Investing

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$103,116 as markets closed for the week, up 2 percent in 24 hours.

The day’s range has seen a low of US$102,526 and a high of US$103,636. After breaking through the US$100,000 threshold on Thursday (May 8), the digital asset has found support.

Bitcoin performance, May 9, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

The crypto market’s surge is attributed to positive geopolitical developments, particularly surrounding a US-UK trade agreement and optimism over upcoming trade talks with China.

A better-than-expected jobs report also reignited institutional interest. Meanwhile, the MOVE index has cooled from its late March-early April spike, encouraging broader risk-taking across financial markets.

On the technical side, Bitcoin’s realized cap has hit an all-time high above US$893 million. Cointelegraph’s Marcel Pechman notes that strong options activity suggests that prices above US$105,000 could fuel further gains. Analyst Egrag Crypto is forecasting a rally to US$170,000, contingent on Bitcoin breaking past its previous all-time high of US$109,000.

However, with Bitcoin’s relative strength index approaching 70, overbought conditions are emerging, and investors are urged to be cautious of short-term volatility.

Ethereum’s (ETH) price surge has outperformed that of Bitcoin and can be attributed to an increase in transactions following Wednesday’s (May 7) Pectra upgrade. ETH’s price has increased by over 25 percent from last week and 42 percent month-on-month. It finished the week at US$2,325.35, a 10 percent increase over 24 hours.

The day’s range saw a low of US$2,288.24 and a high of US$2,372.09.

Altcoin price update

• Solana (SOL) closed at US$171.67, up 7.1 percent over 24 hours. SOL experienced a low of US$168.64 and a high of US$172.75.

• XRP was trading at US$2.35, reflecting a 3.6 percent increase over 24 hours. The cryptocurrency reached a daily low of US$2.33 and a high of US$2.40.

• Sui (SUI) was priced at US$3.89, showing a decreaseof 0.6 percent over the past 24 hours. It achieved a daily low of US$3.87 and a high of US$4.03.

• Cardano (ADA) was trading at US$0.7799, up 5.5 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest price of the day was US$0.7763, and it reached a high of US$0.7953.

Today’s crypto news to know

Coinbase to acquire Deribit in US$2.9 billion crypto derivatives deal

Coinbase has announced plans to acquire Deribit, a leading crypto derivatives exchange, for $2.9 billion — the largest deal in the crypto industry to date. This strategic move positions Coinbase to expand its offerings in the crypto options market, catering to the growing demand for advanced trading products.

The acquisition includes US$700 million in cash and 11 million shares of Coinbase Class A common stock.

Deribit, which processed US$1.2 trillion in trading volume last year, controls approximately 85 percent of the global crypto options market. This deal is expected to enhance Coinbase’s presence in the international derivatives market and diversify its revenue streams. Analysts view the acquisition as a significant step for Coinbase to compete with other major exchanges like Binance and Kraken in the derivatives space. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is anticipated to close later this year. Until then, Deribit will continue its operations as usual.

Rumble’s crypto wallet launch and Q1 earnings

Rumble’s (NASDAQ:RUM) CEO confirmed the firm will launch a Bitcoin and stablecoin wallet to compete with the Coinbase Wallet in Q3. The Rumble Wallet will launch in partnership with Tether.

“Our goal is to become the most prominent non-custodial Bitcoin and stablecoin wallet, powering the creator economy,” according to a May 9 (Friday) X post by Chris Pavlovski.

On the earnings front, Rumble reported a net loss of US$2.7 million for Q1 on Thursday, a significant improvement over the US$43 million loss reported in Q1 2024. The company’s revenue of US$23.7 million exceeded analysts’ estimates; however, the firm reported a decrease in monthly active users to 59 million, down from 68 million in Q4 2024.

Rumble opened 2.44 percent higher on Friday (May 9) and closed the week with a gain of over 17 percent.

Meta’s potential stablecoin integration

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) is reportedly in discussions with cryptocurrency enterprises regarding the potential implementation of stablecoins for select, smaller-scale creator disbursements.

