FTX abandons efforts to re-start its crypto exchange

NEW YORK (Reuters) - FTX has abandoned efforts to re-start its crypto exchange, instead opting to liquidate all assets and return funds to customers, a company attorney said on Wednesday. FTX has been negotiating for months with potential bidders and investors, but none were willing to put in enough money to rebuild the FTX exchange, FTX...

Chief metaverse officers are out. AI is in

Advertising giant Publicis Groupe SA made an unusual executive hire in mid-2022 – a lion-headed digital avatar named Leon who would serve as “chief metaverse officer”, guiding clients through the virtual realm that had seized real-world attention. His moment in the spotlight didn’t last long. Five months later, ChatGPT debuted, and the buzz that had surrounded the...

Analysis-US bitcoin ETFs raise questions over broader financial system risks

LONDON/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The launch of U.S. exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tracking bitcoin deepens ties between the volatile world of cryptocurrencies and the traditional financial system, potentially creating unforeseen new risks, some experts say. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) this month approved 11 spot bitcoin ETFs from issuers including BlackRock and Invesco/Galaxy Digital, in a watershed...

Amazon, iRobot abandon merger in face of EU opposition

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Amazon and robot vacuum maker iRobot said Monday they would end their plans to merge in the face of opposition from EU antitrust regulators. iRobot announced a significant restructuring plan to reduce costs and said it would cut about 31% of its workforce, or 350 jobs. The company also said founder Colin Angle...

Western Digital Corp posts wider Q2 loss, sees impact of structural changes

(Reuters) - Data storage products maker Western Digital Corp posted a wider-than-expected quarterly adjusted loss on Thursday, due to the impact of structural changes the company implemented in its flash and HDD businesses. Shares of the company were down about 4% in after-market trading. Last quarter, the company said it would spin off its flash memory business,...

Startup AiDash raises $50 million for tech using AI, satellites to spot wildfire risk

(Reuters) - A California startup using artificial intelligence (AI) and satellites to spot fire and weather risks on power lines, AiDash, reported on Tuesday it had raised $50 million in new funding, reflecting Silicon Valley efforts to create products that help energy companies adapt to climate change. Power utilities are under pressure to cut risks of...

Video-game market recovery to pick up steam in 2024 on strong console sales – report

(Reuters) - A recovery in the global video-game market is expected to pick up pace this year on the back of strong sales of Microsoft's Xbox and Sony's PlayStation 5 consoles, according to research firm NewZoo. The market is set to grow 2.8% to $189.3 billion in 2024, after it rose around 0.6% last year and...

Logitech facing delays in getting products to Europe due to Red Sea crisis

ZURICH (Reuters) - Logitech International is facing 30-day delays in getting its products from its factories in Asia to Europe due to the Red Sea crisis, the computer peripheral maker's CEO said on Tuesday. The maker of computer keyboards, mice, speakers and webcams is the latest company to warn of the impact of attacks by Houthi...

Bitcoin down 20% from post-ETF highs

LONDON (Reuters) - Bitcoin has fallen over one fifth since its peak earlier this month, hit after the United States approved its first spot bitcoin exchange traded fund (ETF), as investors who had bought in expectation of the approval sold after the confirmation. The world's largest crypto currency was last at $38,900, down 20.6% from around...