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The DeFi protocol Term Labs has suffered an estimated $8.5 million loss after an attacker gained control of its governance system and used it to drain several vaults. The attack did not break the protocol’s code. Instead, the attacker gained enough voting power to approve transfers of funds. How Term Labs Exploit Happens Blockchain security …
The online dating industry is facing one of its biggest tests since the pandemic boom.
After years of rapid expansion caused by swipe-based matchmaking, many of the industry’s biggest players are grappling with slowing user growth, declining engagement and increasing skepticism from younger users.
While companies are investing in artificial intelligence, safety features and new products to revive growth, investors remain cautious about whether the sector can return to its high-growth days.
The diverging fortunes of Match Group’s Hinge and Tinder, alongside Bumble’s continued struggles, illustrate how the market is evolving—and why Wall Street is waiting for stronger evidence before turning more optimistic on the sector.
Users are increasingly disillusioned with dating apps as they find it increasingly hard to find their companions via apps.
The scrolling experience has also made users more anxious rather than going out or having fun.
According to a Forbes survey, 78% of users on dating apps have felt “emotionally, mentally or physically exhausted” by the apps.
Research shows that dating app users are more likely to have symptoms of anxiety, depression, and anxious attachment orientation than non-users.
The increasingly frustrating experience with dating apps has led people to look for romance in real-life meetups, social events or niche clubs.
According to Strava’s Year in Sport: Trend Report for 2025, Gen Z was 39% more likely than Gen X to use fitness to meet people who share similar interests.
Susannah Streeter, chief investment strategist at Wealth Club, told Invezz, “Younger users in particular are increasingly meeting people through shared interests, events and “third places” like gyms rather than relying solely on dedicated dating platforms.”
Expert view
After years of relying on swipe-based platforms, some users are experiencing dating fatigue as the whole process can feel repetitive and transactional, creating a perception that apps are better at encouraging engagement than helping people move towards meaningful relationships.
The latest results of dating app companies show companies have still not managed to arrest the user decline.
Match Group, owner of Tinder and Hinge, reported revenue of $853 million in the second quarter, coming below analyst expectations. Paying users across the company’s apps also fell by 6%.
Tinder’s monthly average user trends fell by 7% from the previous year. Hinge has been a bright spot for the company, with global monthly active users increasing by 13% year over year.
Bumble’s second-quarter revenue fell by 15% to $210.5 million, and total paying users fell by 16% to 3.16 million.
Match Group’s stock is up only 4% in the last 12 months, while Bumble’s shares have plunged 55% in the same period.
A Reuters report in June said Bumble was exploring a sale, amid a slowdown in dating app usage.
Wall Street is also indifferent to the performance of the companies.
According to TipRanks data, Match Group has 3 buy ratings and 6 hold ratings across its coverage. Bumble, on the other hand, has 9 hold ratings and 1 sell rating.
Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG Group, told Invezz that investors are reluctant to become more optimistic because the companies have yet to prove they can return to sustainable growth.
“Analysts see enough cash generation to rule out a sell, but not enough growth to justify a buy,” he said.
According to Beauchamp, pricing has already been pushed aggressively while user growth continues to slow.
“To earn upgrades, companies must show retention, engagement and product changes feeding through into the numbers”, he added.
Streeter said that “To shift analyst sentiment, companies need to demonstrate that they can improve the quality of interactions rather than simply drive more activity.”
She added that investors are looking for “stronger retention, better conversion of free users into paying subscribers, improved match quality and evidence that premium features are genuinely delivering better outcomes.”
Broader economic conditions, which have caused people to cut down on discretionary spending, have also affected dating.
A BMO Financial Group survey conducted from the end of December for a month shows that the average date cost in the US is $189, an increase of 12.5% from the previous year.
The survey shows that 50% of Gen Z daters and 40% of millennial daters said the costs interfere with their financial goals.
This, coupled with screen fatigue, means the dating app companies’ struggles are not over.
Analysts also said that even if economic conditions improve, dating apps would struggle to bring back users without providing meaningful experiences.