Five informed sources told Fortune that the corporation has engaged in consultative deliberations with multiple cryptocurrency infrastructure providers, albeit without having yet settled upon a definitive strategic approach.

An insider suggests that the entity may adopt a multi-token framework, encompassing the integration of established stablecoins such as Tether’s USDt and Circle’s USD Coin, amongst other alternatives.

This news comes the day after Democratic lawmakers withdrew support for the GENIUS Act after concerns arose over the lucrative crypto dealings of companies tied to US President Donald Trump. The bill stalled on the floor of the Senate, prompting a public statement from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent:

“This bill represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to expand dollar dominance and US influence in financial innovation. Without it, stablecoins will be subject to a patchwork of state regulations instead of a streamlined federal framework.’

Celsius founder sentenced to 12 years for crypto fraud

Alex Mashinsky, founder and former CEO of Celsius Network, has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for defrauding customers and manipulating the price of the company’s CEL token.

Between 2018 and 2022, Mashinsky misled investors about the safety of their funds, using customer deposits to inflate CEL’s value and personally profiting over US$48 million. Celsius, which once managed over US$25 billion in assets, collapsed in 2022 amid a broader crypto market downturn, leaving thousands of users unable to access their funds.

SEC considers crypto exemptions

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is “considering a potential exemptive order” to let crypto firms bypass requirements to register as a broker-dealer, clearing agency exchange to issue, trade and settle securities. SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce made the announcement in a speech published on Thursday.

Companies would still be expected to comply with rules to prevent fraud and market manipulation and may also need to meet certain disclosure and recordkeeping requirements.

1. Apple’s App Store appeal, AI search plans and chip news

Apple is formally contesting last week’s judicial ruling mandating a reduction in its App Store commission.

The company filed an appeal against the order that would compel it to lower the existing 27 percent fee imposed on businesses offering links within their apps to external payment processing alternatives.

In related news, Apple executive Eddy Cue revealed during federal court testimony that the tech giant is investigating the development of its own AI-powered search engine for the Safari web browser. The news had an immediate impact on Alphabet’s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) shares, resulting in a 9 percent decline on Wednesday (May 7) afternoon.

In other news, Apple is reportedly making advances in its in-house silicon development.

The company is designing new proprietary chips intended to serve as the main central processing units for a range of future Apple products. These include anticipated devices such as smart glasses, more powerful iterations of its Mac computer line and specialized AI servers.

Combined with this week’s macroeconomic and geopolitical developments, Apple’s share price experienced turbulence, ultimately closing 2.25 percent below Monday’s (May 5) opening price on Friday (May 9).

2. OpenAI announces restructuring, acquisition and leadership changes

In a notable week for AI giant OpenAI, CEO Sam Altman shared a reorganization strategy on Monday, announcing that its operational arm will transition into a new public benefit corporation, with its non-profit arm acting as the primary shareholder. The decision follows talks with civic leaders and state attorneys general.

A person familiar with the matter told Business Insider that the new plan will let the company receive the full US$30 billion investment from SoftBank (TSE:9984). Meanwhile, sources told Bloomberg on Monday that Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and OpenAI are still in negotiations regarding a restructuring plan. A later report from the Information reveals that OpenAI plans to slash its 20 percent revenue-sharing agreement with Microsoft to 10 percent by 2030.

Regarding the ongoing legal dispute between Sam Altman and Tesla (NADAQ:TSLA) CEO Musk, who alleges that the company has strayed from its founding mission, Musk’s attorney, Marc Toberoff, told Reuters on Monday that the team intends to proceed with the lawsuit. Toberoff also called the restructuring a “cosmetic” move that turns charitable assets into private wealth, adding that “the founding mission remains betrayed.”

In other news, OpenAI made its largest acquisition to date this week, agreeing to buy AI-assisted coding tool Windsurf for about US$3 billion, and named ex-Instacart (NASDAQ:CART) CEO Fidji Simo as its new head of applications.

According to reports, Simo will manage operations and report directly to Sam Altman, who will retain his title as CEO. Altman will shift his focus to research, safety efforts and advancing artificial general intelligence.

