Leo
Senior reporter covering fintech and the startup ecosystem. Finance graduate from National Taiwan University with a CS minor. Former fintech PM in Taipei and VC analyst in Singapore, known for data-driven business analysis of tech trends.
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YouTubers are Redefining Hollywood: The Digital Uprising Against Box Office Gatekeepers
YouTube independent creators are increasingly outperforming traditional Hollywood productions at the box office through direct audience interaction and high-quality content, marking the decline of traditional Hollywood gatekeepers.
Leo··2 min read
Google Engineer Investigated for Alleged Insider Trading on Polymarket
A Google engineer is under investigation by the FBI for allegedly using internal search data to secure $1.2 million in profits from bets on the prediction market Polymarket.
Leo··2 min read
Sony Announces PlayStation Plus Subscription Price Hikes Amid Market Pressure
Sony is increasing the prices of its short-term PlayStation Plus subscription plans starting May 20th, citing ongoing market conditions and rising operational costs.
Leo··2 min read
Anthropic Surpasses OpenAI in U.S. Business AI Adoption
According to the May 2026 Ramp AI Index, Anthropic’s Claude has captured 34.4% of U.S. business adoption, surpassing OpenAI’s 32.3% and signaling a major shift in enterprise preferences.
Leo··2 min read
TikTok Launches Ad-Free Subscription Service in the UK for £3.99
TikTok is introducing a £3.99 monthly subscription service in the UK that allows users to opt-out of personalized advertisements. This move signifies a major shift in the platform's monetization strategy amid regulatory and advertising pressures.
Leo··2 min read
The Shifting Media Subscription Landscape: Writers Fleeing Substack and Netflix's Gaming Pivot
Content creators are fleeing Substack for more control, while Netflix successfully bolsters engagement via gaming. The media subscription landscape is splitting into two extremes: individual autonomy and bundled comprehensive platforms.
Leo··2 min read
Investor Katie Haun Secures $1B to Deepen Crypto and Blockchain Venture Focus
Katie Haun has raised $1 billion for new venture funds to continue supporting startups in the crypto and blockchain ecosystems, focusing on long-term infrastructure.
Leo··1 min read
Bitcoin Surges Past $80,000 Milestone Amid Market Optimism
Bitcoin has surged past $80,000 for the first time since January. Analysts are monitoring the market throughout May, with investors increasingly using AI tools for forecasting.
Leo··2 min read
GitHub Shifts to Usage-Based Billing for Copilot Amidst Escalating AI Costs
GitHub is transitioning to a usage-based billing model for Copilot users, citing the inability to continue absorbing the escalating inference costs associated with high-frequency AI usage.
Leo··1 min read
First Insider Trading Arrest: US Soldier Allegedly Profited from Polymarket Bets
A U.S. Special Forces soldier was arrested for allegedly using classified intelligence to profit on Polymarket, the first such insider trading case on the platform, triggering regulatory scrutiny.
Leo··2 min read
US Special Forces Soldier Arrested for Insider Trading on Polymarket
A US special forces soldier has been arrested for allegedly using classified government information to profit $400,000 from Polymarket bets regarding a military operation against Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro.
Leo··2 min read
Microsoft Restructures Xbox Game Pass Strategy
Microsoft is restructuring Xbox Game Pass by lowering subscription prices while ending 'day-one' access to new Call of Duty titles, opting to delay them by approximately one year.
Leo··2 min read
YouTube Premium Subscription Price Hike and Strategy Pivot
YouTube has increased its Premium individual subscription to $15.99 per month while clarifying that reports of long unskippable ads on the free tier were due to a technical bug.
Leo··2 min read
Digital Wallets and Humanitarian Aid: A Survival Strategy in Lebanon
Amid Lebanon's institutional collapse and mass displacement, digital wallets have become a critical survival strategy. By enabling direct fund transfers from the diaspora to affected communities, these systems bypass failed banking channels, offering a potential blueprint for humanitarian aid in unstable regions.
Leo··2 min read
Quantum Computing Advances: Breaking Encryption May Require Less Resource than Predicted
New research suggests that quantum computers might break encryption with fewer resources than previously predicted, accelerating the urgency to adopt post-quantum cryptography.
