For example, consider these five popular stocks. Upstart Holdings(NASDAQ: UPST) has been one of the most volatile stocks on the market since it went public, posting astronomical gains before losing more than 90% of them. This year alone, it had gained 420% ...

Proceed With Caution When Considering These 5 Ultra-Popular Stocks

In the world of AI related stocks, Upstart has emerged as an intriguing play, but can UPST stock live up to its already high valuation? More From InvestorPlace ChatGPT IPO Could Shock the World, Make This Move Before the Announcement Musk’s “Project Omega” May Be Set to Mint New Millionaires.

UPST Stock Analysis: The Bull vs. Bear Case

Upstart Holdings (NASDAQ:UPST) said Tuesday it signed up encurage financial network, comprising four formerly independent credit unions, to provide personal loans to more people through Upstart's AI-powered lending platform.

Upstart adds encurage financial network as lending partner

Upstart Holdings, Inc. (UPST) possesses the right combination of the two key ingredients for a likely earnings beat in its upcoming report. Get prepared with the key expectations.

Upstart Holdings, Inc. (UPST) Expected to Beat Earnings Estimates: Should You Buy?

InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips Artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly emerged in 2023 as the definitive,

2 No-Brainer AI Stocks to Buy and One to Run Away From

Upstart Holdings Inc’s recently made public that its Chief Legal Officer Darling Scott unloaded Company’s shares for reported $13190.0 on Oct 24. In the deal valued at $25.37 per share,520 shares were sold.

Upstart Holdings Inc (UPST) may enjoy gains as insiders got busy in the recent days

Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of Upstart Hldgs's whale activity within a strike price range from $27.0 to $580.0 in the last 30 days. With a volume of 2,586,082, the price of UPST is up 2.91% at $23.7.

Upstart Hldgs Unusual Options Activity For October 30

Upstart Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: UPST)’s stock price has plunge by 0.30relation to previous closing price of 23.03. Nevertheless, the company has seen a -5.21% plunge in its stock price over the last five trading sessions.

Upstart Holdings Inc (UPST) Shares Soar Above 1-Year High

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines. Upstart Holdings NewsMORE Related Stocks

Red Alert! Upstart Stock Could Be a High Flyer or a Deep Diver.

In a trade valued at $150,266, the Chief Technology Offier traded Upstart Holdings Inc shares for $30.05 each. Upon closing the transaction, the insider’s holdings decreased to 5,000 shares, worth approximately $19.

Taking a look at what insiders are doing to gauge the Upstart Holdings Inc (UPST)’s direction

Get the most recent info and news about Upstart Holdings on HackerNoon, where 10k+ technologists publish stories for 4M+ monthly readers.

Upstart Holdings, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates a cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI) lending platform in the United States. Its platform aggregates consumer demand for loans and connects it to its network of the company's AI-enabled bank partners. The company was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in San Mateo, California.

Upstart Holdings

229 Stories To Learn About Bitcoin Spotlight

Crypto Crash? Not Really... 

Back in 2013, Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer developed -- the very first meme token. Dogecoin Even though they considered it a joke, it went on to be a steady performer in the crowded crypto market. It continued that way for years – until billionaire Elon Musk . That kicked off a boom cycle for Dogecoin. started to tweet about it It also started a flurry of development as other meme-inspired tokens tried to catch lightning in a bottle. But all along, observers and investors alike wondered how long people would continue to pour millions of dollars into coins started for no other purpose but to draw laughter. An in the second quarter of 2021, the market began showing signs on the meme token bull run. But then a funny thing happened. that time had run out A raft of new meme token projects kicked off that offered something new: a purpose. All of a sudden, there were meme tokens that had real utility and a reason for being. So now the question is – can this new breed of meme token extend the good times in the sector? Here's a look at three of the most interesting new meme tokens. We'll cover what they are, what they aim to accomplish, and why they're significant. By the end, you too may conclude that meme tokens are no longer the joke they once were. The 'Jesus is Alive' Token As its name makes clear, the. Jesus is Alive (JIA) token has its roots planted firmly in internet meme culture. But despite its comedic pedigree, it's a token with a mission to be more than just another pop-culture crypto upstart. Its developers aim to build an ecosystem that includes a full-featured DEX and a variety of features that create real-world uses for its namesake token. According to its roadmap, JIA will include a that offers token owners a chance to turn their holdings into legitimate investment vehicles. And the platform is also developing a prediction market – utilizing a novel points system that will provide users with more flexibility on the platform. staking system And they may use that flexibility to participate in the planned NFT marketplace, or even play built-in games once they go live on the platform. That's an approach that would give token holders a reason to stick around once the novelty and media attention wear off. And that's something that's been missing from the meme token space so far. The reason JIA is so intriguing is that it represents an attempt to build a multifaceted community around its meme token. Kawakami Inu Just like Dogecoin, Kawakami Inu is a meme token patterned after a popular Japanese dog breed. But this one isn't the standard cute and cuddly variety. It's descended from wolves and that shows up in the project's aim to become an alpha-dog in the meme token space. To that end, the project includes two tokens – KAWA and xKAWA. The former is the platform's primary currency while the latter is its . governance token Together, the two tokens power a platform that already includes a yield farming and staking system. But it's no garden-variety investment system. It's purpose-built to provide a home for a multitude of other existing meme tokens, including SHIB, AKITA, ELON, and KISHU. Holders of those tokens can use them to invest with the platform, providing instant utility for tokens that previously had none. In that way, Kawakami Inu hopes to build a platform that converts a large swath of the existing meme token market into a single, thriving ecosystem. It's a bold attempt to fix the very core of the market's current dilemma. And by bringing existing coins into the fold, they gain access to a built-in audience with a real incentive to come aboard. Meme.com Another entrant into the meme coin market is the aptly named Meme.com. Its MEM token offers owners what is perhaps the truest use case possible for any meme coin – the ability to discover new memes and own their own unique NFTs for their trouble. The platform has some serious funding behind it, with over $5 million in funding from over a dozen cryptocurrency-focused VC funds. The money's going to build something truly unique. The platform's mission statement is, as they put it, to become "like a CoinMarketCap for memetic content." The idea is to create a meme curation platform, powered by the MEM token, that encourages users to find new memes as they're born and stake their holdings to become the owners of each new meme in NFT format. The reason that Meme.com is so interesting is that it aims to unite the meme token space with the NFT space in a way that nobody's tried before. Rather than offering a trading market for NFTs, they're instead building a system that will create new NFTs and make them valuable. That offers the prospect of a meme token that delivers real value without resorting to traditional investment approaches. The Bottom Line At the end of the day, it's too soon to tell if these new attempts at making meme tokens useful will pan out. But what's certain is that they're breaking new ground in a market that's still red-hot, and that increases their collective chances of success. Each one is moving to offer a unique value proposition in a space more known for inside jokes than serious efforts toward innovation. They're all trying to stake out a position in a market that features plenty of capital and little direction. So if they succeed, they're plenty of money to sustain them all. And if nothing else, that makes these meme-inspired projects worth watching as they try and reinvent the market that Dogecoin once had to itself.