3. AI chip regulatory developments

US Representative Bill Foster is preparing to introduce legislation aimed at tracking the location of AI chips, such as those produced by NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA), after they are sold.

The proposed bill, first reported by Reuters on Monday, would task US regulators with developing rules to monitor these chips, ensuring they remain in authorized locations under export control licenses.

It would also seek to prevent unlicensed chips from being activated outside of authorized locations.

In other chip-related news, NVIDIA shares rose following news that the Trump administration plans to eliminate the so-called “AI diffusion rule.” However, a spokesperson from the US Department of Commerce clarified upcoming plans in a statement to CNBC’s Kif Leswing on Wednesday, commenting:

“The Biden AI rule is overly complex, overly bureaucratic, and would stymie American innovation. We will be replacing it with a much simpler rule that unleashes American innovation and ensures American AI dominance.”

The announcement highlights the Trump administration’s intention to keep some guardrails in place to protect US interests, despite pushback from tech industry executives.

At a Congressional hearing on Thursday (May 8), OpenAI CEO Sam Altman emphasized the importance of maintaining US leadership in AI development. He cautioned against overregulation, warning that poorly designed rules could hinder America’s competitive edge, particularly against China.

4. Palantir, AMD, Arm and Super Micro share results

Palantir’s Q1 revenue rose 39 percent year-on-year to US$884 million, driven by demand for its data analytics software in the US. The company expects demand to continue, forecasting Q2 revenue between US$934 million and US$938 million. Palantir’s share price fell by 8 percent after hours as investors anticipated even stronger results. The company posted a loss of 5.6 percent for the week after a volatile week for tech stocks, as overvaluation concerns persist.

Advanced Micro Devices’ Q1 earnings report shows quarterly revenue of US$7.4 billion, an annual increase of 36 percent, with adjusted earnings per share of US$0.96. Despite an initial 7 percent stock surge following a positive quarterly report, AMD shares fell following the company’s announcement of a projected US$1.5 billion revenue decrease this year, attributed to US government limitations on the sale of AI chips to China.

Palantir, Super Micro, AMD and Arm performance, May 6 to 9, 2025.

Chart via Google Finance.

For Q4 2024, Arm Holdings reported quarterly revenue of more than US$1 billion for the first time in its history, but forecast revenue and profit for Q1 2025 below Wall Street estimates, resulting in a 4 percent slump on Thursday morning

Super Micro Computer’s net sales increased from US$3,85 billion in Q3 2024 to US$4.6 billion, while the company’s earnings per share fell year-on-year from US$0.66 to US$0.17.

The company lowered its full-year revenue guidance from US$23.5 billion to US$25 billion, down to US$21.8 billion to US$22.6 billion, with trade war-induced uncertainty and increasing competition cited as obstacles to growth. The company’s share price opened over 5 percent lower the next day and fell by over 3 percent this week.

5. Constellation shares jump, White House plans reactor push

Shares of Constellation Energy (NASDAQ:CEG) rose nearly 10 percent in two days ahead of the Tuesday (May 6) release of its Q1 earnings report, which revealed revenue that exceeded expectations by over 20 percent.

Later, during an earnings call, CEO Joe Dominguez said the company was close to inking multiple long-term deals to provide nuclear power to meet surging energy demands, further bolstering investors’ optimistic outlook.

In another significant development within the nuclear energy sector, Ontario Power Generation said it has secured the necessary approvals to commence construction on the first of four small modular reactors (SMR) designed by GE Verona (NYSE:GEV), which will be located at the company’s Darlington site near Toronto.

The Darlington project is anticipated to be the first deployment of this particular SMR technology within a G7 nation.

Separately, Axios reported on Tuesday that sources familiar with the matter say the White House is in the final stages of preparing executive actions intended to accelerate the deployment of nuclear reactors. These plans, reportedly under consideration for several weeks, could be officially announced imminently.

On Friday, NPR said its reporters have seen a draft of such an order. According to the report, the order instructs the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to send new reactor safety guidelines to the White House for review and possible amendments. The draft also calls for a reduction of NRC’s staff and a “wholesale revision of its regulation” in coordination with the administration and the Department of Government Efficiency.

