US Stock Futures Dive Further

According to Finance Magazine, multiple deal sources have revealed that large language model (LLM) firm DeepSeek has restarted its second round of financing. The round targets 50 billion yuan in capital, with a pre-money valuation of approximately 500 billion yuan, and is scheduled to finalize signings in late August. Several investors noted that DeepSeek’s second round financing was launched as early as mid-July, but was suddenly paused at the end of July. At that time, some investors on the negotiation waiting list were informed that the signing of financing agreements was put on hold. Earlier media reports on July 26 stated that DeepSeek suspended its second round financing, with one reason being founder Liang Wenfeng’s dissatisfaction with widely circulated online remarks, which centered mainly on the allegedly leaked "investor-facing meeting minutes". DeepSeek and the investors currently in talks hope the restarted financing round will proceed quietly. As of now, some investment institutions that had actively engaged with DeepSeek previously said they have not received news of the restart, and the financing channel remains on hold.

Analysts say Samsung is accelerating its deployment of digital asset infrastructure, planning to offer native stablecoin functionality to around 800 million Galaxy smartphones via Samsung Wallet, and is poised to become a key distribution channel for stablecoins like USDC. According to reports, Samsung announced at Galaxy Unpacked 2026 that it will integrate stablecoin-related features into future devices, including fiat-pegged savings and payment accounts. Samsung Wallet is currently available in 61 countries, with nearly 19 million users in South Korea. Joseph Goh, head of Asia Pacific at crypto investment bank Areta, noted that the core bottleneck for stablecoin mass adoption is not liquidity, but user reach. “Distribution channels are the scarce asset, and Samsung has massive user entry points,” he said. He believes this move could propel Samsung to become a major distributor of stablecoins like USDC. This is not Samsung’s first foray into crypto. Back in 2019, the company launched a digital asset wallet via its Knox security module, allowing users to store assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum, and connect to Ledger hardware wallets. Additionally, Samsung is strengthening its digital asset infrastructure deployment. Lee Jun-hee, CEO of Samsung SDS, previously stated that the company’s investment in Dunamu—operator of South Korea’s largest crypto exchange Upbit—is a key strategic move to enter the digital asset infrastructure space, covering stablecoins and AI-powered payments. In May this year, three Samsung subsidiaries: Samsung Securities, Samsung SDS, and Samsung Card, agreed to acquire a roughly 4% stake in Dunamu (Upbit’s parent company) for about $408 million. Analysts believe Samsung Wallet will serve as the user distribution entry point, while infrastructure players like Dunamu handle underlying transactions and asset services, meaning Samsung may be building a complete ecosystem covering stablecoins, payments, and digital asset services.

The US government is drafting a new ban that would prohibit imports of Chinese-made next-generation data center optical transceivers, aimed at tightening control over the artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure supply chain. Sources familiar with the matter disclosed that the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is developing relevant restrictions, with US officials planning to announce and implement the ban by 2026. However, the measure remains under discussion and could be modified or shelved in the future. Optical transceivers are core components of optical modules, responsible for converting electrical and optical signals, and are critical hardware for high-speed data transmission in AI data centers. If the ban takes effect, the global optical module supply chain may face disruptions. Reports point out that global leading optical module supplier CIG may be impacted. According to Counterpoint Research, CIG currently holds approximately 27% of the global data center optical transceiver module market share. A prior report from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) stated that the production capacity of US-based suppliers Coherent and Lumentum is insufficient to fully replace Chinese suppliers. Meanwhile, the measure could also drive up costs for US cloud service providers. Large cloud computing companies like Amazon may need to shift to US suppliers for optical communication equipment to support the expansion of their AI data centers. Market participants believe that the US restriction on imports of Chinese optical communication components reflects that competition in AI infrastructure is extending beyond the chip sector to the data center supply chain, covering key segments including optical modules, power equipment, and server components.

Per Lookonchain’s monitoring, a newly created wallet address 0xff84 deposited $2.44 million in USDC to Hyperliquid and opened a 40x leveraged short Bitcoin position. Data shows the trader’s short position size amounts to 1,600 BTC, with a notional value of approximately $102.6 million and a liquidation price of $64,888.97. It remains unclear whether the trader is acting on market information or simply making a high-risk directional bet. Highly leveraged short positions face the risk of rapid liquidation amid heightened market volatility.

Rocket Lab has secured a $397 million contract from the U.S. Space Force for its Space-Based Advanced Maneuvering Target Indicator (SB-AMTI) program. Industry analysis firm Serenity noted in a report that the contract signals Rocket Lab will play a more prominent role in the U.S. space military ecosystem. Per the contract terms, Rocket Lab will be responsible for developing, launching, and operating multiple Flatellite satellites, which are equipped with space-based sensors and communication links to deliver target detection, tracking, and data services to the U.S. Space Force. Serenity emphasized that the core value of Rocket Lab’s latest contract lies not only in the nearly $400 million in revenue, but also in the U.S. defense system’s recognition of its low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation capabilities. The company plans to use its medium-lift launch vehicle Neutron for the satellite missions, further advancing its transition from a "small rocket firm" to a comprehensive space infrastructure enterprise. The SB-AMTI program is managed by the U.S. Space Force’s Space Sensing and Targeting Directorate, with the goal of establishing a space-based aviation threat detection and tracking system. The contract also includes an option to increase the number of Flatellite satellites in the future. Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck stated that the company is honored to participate in the SB-AMTI program, which is critical to building a layered, resilient tracking architecture for the U.S. Space Force.

According to Reuters, the U.S. government is expected to extend the temporary waiver of the Jones Act in the coming days to ease domestic fuel supply pressures and lower gasoline prices. The Jones Act mandates that goods transported between U.S. ports must be carried on vessels built in the U.S., owned by U.S. entities, and operated by U.S. crew members. The latest waiver is designed to boost energy transport flexibility and ease fuel supply bottlenecks. The current waiver is set to expire on August 16, making it the longest-running suspension of the act in its history, having been invoked nearly 200 times over the past four and a half months. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the waivers have helped lower energy prices in California and parts of the U.S. East Coast, and he expects the administration to extend the policy. However, analysts note the measure has a limited impact on oil prices, likely only cutting gasoline costs by a few cents per gallon. There are currently divisions within the U.S. administration over expanding the scope of the waivers. Some Republican lawmakers and shipping industry groups worry that overly relaxing the Jones Act could undermine U.S. domestic shipping capacity and national security interests. Meanwhile, Trump has recently faced political pressure over rising oil prices and falling approval ratings. Multiple polls show his approval rating has dropped to around 32% to 34%, to which Trump responded that the surveys are "fake polls" and claimed his real approval rating is "the best in history." Recent tensions in Iran have disrupted energy transport, pushing U.S. gasoline prices back above $4 per gallon. The Trump administration is seeking to lower consumer fuel costs by expanding energy transport flexibility and pressuring oil companies.