Beauchamp said the falling user growth is due to a combination of genuine structural shift and macro pressures.
Expert view
Cost-of-living pressure and screen fatigue can ease if the macro backdrop improves. But some people are dating differently now, leaning on friend networks and in-person circles, which suggests the swipe-based audience may not fully rebound even when conditions do.
Streeter said that cost pressures have made consumers reassess discretionary subscriptions.
“However, even if the economic backdrop improves, dating apps will still need to prove they remain relevant in a world where people have more ways than ever to meet and connect”, she added.
One area where dating companies have managed to offset slowing user growth is monetization.
Beauchamp noted that companies have relied more heavily on premium subscription tiers, shorter-duration plans and pricing changes to lift average revenue per paying user.
However, he warned that the strategy leaves companies vulnerable if consumers become resistant to additional price increases.
Among the major platforms, he views Hinge as the most resilient, citing continued growth in both paying users and revenue.
Tinder remains critical because of its enormous scale; even modest growth can have a meaningful impact on Match Group’s financial performance.
Bumble, by comparison, continues to see greater pressure on its paying subscriber base.
Investors in the companies would be banking on their efforts to win back customers.
The industry’s largest players are already rolling out product changes aimed at improving engagement and attracting users back to their platforms.
Match Group said Tinder updated its recommendation algorithm in mid-July, resulting in more longer conversations and more real-world connections. The company also introduced Tinder’s first global rebrand in more than five years, with Match stating that nearly all engagement metrics improved following the rollout.
Tinder is also targeting Gen Z users through features designed to encourage in-person interactions, including events and optional location-based tools with privacy controls that help users discover people nearby.
Bumble, meanwhile, is rebuilding its platform through its AI-powered “Bumble 2.0” initiative, which the company says is designed to deliver a more curated experience rather than relying solely on traditional swipe-based matching.
The company also removed its women-first texting requirement in the app, which was one of the app’s unique features from its inception in 2014.
Ultimately, dating apps will need to prove that their product changes can rebuild user engagement and deliver sustainable growth before investors are likely to turn more bullish on the sector.
The post Can Bumble, Tinder make a comeback as users leave apps appeared first on Invezz
Nvidia stock price dropped sharply last week as traders refocused on the upcoming earnings report that will provide insights into its revenue and profitability growth. NVDA will also react to news on GPU price hikes, which may boost its revenue in the foreseeable future.
Nvidia, the world’s largest company, is hiking product prices, a move that could boost its revenue and profits but also carries risks.
According to Bloomberg, the company has already notified its biggest clients about these price hikes that will mostly affect products shipped in 2028. The report notes that the hikes will include systems with the flagship Vera Rubin and Grace Blackwell chips.
Nvidia cites the rising cost of doing business, including memory and other servers.
These hikes will help the company to boost its revenues this year and in the coming years. For this year, customers may decide to front-load the purchases to avoid the price hikes.
On the other hand, the price increases may have some major risks. For one, there is a possibility that some of its customers will decide to increase their pivot towards their internal chips and also alternatives.
While Amazon uses a lot of Nvidia chips, it is also working on improving its Trainium chips. These chips are the ones powering most of Anthropic’s AI training.
Microsoft has Maia chips, while Google and Meta Platforms have Maia and MTIA. Last week, Google expanded its partnership with Marvell Technology to accelerate the production of its TPU chips.
In addition to these companies, other top semiconductor firms are boosting their production of AI chips that may compete with Nvidia. The most notable ones are firms like Cerebras, Etched, and AMD.
The next important catalyst for the NVDA stock price is its upcoming earnings report that will provide more information about its growth. Based on the last earnings reports by its clients and suppliers, chances are that its revenues and profits will be better than expected.
Analysts expect the upcoming earnings report to show that Nvidia’s revenue and profits surged last quarter. Its revenue growth is expected to be 96%, which would bring its revenue to $92 billion.
