News & Updates
The latest news and updates from companies in the WLTH portfolio.
SEALSQ Advances Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) in Silicon to Counter AI-Driven Threats Following Anthropic's Mythos Breakthrough
Geneva, Switzerland, April 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SEALSQ Corp (NASDAQ: LAES) ("SEALSQ" or "Company"), a company that focuses on developing and selling Semiconductors, PKI, and Post-Quantum technology hardware and software products, today provides an update to its previous communication on the evolving intersection of artificial intelligence and quantum-era cybersecurity risks, highlighting how recent breakthroughs in AI are reinforcing the urgent need for Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) and other secure algorithms to be embedded directly into semiconductor infrastructure. Since Anthropic unveiled Claude Mythos Preview on April 7, 2026, the model has drawn significant attention in cybersecurity for its advanced capabilities in coding, reasoning, and vulnerability discovery. In response to the risks, Anthropic has restricted access to Mythos and launched "Project Glasswing," a cross-industry initiative to secure critical software. Mythos significantly outperforms previous models, uncovering serious long-standing flaws in widely used software. As AI agents become fully autonomous cybersecurity actors, they accelerate both offensive and defensive operations, systematically exploring attack paths and using sophisticated evasion techniques. This evolution also amplifies the quantum threat by enabling faster identification of cryptographic weaknesses and shortening the effective lifespan of classical encryption through "harvest now, decrypt later" strategies. In this new environment, software-based security alone is no longer sufficient. SEALSQ emphasizes that the most effective long-term mitigation is the integration of Post-Quantum Cryptography and other secure algorithms directly into silicon. By embedding PQC into secure microcontrollers and semiconductor components, cryptographic operations are executed within tamper-resistant hardware environments, creating an immutable root of trust that cannot be altered, bypassed, or extracted -- even by AI-driven attacks. This hardware-based approach fundamentally reduces the attack surface by mitigating vulnerabilities linked to software layers and misconfigurations. It ensures that cryptographic keys are generated, stored, and used entirely within secure environments, protecting from unauthorized access or exfiltration. As a result, even highly autonomous AI agents would be unable to escalate privileges or compromise protected systems. While no system can claim absolute theoretical immunity, embedding PQC in silicon raises the barrier to attack to a level that is practically unfeasible. Unlike software defenses, which can be continuously probed and exploited by AI, hardware-enforced cryptographic protections are inherently resistant to observation, manipulation, and iterative attack strategies. The convergence of advanced AI and emerging quantum computing capabilities is creating a new cybersecurity reality where hardware-rooted, quantum-resilient infrastructures can provide sustainable protection. SEALSQ remains at the forefront of this transformation, developing next-generation semiconductors designed to secure digital ecosystems against both AI-driven cyber threats and future quantum attacks. About SEALSQ: SEALSQ is a leading innovator in Post-Quantum Technology hardware and software solutions. Our technology seamlessly integrates Semiconductors, PKI (Public Key Infrastructure), and Provisioning Services, with a strategic emphasis on developing state-of-the-art Quantum Resistant Cryptography and Semiconductors designed to address the urgent security challenges posed by quantum computing. As quantum computers advance, traditional cryptographic methods like RSA and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) are increasingly vulnerable. SEALSQ is pioneering the development of Post-Quantum Semiconductors that provide robust, future-proof protection for sensitive data across a wide range of applications, including Multi-Factor Authentication tokens, Smart Energy, Medical and Healthcare Systems, Defense, IT Network Infrastructure, Automotive, and Industrial Automation and Control Systems. By embedding Post-Quantum Cryptography into our semiconductor solutions, SEALSQ ensures that organizations stay protected against quantum threats. Our products are engineered to safeguard critical systems, enhancing resilience and security across diverse industries. For more information on our Post-Quantum Semiconductors and security solutions, please visit www.sealsq.com. Forward-Looking Statements This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning SEALSQ Corp and its businesses. