Why Has the Number of Listed Stocks Plummeted?

Why Has the Number of Listed Stocks Plummeted?

In the largest such transaction in US history, earlier this week video game maker Electronic Arts [EA] said it was going to be taken private in a deal that values it at $55bn. The volume of such deals has grown exponentially in recent years. Indeed, Sherwood News detailed that, since 1996, the number of public companies listed in the US has fallen by 50%. Other factors include a drop in IPOs and the example of successful start-ups such as SpaceX or OpenAI that decide not to list.

OpenAI: Latest News

OpenAI generated $4.3bn in revenue in H1 2025, up 16% from FY 2024, The Information reported. H1 cash burn hit $2.5bn, driven by R&D for advanced artificial intelligence models and ChatGPT operations. Elsewhere, the firm has published a report showing that 28% of US employees now use ChatGPT regularly. Adoption is highest among educated white-collar tech employees, who use it mainly for writing, research, programming and data analysis.

Is the Tide Turning for Crypto Treasury Strategies?

Strategy’s [MSTR] pivot to bitcoin (BTC) treasury management has inspired more than 170 imitators, the Financial Times has detailed. However, since the launch of its so-called 21/21 capital strategy last year — which aims to raise $42bn to buy more BTC — the company’s shares have lagged behind the cryptocurrency. The US Securities and Exchange Commission, meanwhile, has suspended trading in QMMM Holdings [QMMM], saying social media recommendations by “unknown persons” may have manipulated its share price.

These China Tech Stocks Are Going Big on Robotics

The Solactive China Humanoid Robotics Index is up 51.94% year-to-date and has surged 81.84% over the past 12 months, reflecting surging interest in Chinese robotic stocks. A number of smaller players in the market have been attracting funding from bigger companies with deeper pockets. OPTO unpacks how tech giants Alibaba [BABA], JD.com [JD] and Meituan [MPNGY] are capitalizing on the robotics opportunity. 

Cross-border Stablecoin Trial

Visa [V] is piloting a program using Circle’s [CRCL] USD Coin (USDC) and EURC stablecoins to speed up cross-border payments on its Visa Direct platform. The initiative lets banks and payment providers use pre-funded stablecoins to move money in real time across 195 countries, reducing settlement delays and improving liquidity management without tying up cash for long periods.

Beijing Lithium Decision Calms Supply Worries

Chinese authorities approved reserve reports from two Yichun lithium producers, easing output disruption concerns, Bloomberg outlined. Contemporary Amperex Technology Co [300750:SZ], whose Jianxiawo mine had been halted, cleared a key step toward restarting. Gotion High-Tech [002074:SZ], which continued production, also won approval. 

What Makes Rubrik a “Compelling Long”?

Palo Alto-based cyber security firm Rubrik [RBRK] caters to an estimated 6,100 customers across a range of sectors, and promotes itself as a leader in “cyber resilience”. Still early in its growth trajectory, Rubrik made waves with its strong Q2 2026 performance in early September. OPTO asks: could collaboration with industry giants such as Amazon’s [AMZN] AWS and CrowdStrike [CRWD] be key to Rubrik’s growth trajectory?