Subscribe to the podcast to help Starlink and SpaceX go public.

00:00:00 Trade war, tariffs, market environment

00:13:54 Bitcoin, Coinbase, strategy, Robinhood

00:39:50 PayPal

01:02:00 Nvidia

01:21:00 Tesla

01:44:00 SpaceX & Starlink

01:56:40 Hamburg election

Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/episode/30gKZLHAwjWDahoz8DARYM?si=mZ2T4jUPQkOPdwfm_HVAvw

YouTube

https://youtu.be/wioV-LvXgKc

Apple Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/80-nvidia-paypal-tesla-spacex-starlink-bitcoin-strategy/id1695869891?i=1000697908309

$NVDA (-4,49%)
$TSLA (-5,38%)
$BTC (-3,21%)
$SOL (-2,43%)
$ETH (-2,43%)
$XRP (-4,01%)
$ADA (-5,54%)
$COIN (-2,62%)
$MSTR (-0,42%)
$HOOD (-5,53%)
$PYPL (-1,56%)
#starlink
#spacex
#nasdaq
$AAPL (-0,26%)
$SPOT (-7,19%)
$GOOGL (+0,01%)
$GOOG (+0,11%)

As a listener of the PayPal ($PYPL (-1,56%) ) Investor Day in New York, I experienced an exciting day full of insights into the company's future plans and strategic changes.

Under the motto "Transforming Commerce for Durable Growth" the new management team around CEO Alex Chriss presented a vision that goes far beyond traditional payment services. He emphasized that PayPal is evolving from a pure payment company into a comprehensive commerce platform platform. This transformation should enable merchants and consumers to better connect in an increasingly complex digital world and create personalized shopping experiences.

The CEO highlighted the current challenges in e-commerce: consumers are faced with a flood of offers and are looking for trustworthy and worthwhile options. At the same time, retailers are struggling with rising customer acquisition costs and the desire to stand out in the digital world.

To meet these challenges, Chriss presented the vision of a commerce platform based on the following pillars:

- Omnipresence: PayPal should not only be available online, but everywhere - in-store, in new technologies and wherever customers and merchants want to carry out transactions.

- Personalization: Using customer data and AI to create personalized shopping experiences that bring consumers and merchants together.

- Smart wallets: The PayPal Wallet is intended to be more than just a collection of payment methods. It is designed to help consumers make the smartest choices and make the best use of their money.

- End-to-end commerce journey: PayPal wants to support merchants not only with payment processing, but also with customer acquisition and retention.

- ,Unified platform: By merging various internal platforms and using AI, the aim is to enable a more efficient and data-driven way of working.

CTO Srini Venkatesan explained the technological investments required to realize this vision. The focus is on bringing together different product platforms on a common basis in order to increase the speed of development and ensure a consistent customer experience. Furthermore, the creation of a central customer view to enable personalized offers and services and a process to optimize development processes in order to achieve faster releases and a higher speed to market.

In addition, the use of AI to automate tasks, improve decision-making and personalize customer experiences is an important part of the strategy.

Diego Scotti, responsible for the consumer business, presented a strategy based on two strong brands: PayPal and Venmo. PayPal is intended to be the easiest, safest and most rewarding way to pay to pay, send money and save. PayPal should be accepted everywhere consumers shop - online, in-store, via P2P or even with crypto. PayPal should offer flexible payment options that meet the individual needs of consumers and should offer consumers added value through rewards, offers and personalized shopping experiences.

Michelle Gill explained the strategy for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). PayPal wants to be the indispensable platform that helps them to grow and be successful. This is to be achieved through an improved go-to-market strategy, product innovations and stronger customer loyalty.

Frank Keller spoke about the growth plans for the Enterprise business, also known as Braintree. He emphasized that PayPal Checkout is at the heart of the business. For consumers, it needs to be fast, easy and personalized. For merchants, it needs to increase conversion.

Suzan Kereere presented the strategy for the global markets. She emphasized that PayPal needs a strong global presence but still has a lot of untapped potential. To tap this potential, PayPal wants to expand its reach, increase its relevance and accelerate its impact.

