Good morning. January 20th is multitasking today: Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Inauguration Day. One is about dreaming big and fighting for justice; the other is handing someone the nation’s to-do list and praying they don’t screw it up.

Today’s topics:

• Will Trump create a U.S.-focused crypto reserve?

• Coinbase now offers Bitcoin-backed loans

• From class project to NYC traffic hack

• Pompeii’s 2,000-year-old luxury spa

  and more…

The U.S. markets are taking a breather today for the Martin Luther King holiday. Meanwhile, all eyes are on Donald Trump’s inauguration, where a wave of executive orders is expected right out of the gate. 

Last week, the stock market flexed some serious muscle. Treasury yields dipped on tame inflation data, and strong earnings gave major indexes a boost. Bitcoin even flirted with record highs, fueled by chatter about pro-crypto moves from Trump.

On Friday, stocks wrapped up the week strong, securing their first win of the year. The Dow climbed 334 points, the S&P 500 rose 1%, and the Nasdaq soared 1.51%. Big tech was the star of the show: Tesla jumped 3%, Nvidia added 3.1%, and Alphabet chipped in with a 1% gain.

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Trump Revives TikTok, For Now

TikTok is back in action in the U.S., and it’s giving all the credit to Donald Trump. The app stopped working briefly over the weekend due to a ban tied to national security concerns but started coming back online Sunday after Trump promised to bring it back on Monday. TikTok publicly thanked Trump for providing “clarity” to its service providers, reassuring them they wouldn’t face penalties for keeping the app running. Trump, meanwhile, said he extended the ban deadline to strike a deal protecting U.S. data.

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Trump eyes a U.S. crypto reserve. Trump is reportedly open to creating a U.S.-focused crypto reserve featuring coins like USD Coin, Solana, and XRP, but Bitcoin might not make the cut. The New York Post says Trump is “receptive” to prioritizing U.S.-based cryptocurrencies over the global crypto king, Bitcoin. This buzz grew louder after Trump had dinner with Ripple execs, including CEO Brad Garlinghouse, who called it a “strong start to 2025.”

Coinbase now offers Bitcoin-backed loans. Coinbase is now allowing U.S. users (excluding New York) to borrow cash without selling their Bitcoin. Users can access instant loans in USDC, using Bitcoin as collateral. Powered by Morpho, an open-source lending protocol on Coinbase’s Layer-2 blockchain, the service provides flexible repayment options and dynamic interest rates set by an open market.

Goldman Sachs pays $80M to keep CEO David Solomon. Goldman Sachs just handed CEO David Solomon an $80 million bonus in stock to keep him on board for five more years. The catch: he has to stay until 2030 for it to fully vest. On top of that, his 2024 pay jumped 26% to $39 million, including $2 million salary, $8 million cash, and a pile of stock bonuses. 

Walgreens tried to be cool (and failed). Walgreens blew $200 million replacing fridge doors with digital screens, thinking they’d revolutionize shopping. Instead, they delivered malfunctioning ads, blank screens, and endless headaches. The “smart” doors barely made any money, pulling in a laughable $215 per year per screen. CoolerX, the tech partner, sued Walgreens when the pharmacy chain tried to pull the plug. Meanwhile, employees were left sticking handwritten signs on the broken doors. Very futuristic. By 2024, Walgreens ripped out the screens, cut its losses, and added this flop to a growing list of failures, including 1,200 store closures and being crowned the worst stock on the S&P 500. Turns out, regular doors worked just fine.

Ancient VIP Spa Found in Pompeii

Archaeologists in Pompeii uncovered a 2,000-year-old luxury spa where ancient Romans bathed like royalty before feasting. This extravagant thermal bath complex, located in the city center, was part of a massive household. The owner clearly knew how to throw a good party.

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Planet parade to observe this week. This week, six planets are gracing the night sky, with Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars visible to the naked eye. The best view is about 45 minutes after sunset, lasting for a few hours.

Money Mess? Fix it with FINMATEX app

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Is NYC’s Congestion Pricing Actually Working?

Two college-age brothers turned a school project into NYC’s favorite congestion pricing tracker. Their tool uses real-time Google Maps data to show how traffic times have changed since January 5, when congestion pricing kicked in. Spoiler: it’s actually working.