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Crypto exchange Coinbase has launched stock trading for its U.S. customers.
Credit: Ina Fassbender / AFP / Getty Images

Key Takeaways

• Shares of Coinbase soared Wednesday after the company enabled trading of stocks and ETFs for all of its U.S. users.
• The crypto-linked stock also got a boost from a surge in bitcoin prices.

One crypto giant just flipped the script and rolled out (wait for it) stock trading.

Coinbase Global (COIN), the largest public crypto exchange, just enabled stocks and ETFs trading for all of its U.S. users 24 hours a day, five days a week with zero commission. The company's once-beleaguered stock was the second-biggest gainer in the S&P 500 on Wednesday, surging more than 13%.

It helps that Coinbase is getting a boost from a surge in bitcoin, which has risen about 7% in the last 24 hours to around $69,000. Though the exchange's near-term prospects would still appear murky—there's a bear market in crypto and fierce fintech rivals in Robinhood (HOOD) and SoFi (SOFI)—investors could be bidding up shares because one of the company's more niche crypto products could transform the way investors trade at large. (And it has everything to do with artificial intelligence).

WHY THIS MATTERS TO YOU

A financial app that enables both stock and crypto trading isn't new, but Coinbase's edge could be in how it applies its agentic AI capabilities across major assets.

That stocks are now available to trade on the crypto exchange is one of many recent company milestones, with Coinbase aggressively pushing out new products—prediction markets is another—as it aims to diversify its sources of revenue.

The implications of another, more niche Coinbase product announced earlier this month could deliver on a long-awaited crypto-promise: To transform the financial world at large. The exchange recently introduced what are called agentic wallets, digital crypto accounts that let AI agents autonomously spend and trade coins to its Base network, the company's blockchain. That could eventually make crypto more user-friendly, one of the big reasons why regular folks haven't adopted the technology en masse.

Though agentic AI wallets being applied to stock trading or cross-asset portfolio rebalancing is not on the company's roadmap this year, it's not hard to imagine such a future because Coinbase is actively working toward turning stocks into tokens on the blockchain.

"Big moment—you can now trade stocks on Coinbase. The everything exchange is growing," CEO Brian Armstrong said in a social media post on Tuesday. "This is another step toward our vision of offering tokenized equities."

Despite Wednesday's big gain, Coinbase shares have lost nearly one-fifth of their value so far in 2026.

The Department of Education, led by Secretary Linda McMahon, is looking to privatize federal student loans.
Credit: Bonnie Cash / UPI / Bloomberg via Getty Images

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The Department of Education is still considering privatizing its almost $1.7 trillion student loan portfolio.
• Since the start of President Donald Trump's second term, his administration has sought to sell borrowers' federal student loan debt to a private lender and to close the Department of Education to help lower federal spending.

The possibility of privatizing more than a trillion dollars' worth of federal student loans is still on the table.

In a letter to Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in early February, the Department of Education confirmed it is still exploring the possibility of selling the federal student loans to a private lender.

"We have met with a variety of stakeholders to discuss ideas to reform the student loan portfolio since President Trump took office on January 20, 2025," wrote Nicholas Kent, undersecretary for the Department of Education. "The Department has not taken any final actions or made final decisions regarding selling all or part of the student loan portfolio."

Why This Matters

Privatizing student loans could increase competition between lenders, incentivizing them to offer better terms for more borrowers. At the same time, this move could block some borrowers from receiving student loans, especially those with lower credit scores or those pursuing lower-paying degrees.

In March 2025, when President Donald Trump began the process of closing the Department of Education, he hinted at transitioning the handling of federal student loans from the government to a private bank or financial institution.

The Trump administration has criticized current student loan policies, especially those created under the Biden administration, for using too much tax money to subsidize federal student loan programs. Moving federal student loans to a private lender would remove the funding and responsibilities from the government's hands.

Using a private lender to provide federal student loans wouldn't be anything new. At the inception of federal student loans, the Department of Education used private lenders to facilitate federal student loans under an effort called the Federal Family Education Loan Program. The FFEL program ended July 1, 2010, after which the Department of Education began directly distributing federal student loans.