CFO Jamie Miller explained the company's financial goals. PayPal wants to grow volume faster than e-commerce growth, achieve high single-digit transaction margin growth, invest in innovation and optimize the cost base. The goal is to achieve low double-digit growth in non-GAAP earnings per share and grow free cash flow in line with earnings.

Following the presentations, analysts had the opportunity to ask questions. The main questions and answers were:

How can PayPal get its customers to use more products? Suzan Kereere explained that PayPal has developed a playbook to identify customer needs and offer appropriate solutions. Alex Chriss emphasized that the organization is now more customer-centric and the different product teams are working better together.

How does PayPal take into account the competition from Apple Pay and other payment services? Alex Chriss emphasized that PayPal must provide a first-class customer experience, but also invest in the future of commerce to create personalized shopping experiences.

Can PayPal achieve the accelerated growth of branded checkout with the same economics? Alex Chriss explained that PayPal creates value for merchants by creating personalized shopping experiences and attracting new customers. Jamie Miller added that many of the initiatives around branded checkout are high margin.

How can PayPal get customers to use PayPal or Venmo more often? Diego Scotti explained that PayPal will introduce a rewards system that rewards customers for using the entire PayPal ecosystem.

How can PayPal compete with Stripe and Adyen? Frank Keller explained that PayPal is focusing on high-margin value-added services and targeted expansion in specific regions and industries. Alex Chriss emphasized that PayPal will use its unique assets to play "unfair games" in competition.

The PayPal Investor Day gave the impression of a company in transition. The new leadership team has a clear vision for the future and is determined to develop PayPal into a comprehensive commerce platform. The strategies and initiatives presented are ambitious but realistic and are based on a sound analysis of the current challenges and opportunities in e-commerce.

It will be exciting to see how PayPal implements its plans in the coming years.

MercadoLibre ($MELI (-3,01%) ) is the undisputed market leader for e-commerce and FinTech in Latin America. Often referred to as the "Amazon of South America", the company dominates with its marketplace, digital payment services and its own logistics infrastructure. But after years of growth and a correction, the question arises: Can MercadoLibre take off again in 2025?

🚀 The MercadoLibre business model

✅ MercadoLibre (e-commerce): The largest online marketplace in Latin America with strong growth. In 2024, sales increased by 20%which shows the continuing demand.

✅ Mercado Pago (FinTech): One of the leading digital payment platforms in the region, used both online and in brick-and-mortar retail.

✅ Mercado Envios (logistics): Own logistics network for faster and more efficient delivery - a major advantage over Amazon.

✅ Mercado Credito (Lending): Enables buyers and sellers to access credit and expands the business model in the direction of FinTech.

Thanks to this broad diversification MercadoLibre is not only an e-commerce company, but also a FinTech and logistics player with strong growth potential.

🏆 Competition - Who can be a threat to MercadoLibre?

🔸 Amazon $AMZN (-3,25%)
: Global giant, but with lower market penetration in Latin America.

🔸 Sea Limited (Shopee) $SE: (-4,86%) An emerging threat in e-commerce, especially in Brazil.

🔸 Nubank & StoneCo $NU (-1,35%)
: Strong FinTech competitors entering the payments market.

🔸 Alibaba (AliExpress) $9988 (-0,78%)
: Focuses on low-cost imported products - but without its own logistics in the region.

Despite tough competition, MercadoLibre remains the market leader - mainly due to its logistics network, which Amazon and Shopee do not yet offer at this level in Latin America.

📈 Growth potential: why MercadoLibre could take off in 2025

✅ E-commerce boom: Online retail in Latin America continues to grow. Annual growth of 15% is expected until 2026 (Statista).

✅ Digitalization:
In 2024, internet usage in Latin America increased by 8%which creates the basis for further growth in online retail and digital financial services.

✅ Logistics advantage: MercadoLibre has acquired Mercado Envios an infrastructure that dominates the market.

✅ FinTech growth: With Mercado Pago and Mercado Credito the company is developing into a kind of "PayPal $PYPL (-1,56%)
& Klarna of Latin America".