Leo··2 min read
Bluesky Launches AI Assistant 'Attie': Redefining Social Media Feeds
Bluesky's new AI assistant, Attie, allows users to leverage natural language commands to build personalized algorithmic feeds. The initiative aims to break the 'algorithmic black box' of major social platforms and return control of content curation to the user.
Leo··2 min read
Netflix Increases Subscription Prices Globally by Up to 12.5 Percent
Netflix has announced global price hikes of $2 per month for its standard and premium tiers. The move reflects the streaming industry's shift toward focusing on profitability in a mature market.
Leo··2 min read
Netflix Implements Global Price Hikes: Subscription Costs Rise by 12.5%
Netflix is increasing the monthly subscription fee for all tiers by up to $2, citing a continuing trend of price hikes across major streaming platforms.
Leo··2 min read
Netflix Hikes Subscription Prices Across All Tiers
Netflix has announced another round of price hikes across all subscription tiers, with increases of up to 12.5%. This move reflects a broader industry trend of rising costs among major streaming services as companies seek to bolster profitability.
Leo··2 min read
Anthropic Defies Pentagon: Sworn Declarations Deny Wartime AI Sabotage Claims
Anthropic has filed sworn declarations in federal court to refute Pentagon claims that its AI models pose a national security risk. The developer argues the government's fears of wartime sabotage are based on technical misunderstandings. This legal battle could redefine how AI contractors are vetted for military use under the Administrative Procedure Act.
Leo··2 min read
Quantum Guardians: Charles Bennett and Gilles Brassard Honored with 2026 Turing Award
Charles Bennett and Gilles Brassard have won the 2026 Turing Award for their pioneering work in quantum cryptography (BB84 protocol) and quantum information theory. Their research provides a foundation for physically secure communications in an era where quantum computers threaten traditional encryption.
Leo··2 min read
Prediction Markets Under Fire: Arizona Files Historic Criminal Charges Against Kalshi as State-Federal Conflict Peak
Arizona has filed historic criminal charges against the prediction market Kalshi, labeling it an 'illegal gambling business.' This case sets up a massive legal showdown over federal preemption vs. state power. A defeat for Kalshi could cripple the US prediction market industry, potentially driving users toward offshore, unregulated platforms.
Leo··3 min read
Adobe to Pay $75 Million Settlement as DOJ Cracks Down on 'Subscription Traps' and Dark Patterns
Adobe has agreed to a $75 million settlement with the U.S. DOJ over allegations of misleading subscription practices and hidden cancellation fees. The case targets the use of 'dark patterns' and signals a major crackdown on the SaaS industry's recurring revenue tactics.
Leo··2 min read
Apple’s New Budget Play: $599 MacBook Neo and iPhone 17e Redefine Entry-Level
Apple has launched its most affordable hardware yet: the $599 MacBook Neo and the iPhone 17e, signaling a major move into the budget market. Simultaneously, the flagship M5 Max chip demonstrated massive performance gains in benchmarks. With one in four iPhones now made in India, Apple’s supply chain shift is enabling more competitive pricing for mass consumers.
Leo··2 min read
MWC 2026: Robot Phones and Foldable Gaming Handhelds Define a New Era of Hardware
MWC 2026 is defined by radical hardware innovation, featuring Honor's 'Robot Phone' with a movable camera arm and Lenovo's Legion Go Fold, a gaming handheld with a folding POLED screen. Honor also set new standards for foldables with the IP69-rated Magic V6.
Leo··5 min read
MWC 2026 Hardware Highlights: Lenovo’s Modular Laptops and Folding Gaming Handhelds Redefine Utility
MWC 2026 highlighted a resurgence in hardware innovation, with Lenovo unveiling a modular ThinkBook featuring magnetic secondary screens and the Legion Go Fold gaming handheld. Honor showcased a robotic phone with a movable camera and teased battery tech exceeding 7,000 mAh, signaling a shift toward more flexible and autonomous hardware designs.
Leo··5 min read
Stripe’s $159 Billion Ascent: Inside the Potential Mega-Merger with PayPal and the Era of AI-Driven Fintech
Stripe's valuation has surged 74% to $159 billion following a new tender offer. The payment giant is now reportedly exploring a massive acquisition of its competitor PayPal, or its core business units.
Leo··5 min read