Uptin & Thomas discuss:

• Trump’s proposed 50-year mortgage lowers monthly payments but dramatically increases lifetime interest and doesn’t fix the real issue: housing supply.

• Bitcoin plunged from $126K to under $96K as rate-cut hopes collapsed and high leverage amplified the fall.

• Apple released a $230 knitted iPhone pouch with Issey Miyake, turning the phone into a full-on fashion accessory.

• One in three Americans earning $100K say they’re financially distressed as rising housing, childcare, and inflation erase purchasing power.

• Target launched the “10-4 program,” requiring employees to smile and greet customers to boost holiday sales, sparking debate about forced friendliness.

• Sony bought the rights to Labubu and is developing a movie around the viral collectible toy phenomenon.

• Brittany Kaiser explains why Gen Z finally cares about data privacy and why Telegram’s TON ecosystem could be the next major alternative to Meta.

Microsoft President Brad Smith joins Uptin at Web Summit to discuss the company’s $15B investment in AI and what comes next after ChatGPT.

From Microsoft’s early bet on OpenAI to the rise of AI-powered jobs and the global digital divide, Brad explains how the company is balancing innovation with responsibility.

They cover AI regulation, education, and why the UAE is leading global adoption.

Plus, Brad shares what keeps him up at night — and why he believes AI should help us think more, not less.

Uptin & Thomas discuss:

- Elon Musk’s $1T pay deal ... Tesla approves a record plan that could make him the world’s first trillionaire.

- NYC elects socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani ... Wall Street panics over higher taxes and rent freezes.

- Peter Thiel’s 2020 email resurfaces ... he predicted millennials would turn on capitalism, and it’s happening.

- Amazon’s robot grocery experiment ... a “store-within-a-store” that shows Amazon still hasn’t cracked grocery.

- Coca-Cola’s AI Christmas ad sparks backlash online for looking like “AI slop.”

Uptin & Thomas discuss:

• The rich are still spending while everyone else pulls back — America’s K-shaped economy

• Jensen Huang’s fried-chicken meetup with Samsung and Hyundai goes viral and boosts chicken stocks

• Chipotle’s traffic falls and the stock sinks as young diners cut back

• Growing frustration with sloppy, low-effort fast-casual bowls at rising prices

• Luxury brands and premium experiences continue to boom while fast-casual chains struggle

Uptin & Thomas discuss:

• AI layoffs: Big companies are cutting thousands of white-collar jobs while San Francisco runs billboards saying “Stop hiring humans.”

• Middle management squeeze: CEOs are removing layers of managers because AI can handle reporting, planning, and coordination.

• Should we panic?: Layoffs sound scary, but economists say we are not anywhere near recession-level firing yet.

• Airbnb Halloween crackdown: Anti-party algorithms are blocking suspicious bookings and using noise sensors to prevent ragers.

• Prop 50 in California: California wants to redraw election maps to counter Republican-friendly maps in other states.

• OpenAI’s potential $1T IPO: The company needs massive capital to build chips, energy infrastructure, and data centers for AGI.

• Nvidia hits $5T: Demand for AI chips pushed Nvidia to become the most valuable company on earth.

• AOL gets acquired: A European app firm is buying AOL, betting that legacy email and nostalgia still print cash.

Uptin sits down with GM President Mark Reuss inside the company’s secret proving grounds, a five-mile-wide private city where the future of cars is being built.

They dive into how General Motors is reinventing itself through electric vehicles, AI-driven safety, and autonomous technology while confronting the $3 billion failure of Cruise. Mark shares how GM plans to win back Gen Z drivers, the company’s evolving stance on Apple CarPlay, and why the future of driving might be hands-free.

From Detroit’s rebirth to the global EV race against Tesla and China, this is a candid conversation about innovation, risk, and what it really takes to keep American cars on top.

