial run deep. Zachary Witkoff serves as chairman of AI Financial while also acting as CEO and co-founder of World Liberty Financial. Board member Zachary Folkman is another World Liberty Financial co-founder. World Liberty Financial itself holds a substantial stake in AI Financial, including 1 million common shares plus warrants and pre-funded warrants that together represent roughly 46% ownership on a fully diluted basis. Notably, World Liberty Financial is a Trump family project. Donald Trump is listed as co-founder emeritus and chief crypto advocate. His sons Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Barron Trump are co-founders and actively participate in the venture.

In practice, AI Financial functions as a treasury company for the WLFI token. The strategy mirrors what Michael Saylor has pursued at Strategy with bitcoin, where the public company accumulates and holds the asset as its primary reserve. In AI Financial’s case, the reserve asset is the much newer WLFI token. Critics have occasionally labeled the Strategy approach as resembling a Ponzi scheme because it depends on continued capital raises and asset appreciation to sustain operations. Applying a similar model to WLFI introduces additional layers of risk given the token’s shorter history, higher volatility, and dependence on the success of a single Trump-affiliated crypto project.

Although crypto-related projects reportedly increased the Trump family fortune by $1.4 billion in 2025 alone, a number of these Trump-linked projects have faced trouble this year. Most recently, World Liberty Financial filed a defamation lawsuit against crypto billionaire Justin Sun in Florida after Sun accused the project of improperly freezing his token holdings and pressuring him for further investments. Sun had previously purchased billions of WLFI tokens and served in an advisory role.

According to data from CoinMarketCap, the TRUMP memecoin is down 84% over the past year and World Liberty Financial’s WLFI token is down 73%.

Going forward, a key area of concern for many Trump-affiliated crypto businesses will likely be the potential inclusion of ethics or corruption-related provisions in the crypto regulatory bill known as the CLARITY Act, which is currently making its way through the U.S. Senate. The legislation advanced out of the Senate Banking Committee on a 15-9 vote in mid-May 2026, but several Democrats have signaled they will block final passage unless it includes stronger language that would restrict the president, vice president, and their families from certain digital asset transactions.

Much of the investment into these projects has drawn scrutiny over alleged conflicts of interest, including the pardon granted to former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao, the administration’s approval of hundreds of thousands of advanced Nvidia AI chips for the United Arab Emirates shortly after a UAE royal invested $500 million in World Liberty Financial, and the aforementioned Sun’s ability to settle a prior SEC enforcement case after pouring an estimated $175 million into Trump-linked crypto tokens.

#TrumpLinked #Crypto #Company #Notes #Substantial #Doubt #Survive #MonthsCryptocurrencies,Donald Trump,World Liberty Financial">Trump-Linked Crypto Company Notes ‘Substantial Doubt’ It Can Survive Another 12 MonthsTrump-Linked Crypto Company Notes ‘Substantial Doubt’ It Can Survive Another 12 Months In a recent SEC filing, AI Financial has indicated that it may not be able to survive another year writing, “These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date these financial statements are issued.” AI Financial is a publicly-traded company that serves as a major holder of World Liberty Financial’s WLFI tokens. In its quarterly report for the period that ended March 28th, the company posted a net loss from continuing operations of $271.3 million during the quarter, driven largely by a $348.3 million unrealized loss on its massive WLFI token holdings. The company reported only $4.7 million in revenue for the quarter (all from its fintech segment), and it ended the period with $10.5 million in cash and a $5.5 million working-capital deficit, while burning $12.3 million in operating cash flow. However, management did also outline several potential paths to stabilize the business in their recent filing. The company had already secured a $15 million loan from World Liberty Financial in late January, providing some short-term breathing room. More importantly, it controls approximately 7.28 billion WLFI tokens, which were valued at about $706 million on the balance sheet at quarter end. Those tokens were acquired in August 2025 and remain subject to contractual lock-up provisions until around August 2026. Once unlocked, the company hopes to monetize portions of the position to cover operating needs, alongside plans for fintech revenue growth and possible additional debt or equity raises.  Trump says he knows nothing about the $500M Abu Dhabi investment in his family’s WLFI crypto project. “I don’t know about it… my family is handling it.” pic.twitter.com/sBEfXO1FCK — TFTC (@TFTC21) February 2, 2026 The ties between AI Financial and World Liberty Financial run deep. Zachary Witkoff serves as chairman of AI Financial while also acting as CEO and co-founder of World Liberty Financial. Board member Zachary Folkman is another World Liberty Financial co-founder. World Liberty Financial itself holds a substantial stake in AI Financial, including 1 million common shares plus warrants and pre-funded warrants that together represent roughly 46% ownership on a fully diluted basis. Notably, World Liberty Financial is a Trump family project. Donald Trump is listed as co-founder emeritus and chief crypto advocate. His sons Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Barron Trump are co-founders and actively participate in the venture. In practice, AI Financial functions as a treasury company for the WLFI token. The strategy mirrors what Michael Saylor has pursued at Strategy with bitcoin, where the public company accumulates and holds the asset as its primary reserve. In AI Financial’s case, the reserve asset is the much newer WLFI token. Critics have occasionally labeled the Strategy approach as resembling a Ponzi scheme because it depends on continued capital raises and asset appreciation to sustain operations. Applying a similar model to WLFI introduces additional layers of risk given the token’s shorter history, higher volatility, and dependence on the success of a single Trump-affiliated crypto project. Although crypto-related projects reportedly increased the Trump family fortune by $1.4 billion in 2025 alone, a number of these Trump-linked projects have faced trouble this year. Most recently, World Liberty Financial filed a defamation lawsuit against crypto billionaire Justin Sun in Florida after Sun accused the project of improperly freezing his token holdings and pressuring him for further investments. Sun had previously purchased billions of WLFI tokens and served in an advisory role. The perceived corruption associated with the CZ pardon will look even worse if the Samourai Wallet devs aren’t pardoned for similar charges. How much of World Liberty Financial’s USD1 stablecoin does one need to hold to receive a pardon? https://t.co/UwFQgJwhVc — Kyle Torpey (@kyletorpey) November 20, 2025 According to data from CoinMarketCap, the TRUMP memecoin is down 84% over the past year and World Liberty Financial’s WLFI token is down 73%. Going forward, a key area of concern for many Trump-affiliated crypto businesses will likely be the potential inclusion of ethics or corruption-related provisions in the crypto regulatory bill known as the CLARITY Act, which is currently making its way through the U.S. Senate. The legislation advanced out of the Senate Banking Committee on a 15-9 vote in mid-May 2026, but several Democrats have signaled they will block final passage unless it includes stronger language that would restrict the president, vice president, and their families from certain digital asset transactions. Much of the investment into these projects has drawn scrutiny over alleged conflicts of interest, including the pardon granted to former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao, the administration’s approval of hundreds of thousands of advanced Nvidia AI chips for the United Arab Emirates shortly after a UAE royal invested $500 million in World Liberty Financial, and the aforementioned Sun’s ability to settle a prior SEC enforcement case after pouring an estimated $175 million into Trump-linked crypto tokens. #TrumpLinked #Crypto #Company #Notes #Substantial #Doubt #Survive #MonthsCryptocurrencies,Donald Trump,World Liberty Financial

