Joe Rogan, the influential podcast host who has previously voiced support for President Trump, is now **blasting the POTUS and his family** over what he characterizes as "billions" made in crypto while Trump is in office. 

During his Thursday podcast, Rogan didn't hold back: 

> "This government has done some s--- that no government has ever done before. And one of them is the crypto stuff. The crypto stuff's nuts. Trump has made billions in crypto. And then you got his sons, and his sons are involved in all of these weird business deals ... and then the sons are involved in these businesses. There's a lot of money flowing around, that you could dig in and start arresting people. The thing about the crypto is, it's shady as f---, but it's legal. I don't know if it should be."

## The Context: Trump's Crypto Empire

Rogan's comments come as Trump touts his role in making the US a hub for cryptocurrency, while facing questions about his own meme coin and other digital-asset ventures. Records show these ventures have generated **about $1.4 billion in profits**. The White House and Trump campaign insist there are no conflicts of interest, stating that all Trump assets are in third-party-managed accounts and that his crypto policies are crafted "in the best interest of the American people."

## More Controversies: Truth Social and the Decoy Plane

Rogan also questioned a new Truth Social offering that reportedly charges up to **$100,000 a month** for early access to Trump's posts, calling it "literally crazy." 

Additionally, Rogan addressed Trump's decoy plane incident, noting that if it's true Iran was possibly targeting Air Force One and the president secretly hopped on a different plane while leaving staffers and press aboard the presidential plane, "that is so wild that he didn't even tell them. Holy s---. Those press people were signing up for something they didn't know."

## Potential Impact on Trump's Base

A political scientist told *Newsweek* that Rogan's criticism could **resonate with younger male Trump backers** who already follow Rogan, even if it doesn't rupture the broader conservative base. Rogan's massive audience and his previous support for Trump make this a significant moment in the intersection of politics and cryptocurrency.

Joe Rogan, who has previously voiced support for President Trump, is now blasting the POTUS and his family over what he characterizes as "billions" made in crypto while...

Joe Rogan Slams Trump Family Over Crypto Billions: 'Shady as F---'

This past week, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg published a 6,500-word open letter titled "The Future is for Everyone." To some, it's an expression of hope in AI's promise. To others, it's little more than a verbose public relations exercise.

Zuckerberg's manifesto is the latest example of a tech boss opining on why AI is the next big thing. His vision echoes what AI leaders have expressed in various forms: the product they are building is among the "most important technologies in history."

Marc Andreessen, co-founder of early web titan Netscape, perhaps started this trend in 2023 with a 5,000-word essay he called "The Techno-Optimist Manifesto," which argued innovation was the way to solve life's problems. "So they're writing manifestos now?," I remember thinking to myself.

Andreessen's writing began with him recounting lies he claimed people were spreading, and called for readers to push back against this. "We believe growth is progress – leading to vitality, expansion of life, increasing knowledge, higher well being," he wrote.

Zuckerberg's recent essay doesn't name names - but the Meta boss mimics Andreessen by questioning those who have warned about the negatives of future tech. "It is surprising that the discourse from many developing AI is so filled with doom," he writes.

As the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warns AI could affect nearly 40% of jobs and worsen global financial inequality, Zuckerberg says he believes there will be an abundance of jobs in the future. "I do not understand why anyone who believes that AI will eliminate most jobs and much of humanity's relevance would rush to build that future." Never mind that Zuckerberg's Meta has cut 10% of its global workforce - about 8,000 jobs - as the company reorganizes to focus on AI.

Zuckerberg's manifesto is the latest to land in our social media feeds in an effort to put a positive spin on AI. In 2024, ChatGPT-maker OpenAI boss Sam Altman released a manifesto called "The Intelligence Age," a sweeping expression of optimism about the tech's potential. Human progress was poised to accelerate in dramatic fashion, he promised. "We need to act wisely but with conviction," he said.

That same year, in a manifesto titled "Machines of Loving Grace," Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei touted the potential of AI to transform everything from healthcare to politics. He framed it as an attempt to share the potential upsides of AI - and he didn't want to be seen as a doomer.

Zuckerberg is no stranger to the long-winded essay format. During US President Donald Trump's first administration, he even wrote about thorny topics such as the spread of misinformation on his platforms. He later put pen to paper to explain the company's ill-fated pivot to the metaverse in 2021.