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our business strategy, financial performance, results of operations, market data, events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future, as well as any other statements which are not historical facts. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct. These statements involve known and unknown risks and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates which are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include SEALSQ's ability to continue beneficial transactions with material parties, including a limited number of significant customers; market demand and semiconductor industry conditions; and the risks discussed in SEALSQ's filings with the SEC. Risks and uncertainties are further described in reports filed by SEALSQ with the SEC. SEALSQ Corp is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Flurry of US IPOs Race to Tap Market Ahead of SpaceX Debut
The pickup in IPOs this month has raised $5.4 billion, and newly-public companies have sparked excitement across Wall Street with a weighted-average return for the year's US IPO class of 21%. The US IPO market has gone from desolate to bustling in a matter of weeks, with companies looking to raise as much as $17.3 billion this month alone and capitalize on stocks' resilience. Debuts in the coming weeks are set to raise billions of dollars as companies look to go public before what's expected to be the market's biggest event of the year: SpaceX's record-breaking initial public offering, which Elon Musk's firm is planning for June. "If I'm any company and I want to have a chance of attracting investors that invest in IPOs, I'd probably rather do it before that deal comes," said Bob Doll, chief executive officer of Crossmark Global Investments. With the Iran war still harboring the potential to throw equities into a tailspin, and financial statements for companies seeking to go public needing a refresh later in May, IPO candidates appear to have decided there's no time like the present. Get the Markets Daily newsletter. Get the Markets Daily newsletter. Get the Markets Daily newsletter. What's happening in stocks, bonds, currencies and commodities right now. What's happening in stocks, bonds, currencies and commodities right now. What's happening in stocks, bonds, currencies and commodities right now. Plus Signed UpPlus Sign UpPlus Sign Up By continuing, I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. The pickup in IPOs this month has raised $5.4 billion, and newly-public companies sparked excitement across Wall Street when they started making people money again. The weighted-average return for the year's US IPO class, excluding blank-check vehicles and closed-end funds, has jumped to 21% from just 4.6% about a week ago, data compiled by Bloomberg show. That outpaces a 4.2% return for the benchmark S&P 500 Index. Companies have been deploying several strategies to increase the likelihood their IPOs will succeed, including lining up so-called cornerstone investors, offering a smaller pool of shares in the deal and starting with attractive discounts to publicly-listed peers. "There's been a lot more price discipline," said Dan Klausner, head of US public equity advisory at Houlihan Lokey Inc. "And success begets success, where if you have a peer that prices and trades well it becomes appealing to go at a reasonable discount." This week's expected IPOs are seeking to raise nearly $2 billion in aggregate. X-Energy Inc., a nuclear energy firm that counts Amazon.com Inc. as a backer, is targetingBloomberg Terminal $814 million. The deals would build on what's been the busiest month for bankers since December saw roughly $8.8 billion raised, primarily driven by Medline Inc.'s blockbuster debut. "We have four IPOs in market slated to price this week, and eight additional IPOs publicly filed last week -- so with continued strength in equity markets, we expect ECM to remain highly active in the near term," said Sumit Mukherjee, head of equity capital markets intelligence at JPMorgan Chase & Co. Read more on IPOs: For the latest news on equity capital markets activity in the US, Canada and Latin America, follow the channel or visit NI BFWECMUS. To subscribe to ECM Watch, Bloomberg's daily roundup of news from around the region, click here. The IPO of billionaire Bill Ackman's closed-end fund and his hedge fund will test the appetite of retail investors as it seeks to raise as much as $10 billion. The IPO is scheduled to price on April 28. The success of the coming deals will shape the landscape for more than a dozen other companies waiting in the wings to price IPOs from artificial intelligence chipmaker Cerebras Systems Inc. to Blackstone Inc.'s data-center acquisition vehicle. Both are expected to target at least $2 billion each, which would deliver consecutive months of notable IPO activity before SpaceX's likely record-setting debut.
