Hello and welcome to Alts Cafe
This is everything you need to stay up to date in alternatives.
Highlights from the full issue:
- Macro: India cut rates for the first time in five years
- Real Estate: Home prices rose in 201 of 226 metro markets
- Startups: Stripe acquired Bridge Network for $1.1 billion
- Private Equity: Global PE assets hit $10.8 trillion in 2024
- Crypto: Citi maintained a $350 price target on Coinbase
- NFTs: METAVISIO’s NFT collection sold out in seconds
- Art: Christie’s is hosting its first AI art auction
- Vintage Autos: RM Sotheby’s Paris sale set a new record
- Coins: A 404-coin Roman and British hoard was discovered
- Farmland: Northern Ireland farmland prices hit £14,736/acre
- Luxury: Capri Holdings faced a securities fraud lawsuit
- Wine, Tequila, and Spirits: US wine sales dropped by 7.9%
- Film & Music: Five New York pension funds sued Paramount
- Precious Metals: Botswana & De Beers finalized a new deal
- Collectibles: Kobe Bryant’s shoes sold for $660,000
- Websites: Fanbase.com sold for $431,400
Let’s go.
Wyatt
Table of Contents
Macro View
Bullish News
- Russia’s private sector PMI hit 54.7, its fastest expansion in a year.
- The Fed called the US economy “solid,” citing strong jobs and easing inflation.
- India cut rates for the first time in five years and forecast 6.7% GDP growth.
- Canada added 76,000 jobs in January, dropping unemployment to 6.6%.
- Indonesia’s economy grew 5.03% in 2024.
Bearish News
- Europe ended 2024 with no economic growth, signaling stagnation.
- President Trump announced new 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, with reciprocal tariffs planned this week.
- Chinese consumer confidence hit record lows, dampening retail despite rising spending.
- A $5.5 trillion bill could double US debt-to-GDP, hitting 133% by 2035.
- The Bank of England cut rates for the third time in six months.
- Russia’s inflation jumped 9.9% year-over-year.
What are the odds?
Get $25 to play around with using this link.
Real Estate
Bullish News
- Dallas real estate surged as demand outpaced supply heading into 2025.
- Blackstone acquired Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. for $17.50 per share.
- MG Properties bought San Diego’s Park 12 Apartments for $309 million, the city’s biggest deal since 2020.
- Home prices rose in 201 of 226 metro markets, with the national median hitting $410,100.
- Realtor.com picked Austin for its new HQ, citing a strong talent pool and local economy.
Bearish News
- Seattle’s office vacancy rate hit 30% in January, with 25 million square feet available.
- US mortgage applications fell 63% from pandemic peaks, requiring $114,900 income for median homes.
- Climate risks could wipe out $1 trillion in property value by 2055, with Tampa facing a 25% decline.
- Join the conversation over at the Alts community.
- Los Angeles sued Blueground US for rent hikes of over 30% during emergency restrictions.
How to invest in real estate right now:
Check out our stake in Tomball Texas, which is closing this week.
Startups
Bullish News
- Jump raised $20 million from Battery Ventures to expand AI tools for financial advisors.
- Stripe acquired Bridge Network for $1.1 billion, expanding into stablecoin payments.
- Tidal Vision secured $140 million to scale biotech infrastructure in Europe and the US.
- Hitachi launched a $400 million fund for digital tech and frontier investments.
Bearish News
- A 62-year-old startup founder stole $4.2 million from investors to buy a mansion and Mercedez-Benz.
- Investment in European payment startups plummeted from $10 billion in 2021 to under $2 billion.
- The SEC opened an active investigation into the gaming platform Roblox.
- A judge ruled that the lawsuit against Coinbase for illegal securities sales will proceed.
- Rapyd’s valuation dropped to $3.5 billion, down from $9 billion in 2021.
How to invest in startups right now:
Rotate out of European payments and into biotech.
While you’re at it, check out BOXABL, which is leading tiny homes revolution.
Private Equity and Private Credit
Bullish News
- Global PE assets hit $10.8 trillion in 2024, up 11.6% from 2023.
- Apollo’s credit unit pulled in $19 billion in Q4, 80% of third-party capital.
- Warburg Pincus deployed $1 billion from its $4 billion Capital Solutions Fund.
- Commonfund raised $700 million across three VC funds, reaching $7.3 billion.
Bearish News
- Massachusetts imposed $25,000 weekly fines on non-compliant PE healthcare deals.
- PE-run hospitals saw an 11% rise in patient deaths and staff cuts.
- President Trump vowed to kill carried interest tax perks, hitting PE profits.
- KKR’s $638 billion AUM fell short of $643.4 billion analyst estimates.
How to invest in PE and Private Credit right now:
Another week of shocking PE/Healthcare statistics.