But the stakes are higher in the AI era, argues economics blogger Noah Smith, and the commentary from executives reflects that. "I think they all feel like it's such an important moment that it's incumbent upon them to do whatever they can to shape the direction that this technology is going," Smith said.

Zuckerberg's new manifesto announced plans to share its artificial intelligence tools more openly, meaning that the design or code behind the tech will be made public, allowing anyone to view, use and change it. Decisions about whether these tools should be open source carry significant weight given their potential to do harm.

In recent weeks, several highly powerful AI models hacked into websites, or as some put it, "went rogue". These were the most powerful models, not the ones being made open source - but as the technology develops, it has raised a serious question for Smith. "Should we open-source something that has the ability to kill humanity?" he asked. "If you don't take that seriously, you're just a fool."

It's why he thinks these manifestos are important, even if some online poke fun at them. And they're gaining additional interest at a time when the open source market is dominated by Chinese AI models like Qwen, DeepSeek and GLM.

But the frequency of these corporate manifestos also serves as a way for executives to position themselves and their companies in the marketplace of ideas. "It's a way of showing how smart you are," said Rob Lalka, a business professor at Tulane University. Executives have long used the corporate blog "to expound on ideas in a way where they're sort of this businessman-philosopher, in a sense." "They're trying to argue for optimism as a way of looking at the future," he said.

Lalka said the timing of Zuckerberg's manifesto coincides with rising anger over AI's impact on everything from jobs to the environment. And while tech journalists and academics might pore over them trying to glean nuggets of meaning, these executive manifestos are not necessarily landing with the general public. "They're trying to make the case that the positives will far outweigh some of those negatives that the public backlash is pointing out," he said. "But I think a lot of the reasons for optimism are still yet to be seen."

Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg is the latest Big Tech name to pen a letter thousands of words long about AI.

Why AI Leaders Are Writing Manifestos: A PR Stunt or a Blueprint for the Future?

In an incredible stroke of luck, a man who bought a dilapidated house for just $1,000 stumbled upon a hidden treasure that turned out to be worth far more than the property itself. But instead of keeping the windfall, he made a choice that restored faith in humanity.

## A $1,000 Gamble

Walter Castanedo, a 49-year-old East Toledo resident, purchased a three-bedroom, one-bath fixer-upper at 220 Paine Avenue in May 2024. The house was in such poor condition that it was sold for a mere $1,000, but for Castanedo, it was a hobby project. He had recently moved to Toledo from China and enjoyed renovating houses as a pastime. The property was conveniently located within walking distance of his home, making the project seem manageable.

## The Discovery in the Basement

On New Year's Eve, December 31, 2024, while gutting the basement, Castanedo made a shocking discovery. Between the bricks in a corner, he found five envelopes stuffed with $100 bills. Additional loose hundreds were tucked under bricks where he believed a potbelly stove once sat. The total came to **$10,000**—exactly ten times what he had paid for the house.

"They were black, but you could just make out when I shined a light on it," Castanedo recalled. The newest bill was dated 1981, indicating the stash had been hidden for over four decades.

## The Inflation Reality

While $10,000 sounds impressive, its value has eroded over time. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation calculator, $10,000 in January 1981 would be equivalent to **$36,276.44** as of December 2024. This serves as a stark reminder that cash is both the simplest store of value and, over time, a leaky one.

## A Twist of Generosity

Instead of pocketing the money, Castanedo decided to track down the previous owner's son, Andrew Aranyosi. Aranyosi's father had bought the home in 1937, and Aranyosi himself lived there from 1946 to 1967. Interestingly, Aranyosi had suspected his father hid money in the basement bricks.

Castanedo chose to split the $10,000 **50/50** with Aranyosi, a decision that surprised many. Aranyosi used his $5,000 share to pay medical bills and saved the rest, while Castanedo planned to reinvest his share into renovating the house.

"You only live once, so it's better to just help other people than go the other way," Castanedo explained.

## A Lesson in Value

This story is more than just a lucky find; it's a lesson about what "value" truly means. While the money was a significant sum, the act of sharing it with the rightful heir demonstrated a different kind of wealth—one rooted in integrity and kindness. In a world often focused on material gain, Castanedo's choice reminds us that some things are worth more than cash.

Walter Castanedo finds $10,000 in a $1,000 Toledo home, then tracks down its former resident and splits the cash 50/50.

