Every Wednesday (subscribers only)

The Information Finance

By The Information Staff

Context and explanation for the biggest investments in the industry, with a particular focus on the funding of artificial intelligence.

By providing your email, you agree to The Information’s Privacy Policy

Recent Editions

Art via Getty.
The Information Finance

Where Investors Are Going to Escape AI

By Meredith Mazzilli · Aug 26, 2026 12:40pm PDT
Investors have been hunting for anything but AI. That search has sent bursts of billions of dollars into typically ho-hum parts of the market like insurers and small-cap stocks, where they can have an outsize impact. One place that trade is showing up is in an index Goldman Sachs launched in February that strips “AI enablers” out of the... Investors have been hunting for anything but AI. That search has sent bursts of billions of...
Co-founder and CEO of Rothera, Thomas Chippas. Screenshot via YouTube.
The Information Finance

The Hot New Prediction Exchange You’ve Never Heard of—by Design

By Yueqi Yang · Aug 19, 2026 11:10am PDT
A new behind-the-scenes exchange called Rothera is betting it can capture a significant share of prediction market trading without running its own consumer app. Prediction markets are dominated by Kalshi and Polymarket, which operate consumer-facing apps as well as exchanges that also handle trades for outside firms. Rothera is taking a... A new behind-the-scenes exchange called Rothera is betting it can capture a significant share of...
Getty Images.
The Information Finance

How One Startup Is Bringing Wall Street–Style Contracts for AI Tokens

By Dakin Campbell · Aug 12, 2026 9:30am PDT
If the number of times I called someone this week and heard their cellphone make the familiar ring of a European phone is any indication, many of you are on vacation. Still, there are few breaks these days in the world of financing AI. With trillions of dollars due to pour into chips and data centers and companies spending heavily on their... If the number of times I called someone this week and heard their cellphone make the familiar...
Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images
Clarity Act Won’t Be Enough to Bring Crypto Boom Back
By Yueqi Yang · Aug 5, 2026 10:58am PDT
Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images
The Information Finance

Clarity Act Won’t Be Enough to Bring Crypto Boom Back

By Yueqi Yang · Aug 5, 2026 10:58am PDT
After helping elect President Trump in 2024, the crypto industry had high hopes for getting legislation providing a clear regulatory framework for the sector—which the industry hoped would unlock a huge wave of new interest from big money and mainstream investors alike. That bill, known as the Clarity Act, is now looking unlikely to pass... After helping elect President Trump in 2024, the crypto industry had high hopes for getting...
Art by Mike Sullivan; Getty Images.
The Information Finance

Demand Heats Up For Spend Now, Lease Later AI Financing

By Dakin Campbell · Jul 29, 2026 9:41am PDT
In the financial model that governs the AI data center build-out, one of the most important questions is who the tenant will be. The goal is to ensure that demand from big cloud firms and AI labs for computing capacity—and their ability to pay—will line up with supply as trillions of dollars pour into data centers and related... In the financial model that governs the AI data center build-out, one of the most important...
The Information Finance Newsletter
Context and explanation for the biggest investments in the industry, with a particular focus on the funding of artificial intelligence.
By providing your email, you agree to The Information’s Privacy Policy
Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev. Getty Images.
The Information Finance

What AI Trading Agents Are Up to on Robinhood

By Meredith Mazzilli · Jul 22, 2026 11:14am PDT
In the weeks since Robinhood opened its doors to AI agents, customers of the popular financial app have been using agents for everything from research to trading. Now, a key question for Robinhood’s broader revenue opportunity is how much of an edge the technology can give investors.In late May, Robinhood started letting customers connect their... In the weeks since Robinhood opened its doors to AI agents, customers of the popular financial...
Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images.
The Information Finance

Coinbase, JPMorgan Partnership Delays Drag On

By Michael Roddan and Yueqi Yang · Jul 15, 2026 8:01am PDT
Last summer, JPMorgan Chase and Coinbase announced a major partnership to tie crypto into the bank’s banking and credit card offerings. The move marked a key endorsement of the top U.S. crypto firm from the biggest bank in the country.  Nearly a year later, none of those features has gone live and the companies haven’t publicly... Last summer, JPMorgan Chase and Coinbase announced a major partnership to tie crypto into the...
Art by Mike Sullivan.
Trump’s Crypto Legacy Is Remaking Traditional Finance
By Yueqi Yang · Jul 8, 2026 9:12am PDT · 2 comments
Art by Mike Sullivan.
The Information Finance