SpaceX executive earned $85 million in a year, outearned founder Elon Musk
SpaceX president Shotwell earned $85 million last year. (Image credit: Reuters) SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell earned $85.8 million in total compensation last year, a company prospectus showed, placing her among the highestpaid US executives. Shotwell, who is also chief operating officer, earned a salary of $1 million, with most of her compensation coming from stock options and awards, according to an excerpt of SpaceX's S1 filing. Companies use the registration document to disclose their finances and risks before going public. Elon Musk's SpaceX has filed confidentially for a US IPO, Reuters reported this month, paving the way for a potential recordbreaking listing valued at around $1.75 trillion. Chief Financial Officer Bret Johnson earned total compensation of $9.8 million, while billionaire CEO Musk, the majority shareholder in SpaceX, paid himself a salary of $54,080, the excerpt from the prospectus showed. SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The compensation figures, which have not been previously reported, place Shotwell's pay above many other high-profile tech executives. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella earned $79 million in 2024, while Apple's Tim Cook took home $75 million, according to compensation data compiled by Equilar. Shotwell has a net worth of $3.4 billion, according to Forbes. Although Musk is the public face of SpaceX, 62yearold Shotwell manages much of the company's daytoday grind. That involves converting Musk's futuristic vision into the practical realities of manufacturing rockets, deploying satellites and lining up commercial, government and military customers. Shotwell joined SpaceX in 2002 as vice president of business development, becoming employee No.7 at the thenfledgling company. She has been a central behindthescenes figure in building demand for SpaceX's reusable Falcon 9 rocket, as well as its Starlink satellite broadband constellation, which now generates the bulk of the company's revenue and profit. A mechanical engineer by training, Shotwell began her career at Chrysler Motors before moving into the space industry.
Passengers miss Milan to Manchester flight after passport control chaos
Several UK-bound Ryanair passengers missed their flight due to chaos at passport control across Europe. Around 30 travellers due to fly from Milan Bergamo to Manchester last week were not boarded following "passport control delays". Travellers heading to Europe have faced disruption and confusion following the rollout of the EU's new entry-exit system (EES). Long queues for the input of biometric data have caused serious teething problems for EES - a system that was planned to be fully applied by every Schengen area frontier for non-EU citizens, including Britons, since 10 April. A Ryanair spokesperson said in a statement: "Due to passport control delays at Milan Bergamo airport (16 April), a number of passengers missed this flight from Milan to Manchester. "Should these passengers have presented at the boarding gate desk before it closed, they would have boarded this flight." Adam Hassanjee, an 18-year-old from Bolton, told BBC News that passport control queues at Milan Bergamo were "complete chaos". He said: "We were waiting for an hour and a half and weren't moving. "Then we see the plane leave and got told we have to go and book our own flight back." According to the airline, Ryanair passengers who miss a flight are offered the option of a £100 "missed departure fee" to be moved to a new departure. It also noted that once boarding is closed, a legal report of the manifest - the document detailing onboard passengers and crew - is signed and sent to the captain. After this point, boarding cannot be reopened. It's one of several airlines to encounter delays due to the enforcement of the EU entry-exit system this month. A family travelling with easyJet were forced to spend £1,600 for a connecting flight via Luxembourg after their plane departed without them. The Hume family from Leeds queued for nearly three hours at Milan Linate airport's passport control due to the chaotic enforcement of EES. Speaking to The Independent's travel correspondent Simon Calder, Mr Hume said he felt "gutted, upset, let down, absolutely shattered and poorer - much poorer". Of the 156 passengers said to be booked on easyJet flight 5420 to Manchester, only 34 boarded - leaving 122 behind in Italy. EasyJet said it is "sorry for any inconvenience caused" and that stranded passengers will be offered free transfers to alternative flights.