Crypto
Bullish News
- The crypto market hit $3.76 trillion, with Solana DEXs outperforming Ethereum for four months.
- Franklin Templeton filed for a crypto index ETF beyond Bitcoin and ether.
- Grayscale’s Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF topped $4 billion in assets with 0.15% base fees.
- BlackRock raised its stake in Strategy to 5%, the largest corporate Bitcoin holder.
- The SEC reviewed ETF applications for XRP, Litecoin, and Solana.
- A bipartisan House resolution backed blockchain and digital asset growth.
- Citi maintained a $350 price target on Coinbase after strong Q4 results.
Bearish News
- A judge ruled that the lawsuit against Coinbase for illegal securities sales will proceed.
- Uniswap’s value fell 40% to its lowest level since November 2024.
- A Canadian hacker stole $65 million from KyberSwap and Indexed Finance platforms.
- EmpiresX founders were fined $130 million for operating a fraudulent crypto scheme.
- Dozens of fake DeepSeek sites emerged for credential theft and crypto scams.
How to invest in Crypto right now:
$4 billion seems like a lot for a “mini trust”.
NFTs
Bullish News
- Sony’s Soneium platform launched 999,999 music NFTs with producer NUU$HI.
- The NFT market is projected to hit $745.4 billion by 2034, growing 39.4% annually.
- METAVISIO’s NFT collection sold out in seconds, topping OpenSea’s Base network.
Bearish News
- Concerns over money laundering and crypto buyers clashed with the traditional art market.
- megaETH’s NFT sale faced skepticism over its valuation and possibly disguised ICO.
How to invest in NFTs right now:
Who splurged on the METAVISIO?
Artwork
Bullish News
- France launched an $800 million Louvre renovation to boost capacity to 12 million visitors.
- The White House acquired its first Latina artist piece, a Carmen Herrera painting.
- Harvard Art Museums received 62 Edvard Munch prints and two paintings in a landmark gift.
- A Thomas Cole landscape set a $1.6 million auction record, the highest in 20 years.
- Three rare Paul Delvaux paintings are hitting Christie’s with estimates up to $2.5 million.
- Christie’s is hosting its first AI art auction, expecting to raise at least $600,000.
Bearish News
- Justin Sun sued David Geffen over an allegedly stolen $78.4 million Giacometti sculpture.
- France slashed arts funding by up to 70%, cutting €150 million from its culture sector.
- A Christie’s Old Masters sale missed estimates, bringing in $19.5 million against a $22.2-33.2 million target.
How to invest in Artwork right now:
Time to start drumming up those AI art prompts.
Vintage Autos
Bullish News
- RM Sotheby’s Paris sale set a record as Europe’s highest-grossing collector car auction, generating €69,073,275.
- Bonhams Cars returned to the Grand Palais, achieving €18 million in sales with a 91% sell-through rate.
- The Ferrari F355 has seen its value increase by 142% over the last five years.
- Bring a Trailer celebrated a record-breaking year in 2024, surpassing $1.5 billion in sales with nearly 45,000 auctions.
Bearish News
- A classic car dealer announced a complete business liquidation, including a low-mileage 1968 Mustang for just $8,500.
- Drone footage revealed over 5,000 well-preserved vintage cars in a Colorado junkyard dating back to the 1960s.
- A Bugatti Centodieci failed to sell at the RM Sotheby’s Paris auction, missing its $10 million target.
How to invest in Vintage Autos right now:
With numbers like the above, you’d be crazy not to check out our opportunity to invest in three Ferraris.
Rare Coins
Bullish News
- Metal detectorists discovered a 404-coin Roman and British hoard in the Netherlands.
- The Royal Mint introduced new Waterloo Medal Victory coins in gold and silver.
- A-Mark Precious Metals acquired Stack’s Bowers Galleries for $92 million.
- A Roman coin from Emperor Claudius was found preserved in a Spanish cave dating back 1,900 years.
Bearish News
- A Connecticut man was sentenced to five years of probation for fraudulently acquiring over 100 gold coins.
- Treasure hunter Tommy Thompson refused to disclose the location of missing gold coins despite being jailed.
How to invest in Rare Coins right now:
I need to stop laughing at metal detectorists.
Farmland
Bullish News
- Northern Ireland farmland prices hit a record high of £14,736 per acre, with County Armagh reaching £20,174 per acre.
- Over 5,100 acres of Illinois farmland are scheduled for auction in February 2025.
- Vermont Pension Investment Committee made a $35 million commitment to a US farmland fund.
Bearish News
- The USAID freeze threatened $2.1 billion in food aid purchases from US farmers.
- Nearly one-third of Michigan counties have reported bird flu cases.
- South African farmers face an extra R1.27 billion in electricity costs due to Eskom’s price hike.