✅ Latin America as a growth market: While markets such as the USA and Europe are more mature, Latin America still offers still offers enormous potential for increasing online purchases.

⚠️ Risks: What are the challenges?

⚠️ Currency risks: The High inflation and currency fluctuations in countries such as Brazil or Argentina could depress profits.

⚠️ Fierce competition: Shopee in Brazil in particular is putting MercadoLibre under pressure.

⚠️ Regulations: Political uncertainties and possible new regulations for digital financial services could slow down growth.

⚠️ Rising financing costs:
Mercado Credito is growing, but higher interest rates could weigh on the lending business.

📊 Conclusion: turnaround candidate for 2025?

MercadoLibre remains the dominant player in Latin America and is benefiting from growing digitalization and rising e-commerce sales. Despite currency risks and competition the company has strong growth driversthat make it interesting in the long term.

🔥 Turnaround candidate or long-term winner? What do you think - will MercadoLibre remain number 1 or will the competition catch up?

We have reached an interesting point on the chart.

I am (unfortunately) a newbie at over 40 and now have $IWDA (-1,28%) and $EIMI (-1,09%) in a 70/30 ratio as a savings plan with 700Euro. I would reserve 10% for some BTC, individual shares ($PYPL (-1,56%) ) and cash. However, ETFs should remain 90% of my portfolio for the next 20 years.

Would it make sense to add the EuroStoxx600 to the ETFs and if so in what ratio?

Thanks in advance for your opinions

Grab Holdings ($GRAB (-4,93%) ) is the leading provider of ride-hailing, food delivery and digital financial services in Southeast Asia. With a wide range of services, the company has established itself as a "super app" and has become an essential part of daily life in many Southeast Asian countries. However, after strong growth and an IPO, the stock has gone through a difficult phase - but is Grab on track to become a turnaround story in 2025?

Overview: What does Grab do?

Grab is active in several business areas:

✅ Ride-hailing: Grab is the market leader in the ride-hailing sector and competes with Uber in Southeast Asia. In addition to passenger transportation, Grab also offers delivery services for parcels.

✅ Food delivery (GrabFood)With GrabFood, the company has a strong position in the food delivery business, especially in cities such as Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. The business is growing steadily, especially during the pandemic.

✅ GrabPay and financial servicesGrab has also positioned itself in digital financial services, with GrabPay, a mobile payment platform, and a range of loans and insurance for its customers.

Competition: Who are the competitors?

🔸 Gojek (now part of Tokopedia) $GOTO : The biggest competitor in the ride-hailing and food delivery industry in Indonesia and other Southeast Asian markets.

🔸 Uber $UBER (-1,1%) Also active in Southeast Asia, particularly in the Philippines and Vietnam. Uber continues to be a significant competitor in the ride-hailing segment.

Correction: Uber is no longer directly active, but rather an indirect beneficiary of Grab's development through its shareholding..

🔸 Foodpanda $DHER (-2,35%) : A strong competitor in the food delivery sector in several countries, including Grab's main markets.

🔸 Ant Group (Alipay)
$9988 (-0,78%) and PayPal $PYPL (-1,56%) competitors in the field of digital payments and FinTech services.

Opportunities: Why could Grab make a comeback in 2025?

✅ Leading market position: Grab is well established in Southeast Asia, with a broad user base and a strong brand. This position could protect the company in the long term.

✅ Expansion potential in the FinTech sector: GrabPay and other financial services continue to be a valuable source of revenue. Grab could further expand its FinTech business as the region continues to offer great potential for digital payments and banking services.

✅ Growth in the food delivery business: The trend towards online delivery services continues to grow. GrabFood could gain even more market share, especially through partnerships with local restaurants and expanded services.

✅ Synergies from the super app strategy: Grab offers not only transportation and delivery, but also financial services and entertainment. This integration of services creates a strong ecosystem for users and partners.

Risks: What could continue to burden Grab?

⚠️ Strong competition: There are already strong local and international competitors in financial services.