It's Time to Give Meme Tokens a Purpose 

WTF is Self Collateralized Stablecoin And How Does It Work?

About 700 years before Sweden issued the in 1661, China cracked their head on how they could lighten the load of the people carrying copper coins everywhere they go. first European banknotes These coins made life difficult: it is heavy and it can make traveling dangerous. Subsequently, merchants decided to deposit these coins with each other, for the coin’s value. issuing paper certificates The private issuance gave rise to soaring inflation and devaluation: the government swooped in after, issuing their own banknotes backed by gold reserves, arguably becoming the in the world. first legal tender Over the past few centuries, countries began to adopt the ‘Gold Standard’, using commodities like gold and silver to mint coins that had a certain weight. That represented a certain amount of value until the coin is tampered with, which led to the rise of representative money. Banks issued ‘gold certificates’—having a note with a denominator of 50 meant that you could exchange this note for $50 worth of gold. Then, in 1944, the determined that the forty-four countries present at the meeting would keep their currencies fixed to the US dollar since it was backed by gold reserves. Bretton Woods system That essentially meant the US dollar could be converted to gold at any time. That worked well, but not for long. Growing public debt, monetary inflation and, negative balance of payments meant added pressure to the US dollar. In response, some European countries even left the system to redeem their dollars for gold. By then, there were more dollars than gold in their reserves. This changed in 1971 when former US President Richard Nixon closed the gold window: foreign governments had too many US dollars and the US was vulnerable to run on gold. Together with fifteen other advisers, they announced the new economic plan to stave off inflation, lower unemployment rate, and transform the US dollar into fiat—essentially relying on the consent of currency users rather than commodities and standards. Hence, you are counting on whether parties will accept your currencies, powered by pure faith. The same could be said for bitcoin, a cryptocurrency that once hit an all-time high of US$19,783.06. What is it that is giving Bitcoin its value? Claiming that it is through supply and demand does not seem to cover the whole picture: it is backed by nothing, controlled by no one. At the very least, you could depend on legitimate governing bodies to uphold a currency’s value. Bitcoin was created with fiat characteristics. Yet, no one ‘owns’ bitcoin, in the governance sense. It also seemingly operates the same way as fiat cash does but the inherently different ecosystem leaves economists and financial experts thinking: who actually gives it its price? :    
CInputCoin( CTransactionRef& tx, i) { (!tx) ::invalid_argument( ); { class CInputCoin public const unsigned int if throw std "tx should not be null" You’re looking at five of the in bitcoin. Originally only a few thousand lines of code, bitcoin was developed by in 2008 before its release in early 2009. Nakamoto detailed the concept of bitcoin in the famous titled million lines of code Satoshi Nakamoto whitepaper Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System. The original vision was to create a form of cash that did not require going through a financial institution, due to its cryptographic nature. The biggest innovation was its utilization of Blockchain technology. Every Block represents a transaction made in the bitcoin network—the more Blocks there are, the longer it goes. Thus, it forms a ‘chain’, giving it its name. For a block to appear, miners needed to use raw computer processing power and heaps of electricity to verify that a transaction between person A and B, with X value and Y time, does exist. When it gets confirmed, the block appears and the transaction goes through. The miner is rewarded with Bitcoin. Yet, this digital currency had no intrinsic value—it cannot be used as a commodity. Bitcoin skeptics would often argue that for it to viable, it must be first be accepted and used for some other commodity purpose. Slowly, it will then become money over time. For instance, people stockpiled gold to store value since it was used in jewelry and electronics. In one of Austrian economist Carl Menger’s , he began describing money as “the fact of certain commodities becoming universally acceptable media of exchange”. Fellow economist Ludwig von Mises , attributing commodity money to sort of money that is “at the same time a commercial commodity. Fiat money is money that is comprised of “things with a special legal qualification”. seminal works built on Menger’s work “…the name fiat money to money that comprises things with a special legal qualification…”—Ludwig von Mises, The Theory of Money and Credit The idea of intrinsic value is persistent in mankind: even Aristotle wrote about why money needs to be . Essentially, whatever currency it was, it must derive its value from being useful in itself. This argument breaks down as history shows that commodity value is not needed for anything to become money. intrinsically useful Through Africa and parts of North America, glass beads were used for , even though they proved to be of little use as a commodity. The Yap people in the Pacific used . monetary purposes limestone coins as money Bitcoin skeptics often used the intrinsic value argument to denounce bitcoin’s survivability. Unfortunately, the Bitcoin is a purely digital existence, thus making it free from the restraints of the physical world. It does not need to be inherently valuable like gold and neither does it need special rights granted by others to make it a fiat money. Though that may seem like an explanation—Bitcoin being a whole new entity free from our mortal rules—it still does not make complete sense. Think of it this way: Bitcoin and fiat are both different financial ecosystems. Fiat belongs to the physical world, which thus brings other monetary restraints. Power goes to those who control the currency and the Central Bank can always print more banknotes to drive inflation and circulation. Yet, no one can tell you exactly how many physical dollars are there floating in the world. Gold has limited supply but that can be subjected to inflation. If someone finds a large amount of gold outside of the current supply, ownership