Stephen Alpher

Stephen is CoinDesk's managing editor for Markets. He previously served as managing editor at Seeking Alpha. A native of suburban Washington, D.C., Stephen went to the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, majoring in finance. He holds BTC above CoinDesk’s disclosure threshold of $1,000.

Stephen Alpher

Latest from Stephen Alpher


Policy

Crypto industry reacts after Clarity Act fails Senate vote

One of the most crucial U.S. regulations for crypto markets couldn't secure enough support to clear the Senate's final 60-vote hurdle.

Senator Cynthia Lummis (Senate webcast)

Finance

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Live updates: Clarity Act fails in Senate, sending crypto lower

The failure essentially ends market structure legislative work in the Senate for 2026 and is a major blow to the crypto industry, which has invested years and hundreds of millions of dollars trying to support its interests.

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Finance

Robinhood plans share redemptions, voting rights for stock tokens, after criticism

CEO Vlad Tenev said more shareholder features are coming as Robinhood’s offshore stock tokens draw scrutiny over ownership rights.

Robinhood's Vlad Tenev speaks at Token2049 in Singapore (Token2049)

Finance

Bitmine adds $68 million in ether as Tom Lee sees more upside catalysts ahead

The Ethereum treasury firm is closing in on its 5% accumulation goal as Lee points to a rising ETH-BTC ratio and institutional demand.

Tom Lee on the Mainstage at Consensus Miami 2026

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Markets

Live updates: Bitcoin climbs near $79,000 as stocks narrow declines

The Federal Reserve's two-day policy meeting begins tomorrow, with nearly all now expecting the U.S. central bank to hike its benchmark policy rate by 25 basis points.

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Markets

Fed rate hike is about Wall Street, not inflation, says economist

Goldman Sachs late Friday became the last of the major banks to retract its forecast of no rate hike next week.

Rate hike

Markets

OpenAI IPO won't happen this year, says Sam Altman

"Given everything happening with safety, right now would be an ill-advised moment to go public," OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told Fortune.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman seated while speaking speaks during the BlackRock Infrastructure Summit.

Finance

Ripple stablecoin chief sees $13 trillion corporate treasury opportunity for RLUSD

Payments and capital markets are driving growth for Ripple's $2.4 billion digital dollar as it looks to bring RLUSD to Europe under MiCA, the firm's Jack McDonald said.

Consensus 2025: Kraken and Ripple

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Markets

With Fed rate hike all but assured, here's how markets might react

Traders could look past an expected Fed hike and weigh what higher rates are signaling about the economy.

Federal Reserve chair Kevin Warsh (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Markets

Core CPI rose a faster-than-forecast 0.3% in August, setting up possible Fed rate hike

The August CPI report had taken on outsized importance after Fed Chair Kevin Warsh two weeks ago suggested the central bank may have to act if inflation doesn't soon slow.

Core CPI