The Daily Ninja 12/2/24
Costco is discontinuing book sales in most US stores by January 2023, prioritizing high-demand items like food and home essentials over labor-intensive, low-turnover products.
Self-checkout lines at Costco and Walmart are being removed due to customer complaints about slow, unreliable service and concerns over job losses for human cashiers.
A salmonella risk prompted a recall of Kirkland Signature organic pasture-raised eggs sold in five southeastern states from November 2022 to January 2025.
Costco's strategy shift reflects a broader retail trend of adapting to customer preferences, market conditions, and operational challenges in the face of changing consumer behavior.
The removal of self-checkout lines highlights the importance of human interaction in retail, with customers valuing personalized service over automation in certain shopping contexts.
🌐 XRP is designed as a token to facilitate global money transfers between banks and companies, potentially replacing traditional services like Western Union and increasing in value as its utility becomes more widely recognized.
💹 The burn rate of XRP increases with transaction volume, leading to a decrease in supply and potentially driving up the price as adoption grows.
🔗 Ripple's XRP Ledger blockchain technology, featuring the RLUSD stable coin tied to the dollar, is poised to expand functionality and use cases, positioning XRP as a key player alongside Hedera and Cardano.
💼 XRP's value lies in its ability to move money rather than sell products, potentially making it the "biggest move of the century" on a percentage basis.
🚀 The recent XRP price spike is believed to be just the beginning, with experts anticipating significant growth as the token's role in global finance and cross-border payments expands.
🚀 XRP price is poised for a potential pre-Christmas rally, driven by $44M in whale activity and transfers to private wallets, indicating reduced selling pressure and investor confidence.
🏛️ An ex-regulator predicts the SEC will drop the Ripple XRP lawsuit due to a crypto-friendly shift in the incoming administration and the regulator's poor performance in the "horrible trial".
📈 XRP has shown "amazing gains" over the past three weeks, with price action suggesting a multi-part pump that could lead to an "explosion in price" if the SEC drops the lawsuit.
⚖️ The SEC vs Ripple case, spanning years, accuses Ripple of violating securities laws, with a federal court ruling classifying some XRP sales as securities while others were not.
🌐 XRP has captured attention for years due to its role in transforming cross-border payments for major banks, with experts arguing the SEC's crackdown has held it back from reaching its full potential.
🚢 Trump's 25% tariffs on Chinese goods in 2024 are expected to cause a short-term surge in exports and a long-term slowdown in the second half of 2025, potentially capping China's economic growth at around 4%.
💻 Major US tech companies like Microsoft, HP, and Dell are rushing to stockpile electronic parts from China before January 2024, likely leading to front-loaded shipments and an export surge in early 2025.
🏭 The tariffs may force companies to relocate manufacturing to the US, creating a bottleneck in production and impacting GDP, while potentially causing a shock effect on America's cost of living.
💰 A combination of tariffs, lowering interest rates, and other economic factors could lead to a mini hyperinflation, causing a significant increase in overall inflation that many people are unprepared for.
🏠 Investing in real estate and tax foreclosure auctions may offer opportunities for those prepared for the potential economic upheaval caused by the tariffs and their ripple effects.
🏦 Ripple's new RLD stablecoin, approved by NYDFS on Dec 4, will enable banks to conduct cross-border transactions at lightning speed, potentially moving $100B daily at 10% of traditional wire costs.
💹 XRP's active accounts surged 100% in November, with unique senders increasing from 15,590 to 47,000 between Nov 1-16, indicating a positive resurgence in usage.
💵 The RLD stablecoin will be backed 1:1 by cash and bonds, offering a more secure alternative to Tether, which is perceived as a money printing scheme.
🤝 Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse met with Trump to discuss XRP's importance to America, potentially influencing future cryptocurrency policies.
🏛️ RLD will be the first stablecoin approved by the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS), setting a precedent for regulatory acceptance in the crypto industry.
🚀 XRP's 225% rally in the last month, reaching a $96 billion market cap and $1.70 price, signals strong investor confidence and potential for further growth.
💰 Record-high open interest in XRP futures contracts, with 31% increase in perpetual and 21% in futures, indicates bullish sentiment and expectations of continued price movement.
🤝 Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse's $25 million donation to FairSake aims to support financial justice while potentially rehabilitating Ripple's image after its SEC battle.
📊 Large XRP wallets are rapidly expanding, with an average size of 12,350 XRP, suggesting accumulation by "smart money" and potential for future price increases.
🎯 Investors are eyeing $2 as a psychological price target for XRP, with some speculating on a possible $5 price for those who bought between $0.50 and $1 in the past year.
Go out and crush it!
The Ninja is OUT!