Although the Department of Education has experience working with private lenders, it would be a different story to transfer the nearly $1.7 trillion in federal student debt from the government to a private lender. Firstly, the Trump administration would need Congressional approval to privatize the student loan portfolio.

The process would also likely require the federal government to sell the student loan portfolio to a private lender, which is unlikely, student loan expert Mark Kantrowitz told Investopedia last year, when Trump first discussed privatizing federal student loans.

Most private lenders do not have the capital to purchase the entire student loan portfolio from the government, and the portfolio may have to be discounted to spur a sale.

Advocates Are Concerned About This Change

Student loan borrower advocates and lawmakers are concerned that the privatization of federal student loans would strip borrower access to income-driven repayment plans and forgiveness programs that reduce their burden.

Currently, borrowers with a FFEL loan, the previously private student loans that the Department of Education now controls, are ineligible for most forgiveness programs and income-driven repayment plans.

In November, several members of Congress signed a letter expressing their concerns about the privatization of student loans. Mainly, Congress members were worried that private lenders would not support borrowers as the federal government could. Generally, existing private student loan lenders have more borrower complaints and typically charge higher interest rates than federal loans.

The Department of Education did not address these specific concerns in its letter to Sen. Warren, but said it "adheres to ethics protocols and takes steps to eliminate conflicts of interest when meeting with any stakeholders."

Trump touted his signature economic policies, but some economists say they have done more harm than good.
Credit: Andrew Caballero-Reyonolds / AFP via Getty Images

Key Takeaways

• In his State of the Union speech, President Donald Trump defended his economic policies, saying his controversial tariffs were responsible for an economic "turnaround for the ages."
• Trump said he would make tech companies build power plants for their massive data centers, shielding consumers from rising electricity costs.
• Starting next year, workers without access to employer-match 401k retirement plans can participate in the same plan offered to federal workers with a $1,000 match from the government.

If you don't have an hour and 47 minutes to listen to President Donald Trump's record-long State of the Union address, here are the key takeaways for the economy.

Trump addressed a joint session of Congress Tuesday night and defended his increasingly unpopular economic policies. He said affordability problems were "a dirty, rotten lie" by Democratic politicians and that the economy had a "turnaround for the ages" under his leadership. He also introduced several new policies aimed at helping household finances. The speech was the longest since at least 1964, according to CNN.

"The roaring economy is roaring like never before," he said.

Tariffs Are Actually Good

Trump spent a good deal of his speech defending his signature economic policy. The widespread tariffs he imposed last year are unpopular with the public, with 64% of U.S. adults disapproving of them in a recent ABC/Washington Post/Ipsos poll. And economists say they have pushed up prices for many products as importers pass the cost of the tariffs on to consumers.

Trump said his tariffs are the key to the country's economic success, adding that he has used them to secure trade deals, end foreign wars, and that they would even one day replace income taxes, "taking a great financial burden off the people that I love."

Trump criticized the Supreme Court for overturning many of his tariffs last week, but said they would continue under different legal justifications.

Everything Bad About The Economy Is Biden's Fault

Trump repeatedly blamed the post-pandemic surge of inflation on his predecessor, former president Joe Biden, and took credit for bringing inflation below its 2022 peak.

"The Biden administration and its allies in Congress gave us the worst inflation in the history of our country," he said. "But in 12 months, my administration has driven core inflation down to the lowest level in more than five years."

By the most influential measure, however, core inflation, which excludes volatile prices for food and energy, is higher than when Trump took office. The rise in the Personal Consumption Expenditures price index over 12 months was 2.9% in December, up from 2.7% in January 2025.

The Tech Industry Should Build Its Own Power Plants

In one of a handful of new policy announcements, Trump said he was going to make technology companies build generators to provide electricity to their power-hungry data centers rather than allowing them to rely on the existing electrical grid. The program is aimed at offsetting the recent surge in household electricity prices linked to the AI boom.

"We’re telling the major tech companies that they have the obligation to provide for their own power needs," he said. "They can build their own power plants as part of their factory, so that no one’s prices will go up, and in many cases prices of electricity will go down for the community."

Trump's Plan For Affordable Housing

Trump said he would not try to decrease the price of homes, but would rather focus on making housing affordable by lowering interest rates.