Its guidance for the third quarter is expected to be $103 billion. In reality, since Nvidia normally beats forecasts, chances are that the real figures will be $96 billion and $112 billion, respectively.
Nvidia’s earnings and revenues beat rarely moves the stock. One approach that may do the trick is a larger share buyback than the $80 billion it announced a few months ago. It would justify a bigger repurchase by focusing on its cheap valuation.
NVDA stock chart | Source: TradingView
The four-hour chart shows that the NVDA stock has dropped in the past few days, moving from a high of $227 to the current $214.75. It has already moved slightly below the 25-period Exponential Moving Average (EMA).
The stock has now retested the crucial support level of $214, its highest point on July 25. It has also stabilized at the 50-period Exponential Moving Average (EMA).
Therefore, there is a possibility that the stock will bounce back, potentially to the key resistance level of $227. A drop below the support level of $200 will invalidate the bullish outlook,
The post Nvidia stock in focus as earnings loom and GPU price hikes approach appeared first on Invezz
XRP price surged to an intraday high of $1.6963 on Saturday, then reversed sharply, currently trading at $1.4578 as the rally cooled. Ripple’s token remains 47% above its 2026 low of $0.9905, hit on August 11 after a bridge exploit briefly pushed the price below $1 for the first time since late 2024.
The main reason behind the recent XRP price surge was simply the broader crypto market rally that affected Bitcoin and most altcoins. Bitcoin broke out and approached the crucial resistance level of $80,000. Ethereum and other altcoins also continued their strong rallies.
The risk-on sentiment helped to drive XRP ETFs higher. Data shows that the spot XRP ETFs added over $39.7 million in inflows last week, up shaply from the $2.25 million they added a week earlier.
These funds have now had cumulative inflows of over $1.5 billion, and now have over $1.3 billion in net assets. The biggest ones are those run by companies like Bitwise, Franklin Templeton, and Canary.
In most cases, rising XRP ETFs is usually a sign that American retail and institutional demand is rising. In this case, the demand rose after Scott Bessent decided to intervene in the bond market as the 30-year rose to its highest level in nearly two decades.
Another potential catalyst for the XRP price is the strong growth of Ripple USD (RLUSD) this month. The stablecoin has seen its market capitalization soar to over $2.07 billion for the first time since its launch in late 2024.
RLUSD has become a highly popular stablecoin, with the 24-hour volume rising to over $753 million. While most of the RLUSD stablecoin is in the Ethereum Chain, $988 million of it is in the XRP Ledger. That is a sign that the figure will cross the $1 billion mark soon.
This growth will help to boost XRPL’s utility in the coming months, which may help to boost XRP prices.
Still, XRP faces some potential risks. One of them is that the recent crypto comeback is part of a dead-cat bounce, a situation where an asset in a freefall rebounds and then resumes the downtrend.
Another risk is that inflation may remain stubbornly high, which may push the Federal Reserve to hike interest rates.
XRP chart | Source: TradingView
The daily chart shows that the XRP price surged hard last week. This rebound happened after it formed a giant falling wedge pattern, which is a common bullish reversal sign. The pattern is made up of two descending and converging trendlines, with rebounds happening when the confluence is nearing.
The token has now moved above the important resistance level of $1.1580, its highest level on July 21. It also moved above the 50-day and 100-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMA), a sign that bulls are in control for now.
The risk, however, is that the token has become highly overbought, with the Relative Strength Index (RSI) soaring to 85.50. In most cases, highly overbought assets tend to retreat as investors book profits. In this case, the token may retreat and retest the support of $1.1580.
The post XRP price prediction as RLUSD crosses key milestone, ETF inflows jump appeared first on Invezz
Venice Token has staged a strong comeback in the past few days, reaching its highest level since June this year. The VVV token soared to a high of $18, up sharply from the July low of $9.8. This article highlights some of the top reasons why the token is on the cusp of more gains.
The daily chart shows that the VVV token has some of the best technicals in the crypto industry. Venice bottomed at $9.8 and has moved above the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA).