In a recent SEC filing, AI Financial has indicated that it may not be able to survive another year writing, “These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date these financial statements are issued.”

AI Financial is a publicly-traded company that serves as a major holder of World Liberty Financial’s WLFI tokens. In its quarterly report for the period that ended March 28th, the company posted a net loss from continuing operations of $271.3 million during the quarter, driven largely by a $348.3 million unrealized loss on its massive WLFI token holdings. The company reported only $4.7 million in revenue for the quarter (all from its fintech segment), and it ended the period with $10.5 million in cash and a $5.5 million working-capital deficit, while burning $12.3 million in operating cash flow.

However, management did also outline several potential paths to stabilize the business in their recent filing. The company had already secured a $15 million loan from World Liberty Financial in late January, providing some short-term breathing room. More importantly, it controls approximately 7.28 billion WLFI tokens, which were valued at about $706 million on the balance sheet at quarter end. Those tokens were acquired in August 2025 and remain subject to contractual lock-up provisions until around August 2026. Once unlocked, the company hopes to monetize portions of the position to cover operating needs, alongside plans for fintech revenue growth and possible additional debt or equity raises. 

The ties between AI Financial and World Liberty Financial run deep. Zachary Witkoff serves as chairman of AI Financial while also acting as CEO and co-founder of World Liberty Financial. Board member Zachary Folkman is another World Liberty Financial co-founder. World Liberty Financial itself holds a substantial stake in AI Financial, including 1 million common shares plus warrants and pre-funded warrants that together represent roughly 46% ownership on a fully diluted basis. Notably, World Liberty Financial is a Trump family project. Donald Trump is listed as co-founder emeritus and chief crypto advocate. His sons Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Barron Trump are co-founders and actively participate in the venture.

In practice, AI Financial functions as a treasury company for the WLFI token. The strategy mirrors what Michael Saylor has pursued at Strategy with bitcoin, where the public company accumulates and holds the asset as its primary reserve. In AI Financial’s case, the reserve asset is the much newer WLFI token. Critics have occasionally labeled the Strategy approach as resembling a Ponzi scheme because it depends on continued capital raises and asset appreciation to sustain operations. Applying a similar model to WLFI introduces additional layers of risk given the token’s shorter history, higher volatility, and dependence on the success of a single Trump-affiliated crypto project.

Although crypto-related projects reportedly increased the Trump family fortune by $1.4 billion in 2025 alone, a number of these Trump-linked projects have faced trouble this year. Most recently, World Liberty Financial filed a defamation lawsuit against crypto billionaire Justin Sun in Florida after Sun accused the project of improperly freezing his token holdings and pressuring him for further investments. Sun had previously purchased billions of WLFI tokens and served in an advisory role.

According to data from CoinMarketCap, the TRUMP memecoin is down 84% over the past year and World Liberty Financial’s WLFI token is down 73%.

Going forward, a key area of concern for many Trump-affiliated crypto businesses will likely be the potential inclusion of ethics or corruption-related provisions in the crypto regulatory bill known as the CLARITY Act, which is currently making its way through the U.S. Senate. The legislation advanced out of the Senate Banking Committee on a 15-9 vote in mid-May 2026, but several Democrats have signaled they will block final passage unless it includes stronger language that would restrict the president, vice president, and their families from certain digital asset transactions.

Much of the investment into these projects has drawn scrutiny over alleged conflicts of interest, including the pardon granted to former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao, the administration’s approval of hundreds of thousands of advanced Nvidia AI chips for the United Arab Emirates shortly after a UAE royal invested $500 million in World Liberty Financial, and the aforementioned Sun’s ability to settle a prior SEC enforcement case after pouring an estimated $175 million into Trump-linked crypto tokens.

#TrumpLinked #Crypto #Company #Notes #Substantial #Doubt #Survive #MonthsCryptocurrencies,Donald Trump,World Liberty Financial

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