Trump says Anthropic is 'shaping up,' open to deal with Pentagon
(Corrects second paragraph to show Trump's ban on Anthropic applied to the company and preceded release of its Mythos tool) WASHINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday told CNBC that AI giant Anthropic was "shaping up" in the eyes of his administration and he was open to a deal to allow the firm to resume working with the Pentagon. Trump in February directed the government to stop working with Anthropic. The Pentagon followed up by declaring the firm a supply-chain risk, dealing a major blow to the artificial intelligence lab after a showdown over guardrails for how the military could use its artificial intelligence tools. The company disputes that characterization and filed suit against the Defense Department in March over the determination. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei met with White House officials last week to attempt to repair the relationship. The White House called the meeting productive and constructive. "They came to the White House a few days ago, and we had some very good talks with them," Trump told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Tuesday. "And I think they're shaping up. They're very smart, and I think they can be of great use. I like smart people." (Reporting by Jacob Bogage;Editing by David Ljunggren)
Trump Says Anthropic Is 'Shaping Up,' Open to Deal With Pentagon
WASHINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday told CNBC that AI giant Anthropic was "shaping up" in the eyes of his administration and he was open to a deal to allow the firm to resume contracting with defense officials. Trump in February directed federal agencies to blacklist Anthropic from procurement projects, alleging its new "Mythos" system was a supply chain risk. The company disputes that characterization and filed suit against the Defense Department in March over the determination. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei met with White House officials last week to attempt to repair the relationship. The White House called the meeting productive and constructive. "They came to the White House a few days ago, and we had some very good talks with them," Trump told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Tuesday. "And I think they're shaping up. They're very smart, and I think they can be of great use. I like smart people." (Reporting by Jacob Bogage;Editing by David Ljunggren)
Anthropic Mythos just broke the four-minute mile in cyber offense | Sysdig
Falco Feeds extends the power of Falco by giving open source-focused companies access to expert-written rules that are continuously updated as new threats are discovered. Five things CISOs should consider amid the rise of Anthropic Mythos, Project Glasswing, and the CSA's "AI Vulnerability Storm" briefing. Attackers have officially crossed a Rubicon in cyber offense. While much is still unclear, new AI models have already significantly accelerated the pace at which threat actors can conduct operations and dramatically reduced the technical prowess necessary to upend the systems and software we all rely on. Anthropic's Claude Mythos Preview, for instance, autonomously discovered and exploited zero-day vulnerabilities across every major operating system and every major web browser. It generated 181 working exploits from Firefox's JavaScript engine, where the previous frontier model produced two. It found a 27-year-old bug in OpenBSD and a 16-year-old flaw in FFmpeg that automated fuzzing tools had hit five million times without catching. An engineer with no formal security training asked the model to find remote code execution vulnerabilities overnight, and the next morning woke up to a complete, working exploit. Before Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile in 1954, nobody believed it was possible. Within two years, dozens of runners had done the same. The barrier was never physical. It was the belief that it couldn't be done. And just like 1954, what follows the leaps we're seeing in AI technology won't be a single "runner." It will be a field. Nicholas Carlini, a research scientist at Anthropic and a tenured, well-respected threat researcher, stated that Claude Opus 4.6 was already better at finding vulnerabilities than human security researchers, including himself. That was February, then Mythos launched in April. The trajectory is exponential, not linear. And these capabilities weren't explicitly trained, but emerged as a downstream consequence of general improvements in reasoning and code generation. Every frontier lab making their models smarter at coding is making them smarter at exploitation. Current estimates from the security research community tracking the rate of improvement in both frontier and open-weight models put the timeline at 9 to 12 months before advanced cyber-reasoning capabilities become widely distributed. Anthropic made the responsible call to restrict access to Mythos through Project Glasswing, but frontier capabilities proliferated. Open-weight models are already demonstrating autonomous vulnerability research. The Zero Day Clock, built by Sergej Epp, CISO at Sysdig, shows time-to-exploitation collapsing to under a day in 2026. Integrate that with the collapsing cost of inference, and sophisticated threat actor capability becomes accessible to anyone with an API key and a weekend. This is the new baseline. The Cloud Security Alliance, SANS, [un]prompted, and the OWASP Gen AI Security Project just released an expedited strategy briefing called "The AI Vulnerability Storm." It was authored and reviewed by over 250 CISOs and security leaders, including Jen Easterly, Bruce Schneier, Chris Inglis, Heather Adkins, Rob Joyce, and Phil Venables. What struck me is