can be radically diluted. Innovations in material science may also reduce the need for using gold in electronics and consumer products. Bitcoin’s digital nature calls for a new theoretical foundation. Economists have long realized the constraints of precious metals and fiat. Hence, bitcoin’s introduction gave rise to a new set of rules, one that many dubbed as an upstart financial ecosystem. The problem is both the fiat and cryptocurrency ecosystem cannot truly co-exist, as bitcoin maximalists will tell you. With no inherent value as a financial instrument, investment product or security, the biggest bet is to have bitcoin become a global currency. Today, the global money supply ( ), stands at . If you add in checking deposits, short-term bonds, time deposits, and other financial instruments, that comes to a whopping $90 trillion. To become a global currency, bitcoin needs to be worth the global money supply—that is not the case, as bitcoin’s market capitalization is barely USD$130 billion at the time of writing. M1 $7.6 trillion at least However, burgeoning sovereign and foreign debt may spur investors to start finding a more accessible and fungible than gold. That may drive bitcoin’s valuation since it has utility as a store of value. To combat inflation, many were content to hold USD, EUR or JPY in their portfolio— Argentineans and Venezuelans did that with the relatively stable USD. reflation hedge To become a global currency, Bitcoin needs to be worth the global money supply—that is not the case, as bitcoin’s market capitalization is barely USD$130 billion at the time of writing. at least That may give it utility value: bitcoin can function as a store of value. Let’s view it as an asset. If it is, then bitcoin is inherently a disinflationary one. To incentivize network growth, 50 new bitcoins were minted every time a new block in the blockchain was created. After every , the reward will be halved (every block now gives 12.5, which will be halved to 6.25 on 14 May 2020). Along with built-in scarcity with a supply cap of 21 million bitcoins, it is a small wonder why people and financial institutions alike can view bitcoin as a (aka safe-haven currency). 210,000 blocks hard currency That means the built-in monetary policy is driving Bitcoin’s purchasing power—but what determines it’s price? If you look at the , you can argue that Bitcoin’s price is determined by its production cost. That means hardware and electricity. As Bitcoin continues to experience disinflation, the number of miners will gradually dwindle as it gets too costly to mine. classical school of economics Despite so, there are still miners who are willing to do it at a loss, which may suggest that there are people who are hedging on bitcoin’s rise again in the future: price does not solely depend on production costs, albeit it being a factor. The expanded on that theory, adding another objective factor to it: supply and demand. Since the supply of bitcoin is capped and the number of bitcoins being mined will diminish over time, demand for more bitcoins may rise. More demand equals to higher prices. neoclassical school of economics Relying on only objective factors does not seem to paint the full picture either. If production cost is a major reason, then bitcoin should be marginally close to being worth as much as the broad money supply (M3) for the US. Despite so, miners are at a loss, even though it costs more to mine Bitcoin. If the equilibrium of demand and supply matters, then Bitcoin’s clear-stated and audited supply cap should determine a consistent demand. Yet, bitcoin is still prone to extreme volatility with the potential to crash and skyrocket within the same day. Enter the , which bitcoin backers are very much adopters of. The Austrian economists believed that the price of anything is determined by subjective factors, even the cost of production. Supply and demand is determined by individual preferences. Austrian school of economics As such, it can explain bitcoin’s value—perceived value and subjective factors may be a bigger player here. It can be seen that there’s no clear explanation as to why cryptocurrency—or even money—has value. Bitcoin’s price, in this case, seems to be driven by a blend of classical economic models, sentiment and in-built monetary policies. However, regardless of the economic theory that one adopts, cryptocurrencies are still poised for a financial revolution. If it can evolve into an alternative form of global money, the world financial ecosystem will be overturned (for good or worse, we do not know). Ultimately, Bitcoin is a launchpad for financial experiments. Utilizing blockchain technology spearheaded the cryptocurrency boom from 2016–2017, which leads to a whole new world of blockchain innovations. Today, we are looking at that can maintain a consistent price of $1, using a mix of asset-pegging and reserve-banking concepts. actual stable cryptocurrencies Rather than thinking of Bitcoin as a form of currency, think of it as a payment system. Thus, the true value of Bitcoin lies in its network. The more people involved, the better. Essentially, that means bitcoin’s value depends on who owns it. Today, as bitcoin adoption (not for daily usage, but for investment and trading) grows, more and more curious people are coming on board this new technology. That means more distribution. However, for Bitcoin to truly function the way it was intended to do, it needs to rid itself of miner and mining pools by switching to a Proof-of-Stake (PoS) system. Bitcoin’s Proof-of-Work system makes transactions unusually expensive—miners are burning millions to verifying bitcoin transactions on the network with electricity and raw computer processing power. With the PoS system, bitcoin will be valued for its network. Majority stakeholders will let go of a portion of their holdings to allow the network to grow, thereby proportionally growing their holdings. It sounds simple, but a majority of bitcoins today are mined by China miners. If it can replace, for instance, the broad money supply in the US, what would give the administration a reason to adopt a global currency controlled by miners from an opposing superpower? If superpowers are unwilling, why would smaller nations follow? The global currency goal seems like a pipe dream, but in the end, whether Bitcoin is going to work or not will depend on who you are hearing it from, just like where it gets its value from.