"Low interest rates will solve the Biden-created housing problem, while at the same time protecting the values of those people who already own a house that really feel rich for the first time in their lives," he said. "We want to protect those values."

What This Means For The Economy

Trump didn't introduce any major economic policies in his speech. Instead, he focused on defending the tariffs that have proven unpopular with both economists and the public.

Mortgage rates have fallen during Trump's presidency. Lenders charged an average of 6.01% last week for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, down from 6.96% the week Trump took office, according to Freddie Mac. That has had a significant effect on housing affordability. Under today's rates, a homeowner would pay about $3,000 a year less on their monthly bills than than under last year's rates, according to an estimate from Jake Krimmel, senior economist at Realtor.com. (Trump said the figure was $5,000.)

Trump has repeatedly pushed the Federal Reserve to sharply cut interest rates. The Fed funds rate is not directly tied to mortgage rates but it does influence them. The Fed has cut rates by far less than Trump has demanded, and economists say steep rate cuts could backfire and push up borrowing costs.

He also asked Congress to pass a law banning large investors from buying single-family homes, under the theory that corporations are outbidding individuals and pushing up prices.

Federal Worker Retirement Plans For Everyone

Trump said he would allow every worker whose employer does not offer a retirement plan with matching contributions to participate in the same retirement plan that's offered to federal employees.

"Next year, my administration will give these often forgotten American workers—great people, the people that built our country—access to the same type of retirement plan offered to every federal worker," he said. "We will match your contribution with up to $1,000 each year, as we ensure that all Americans can profit from a rising stock market."

Investors are eager to hear what CEO Jensen Huang has to say about the outlook for Nvidia and the AI boom more broadly.
Credit: Bridget Bennett / Bloomberg / Getty Images

Key Takeaways

• AI chip giant Nvidia's quarterly earnings report, due after the bell on Wednesday, could reinforce expectations for strong growth in businesses supplying data centers and amplify concerns about a deluge of industry-disrupting AI innovations on the horizon.
• Traders expect a large post-earnings move for Nvidia stock, which has more influence within the S&P 500 than five of the index's 11 sectors.

AI chip giant Nvidia (NVDA) is slated to report quarterly results after markets close on Wednesday. The report lands at a precarious time for tech investors. 

There’s been a sharp divergence in the performance of AI stocks this year. A memory shortage has been a tailwind for shares of data storage companies Sandisk (SNDK) and Western Digital (WDC), up 165% and 70% so far this year. On the flip side, software stocks like Intuit (INTU) and Workday (WDAY), both down roughly 40%, have been battered by worries AI deployments threaten to upend the industry. 

Nvidia’s earnings report has the potential to be a wrecking ball or rocket fuel for the AI trade. Better-than-expected sales could reinforce Wall Street’s confidence in the AI infrastructure plays that have led the stock market for much of the past few years. Even a negative datapoint for Nvidia—specifically, profit margin pressure from soaring memory costs—could be a boon to stocks like Sandisk and Western Digital, whose margins would be expanding in kind. 

Why This Is Important

Due to its dominance in the market for advanced chips, Nvidia is considered an AI bellwether—its earnings and outlook a reflection of AI demand. The AI rally has stumbled this year amid anxiety about returns on infrastructure investments and AI's potential to upend entire industries.

If CEO Jensen Huang confirms Blackwell demand is on track with expectations and memory supply remains constrained, "then that’s another tailwind for Micron and the broader memory complex because it keeps the bottleneck narrative centered on memory supply and packaging," said Shay Boloor, chief market strategist at Futurum Equities.

Strong results could also aggravate the anxiety hanging over industries that appear the most vulnerable to disruption from AI tools. A rosy sales forecast from Nvidia could signal AI demand will top expectations this year, increasing the sense of urgency for software companies threatened by large-scale AI deployments. 

Then there’s Nvidia’s impact on the entire stock market. With a $4.8 trillion market capitalization, Nvidia is the world’s most valuable company and accounts for almost 8% of the S&P 500, more than the consumer staples and utilities sectors combined. A large move in Nvidia’s stock price—as is expected—can completely offset the moves of hundreds of other stocks in the index. 