⚠️ High losses and high expensesGrab has repeatedly made losses in the past. Sustainable growth and a return to profitability remain a major challenge, especially in view of the high operating costs.

⚠️ Regulatory risks: Like many companies in the region, Grab has to deal with changing and strict regulatory requirements, particularly in the FinTech and ride-hailing sectors.

⚠️ Macroeconomic uncertainties: Economic uncertainty in Southeast Asia, ongoing political tensions and the impact of the pandemic could weigh on business.

Conclusion: Can Grab achieve a turnaround?

Grab has the potential to remain a major player in Southeast Asia if it can overcome competitive challenges while increasing growth in its various business segments. Especially the FinTech-expansion and the synergies as a super appcould be decisive in the long term.

For investors who believe in the potential of Southeast Asia and have a long-term perspective, Grab could be an exciting turnaround candidate for 2025.

What do you think? Does Grab have what it takes to make a comeback in 2025 and remain successful in the long term?

$PYPL (-1,56%)

As of February 19, 2025, PayPal Holdings Inc (PYPL) shares are trading at 78.36 USD, down slightly by 0.35% on the previous close. Despite an annual rise of 47%, the stock remains more than 70% below its all-time high in 2021. Bank of America recently upgraded its recommendation on the stock from "neutral" to "buy", with a price target of USD 103, pointing to stable growth of 6% in the brand's total payments volume. However, PayPal is facing increased competition, notably from Apple Pay, raising questions about the future of its iconic payment button. To strengthen its position, the company plans to improve the button's performance and user experience over the course of the year.

Hello my dear,

I'm currently struggling with my new apartment. As a result, I've been spending very little time on the stock market and looking at my portfolio incredibly rarely (less than five times a day).

So I overlooked the fact that I have slipped back into the red with PayPal (perhaps Florian Prell was right to sell when everyone was laughing), but also that I have already passed the moon with Palantir and may be flying to Mars.

Of course, I didn't overlook Hims, which has unintentionally become my largest position in the portfolio.

I am also following the development of 3I with excitement.

Every now and then I receive dividends from Trade Republic on shares that I sold months ago and each time I ask myself whether this is a past dividend that has simply arrived far too late or whether I am still receiving dividends despite selling because they are asleep...

And then I have this coffee ETC that also flies at the speed of light.

Novo Nordisk and more recently Nike are still in the savings plan although I don't like savings plans. But sometimes I find them useful...

Just do it

$HIMS (-15,45%)

$PYPL (-1,56%)

$PLTR (-10,21%)

$III (-2,97%)

$NKE (+0,5%)

$NOVO B (-2,81%)

$COFF (-4,18%)

I've just had a great experience when I was at $PYPL (-1,56%) wanted to transfer money from my wallet to my current account. PayPal offered me the free real-time transfer and let me tell you, it was so damn satisfying to have the money in my account within seconds. Absolutely great and finally feels like the 21st century (after 1/4 of the century has already passed).

Of course, I also immediately checked to see who else had activated the free real-time transfer. First with my main DKB account. Unfortunately, there's no real-time transfer there yet, but today I got the message that they're working on adding it. I assume by October 09th.

Sparkasse theoretically also has free real-time transfers. Theoretically, that is. Because in order to be able to use it, you would first have to accept the new contract documents. However, the button to accept is not displayed anywhere. And even if it did, the real-time transfer is of course not free, but costs as much as the normal transfer - namely €0.35 each (in online banking) and of course three times as much if you want to do it in the branch. Apart from that, depending on the account model, it also costs the recipient another €0.35 when the money is sent. Savings bank absolutely insane and lost I'll tell you honestly.

On the other hand, it's good to see that Trade Republic's new current account already offers free real-time transfers. The app did crash 3 out of 4 times when setting up the payment, but when it worked to send the money, it arrived in my current account free of charge within seconds. This was wonderful and made me very happy.

What's your situation? Does your bank already offer free real-time transfers? And do you see any impact on the shares of payment service providers such as PayPal but also $V (-2,19%) and $MA (-0,48%) ?