Uranium ETFs tracking uranium stocks

1. Global X Uranium ETF (ARCA:URA)

Total asset value: US$2.7 billion

The Global X Uranium ETF tracks a basket of uranium miners, as well as nuclear component producers.

The fund has an expense ratio of 0.69 percent and a yearly return of negative 17.23 percent, a decline that coincides with the recent pullback in the uranium price.

Uranium companies account for a significant portion of its portfolio, and nearly half of those companies are Canadian. The ETF’s top two uranium company holdings are major uranium producer Cameco (TSX:CCO,NYSE:CCJ) at a weight of 22.31 percent and NexGen Energy (TSX:NXE) at 5.64 percent. Interestingly, one of its top three holdings is the Sprott Physical Uranium Trust (TSX:U.U) at a weight of 8.52 percent.

2. Sprott Uranium Miners ETF (ARCA:URNM)

Total asset value: US$1.32 billion

The Sprott Uranium Miners ETF includes both uranium producers and explorers for broader exposure. The fund has an expense ratio of 0.75 percent and a yearly return of negative 34.69 percent.

Uranium stocks with market caps under US$2 billion account for 48.7 percent of the ETF’s holdings. Its top three holdings are Cameco at 15.28 percent, the Sprott Physical Uranium Trust at 13.21 percent and Kazatomprom (LSE:59OT,OTC Pink:NATKY) at 12.99 percent.

3. VanEck Vectors Uranium + Nuclear Energy ETF (ARCA:NLR)

Total asset value: US$1.02 billion

The VanEck Vectors Uranium + Nuclear Energy ETF launched in 2007 and tracks a market-cap-weighted index of stocks in the uranium and nuclear energy industries. Its expense ratio is 0.61 percent and its yearly return is negative 0.12 percent.

This uranium ETF’s top three holdings are Constellation Energy Group (NASDAQ:CEG) at a weight of 8.49 percent, Public Service Enterprise Group (NYSE:PEG) at 7.38 percent and Endesa (OTC Pink:ELEZF,SSE:ELE) at 6.95 percent.

4. Sprott Junior Uranium Miners ETF (NASDAQ:URNJ)

Total asset value: US$232.29 million

The Sprott Junior Uranium Miners ETF launched in February 2023, making it one of the newest additions to the uranium ETF universe. The ETF has an expense ratio of 0.8 percent and a yearly return of negative 15.51 percent.

It tracks the NASDAQ Sprott Junior Uranium Miners Index (INDEXNASDAQ:NSURNJ), which follows small-cap uranium companies. The fund’s 33 holdings are all uranium mining, development or exploration companies. Its top three holdings are Paladin Energy (ASX:PDN,OTCQX:PALAF) at 12.46 percent, Uranium Energy (NYSEAMERICAN:UEC) at 10.32 percent and NexGen Energy at 10.25 percent.

5. Horizons Global Uranium Index ETF (TSX:HURA)

Total asset value: US$55.08 million

The Horizons Global Uranium Index ETF was Canada’s first pure-play uranium ETF and provides exposure to uranium industry growth. It has an expense ratio of 1.06 percent and a yearly return of negative 25.2 percent.

Created in 2019, the fund’s top holdings are Cameco with a weight of 20.68 percent, Kazatomprom at a weight of 17.12 percent and the Sprott Physical Uranium Trust at 15.25 percent.

Physical uranium investment vehicles

1. Sprott Physical Uranium Trust (TSX:U.U)

Total asset value: US$4.09 billion

Of all the uranium-focused funds, this one has created the most buzz. Launched in July 2021, the Sprott Physical Uranium Trust quickly made its mark on the sector, stoking investor interest and prices for the commodity.

The fund holds 66.22 million pounds of U3O8, has an expense ratio of 0.64 percent and has a yearly return of negative 34.57 percent.

2. Yellow Cake (LSE:YCA,OTCQB:YLLXF)

Total asset value: US$983.66 million

Founded in 2018, Yellow Cake is a uranium company that provides investment exposure to the uranium spot price through its physical holdings of uranium and uranium-related commercial activities.