Trump’s Crypto Legacy Is Remaking Traditional Finance

By Yueqi Yang · Jul 8, 2026 9:12am PDT · 2 comments
At a recent crypto VC lunch I attended in New York, everyone was asked to go around the table and answer the same question: Has Donald Trump, the first pro-crypto president, been good or bad for the industry? The responses were divided. Trump ushered in a friendlier regulatory environment. But he has also been one of the bigger personal... At a recent crypto VC lunch I attended in New York, everyone was asked to go around the table and...
Getty Images.
The Information Finance

AI Tokenomics Come For Wall Street

By Meredith Mazzilli · Jul 1, 2026 12:28pm PDT
Financial data companies such as FactSet and Moody’s appear to have made progress reassuring investors that they won’t be replaced by finance-focused AI tools. But investors may have new questions these days around how the uncertainty of AI costs will affect usage of these businesses’ products.Investors were spooked when Anthropic and others... Financial data companies such as FactSet and Moody’s appear to have made progress reassuring...
Getty Images.
The Information Finance

What’s a Bet on Kalshi Really Worth?

By Meredith Mazzilli · Jun 24, 2026 11:43am PDT
Finance isn’t exactly known for minting new business models overnight. The industry is heavily regulated, customers are slow to move money and licensing often keeps firms in familiar lanes. Prediction markets are proving a rare exception. Fast-growing U.S. prediction market Kalshi recently topped $2 billion in annualized revenue. At that... Finance isn’t exactly known for minting new business models overnight. The industry is heavily...
The Information Finance Newsletter
Context and explanation for the biggest investments in the industry, with a particular focus on the funding of artificial intelligence.
By providing your email, you agree to The Information’s Privacy Policy
Martin Fichtner, managing director of Temasek. Photo by Edwin Koo/ Getty Images
The Information Finance

Temasek’s $75 Billion AI Bet

By Cory Weinberg · Jun 17, 2026 8:00am PDT
The prescient investor who appears to hold a crystal ball or have a healthy stomach for risk is always a compelling character to write about. These are the Josh Kushners, Peter Thiels and Masayoshi Sons of the world. Love ’em or hate ’em, they’re interesting. At this point of the AI cycle, though, the more important investors to watch might... The prescient investor who appears to hold a crystal ball or have a healthy stomach for risk is...
Art by Clark Miller.
Elon Musk’s Very Loud IPO Quiet Period
By Dakin Campbell · Jun 10, 2026 10:16am PDT
Art by Clark Miller.
The Information Finance

Elon Musk’s Very Loud IPO Quiet Period

By Dakin Campbell · Jun 10, 2026 10:16am PDT
Good morning! When Elon Musk tweeted details about SpaceX’s agreement with Anthropic late last month, saying the business deal was less durable than advertised, many investors and commentators seized on the fact that the details weren’t in the company’s initial public offering prospectus filed with regulators.They were right to point that out,... Good morning! When Elon Musk tweeted details about SpaceX’s agreement with Anthropic late last...
Photo by Michael Nagle/Getty Images.
The Information Finance

Alphabet’s Fine Print Reveals Hidden Cost of the AI Talent War

By Cory Weinberg · Jun 3, 2026 9:23am PDT · 2 comments
Alphabet’s plan to sell $80 billion worth of shares, billed as a way to pay for AI infrastructure and compute, is surprising enough, given the capital raise’s size and the fact that the company last raised equity 21 years ago, when Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl” was the song of the summer. But there’s another eye-catching detail in the offering... Alphabet’s plan to sell $80 billion worth of shares, billed as a way to pay for AI infrastructure...
Art via Getty Images
The Information Finance

Pre-IPO Betting Boom Hits Prediction Markets

By Yueqi Yang · May 27, 2026 8:18am PDT
Most everyday investors can’t buy shares of hot private companies like SpaceX and OpenAI before they go public. With potential mega-IPOs looming this year, prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi are turning that hype into tradable bets.  Users are flocking to yes-or-no bets on milestones like valuations and IPO timelines, betting... Most everyday investors can’t buy shares of hot private companies like SpaceX and OpenAI before...
Art by Mike Sullivan.
The Information Finance