Nvidia’s earnings report is also a major driver of market sentiment. Strong results can reinforce confidence in the Magnificent Seven, which have lagged the broader market so far this year. Underwhelming earnings or a tepid outlook, meanwhile, could raise questions about the trajectory of AI spending, and increase pressure on hyperscalers like Microsoft (MSFT) and Alphabet (GOOG) to show the hundreds of billions they’ve already poured into the technology will pay off soon. 

Nvidia shares were up 2% in midday trading Wednesday. The stock is down about 8% from the all-time high hit in late October but has gained roughly 50% over the past 12 months.

Update—Feb. 25, 2026: This story has been updated with additional commentary. A previous version of this article misidentified Shay Boloor.

Expectations are running high for Nvidia to top Wall Street estimates with its financial results.
Credit: Bridget Bennett / Bloomberg / Getty Images

Key Takeaways

• Nvidia is set to release quarterly results after the closing bell, and the report is expected to show continued massive revenue growth for the chipmaker at the heart of the AI boom.
• Climbing expectations heading into the report could make it more difficult for Nvidia to impress investors, analysts warn.

AI chip leader Nvidia is set to report earnings after the closing bell Wednesday, in what could be a defining moment for markets.

Widely seen as a bellwether for the AI trade, the chipmaker's results stand to influence sentiment around a wide range of stocks exposed to the industry.

Many, along with Nvidia (NVDA), have been pressured lately amid broader uncertainty about the impact AI could have on everything from individual jobs to broader markets and the economy. Nvidia shares, which were up 2% in recent trading, are up about 5% year-to-date after lingering in negative territory for much of 2026 so far.

Why This Matters to Investors

Nvidia's earnings report and the ensuing market reaction could send strong signals about AI demand and how confident investors are feeling about the AI trade.

With no signs of slowing spending on AI hardware by many of Nvidia's Big Tech clients, several Wall Street analysts are forecasting another record quarter from the chipmaker. However, climbing expectations heading into the report could also make it more difficult for Nvidia to impress, they warned.

Nvidia is projected to report adjusted earnings per share of $1.53 on a 68% year-over-year jump in revenue to a record $66.2 billion for the quarter, according to estimates collected by Visible Alpha.

Though they've been held back in recent weeks, Nvidia shares have still added nearly half their value over the past 12 months.

This article has been updated since it was first published to reflect more recent analyst estimates.

News of the day for Feb. 25, 2026

Nvidia, the chipmaker at the heart of the AI boom, is due to release its results after Wednesday's closing bell.
Credit: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP / Getty Images

Stock futures are pointing to a slightly higher open this morning as the market looks to add to Tuesday's gains; Nvidia is due to release its quarterly results after the closing bell, with analysts expecting another blockbuster report from the AI chipmaker; Salesforce is also set to report earnings later Wednesday, amid investor worries about the impact of AI on the health of software companies; President Donald Trump addressed a number of key economic issues in his State of the Union speech; and Cava Group shares are soaring after the restaurant chain’s earnings topped Wall Street expectations. Here's what you need to know today.

Stock Futures Rise Ahead of Nvidia Earnings

Stock futures are higher as investors prepare for Nvidia's earnings report later today and digest President Donald Trump’s State of the Union speech. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 were recently up 0.3%, while Nasdaq futures added 0.5%. The major indexes surged on Tuesday, rebounding from a steep decline to start the week that was fueled by uncertainty about tariffs and concerns about the sustainability of the AI boom. Bitcoin, which fell as low as $62,500 yesterday, was at $66,000 this morning. Gold futures were up 0.5% at $5,200 an ounce, while WTI futures, the U.S. crude oil benchmark, rose 0.8% to $66.15 per barrel. The yield on the 10-year Treasury, which influences borrowing costs on a range of consumer loans, was at 4.06%, up from 4.03% at Tuesday's close.

Nvidia Results Put Spotlight on AI Trade

Investors are bracing for results from Nvidia (NVDA), the chipmaker at the heart of the AI boom. Nvidia earnings have been a bellwether for the AI trade, and analysts are anticipating the world’s most valuable company to deliver another quarter of huge sales growth. Nvidia is expected to report adjusted earnings per share for its fiscal fourth quarter of $1.52, with revenue jumping 67% from a year earlier to a record $65.87 billion, according to estimates collected by Visible Alpha. Investors have grown increasingly concerned about whether massive AI spending levels will pay off and whether a series of circular deals between major tech companies indicate that a bubble is forming. Market participans will be eager to hear CEO Jensen Huang's views on the outlook for Nvidia and the broader AI business. Nvidia shares, which are down about 9% from their all-time high in October, were up nearly 1% in premarket trading Wednesday.