Uptin & Thomas discuss:

• OpenAI vs Microsoft: First real AI browser war — Atlas vs Copilot.
• Elon Musk says he needs $1 trillion to stop “corporate terrorists” from taking Tesla.
• Trump wants cheaper beef, even if it means importing it from Argentina.
• Samsung vs Apple: Galaxy XR launches at half the price of Vision Pro.
• Beyond Meat meme-stock madness: Up 1,300%… then crashed.
• Cardi B becomes the voice of NYC subways.
• Steve Jobs is going to be on a U.S. coin

Uptin & Thomas discuss:

1. Apple finally gives in — touchscreen MacBooks are coming, and even Steve Jobs once called it a terrible idea.
2. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker wins $1.4 million playing blackjack — and says he was “just lucky.”
3. Waymo and DoorDash test driverless food deliveries in Los Angeles — your next meal might arrive with no driver.
4. BYD’s overseas sales explode 130%, making it the world’s next big EV powerhouse.
5. MKBHD reviews the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max and calls it “embarrassing what we have available” in the West.
6. Apple TV Plus drops the “Plus.” Why Apple’s rebrand feels a lot like HBO Max’s name shuffle.
7. Netflix moves into podcasts — starting with The Ringer and Bill Simmons, and taking full video shows off YouTube.

Uptin & Thomas discuss:

• Trump’s talking 100% tariffs on China again… and somehow the markets love it. The “TACO Trade” — Trump Always Chickens Out — might be back.

• JPMorgan just dropped $5 billion on a new NYC HQ with 19 restaurants, a gym, and absolutely no remote work.

• Former Apple CEO John Sculley says OpenAI is Apple’s first real rival in decades. Shots fired.

• Tim Cook got his own custom Labubu toy in Shanghai — and PopMart’s stock jumped 6%.

• Canada’s Aritzia is blowing up — profits tripled, worth $7B, and everyone’s fighting about their no-mirror fitting rooms.

Uptin & Thomas discuss:
• Apple’s Siri Comeback: Apple unveils “Apple Intelligence,” a new AI system that finally gives Siri brains. We unpack how it blends Apple’s privacy focus with OpenAI’s ChatGPT, and why this could redefine how we use our phones.

• OpenAI’s Next Move: ChatGPT turns into an app platform with Spotify, Canva, and Zillow integrations, plus a new proactive “Pulse” feature that might replace your morning routine.

• Tim Cook’s Exit Rumors: Is Apple preparing for life after Cook? We dive into internal reshuffles, the race for AI leadership, and who could take over.

• Tesla’s “Affordable” EVs: The Model 3 and Y Standard trims arrive, but do they really make Tesla more accessible or just cheaper looking?

• Delta Bets on the Rich: The airline says premium seats will soon bring in more money than economy. A sign of where travel and inequality are headed.

• Salt Bae’s U.S. Collapse: From viral fame to empty tables, what the fall of Nusr-Et says about the end of Instagram-driven hospitality.

Uptin & Thomas discuss:

• OpenAI vs SpaceX: OpenAI’s new $500B valuation after a $6.6B employee share sale makes it the world’s most valuable private company — overtaking SpaceX.

• Millennial Burnout vs Gen Z Balance: Deloitte finds 50% of Millennials quit jobs due to burnout while Gen Z prioritizes work-life balance and avoids leadership roles.

• Right to Work From Home: Australia’s Victoria state moves to make 2 WFH days a week a legal right, challenging office-first corporate culture.

• Sauna Networking Trend: From running clubs to cold plunges and saunas, professionals are ditching bars for wellness-driven “sweat-working.”

When Changpeng “CZ” Zhao built Binance in 2017, it quickly became the biggest crypto exchange in the world.  At one point it was processing $65 billion in daily trades and making CZ the richest person in crypto.

But in November 2023, everything changed: the U.S. Department of Justice hit Binance with a record-breaking $4.3 billion settlement for anti-money-laundering and sanctions violations. CZ pleaded guilty, stepped down as CEO, and later served four months in U.S. federal prison.

That’s when Richard Teng, a former regulator and seasoned finance executive, stepped in to lead Binance through its toughest chapter yet ... promising a culture shift toward compliance and transparency while keeping the exchange at the center of a rapidly evolving crypto industry.

Uptin sits down with Richard Teng at TOKEN2049 in Singapore to unpack:

- What it was like to take over from one of crypto’s most influential founders.

- How Binance plans to rebuild user trust after the $4.3 B settlement.