Fintech Lenders are Still Learning the Hard Way

By Ann Gehan · May 20, 2026 9:41am PDT
The recent bankruptcy of Parker, a corporate card startup that catered to e-commerce customers, is a good reminder that lending is one of the toughest ways to make money in fintech. Parker had been among the dwindling number of standalone, tech-heavy lenders geared toward small businesses that first sprung up during the fintech funding... The recent bankruptcy of Parker, a corporate card startup that catered to e-commerce customers,...
The Information Finance Newsletter
Context and explanation for the biggest investments in the industry, with a particular focus on the funding of artificial intelligence.
By providing your email, you agree to The Information’s Privacy Policy
Senators Thom Tillis, left, and Angela Alsobrooks. Photos via Getty Images.
Can Crypto Beat the Banks and Win Over Washington?
By Ken Brown · May 13, 2026 8:00am PDT
Senators Thom Tillis, left, and Angela Alsobrooks. Photos via Getty Images.
The Information Finance

Can Crypto Beat the Banks and Win Over Washington?

By Ken Brown · May 13, 2026 8:00am PDT
This is a critical week for the crypto industry. The most important crypto law ever to hit Congress is about to take a big step forward, and with the crypto market in the doldrums, the timing couldn’t be better.This could be the last chance for the long-delayed bill to become law, as vacations and election season suck up much of the rest of the... This is a critical week for the crypto industry. The most important crypto law ever to hit...
Photo by Michael Nagle/Getty Images
The Information Finance

Why SpaceX Might Land in Your Mother’s Index Fund

By Ken Brown · May 6, 2026 8:00am PDT · 3 comments
When SpaceX hits the market, likely next month, Elon Musk’s fans will rush to buy shares no matter what the valuation. A few months later, a far different group of investors might also scramble to get shares, and they’ll also buy at any price.Index funds, the favorites of savvy, cost-conscious investors, might be forced to load up on SpaceX... When SpaceX hits the market, likely next month, Elon Musk’s fans will rush to buy shares no...
Craig Warga/The Information.
The Information Finance

The Hidden Risks in AI Funding

By Ken Brown · Apr 29, 2026 8:34am PDT · 1 comment
Bankers and investors, especially when they are sitting in front of an audience, are not shy about offering their opinions. Yet when I asked a panel of money types at our Financing the AI Revolution conference on Monday about risks in the current market, I got near silence.We had been discussing the billions of investment dollars pouring into... Bankers and investors, especially when they are sitting in front of an audience, are not shy...
Michael Intrator, co-founder and chief executive officer of CoreWeave Inc. Photo by Chris J. Ratcliffe/Getty Images
The Information Finance

How CoreWeave Seduced the Bond Market

By Ken Brown · Apr 22, 2026 8:01am PDT
CoreWeave’s shares are up 55% this month, but that rally tells just part of the story about the AI cloud provider. The company has tapped a range of sources for much-needed capital, giving it a commanding role in the AI build-out. CoreWeave’s big fundraising haul—totaling nearly $16 billion—also signals that both stock and debt investors... CoreWeave’s shares are up 55% this month, but that rally tells just part of the story about the...
SpaceX’s Hawthorne, Calif. facility. Ethan Swope/Bloomberg/Getty Images.
I Helped Pick Stocks for the Dow. I’m Watching the SpaceX IPO Carefully
By Ken Brown · Apr 15, 2026 8:00am PDT · 5 comments
SpaceX’s Hawthorne, Calif. facility. Ethan Swope/Bloomberg/Getty Images.
The Information Finance

I Helped Pick Stocks for the Dow. I’m Watching the SpaceX IPO Carefully

By Ken Brown · Apr 15, 2026 8:00am PDT · 5 comments
Please join The Information at the New York Stock Exchange on Monday, April 27, for our “Financing the AI Revolution” forum. Hear from top executives and investors on how the rapid build-out of AI is reshaping tech, finance and capital markets. Learn more here.SpaceX’s financial challenges have become clearer in the past week, thanks to new... Please join The Information at the New York Stock Exchange on Monday, April 27, for our “...