Yellow Cake’s current holdings total 21.68 million pounds of U3O8. Its access to material volumes of uranium at prevailing market prices comes via its long-term partnership with Kazatomprom. Through this partnership, it has the option to purchase up to US$100 million of uranium annually through 2027.

3. Zuri-Invest Uranium AMC

Total asset value: US$1.65 billion

Launched in April 2023, Zuri-Invest’s product is directly linked to physical uranium, and is the first actively managed certificate (AMC) in the sector. According to Zuri-Invest, “an AMC is a security that can be managed on a discretionary basis enabling the active management of a chosen investment strategy.”

Qualified non-US institutional and professional investors can take part in this physical uranium AMC (Swiss ISIN code CH1214916533) through their bank. The custodian of the product is Cameco, which holds the physical uranium in a secure storage facility in Canada.

4. xU3O8

Total asset value: US$5.93 million

One of the newest ways to gain exposure to physical uranium is through the token xU3O8.

Using the power of the Tezos blockchain and real-world asset tokenization, the xU3O8 token from uranium.io gives investors the ability to directly own and trade physical uranium. Launched in 2024, xU3O8’s 38,464.62 kilograms of U3O8 are stored at a secure Cameco facility, with Archax acting as trustee.

Who is Buffett’s successor?

Abel has been with Berkshire since 2000, when Berkshire bought MidAmerican, an energy company he had been running. He joined the board as vice chairman, non-insurance operations, in 2018.

MidAmerican was renamed Berkshire Hathaway Energy (BHE), with Abel serving as its chief executive officer from 2008 to 2018. He remains the company’s chair as of writing. At both MidAmerican and Berkshire, Abel was mentored by David Sokol, who seemed a likely successor to Warren Buffett until he resigned from Berkshire in 2011.

Abel was named vice chairman in 2018 along with Ajit Jain. In a 2014 letter to shareholders, Buffett’s longtime right-hand man, Charlie Munger, who passed away in 2023, wrote about the two as potential successors.

‘Ajit Jain and Greg Abel are proven performers who would probably be under-described as ‘world-class.’ ‘World-leading’ would be the description I would choose,’ said Munger.

‘In some important ways, each is a better business executive than Buffett.’

Buffett has also spoken highly of Abel, saying in 2023, ‘Greg understands capital allocation as well as I do. That’s lucky for us. He will make those decisions, I think, very much in the same framework as I would make them. We have laid out that framework now for 30 years.’

Berkshire’s path forward under Abel

Buffett’s words indicate that he sees Berkshire and Abel following the framework he has laid out.

Of course, there may be some evolution. Morningstar analyst Gregg Warren notes that the ‘groundwork for a successful transition’ at Berkshire has been in place for decades.

He also notes that Buffett and Munger were skilled at acquiring businesses that were a good cultural fit.

“We expect this to continue, believing that Berkshire’s culture of management autonomy and entrepreneurship has become institutionalized,’ Warren explains in a recent article.

‘ However, the new managers will probably work with a slightly different opportunity set, and we believe they will evolve Berkshire from what has historically been a reinvestment machine into one that is more focused on returning capital to shareholders, which is what we would expect of a company of this size with limited investment opportunities.”

Warren also comments that Berkshire currently doesn’t pay a dividend. This principle is because of Buffett’s belief that retained earnings should yield greater value than cash payouts.

Warren said this may change after Abel takes over, underlining that issuing a dividend could help Berkshire retain shareholders who may consider selling once Buffett is no longer at the helm.

Berkshire’s recent activities include diversification of its portfolio via strategic acquisitions and investments.

In January 2025, Forest River Bus & Van, a Berkshire subsidiary, announced its acquisition of L.A. West Coaches to enhance its product portfolio in the luxury transportation market.

“This partnership represents a shared commitment to excellence and innovation,” said Douglas Wright, group general nanager of Forest River Bus & Van. “L.A. West Coaches’ proven expertise and dedication to quality align with our values, and we look forward to collaborating to expand our product range.”