The token has crossed the important resistance level of $14.8, its highest level on July 26. It has invalidated the forming double-top pattern, a common bearish reversal sign in technical analysis
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) has soared to 79, its highest level since May this year. It has been in a strong upward trend after bottoming at 31, its lowest level on July 7 this year. Therefore, there is a likelihood that the token will continue rising as bulls target the key resistance level of $21, its highest level in June this year.
VVV token chart | Source: TradingView
One of the top catalysts for the VVV token is that demand for its platform is rising as the artificial intelligence boom accelerates. SimilarWeb data shows that the number of visitors on its platform jumped by 15% in July to over 15.3 million. Most of these visitors are on their mobile devices, with 35% being on the desktop platform.
This surge is important because it means that Venice is becoming a major player in the artificial intelligence industry. It is achieving that by focusing on a freemium model, where it provides its solutions for free and then users can upgrade for a fee.
The growth is also important because it helps it to boost its revenues. Venice uses some of its fees to reduce the amount of VVV tokens in circulation. It has already burned 42% of all the VVV tokens, and the growth is continuing. It has burned tokens worth over $582k, up from the $445k it burned last month. The burn rate has been continuing from the December levels of $64k.
Another bullish aspect for the VVV token is the upcoming OpenAI and Anthropic IPOs that will happen later this year or in 2027. There are signs that these will be some of the biggest IPOs in the world.
Anthropic is considering raising over $100 billion in its IPO, which will be higher than what SpaceX raised. Its valuation may jump to over $2 trillion, helped by its strong revenue growth.
OpenAI is also expected to have a big IPO, considering that its revenue is growing. While its second-quarter revenue disappointed, the management noted that the Q3 one was accelerating. As such, there is a likelihood that top AI coins will do well ahead of the IPO.
The post Venice Token is rising: top reasons VVV has more room to go appeared first on Invezz
Crypto tokens associated with President Donald Trump are plunging this weekend as his approval rating sinks to a new low. Official Trump (TRUMP) meme coin dropped to $2.488, down by 32% from its highest level on Saturday.
Similarly, the WLFI token dropped to $0.057, down sharply from the weekend high of $0.075. These two tokens have all shed billions of dollars in value, even as Trump raked in billions of dollars in revenue.
The ongoing crash has also coincided with the ongoing DJT stockcrash. Trump Media stock was trading at $9.10 on Friday, down sharply from the year-to-date high of $17.10.
One main reason behind the ongoing retreat in Trump-associated assets is that his popularity is no longer where it was earlier last year. The most recent polling data shows that Trump’s approval rating has plunged to a record low. For example, a recent poll showed that his approval rating dropped to 33%, a record low.
Another reason why the approval rating dropped is the ongoing traffic to Truth Social, his social media platform. This traffic dropped by 22% in July to 15.89 million in July, a sign that even his most loyal followers are tuning him out.
These events, together with the ongoing US-Iran war means that Trump will likely lose the election. If this happens, Democrats have hinted that they will start their investigations into Trump’s crypto empire.
There are many points to be investigated. For one, they will investigate whether foreigners bought the TRUMP meme coin and the implication. Also, they will focus on World Liberty Financial, which runs the USD1 stablecoin.
The WLFI investigation will be on the recently awarded national bank trust charter. Also, they will investigate its ties to Binance, the biggest crypto exchange in the world. Most notably, there is the fact that the UAE holds over $2 billion in cash through the USD1 stablecoin, which earns Trump and his family millions of dollars a year.
These investigations, and the fact that Trump will be out of office in the next two years, may make his tokens less attractive. At the same time, concerns that Trump made billions of dollars while more than 1 million users lost billions is affecting their performance.
These tokens are also playing a role in hindering the CLARITY Act from becoming law. Democrats have insisted that any law will need to have provisions that bar the US president from launching and running these tokens. Trump will be unlikely to sign a law with such provisions.
Therefore, there is a risk that the TRUMP, WLFI, and DJT stocks will remain under pressure in the foreseeable future.
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