How Do Classical Economic Theories Value Bitcoin?

It’s a long road… January 18, 2019, D Kleine The black box In a classic episode from one of my favorite TV series, The IT Crowd (if you haven’t seen it, seriously, add it to your list on Netflix asap), the main characters, working in the dark and dingy basement of a dysfunctional corporation’s highrise in downtown London, attempt to rid themselves of their newly appointed boss. Their plot is to embarrass the incompetently ignorant new IT manager by encouraging her to introduce a simple black box to her colleagues at her first speaking presentation. This simple black box, they tell her, is… THE INTERNET. APstock As the main characters snicker and guffaw at the back row of the presentation, they are dismayed to realize that not a single colleague in attendance joins in the laughter, instead awed by the presence of this one centrally important device that is supposedly the hub of all things online (it’s wireless, of course!). When the box is accidentally destroyed, the crowd erupts in panic and chaos, fleeing the scene aghast at the far-reaching implications of a world that has suddenly, tragically, lost the internet. And if the internet were simply a single, black, wireless box, it would be pretty devastating for that one box to be destroyed. Surely, even just a second box that acted as a backup would be far safer. This, in a nutshell, is the problem of centralization. The second box is the beginning of decentralization. In reality, of course, the internet consists of many thousands of hubs all over the world, interconnecting users everywhere so as to not depend on any single vulnerable node. This is what makes the internet so powerful and so culturally and historically transformative. Without decentralization, the internet is nothing more than a joke on a sitcom. The centralization problem This problem of centralization is of great importance when it comes to our current financial system of fiat currency. It is highly centralized, with very few individuals controlling it almost in its entirety. If just a few of these entities experience some sort of crisis, our whole financial system is vulnerable to extremely serious problems. This can and does happen from time to time, as can be witnessed in places like Colombia and Turkey, where centrally controlled currencies have collapsed and are now virtually worthless, resulting in widespread problems from extreme unemployment to food shortages to health care crises, all dependent on failing central hubs that were centrally operated by incompetent leaders and coincidingly vulnerable to negative influence, often by outside meddling forces. This is the unique selling point of many cryptocurrencies, but even cryptocurrencies are not all equally decentralized. In fact, many elements of various cryptocurrencies are not at all decentralized, which often leads to passionate arguments and disagreements between different camps of the crypto realm. Some currencies are decentralized in only one or two ways while being centralized in other ways, thus negating some of the strengths of true decentralization. Let’s take a look at a few examples of different kinds of centralization. Verification, not trust Bitcoin itself spawned from the basic premise that if mathematics were used instead of trusting the good will of any individual or group of individuals, one could create a form of money that is not at the mercy of the whims of any party. No trust is then necessary; only mathematical verification. Thus, Bitcoin decentralized the production of money; rather than being printed in a mint, miners anywhere could participate in its production and therefore exert control over ownership on an individual, free basis without the need to trust a bank or central authority. Mining Even Bitcoin still is, in some ways, centralized. The reality is, Bitcoin is no longer mined by the average computer enthusiast. It is mined predominantly by relatively few powerful ASIC mining operators and pools. This centralization has diminished somewhat with the ongoing decline of the once-dominant mining giant Bitmain, resulting in a more evenly distributed variety of mining pools. Even with a relatively high concentration of hashing power in the hands of a few mining pools, it is still, at the very least, much more decentralized than any traditional fiat money. Governance Governance — those in charge of making decisions about a given currency — can also be centralized. In the case of Bitcoin, a large and diverse pool of developers around the world contribute to the currency’s software, ensuring it is secure, optimising it, proposing changes, and maintaining it. Ultimately, however, miners choose whether significant development changes take place via the act of mining. In the case of SegWit2X, for example, the proposal failed while some miners chose to mine the bigger block Bitcoin alternative, Bitcoin Cash. This alternative is much more centralized due to the predominant influence of Bitmain, individuals like Jihan Wu, and other major figures in the BCH camp, along with the fact that it is mostly mined by a much smaller concentration of powerful mining farms. The extent of this centralization was further proven during the hashing war that emerged during the early days of the Bitcoin Cash ABC versus SV split that saw just a few powerful actors throwing their considerable funds into the mining power that was required to win the chain race. Ownership Over the course of time, this may change, but as it stands now, Bitmain also holds a great deal of Bitcoin Cash. This is another kind of centralization — centralization of ownership. If only a few entities own the vast majority of a given currency, it places undue influential power in the hands of the few. Say for example, Bitmain decided to sell off 25% of its BCH holdings, for whatever reason. The value of the currency would plunge into the depths immediately. This can also be said, to some extent, about Bitcoin, many of whose private keys are also concentrated in very large quantities in just a few digital wallets. Centralised cryptocurrencies XRP is another currency that often comes up when discussing, or vehemently arguing about the topic of centralization. It’s an example of a currency that was never mined, so from the start was completely centralized and began its existence being exclusively owned by the founders of Ripple. Spreading out to some extent since then, now about 60% of XRP is owned by Ripple while a few important founders like Jed McCaleb also own billions of dollars worth of XRP. This currency is also centralized in terms of governance — no democratic system of development here — it is centrally controlled in this sense, as well. So XRP is an example of a currency that was centrally produced, centrally owned, and centrally governed, at least to a very large extent. XRP proponents will point out that the actual transaction of XRP is becoming more decentralized, but it bears mentioning that this is only one attribute that should be considered when looking at the issue of centralization. It is likely that ownership and transactional consensus of XRP will continue to gradually become less centralized, but as it stands right now, XRP is still very centralized in a number of ways. The decentralization spectrum So, in reality, we’re looking at a spectrum here. People tend to pick a single attribute to tout how decentralized a given currency is or to criticize its lack thereof, but in reality, one should consider many; production, governance, ownership, and consensus of transactions, to name a few. And no single project can be completely decentralized in that there will always be elements that are controlled, at least to some extent, by relatively few people. When it comes to the effort to achieve true decentralization — or the closest thing to it — a few projects stand out. The trouble is, because these projects are so decentralised, they do not have big shiny corporations, highly public and popular advocates, or massive advertising agencies to promote them. Some clear examples of currencies that push the envelope of decentralization are projects like DigiByte, Vertcoin, Komodo, Zilliqa, Holochain, Monero, and Ravencoin, but there are many, many others. These projects often tend to be lower profile, with relatively small budgets (or no budget whatsoever other than donations to foundations, since a large concentrated budget in the hands of a few administrators would be a form of centralization), and with most development work performed by volunteers and enthusiasts, so they tend not to get the same attention as market forces the likes of Tron or XRP. And it is this push to continually move toward decentralisation that will transform the global financial paradigm. The same kind of transformative power that once enabled the Internet to change the way information is produced and distributed can now be extended to how the world interacts with money. Hopefully, we can enjoy a future where, like the Internet, money is not at the mercy of a few powerful elites, but is instead free from central controls and vulnerabilities. And seriously, if you haven’t seen The IT Crowd, set aside some time for a binge viewing next weekend. This article was written by D. Kleine in cooperation with WeWriteCrypto . WeWriteCrypto provides tailored ghost writing services in the cryptocurrency space. Get in touch with us if you like Darren’s style.