- The future of regulation, stablecoins, and crypto ETFs worldwide.

- Why traditional finance giants are suddenly embracing blockchain.

- How global politics could reshape crypto adoption, and why even Trump’s crypto stance matters.

Whether you’re an investor, a builder, or just curious about how the world’s largest exchange is preparing for the next wave of adoption, this is a rare inside look at the new era of Binance.

📈 Uptin & Thomas ... fresh takes on business, money and tech.

Twice a week on YouTube, Spotify and Apple. Link in Bio.

#Binance #RichardTeng #CZ #CryptoNews #Bitcoin #Ethereum #TOKEN2049 #CryptoRegulation

Uptin & Thomas discuss:
- Threads Beats X: Meta’s Threads hits 130.2M daily users, edging past X’s 130.1M for the first time.

• Shift in Power: X once had nearly 2× Threads’ users just a year ago — the tables have turned.
• Spotify’s AI Purge: About 75M spammy & AI-generated tracks removed to protect artists and clean up the catalog.
• EA Goes Private: A $55B all-cash leveraged buyout backed by Saudi PIF, Silver Lake & Affinity Partners.
• MKBHD vs Tesla: Marques Brownlee finally cancels his $50K Roadster reservation after 8 years of waiting.
• Pizza Hut Matcha: Brunei’s bold new Matcha Cheese Stuffed-Crust Pizza sparks curiosity (and debate).

Uptin & Thomas talk:

- Starbucks Massive Overhaul: Closing Stores and laying off 900 Employees.

- Amazon vs FTC: The government’s new lawsuit could reshape how Amazon does business.

- $100K H-1B Visa Fee: Is Trump's new policy, a win for London?

- AI Slop: Why young workers are hopping jobs faster

— How AI is flooding offices with low-quality work.- Why are Gen Z’s “MonkeyBarring”

Uptin & Thomas discuss:

• Trump’s $100,000 H-1B visa fee — panic for tech workers and global companies
• Trump launches his flashy new Gold Card
• Nvidia invests $5B in Intel — what this chip partnership really means
• Buffett sells all of BYD after 17 years — why now?
• Build-a-Bear stock up 2,000% — outpacing Nvidia, Microsoft and Palantir
• Labubu hype fades — Pop Mart’s $6B meltdown

Uptin & Thomas discuss:

• Meta’s new smart glasses – are they the future of wearables or just another gimmick?
• Amex Platinum now $900/year – what’s changing with perks, lounges, and credits?
• Nvidia chips banned in China – how this could reshape the AI race.
• TikTok ban drama – what it means for creators, users, and the global app battle.

👉 All the week’s biggest stories in tech, money, and culture — broken down.

Uptin & Thomas discuss

- The Pope is taking aim at Elon Musk’s proposed $1 trillion Tesla compensation package — and what it says about inequality in today’s economy.

- Big brands like Coca-Cola and McDonald’s are downplaying their “Americanness” overseas. Why are they doing it now?-

- Whirlpool accuses its rivals of dodging U.S. tariffs. Is this just “tariff evasion”?- U.S. and Chinese officials meet in Spain to smooth trade irritants, with TikTok’s looming deadline on the table.

- Plus: Coffee prices hit levels not seen since the 1990s.Uptin & Thomas break it all down with data, context, and what it means for business and culture.

New episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

Uptin & Thomas dive into:

• Zoox’s free robotaxi rides hitting the Vegas Strip
• Tesla’s Austin robotaxi plans revving up

• Chipotle making a bold move into Asia & Mexico
• Microsoft dragging workers back to the office
• Why tips just got tax-free
• And how new tax breaks could boost creators

Apple dropped the iPhone 17 Pro, and the biggest headline is… a new orange color.

Uptin & Thomas break down why that feels a little safe, and what it says about where Apple’s at. They also dive into some of the biggest stories shaping the week:

• Apple bets on Cosmic Orange with the iPhone 17 Pro
• Support for capitalism in America hits a new low
• Two years after NYC’s Airbnb crackdown — did it work?
• Reading is down everywhere, from the U.S. to the U.K.
• The latest on Microsoft backing OpenAI’s push into LinkedIn