- A new H5N1 flu genotype has spread to US dairy farms.
How to invest in Farmland right now:
Nationally, approximately 150 million birds have been affected by HPAI to date.
Luxury Goods
Bullish News
- Tiffany & Co. opened a new triplex flagship store in Chengdu, featuring a private dining room and watch salon.
- The luxury goods market is projected to reach $447.3 billion by 2033.
- The luxury apparel market is set to grow by $25.2 billion from 2025-2029.
Bearish News
- Capri Holdings faced a securities fraud lawsuit over its failed $8.5 billion merger with Tapestry.
- Two men were charged for fencing stolen luxury goods transported across state lines.
- Estee Lauder announced plans to cut up to 7,000 jobs after reporting a 6% sales decline.
- Italian fashion exports to the US face potential Trump tariffs, threatening the country’s $4.6 billion luxury fashion trade.
How to invest in Luxury Goods right now:
What tax bracket do you need to be in to know what a watch salon is.
Wine, Tequila, and other Spirits
Bullish News
- Splash Beverage Group announced plans to acquire Western Son Vodka.
- The wine and spirits market is projected to grow by $193.2 billion by 2028.
- The port wine market is expected to reach $2.4 billion by 2035, growing at a 5.4% CAGR.
Bearish News
- US wine sales dropped by 7.9% in 2024, with both table wines and sparkling wines declining by 8%.
- 41 breweries closed in Colorado in 2024.
- LVMH’s wine and spirits division saw operating profit plunge 35.7% to €5.86 billion in 2024.
- Cognac exports to China plummeted by 23.8% in value during 2024.
How to invest in Wine and Spirits right now:
Cheers to liquid investments! Any port in a storm!
I’ll see myself out.
Music and Film
Bullish News
- Warner Music Group acquired control of Tempo Music for $450 million.
- Amazon MGM Studios announced plans to establish an international theatrical distribution arm.
- A US federal court ruling expanded copyright termination rights globally.
- Paramount Pictures secured a major slate financing deal with Domain Capital Group covering at least 30 upcoming films.
Bearish News
- Five New York pension funds sued Paramount to block its $8 billion sale to Skydance.
- A federal judge allowed Megan Thee Stallion’s defamation lawsuit against YouTuber Milagro Gramz to proceed.
- Spotify reported that major record labels’ share of streams fell to 71% in 2024, down from 87% in 2017.
How to invest in Music and Film right now:
Tranche II of our film fund opens this spring. Get early access.
Metals and Gems
Bullish News
- Canada approved C$1.3 million in funding for Cygnus Metals’ critical minerals infrastructure development in Quebec.
- US Rep. Pete Stauber introduced legislation to return mining leases near the Boundary Waters to Twin Metals Minnesota.
- Mexico’s antitrust authority approved the sale of SilverCrest to Coeur Mining.
- The Botswana government and De Beers concluded negotiations on a new rough diamond sales agreement.
Bearish News
- Trafigura uncovered a $600 million fraud involving worthless nickel shipments.
- Critical Metals shares fell 29% after announcing a $22.5 million private placement.
How to invest in Metals and Gems right now:
Apparently, Fool’s Nickel is a thing now.
Collectibles
Bullish News
- Kobe Bryant’s game-worn shoes from his Achilles game sold for $660,000 at Sotheby’s.
- The animation collectibles market is expected to reach $25 billion by 2032.
- A new Collectors Club venue opened in Miami’s Wynwood district, featuring on-site AGS card grading services.
Bearish News
- A surge in Pokemon card scams has cost collectors over $163,000 since January 2025.
- Thousands of dollars worth of collectibles were stolen from a storage unit in Pennsylvania.
How to invest in Collectibles right now:
Will Pokemon cards ever go out of style?
Websites and Domains
Bullish News
- Fanbase.com sold for $431,400 on the new Fruits.co platform.
- The first expiring .AI domain auctions moved to Namecheap from Dynadot.
- India’s central bank announced a new .bank.in domain exclusively for banks starting April 2025.
- Premium one-word .com domains continued price appreciation in 2024.
Bearish News
- Over 50 fake DeepSeek websites were used for phishing and crypto theft.
- The number of .ie websites declined by 0.51% in 2024.
- The Swiss tax authority was forced to buy a Bahamas domain after a URL typo on flyers were sent to over 100,000 households.
- The FBI seized 39 domains linked to hacking and fraud tools, impacting victims who lost $3 million.
- .com and .net registrations continued to decline in 2024, with .com down by 3.3 million domains year-over-year.
How to invest in Websites and Domains right now:
Will .com’s become a thing of the past?
That’s all for this week
Cheers,
Wyatt
Disclosures
- We hold BTC and ETH in our ALTS 1 Fund.
- Our friends at Boxabl brought this issue to you.