The Path to Decentralization

A Revolution is Underway in Finance Decentralized finance has experienced rapid growth at an amazing pace as compared to the adoption of teleview, laptops and other technology appliances, but challenges around data and transparency still loom large if it is to reach its full potential. Issues such as ensuring reliable access to information and navigating an evolving regulatory landscape don't have straightforward solutions. Building trust also remains difficult when centralized control leaves systems open to influence. A new partnership between financial powerhouse Nomura and upstart DeFi project Pyth signals that mindsets may finally be shifting. In a surprise alliance, Laser Digital - a Nomura subsidiary - has teamed up with the Pyth Network. This is awesome for the DeFi industry. Their goal is to address precisely the problems that have held the sector back: namely, concerns related to data reliability and transparency. By providing Pyth's platform institutional-grade market data via Laser Digital, while leveraging blockchain's inherent transparency, this collaboration aims to strengthen the very foundations of the burgeoning industry. It might even help accelerate DeFi's integration with traditional finance models. Is this indication that the tide is turning in decentralized finance's favor? Some believe that with major institutional players now paying attention, DeFi could be on the brink of fundamentally upending global finance in the years ahead. While uncertainty still abounds, one thing is clear - change is most definitely underway. This partnership suggests the revolution may at last be gaining real impetus. Only time will tell where the intertwining of Wall Street and decentralized technologies ultimately leads. But it seems the future of finance is growing increasingly difficult to predict. Nomura Steps into DeFi The alliance between the organizations signals that Nomura sees real potential in the decentralized finance space to disrupt and transform the traditional banking industry in APAC and America, the company is taking a long-term view on how TradiFi and DeFi will merge together, providing better financial opportunities to retail investors. By collaborating with innovative young companies in DeFi, Nomura is aiming to get on the ground floor of this tech-driven evolution in finance and be part of the future of finance, which democratizes financial opportunities for everyone. Ensuring Reliable Data for DeFi At the core of the partnership is Pyth Network's goal of providing decentralized apps (or dapps) with more dependable market data. Using blockchain tech, Pyth believes it can deliver information with greater efficiency and stability than traditional sources. I believe this is great for the industry! This is where Laser Digital comes in. By supplying Pyth with the types of institutional-grade financial data it's accustomed to, Laser Digital acknowledges how critical trustworthy information is for the budding DeFi ecosystem to flourish. Reliable stats underpin not just dapps themselves but also build confidence in users. Gaining Traction via Transparency One of Pyth's key selling points is its focus on transparency and decentralization. This fosters a secure, verifiable environment for DeFi platforms to gain wider acceptance. Transparency also helps address past concerns about data manipulation holding the industry back. Bridging Wall Street and DeFi Innovation The tie-up between Laser Digital and Pyth Network signifies efforts to blend traditional high finance with novel decentralized models. It underscores a growing openness within the industry to DeFi's potential to revolutionize banking as we know it. Over time, the lines between Wall Street and blockchain tech may continue to blur. Overcoming Hurdles on the Horizon While alliances like this open doors, challenges around regulation and compliance still loom large on DeFi's road ahead. As adoption expands, proactively navigating these issues will be paramount. If successful, partnerships could help DeFi deliver on its promise of accessible, transparent finance for all. Don’t forget to like and share the story! This author is an independent contributor publishing via our brand-as-author program. Be it through direct compensation, media partnerships, or networking, the author has a vested interest in the company/ies mentioned in this story. HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYOR ested Interest Disclosure:

Nomura and Pyth Pioneer a New Era in Finance: Bridging the Gap Between Traditional Banking and DeFi 

নোমুরা এবং পাইথ ফিনান্সে একটি নতুন যুগের পথপ্রদর্শক: প্রথাগত ব্যাঙ্কিং এবং ডিফাইয়ের মধ্যে ব্যবধান কমানো

Nomura und Pyth läuten eine neue Ära im Finanzwesen ein: Überbrückung der Lücke zwischen traditionellem Bankwesen und DeFi

Nomura y Pyth son pioneros en una nueva era en las finanzas: cerrar la brecha entre la banca tradicional y DeFi

Nomura et Pyth ouvrent une nouvelle ère en matière de finance : combler le fossé entre la banque traditionnelle et la DeFi

नोमुरा और पाइथ ने वित्त में एक नए युग की शुरुआत की: पारंपरिक बैंकिंग और डेफी के बीच अंतर को पाटना

野村とパイスが金融の新時代を開拓：従来の銀行業務とDeFiの間のギャップを埋める

Nomura와 Pyth는 금융의 새로운 시대를 개척합니다: 기존 은행과 DeFi 간의 격차 해소

Nomura e Pyth são os pioneiros de uma nova era nas finanças: preenchendo a lacuna entre o sistema bancário tradicional e o DeFi

Nomura и Pyth открывают новую эру в финансах: преодоление разрыва между традиционным банкингом и DeFi

Nomura ve Pyth Finansta Yeni Bir Döneme Öncülük Ediyor: Geleneksel Bankacılık ile DeFi Arasındaki Boşluğu Kapatmak

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野村证券和 Pyth 开创了金融新时代：弥合传统银行与 DeFi 之间的差距