Trump Hits Key Economic Issues in Speech 

President Trump focused on a number of economic issues in his State of the Union address, including savings, housing, tariffs, healthcare and consumer prices. Trump called for the creation of 401(k)-type savings plans for workers who don’t receive a retirement match from their employers, offering a $1,000 yearly contribution from the federal government. He reiterated his call for a ban on housing purchases by institutional investors, which he said could help lower housing prices. Despite the recent Supreme Court ruling against a significant swath of his tariffs, Trump said that he still believed that tariffs could eventually replace the income tax as a source of revenue. Trump touted his proposal to shift healthcare subsidies from insurers to individuals through health savings accounts. He also highlighted progress on inflation, noting that core inflation was at its lowest levels in five years. The Consumer Price Index for January showed that core inflation was at its lowest levels since March 2021.  “Our nation is back: bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever before,” Trump said.

Salesforce Earnings Come Amid Software Slump

Earnings from Salesforce (CRM) are scheduled for release after markets close today as the software industry slumps on fears that its products will be overtaken by AI tools. Salesforce is projected to report adjusted earnings per share of $3.05 on a 12% year-over-year jump in revenue to a record $11.18 billion for the fourth quarter, according to estimates compiled by Visible Alpha. Despite the stock losing about a third of its value so far this year, analysts have remained largely optimistic about the firm’s growth, with the average price target implying growth of around 75%. Salesforce shares were down less than 1% ahead of the opening bell.

Cava Shares Pop on Strong Results

Shares of Cava (CAVA) surged in premarket trading after the restaurant chain reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter results. The Mediterranean-themed restaurant posted adjusted earnings per share of $0.04 on revenue of $273 million, both coming in above the consensus analyst estimates compiled by Visible Alpha. The restaurant chain’s same store sales grew by 0.5% for the quarter, where the analyst consensus had called for a 1.1% decline. The chain also revealed it opened 24 new restaurants in the year’s final quarter.  Cava shares were up 10% recently.

China is one of the country's who may come out ahead after last week's Supreme Court Ruling
Credit: Costfoto / NurPhoto via Getty Images

Key Takeaways

• The replacement of President Donald Trump's emergency tariffs after last week's Supreme Court ruling creates new winners and losers.
• Winners include China and Brazil, whose exports now have lower tariff rates than before.
• Losers include U.S. consumers, who are unlikely to have cost savings passed on to them.

The smoke is still clearing from the latest shakeup of U.S. trade policy this week, but economists have identified definite winners and losers from the latest changes to tariffs.

The tariff landscape got turned on its head last week when the Supreme Court ruled the majority of the import taxes President Donald Trump imposed last year under emergency powers were illegal. In response, Trump called for a 15% worldwide tariff under a different legal mechanism.

Because the old tariffs established under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act targeted individual countries with specific rates, replacing them with a one-size-fits-all rate creates definite winners and losers.

What This Means For The Economy

Economists' forecasts for the U.S. economy were little changed after the ruling, since the overall tariff rate is only slightly lower than before, despite changes in who's paying them.

Winners

The biggest winners of the exchange are China and Brazil, whose exports now have much lower tariffs than they did last week.

The effective tariff rate for Brazil's products fell to 9.6% from 13.5%, Ryan Sweet, chief international economist at Oxford Economics, calculated. China's tariff rate fell to 27.2% from 35.2%.

For U.S. companies, the impact is mixed. Importers, as a whole, are better off because they face overall lower tariff rates. Some companies may also get refunds from the tariffs already paid if they are able to successfully sue.

However, U.S. businesses also face increased uncertainty, which tends to discourage investments.

Losers

U.S. consumers are firmly in the "loser" column as they cannot get refunds from the government and companies are unlikely to lower prices even if they are paying less in tariffs.