Man Finds $10,000 Hidden in Wall of $1,000 House, Then Does the Unthinkable

**Strategy (Nasdaq: MSTR)**, the world's leading **Bitcoin (BTC) treasury company** led by billionaire **Michael Saylor**, is facing yet another **delisting threat** from index provider **MSCI**. The company has responded with a sharp rebuke, stating that "Bitcoin doesn't need MSCI. Neither does Strategy."

MSCI has opened a new consultation on the eligibility of **non-operating companies** for its Global Investable Market Indexes. The proposed framework aims to identify companies that buy and hold non-operating assets, generate little cash from operations, and rely on external capital to grow.

According to the simulation using May 2026 data, **Strategy**, **Metaplanet** (TYO: 3350), and **Yellow Cake** (LSE: YCA) could be deleted from the MSCI ACWI IMI. **SharpLink** (Nasdaq: SBET), **Center Laboratories** (TWSE: 4123), and **Lydia Holding** (IS: LYDHO) would be placed on a watchlist.

Strategy holds **840,447 BTC**, Metaplanet holds **43,000 BTC**, and SharpLink holds **888,521 ETH**. Yellow Cake is a uranium investment company, while Center Laboratories and Lydia Holding are in pharmaceuticals and sustainable investment, respectively.

The new methodology assesses companies based on whether their asset structure contains sufficient operating assets. If a company fails the initial test, it is evaluated against five financial ratios:

- Operating assets below 20% of total assets
- Operating expenses below 5% of total assets
- Negative operating cash flow
- Non-operating fair value changes above 5% of total assets
- Capital dependence above 20%

If a company fails the initial test and triggers at least four of the five flags, it becomes ineligible for the index. MSCI is gathering feedback through **Sept. 30** and expects to announce results by **Oct. 16**.

Strategy, with a free-float-adjusted market cap of **$23.9 billion** in the simulation, is the largest company that could be removed. In an X post on Aug. 14, the company pushed back on MSCI's proposal:

> "Index providers should measure markets, not decide which assets companies are allowed to own... Bitcoin doesn't need MSCI. Neither does Strategy."

This is not the first time Strategy has faced such a threat. The company previously avoided delisting from MSCI indexes, but this new proposal poses a significant risk to its inclusion in major global indexes, which could impact investor sentiment and stock liquidity.

Strategy (Nasdaq: MSTR), the world's leading Bitcoin (BTC) treasury company led by billionaire Michael Saylor, faces another MSCI (formerly Morgan Stanley Capital International) delisting threat as the index provider opened a new consultation on the eligibility of non-operating ...

MicroStrategy Fires Back at MSCI's New Delisting Threat: 'Bitcoin Doesn't Need MSCI'

Despite the current crypto winter, with Bitcoin down 50% from its highs and major investors like Mark Cuban selling off, the crypto market is far from dead. New pockets of growth are emerging, from prediction markets to stablecoins and the fusion of AI with blockchain, signaling that the bear phase may be a temporary setback rather than the end.

## New Ways to Trade Crypto

**Prediction markets** have become a popular new avenue for crypto trading. These platforms allow investors to bet on simple "yes/no" outcomes, such as whether Bitcoin will reach a certain price. Notably, both **Robinhood** and **Coinbase** reported significant revenue from prediction market trading in Q2, with Robinhood earning more from this than from spot crypto trading. This diversification suggests that the industry is evolving beyond simple buy-and-hold strategies.

## Pockets of Growth in the Crypto Market

While many cryptos are down, the **stablecoin** sector is booming. **Tether** and **USDC** together have a market cap of $250 billion, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent predicts the stablecoin market could grow to $3 trillion by 2030. This has led to new entrants, like the Open USD consortium. Additionally, **real-world asset (RWA) tokenization** is on the rise, with deposits tripling year-over-year to $7.4 billion in Q2 2026, and some consultants see it as a trillion-dollar opportunity by 2030.

## The Merger of AI and Crypto

The intersection of **artificial intelligence** and **blockchain** is another area of rapid growth. Cathie Wood of Ark Invest highlighted this in 2024, and Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has embraced AI agents that trade on the blockchain. Platforms like Robinhood already allow users to deploy AI agents, making this a trend with long-term potential.

## Will Money Ever Flow Back Into Crypto?

Even if the AI hype fades, that could be a positive for crypto. Investors who rage-quit crypto might shift their attention, potentially bringing new capital back. Crypto has always been cyclical, and the current bear phase is typical. For long-term investors, this could be an opportune moment to find profitable investments in the emerging sectors.

Most top cryptos are down big this year. But new pockets of growth in crypto are quickly emerging.

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