Mark Twain's Speeches by Mark Twain, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . MORALS AND MEMORY here MORALS AND MEMORY Mr. Clemens was the guest of honor at a reception held at
          Barnard College (Columbia University), March 7, 1906, by the
          Barnard Union.  One of the young ladies presented Mr. Clemens,
          and thanked him for his amiability in coming to make them an
          address.  She closed with the expression of the great joy it
          gave her fellow-collegians, “because we all love you.” If any one here loves me, she has my sincere thanks. Nay, if any one here is so good as to love me—why, I’ll be a brother to her. She shall have my sincere, warm, unsullied affection. When I was coming up in the car with the very kind young lady who was delegated to show me the way, she asked me what I was going to talk about. And I said I wasn’t sure. I said I had some illustrations, and I was going to bring them in. I said I was certain to give those illustrations, but that I hadn’t the faintest notion what they were going to illustrate. Now, I’ve been thinking it over in this forest glade [indicating the woods of Arcady on the scene setting], and I’ve decided to work them in with something about morals and the caprices of memory. That seems to me to be a pretty good subject. You see, everybody has a memory and it’s pretty sure to have caprices. And, of course, everybody has morals. It’s my opinion that every one I know has morals, though I wouldn’t like to ask. I know I have. But I’d rather teach them than practice them any day. “Give them to others”—that’s my motto. Then you never have any use for them when you’re left without. Now, speaking of the caprices of memory in general, and of mine in particular, it’s strange to think of all the tricks this little mental process plays on us. Here we’re endowed with a faculty of mind that ought to be more supremely serviceable to us than them all. And what happens? This memory of ours stores up a perfect record of the most useless facts and anecdotes and experiences. And all the things that we ought to know—that we need to know—that we’d profit by knowing—it casts aside with the careless indifference of a girl refusing her true lover. It’s terrible to think of this phenomenon. I tremble in all my members when I consider all the really valuable things that I’ve forgotten in seventy years—when I meditate upon the caprices of my memory. There’s a bird out in California that is one perfect symbol of the human memory. I’ve forgotten the bird’s name (just because it would be valuable for me to know it—to recall it to your own minds, perhaps). But this fool of a creature goes around collecting the most ridiculous things you can imagine and storing them up. He never selects a thing that could ever prove of the slightest help to him; but he goes about gathering iron forks, and spoons, and tin cans, and broken mouse-traps—all sorts of rubbish that is difficult for him to carry and yet be any use when he gets it. Why, that bird will go by a gold watch to bring back one of those patent cake-pans. Now, my mind is just like that, and my mind isn’t very different from yours—and so our minds are just like that bird. We pass by what would be of inestimable value to us, and pack our memories with the most trivial odds and ends that never by any chance, under any circumstances whatsoever, could be of the slightest use to any one. Now, things that I have remembered are constantly popping into my head. And I am repeatedly startled by the vividness with which they recur to me after the lapse of years and their utter uselessness in being remembered at all. I was thinking over some on my way up here. They were the illustrations I spoke about to the young lady on the way up. And I’ve come to the conclusion, curious though it is, that I can use every one of these freaks of memory to teach you all a lesson. I’m convinced that each one has its moral. And I think it’s my duty to hand the moral on to you. Now, I recall that when I was a boy I was a good boy—I was a very good boy. Why, I was the best boy in my school. I was the best boy in that little Mississippi town where I lived. The population was only about twenty million. You may not believe it, but I was the best boy in that State—and in the United States, for that matter. But I don’t know why I never heard any one say that but myself. I always recognized it. But even those nearest and dearest to me couldn’t seem to see it. My mother, especially, seemed to think there was something wrong with that estimate. And she never got over that prejudice. Now, when my mother got to be eighty-five years old her memory failed her. She forgot little threads that hold life’s patches of meaning together. She was living out West then, and I went on to visit her. I hadn’t seen my mother in a year or so. And when I got there she knew my face; knew I was married; knew I had a family, and that I was living with them. But she couldn’t, for the life of her, tell my name or who I was. So I told her I was her boy. “But you don’t live with me,” she said. “No,” said I, “I’m living in Rochester.” “What are you doing there?” “Going to school.” “Large school?” “Very large.” “All boys?” “All boys.” “And how do you stand?” said my mother. “I’m the best boy in that school,” I answered. “Well,” said my mother, with a return of her old fire, “I’d like to know what the other boys are like.” Now, one point in this story is the fact that my mother’s mind went back to my school days, and remembered my little youthful self-prejudice when she’d forgotten everything else about me. The other point is the moral. There’s one there that you will find if you search for it. Now, here’s something else I remember. It’s about the first time I ever stole a watermelon. “Stole” is a strong word. Stole? Stole? No, I don’t mean that. It was the first time I ever withdrew a watermelon. It was the first time I ever extracted a watermelon. That is exactly the word I want—“extracted.” It is definite. It is precise. It perfectly conveys my idea. Its use in dentistry connotes the delicate shade of meaning I am looking for. You know we never extract our own teeth. And it was not my watermelon that I extracted. I extracted that watermelon from a farmer’s wagon while he was inside negotiating with another customer. I carried that watermelon to one of the secluded recesses of the lumber-yard, and there I broke it open. It was a green watermelon. Well, do you know when I saw that I began to feel sorry—sorry—sorry. It seemed to me that I had done wrong. I reflected deeply. I reflected that I was young—I think I was just eleven. But I knew that though immature I did not lack moral advancement. I knew what a boy ought to do who had extracted a watermelon—like that. I considered George Washington, and what action he would have taken under similar circumstances. Then I knew there was just one thing to make me feel right inside, and that was—Restitution. So I said to myself: “I will do that. I will take that green watermelon back where I got it from.” And the minute I had said it I felt that great moral uplift that comes to you when you’ve made a noble resolution. So I gathered up the biggest fragments, and I carried them back to the farmer’s wagon, and I restored the watermelon—what was left of it. And I made him give me a good one in place of it, too. And I told him he ought to be ashamed of himself going around working off his worthless, old, green watermelons on trusting purchasers who had to rely on him. How could they tell from the outside whether the melons were good or not? That was his business. And if he didn’t reform, I told him I’d see that he didn’t get any more of my trade—nor anybody else’s I knew, if I could help it. You know that man was as contrite as a revivalist’s last convert. He said he was all broken up to think I’d gotten a green watermelon. He promised that he would never carry another green watermelon if he starved for it. And he drove off—a better man. Now, do you see what I did for that man? He was on a downward path, and I rescued him. But all I got out of it was a watermelon. Yet I’d rather have that memory—just that memory of the good I did for that depraved farmer—than all the material gain you can think of. Look at the lesson he got! I never got anything like that from it. But I ought to be satisfied: I was only eleven years old, but I secured everlasting benefit to other people. The moral in this is perfectly clear, and I think there’s one in the next memory I’m going to tell you about. To go back to my childhood, there’s another little incident that comes to me from which you can draw even another moral. It’s about one of the times I went fishing. You see, in our house there was a sort of family prejudice against going fishing if you hadn’t permission. But it would frequently be bad judgment to ask. So I went fishing secretly, as it were—way up the Mississippi. It was an exquisitely happy trip, I recall, with