"Tariff rates are set to be similar overall to their level prior to the court ruling, so consumers will continue to feel this tax increase," Kimberly Clausing, nonresident senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics think tank, wrote in a commentary. "Prices will likely be higher at the store because the longer tariffs last, in whatever form, the more their costs are passed through to consumers."

Internationally, the biggest losers are countries that were paying lower than a 15% tariff rate. That includes Britain, Singapore, and some small countries. Another group of countries, including Japan, Switzerland, and the European Union, could also come out behind because they had negotiated a maximum 15% tariff rate with the Trump Administration last year.

The Supreme Court ruled that most of Trump's tariffs aren't legal, but prices may remain elevated.
Credit: Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The Supreme Court ruled that most tariffs imposed under President Donald Trump in 2025 were illegal.
• Despite the ruling, uncertainty and shifting trade policies could keep prices elevated.

Most of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs have been overturned—but that doesn't mean prices will fall in accordance.

Last week, the Supreme Court ruled that most of the tariffs imposed under the Trump administration were illegal. In a 6-3 decision, Supreme Court justices said the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) of 1977, which the president used to implement about 75% of the tariffs in 2025, does not give the president the authority to enact these import taxes. Tariffs on specific items, such as automobiles and steel, remain in place.

An analysis released Friday morning by the Yale Budget Lab found that the ruling would have cut the average tariff rate on all imports almost in half, to 9.1%. Price increases from tariffs were also expected to slow from 1.2% to 0.6%, and the income loss for a typical household from tariffs would have been cut in half, to about $618.

But later that day, Trump announced he would impose a 10% global tariff under a different legal mechanism. The administration also said it will begin investigating other countries to determine if it can impose tariffs on them for unfair trade practices under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. These investigations could take months.

Why This Matters

Inflation has been elevated for several years, making it harder for households to afford essentials and keeping interest rates high. The Trump administration's tariff policy could keep pushing prices up in 2026.

What Does This Mean For Prices?

Trump's tariffs were one factor driving persistent inflation in 2025, economists said, as U.S. companies and consumers bore the majority of the costs.

Ongoing uncertainty about U.S. trade policy means prices are unlikely to go down in the near future, or at all, said Ebehi Iyoha, assistant professor in the Entrepreneurial Management Unit at Harvard Business School.

"Even though the tariffs have been ruled unenforceable … businesses will still be worried about future changes in trade policy in the U.S.," Iyoha said in an interview before Trump announced the global tariff. "That will likely mean that most businesses will not want to take action too quickly in any particular direction.”

And while some businesses may eventually receive a government refund for income lost due to import taxes, that's unlikely to push prices lower anytime soon. That process will cost businesses money and time, "so it's unlikely that they're going to reduce their prices in the near term as a result." Iyoha said.

Some bigger companies, like Walmart, which have larger cash reserves and staffing, will be able to absorb some of the costs and may attempt to “gain a competitive edge by trying to hold off on increasing prices in the near term," he said. But they're unlikely to cut prices as a result.

What This Means For Your Finances

Even if you think prices may fall in the short run due to the Supreme Court's shutdown of Trump's taxes—or rise due to the Trump administration's response—now is not the time to make rash decisions with your finances, financial experts said.

Consumers shouldn't panic-buy or rush to purchase high-priced items that they don't need because they're worried they'll become more expensive, said Harmon Kong, a certified financial planner and founder of wealth management firm Apriem Advisors.

"It's more time just to digest ... and see how things play out," Kong said. "Because I don't think anyone really knows."

The most immediate impact of the Supreme Court's ruling is the volatility in the stock market, said Sergio Altomare, chief executive officer of Hearthfire Holdings, a real estate private equity and development firm.

The major stock indexes rose Friday in the wake of the decision, then fell Monday in part due to the uncertainty in tariff policy. On Tuesday, they rebounded.

"Broadly speaking … there is going to be volatility. You're going to see that. Do not panic,” Altomare said. “I would not be making any structural decisions within an [investment] portfolio based on the [Supreme Court’s] decision.”

Maintaining some form of liquidity, meaning funds that are readily accessible, is key, Kong said. This will be especially true if trade policies continue to change. That could put more companies on edge and prompt more hiring freezes or layoffs.

"You can control your spending, but to some extent, you can't really control if the economy goes bad," Kong said. "It's really important that consumers take a hard look at their finances and make sure they have emergency funds set aside in case."