BHE is also currently exploring the production of lithium carbonate and other minerals from its geothermal power plants in California’s Imperial Valley, aligning with the company’s interest in renewable energy and sustainability.

BHE Renewables publicized a joint venture with Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY) in June 2024, saying that this will be useful for the demonstration and deployment of TerraLithium’s direct lithium extraction.

Occidental is the owner of TerraLithium, a company that provides a technology platform for extracting lithium from geothermal and other brines to produce ultra-pure battery-grade lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate.

Once the demonstration is successful, BHE Renewables plans to build, own and operate commercial lithium production facilities in California’s Imperial Valley. The joint venture also plans to license the technology and develop commercial lithium production facilities outside the Imperial Valley.

Legal state psychedelics markets take shape

Psychedelic compounds remain federally illegal in the US, but some states have pursued legalization and decriminalization. In November 2020, Oregon became the first state to legalize psilocybin for therapeutic use through the Oregon Psilocybin Services Act. From 2021 to 2022, the Oregon Health Authority and the Psilocybin Advisory Board created rules for the act and began taking applications on January 2, 2023.

Oregon also decriminalized personal possession of all drugs in 2020 through the Drug Addiction Treatment and Recovery Act, which went into effect in February 2021. Many of the provisions in that bill have since been reversed, with the possession of small amounts of hard drugs like fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin being recriminalized as of September 1, 2024. However, psilocybin remains legal for therapeutic and facilitated use.

As of the end of March, Oregon Psilocybin Services counted 374 state-wide psilocybin facilitators, 29 service centers, 10 manufacturers and 808 worker permits. Satya Therapeutics, located in Ashland, is recognized as one of the state’s most experienced and successful service providers, with roughly 40 to 50 clients serviced monthly.

Publicly traded Florida-based cannabis company Kaya Holdings (OTCQB:KAYS) was awarded a license to operate a psilocybin service center in Oregon through its Fifth Dimension Therapeutics subsidiary in May 2024. Its treatment center, called the Sacred Mushroom, opened its doors in Portland on July 2, 2024.

In 2025, industry advocates are focused on analyzing outcomes from Oregon’s psychedelics program in order to fine tune areas requiring improvement. In February, state lawmakers sought to expand psychedelic therapy through the introduction of HB 3817, which establishes an access pathway for individuals with PTSD to access ibogaine. At the time of this writing, the bill had not yet been scheduled for a public hearing or committee vote.

Despite its growth, affordability has been a barrier to the development of Oregon’s psilocybin therapy program, with sessions typically costing over US$1,500. Some communities in the state also voted to ban psilocybin and psilocybin businesses in 2024, reflecting ongoing public concerns about drug liberalization.

In Colorado, a series of legislative actions regarding psychedelic substances led to state legalization in November 2022. Proposition 122 legalized the regulated access to psilocybin and psilocin in healing centers for adults over 21, decriminalized the personal use and cultivation of these substances and established a Natural Medicine Advisory Board.

SB 23-290, signed in May 2023, amended Proposition 122’s regulations and created a legal framework for healing centers. HB 22-1344, passed in June 2022, paved the way for MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD if federally approved.

The final rules for licensed psilocybin therapy centers were filed with the secretary of state and became effective on December 15, 2024. Colorado then began accepting applications for licenses. In March, the Department of Revenue issued its first healing center license to the Center Origin in Denver. As of May 2 of this year, there were over 50 pending applications for healing centers, cultivation facilities and manufacturers.

As the psychedelics industry begins to take shape in Colorado, Tasia Poinsatte, the state’s director of the nonprofit Healing Advocacy Fund, told Stateline that centers plan to offer sliding-scale rates and discounts for veterans, Medicaid enrollees and low-income individuals to help address the affordability problem.

New psychedelics laws and research initiatives

Apart from Oregon and Colorado, a wave of legislative activity concerning psychedelics is evident across the US, with states like Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Maine and New York pursuing various forms of legalization, including decriminalization, research funding and regulated therapeutic programs. Additionally, several cities in Washington and Michigan have decriminalized certain substances, with Washington also considering bills to create a regulated psilocybin services market and to provide funding to study ibogaine for opioid use disorder.