a very pleasant sensation. Well, while I was away there was a tragedy in our town. A stranger, stopping over on his way East from California; was stabbed to death in an unseemly brawl. Now, my father was justice of the peace, and because he was justice of the peace he was coroner; and since he was coroner he was also constable; and being constable he was sheriff; and out of consideration for his holding the office of sheriff he was likewise county clerk and a dozen other officials I don’t think of just this minute. I thought he had power of life or death, only he didn’t use it over other boys. He was sort of an austere man. Somehow I didn’t like being round him when I’d done anything he disapproved of. So that’s the reason I wasn’t often around. Well, when this gentleman got knifed they communicated with the proper authority, the coroner, and they laid the corpse out in the coroner’s office—our front sitting-room—in preparation for the inquest the next morning. About 9 or 10 o’clock I got back from fishing. It was a little too late for me to be received by my folks, so I took my shoes off and slipped noiselessly up the back way to the sitting-room. I was very tired, and I didn’t wish to disturb my people. So I groped my way to the sofa and lay down. Now, I didn’t know anything of what had happened during my absence. But I was sort of nervous on my own account-afraid of being caught, and rather dubious about the morning affair. And I had been lying there a few moments when my eyes gradually got used to the darkness, and I became aware of something on the other side of the room. It was something foreign to the apartment. It had an uncanny appearance. And I sat up looking very hard, and wondering what in heaven this long, formless, vicious-looking thing might be. First I thought I’d go and see. Then I thought, “Never mind that.” Mind you, I had no cowardly sensations whatever, but it didn’t seem exactly prudent to investigate. But I somehow couldn’t keep my eyes off the thing. And the more I looked at it the more disagreeably it grew on me. But I was resolved to play the man. So I decided to turn over and count a hundred, and let the patch of moonlight creep up and show me what the dickens it was. I turned over and tried to count, but I couldn’t keep my mind on it. I kept thinking of that grewsome mass. I was losing count all the time, and going back and beginning over again. Oh no; I wasn’t frightened—just annoyed. But by the time I’d gotten to the century mark I turned cautiously over and opened my eyes with great fortitude. The moonlight revealed to me a marble-white human hand. Well, maybe I wasn’t embarrassed! But then that changed to a creepy feeling again, and I thought I’d try the counting again. I don’t know how many hours or weeks it was that I lay there counting hard. But the moonlight crept up that white arm, and it showed me a lead face and a terrible wound over the heart. I could scarcely say that I was terror-stricken or anything like that. But somehow his eyes interested me so that I went right out of the window. I didn’t need the sash. But it seemed easier to take it than leave it behind. Now, let that teach you a lesson—I don’t know just what it is. But at seventy years old I find that memory of peculiar value to me. I have been unconsciously guided by it all these years. Things that seemed pigeon-holed and remote are a perpetual influence. Yes, you’re taught in so many ways. And you’re so felicitously taught when you don’t know it. Here’s something else that taught me a good deal. When I was seventeen I was very bashful, and a sixteen-year-old girl came to stay a week with us. She was a peach, and I was seized with a happiness not of this world. One evening my mother suggested that, to entertain her, I take her to the theatre. I didn’t really like to, because I was seventeen and sensitive about appearing in the streets with a girl. I couldn’t see my way to enjoying my delight in public. But we went. I didn’t feel very happy. I couldn’t seem to keep my mind on the play. I became conscious, after a while, that that was due less to my lovely company than my boots. They were sweet to look upon, as smooth as skin, but fitted ten time as close. I got oblivious to the play and the girl and the other people and everything but my boots until—I hitched one partly off. The sensation was sensuously perfect: I couldn’t help it. I had to get the other off, partly. Then I was obliged to get them off altogether, except that I kept my feet in the legs so they couldn’t get away. From that time I enjoyed the play. But the first thing I knew the curtain came down, like that, without my notice, and—I hadn’t any boots on. What’s more, they wouldn’t go on. I tugged strenuously. And the people in our row got up and fussed and said things until the peach and I simply had to move on. We moved—the girl on one arm and the boots under the other. We walked home that way, sixteen blocks, with a retinue a mile long: Every time we passed a lamp-post, death gripped me at the throat. But we got home—and I had on white socks. If I live to be nine hundred and ninety-nine years old I don’t suppose I could ever forget that walk. I remember, it about as keenly as the chagrin I suffered on another occasion. At one time in our domestic history we had a colored butler who had a failing. He could never remember to ask people who came to the door to state their business. So I used to suffer a good many calls unnecessarily. One morning when I was especially busy he brought me a card engraved with a name I did not know. So I said, “What does he wish to see me for?” and Sylvester said, “Ah couldn’t ask him, sah; he, wuz a genlinun.” “Return instantly,” I thundered, “and inquire his mission. Ask him what’s his game.” Well, Sylvester returned with the announcement that he had lightning-rods to sell. “Indeed,” said I, “things are coming to a fine pass when lightning-rod agents send up engraved cards.” “He has pictures,” added Sylvester. “Pictures, indeed! He maybe peddling etchings. Has he a Russia leather case?” But Sylvester was too frightened to remember. I said; “I am going down to make it hot for that upstart!” I went down the stairs, working up my temper all the way. When I got to the parlor I was in a fine frenzy concealed beneath a veneer of frigid courtesy. And when I looked in the door, sure enough he had a Russia leather case in his hand. But I didn’t happen to notice that it was our Russia leather case. And if you’d believe me, that man was sitting with a whole gallery of etchings spread out before him. But I didn’t happen to notice that they were our etchings, spread out by some member of my family for some unguessed purpose. Very curtly I asked the gentleman his business. With a surprised, timid manner he faltered that he had met my wife and daughter at Onteora, and they had asked him to call. Fine lie, I thought, and I froze him. He seemed to be kind of non-plussed, and sat there fingering the etchings in the case until I told him he needn’t bother, because we had those. That pleased him so much that he leaned over, in an embarrassed way, to pick up another from the floor. But I stopped him. I said, “We’ve got that, too.” He seemed pitifully amazed, but I was congratulating myself on my great success. Finally the gentleman asked where Mr. Winton lived; he’d met him in the mountains, too. So I said I’d show him gladly. And I did on the spot. And when he was gone I felt queer, because there were all his etchings spread out on the floor. Well, my wife came in and asked me who had been in. I showed her the card, and told her all exultantly. To my dismay she nearly fainted. She told me he had been a most kind friend to them in the country, and had forgotten to tell me that he was expected our way. And she pushed me out of the door, and commanded me to get over to the Wintons in a hurry and get him back. I came into the drawing-room, where Mrs. Winton was sitting up very stiff in a chair, beating me at my own game. Well, I began to put another light on things. Before many seconds Mrs. Winton saw it was time to change her temperature. In five minutes I had asked the man to luncheon, and she to dinner, and so on. We made that fellow change his trip and stay a week, and we gave him the time of his life. Why, I don’t believe we let him get sober the whole time. I trust that you will carry away some good thought from these lessons I have given you, and that the memory of them will inspire you to higher things, and elevate you to plans far above the old—and—and— And I tell you one thing, young ladies: I’ve had a better time with you to-day than with that peach fifty-three years ago. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Mark Twain (2004). Mark Twain's Speeches. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/3188/pg3188-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

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Since 2012

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