"AI is going to make each of us better and each of our businesses better," AMD CEO Lisa Su told CNBC in an interview Tuesday.
Credit: Bridget Bennett / Bloomberg / Getty Images

Key Takeaways

• AMD CEO Lisa Su told CNBC in an interview Tuesday that she doesn't see AI's rise wiping out the need for human workers.
• “We have to figure out how to harness the power of the technology instead of being afraid,” she said.

Worries about AI's potential to disrupt industries and jobs have rattled markets lately. One big tech exec at the center of the change doesn't see AI wiping out the need for human workers.

"The idea that AI is going to replace everything, I am not a believer in that," Advanced Micro Devices CEO Lisa Su told CNBC Tuesday. "I'm a believer in 'AI is going to make each of us better and each of our businesses better.'"

Shares of AMD (AMD) finished Tuesday up nearly 9%, leaving it with a market capitalization around $350 billion. The stock helped lead the S&P 500 higher after the company announced a massive AI chip deal with Meta Platforms (META), a company Su called one of the likely "winners in AI innovation going forward." Shares of Meta were little changed. (Read Investopedia's full coverage of today's trading here.)

Why This Matters to Investors

The debate over the effect artificial intelligence will have on everything from white-collar work to individual stocks has lately driven a range of short-term stock reactions. Some investors have worried that AI spending isn't paying off; others appear concerned that it'll be so effective that it upends the economy.

Resurgent concerns about the effects artificial intelligence could have on the job market and established industries have roiled markets in recent days. A viral report from Citrini Research over the weekend fueled fears the technology's rise could lead to a stock market crash as it threatens to displace workers and services across a wide range of industries.

At AMD, Su said, employees are using AI to work faster, but that the technology is "nowhere close" to the level where people wouldn't be needed.

“We have to create and invent it, and then AI can help us make it faster, more efficient, more productive,” she said.

Workers “might have to retrain," she said, to take advantage of new opportunities with AI.

Last month, the CEO said that while AI hasn't stopped the company from hiring, it has changed how the company hires, in favor of candidates who are "AI forward."

“We definitely have to ensure that we know how to use the tools, but we have to figure out how to harness the power of the technology, instead of being afraid of the technology,” she said.

The only confirmed recent payments include specific one-time bonuses for military members and routine tax refunds, while COVID-era stimulus payments are no longer available to claim.
Credit: MargJohnsonVA / Getty Images

Key Takeaways

• No new federal stimulus payments have been approved for 2026, despite proposals like a $2,000 “tariff dividend.”
• Proposed payments tied to tariff revenues or government spending cuts are unlikely.

Early in his administration, Trump created the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, giving Tesla CEO Elon Musk a leading role in slashing government spending.

Musk promoted the possibility of a “DOGE” dividend paid to Americans from savings generated by government spending cuts. Early figures suggested that those who pay federal income taxes would receive $5,000 each.

But DOGE's work resulted in far less savings than Musk projected, and after Musk left DOGE in May, any administration push for a DOGE stimulus check seemed to go with him. 

Is There a $1,776 Stimulus Check for Military Members?

Almost 1.5 million service members in 2025 received a one-time “Warrior Dividend” bonus of $1,776.

The figure was meant to recall the year of the country's founding for its 250th anniversary in 2026, according to the Department of Defense. Those checks don’t need to be reported to the IRS as income. Members of the U.S. Coast Guard received a corresponding “Devotion to Duty” check in December.

However, similar payments haven't been announced for 2026.

Can You Still Get a COVID Stimulus Check?

In December 2024, the IRS began automatically sending payments of up to $1,400 to people who hadn't claimed the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit on their tax returns.

Anyone else who qualified had until April 15, 2025, to file a claim. That deadline has passed, and no further Covid-era stimulus payments are available.

Other Rumored Stimulus Checks

Claims have circulated online about upcoming stimulus payments in specific dollar amounts, including $1,702 and $1,390. Neither figure has any basis in fact—Congress isn't considering, and hasn't approved, any such stimulus payments.

The $1,702 figure appears to stem from Alaska's Permanent Fund Dividend, an annual payment to Alaska residents, not a federal stimulus check. The fund paid that amount in 2024.