Utah passed legislation in March 2024 to create a program for psilocybin and MDMA as alternative treatments at the University of Utah Health and Intermountain Health. The program began in May 2024 and will run for three years.

Multiple institutions in Maryland, Texas and North Carolina are also conducting studies to assess the efficacy of psychedelics in treating various mental health conditions.

Senate Bill 242 established a working group tasked with studying the therapeutic use of entheogens in Nevada in 2023. A recommendations report was delivered in December 2024, and has garnered support from key legislative figures.

Several cities in California have deprioritized the enforcement of laws against the personal use and possession of certain psychedelics, and the state is considering a psilocybin pilot program for veterans and first responders.

Massachusetts has multiple bills focused on decriminalization and therapeutic pilot programs. In April of this year, New Mexico’s governor signed a bill for a therapeutic psilocybin program.

Meanwhile, Rhode Island has a bill that would legalize psilocybin possession if the federal government reschedules it, and Alaska established a task force in May 2024 to prepare for potential federal legalization of psychedelic therapies.

These actions reflect a shift in psychedelics sentiment and a growing trend of exploring their therapeutic potential.

Psychedelics investing options

To track the financial health of the psychedelic industry, investors can use the Psychedelic Invest Index, which monitors publicly traded companies in the space. Some of the top stocks in the index include Pasithea Therapeutics (NASDAQ:KTTA), MindMed (NASDAQ:MNMD), Compass Pathways (NASDAQ:CMPS) and Cybin (NYSEAMERICAN:CYBN), all of which are involved in developing psychedelic compounds for mental health treatments.

MindMed has developed a synthetic LSD analog, MM120, currently in Phase III trials for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and major depressive disorder (MDD). An oral tablet of MM120 was awarded a patent in July 2024.

Cybin has developed a proprietary deuterated psilocybin analog called CYB003, as well as CYB004, a proprietary deuterated DMT compound; both are protected by patents. The company also acquired SPL028, another deuterated DMT compound, through its merger with Small Pharma in 2023. Phase 2 CYB004 topline safety and efficacy data in GAD is expected in H1 2025. A pivotal study of CYB003 is scheduled for mid-2025.

Meanwhile, Compass Pathways’ Phase 2b randomized controlled study evaluating its synthetic psilocybin therapy, COMP360, was the most extensive psilocybin clinical trial to date. With data presented in 2022, the trial found that one 25 milligram dose of COMP360 resulted in a decline in depressive symptoms after three weeks when combined with psychological guidance, with positive effects reportedly lasting for as long as 12 weeks.

Other key players in the psychedelics market include atai Life Sciences (NASDAQ:ATAI), GH Research (NASDAQ:GHRS), Bright Minds Biosciences (NASDAQ:DRUG) and Silo Pharma (NASDAQ:SILO).

Canadian companies in this sector include Numinus Wellness (TSX:NUMI,OTCQB:MTPLF), Optimi Health (CSE:OPTI,OTCQX:OPTHF), BetterLife Pharma (CSE:BETR,OTCQB:BETRF), Pharmala Biotech (CSE:MDMA,OTCQB:MDXXF) and Restart Life Science (CSE:REST,OTC Pink:NMLSF).

Other avenues for investors include strategic investments in specialized real estate ventures.

Healing Realty Trust (HRT) specializes in acquiring healthcare infrastructure assets, focusing on developing mental and behavioral healthcare facilities. The company established preferred real estate partnership agreements with providers like NeuroSpa, Cambridge Biotherapies and Cathexis in 2024. It has also secured the first tranche of a US$25 million Series A funding round, with the funds earmarked to acquire healthcare facilities in Texas, Ohio and Connecticut.

HRT is reportedly preparing for an initial public offering, with a potential listing in late 2025 or early 2026.

Investor takeaway

Against this backdrop, the psychedelics market could see promising growth in 2025.

While challenges remain, the expansion of legalization and decriminalization, combined with ongoing research, positions the industry for growth and presents potential opportunities for investors.