the tone. This isn't a position paper, but an operational briefing built for the CISO who needs to walk into a room Monday morning with a plan. The risk register, the priority actions, the time horizons - it reads like incident response documentation. The briefing names 13 risks across four categories, maps them to NIST CSF 2.0 and MITRE ATLAS, and prescribes 11 priority actions on aggressive timelines. Six are rated critical, with "start this week" deadlines. The message from 250 of our peers is blunt: the threat model your security program was built on no longer reflects reality, and the time to act is now. The same AI capabilities that make offense cheaper also open the opportunity for defenders to build something we haven't had before: the ability to find our own weaknesses at the same speed and scale as attackers. AI-driven vulnerability discovery on your own code. Continuous security review in your pipelines. Detection of novel threats that don't match any known signature. Response that executes at the speed these attacks will operate. We have a window to build that cyber resilience before these capabilities are broadly weaponized. The CSA briefing frames this as becoming "Mythos-ready," and I think that's the right mental model. Not reacting to one announcement, but permanently closing the gap between how fast vulnerabilities surface and how fast your organization responds. That's where defenders have the biggest opportunity to close the gap, and it's where the industry is headed. The teams that move now will have the muscle when it matters. The ones that wait will be building it under fire. Whatever AI security tooling you've already procured, start integrating it this week. Ask an agent to review your code. Build toward LLM-driven security review in your CI/CD pipeline. All code, whether human- or AI-generated, should pass automated security analysis before it is merged. The goal isn't perfection on day one, but to start surfacing where your risk concentrations are before someone else does it for you. Security, legal, and engineering must come together with a shared understanding of the executive team to take action. Every other defensive initiative on this list will hit approval friction without it. Current governance cycles were designed for a slower threat environment. That friction now has a direct cost in exposure. The CSA briefing rates continuous patching as critical with a "start this week" deadline, and I agree. Look honestly at your entire patching lifecycle - how components enter code, how code reaches production, how operating systems and libraries get updated. At every point where a human is manually gating the process, ask yourself, "What guardrails would I need in place so that an autonomous system can begin driving?" The volume of AI-discovered vulnerabilities coming through Glasswing and its successor programs will overwhelm any team operating at human speed. The Sysdig 2026 Cloud-Native Security and Usage Report highlights this same need: the era of teams manually clicking through response playbooks does not scale. It has not scaled historically, and it does not work even today. Every time a human makes a point-in-time decision to respond or not, that decision should be documented, trained, and fed back into a system to enable agents to drive and accelerate response actions. This includes agents in your deployment environment auditing your pipelines, understanding context, and executing responses at machine speed. As you roll out AI-driven security capabilities, you need to know whether your resilience is actually improving. This means going beyond "does this work: yes or no," to scoring your agents on the quality of their decision-making, the data they're operating on, and whether their reasoning holds up under scrutiny. Joshua Saxe's talk, "The Hard Part Isn't Building the Agent: Measuring Effectiveness," is a good starting point here. Without that feedback loop, you're deploying automation without accountability, and you won't know whether you're more resilient or just more automated. The security leaders who will thrive in the post-Mythos era share two traits: We've crossed the four-minute mile, and the cybersecurity race is on.
Wall Street view: Is Amazon's Anthropic deal a strategic AI win or a cost burden? By Investing.com
Investing.com -- Wall Street has mostly welcomed Amazon's expanded partnership with Anthropic, viewing the $100 billion, 10-year AWS commitment as a major vote of confidence in the company's Trainium chip ambitions. Amazon shares are up 2.6% premarket following the news. Wells Fargo analyst Ken Gawrelski noted that the $100 billion figure is a minimum commitment, estimating Anthropic could contribute $115 billion in AWS revenues between 2026 and 2028, rising to $40 billion to $50 billion annually at full deployment of a projected 5 gigawatts of capacity by 2028. Gawrelski flagged the launch of Claude Platform on AWS as a key competitive differentiator, bringing collaboration tools previously exclusive to Anthropic's own platform, including Claude Cowork and Artifacts, to AWS for the first time. Truist analyst Youssef Squali noted that the deal "deepens Amazon's relationship with Anthropic" and demonstrates that Trainium is gaining momentum in AI training and inference workloads. Combined with a separate OpenAI commitment, Squali said total anchor tenant commitments now exceed $200 billion, which he believes creates upside to AWS revenue estimates in the second half of 2026 and beyond, above current consensus growth of 25% year-on-year. BMO Capital analyst Brian Pitz was equally constructive, arguing that the long-term partnerships "justify the ~$200B of 2026 CapEx." Pitz reiterated the outperform rating and top pick designation on Amazon, with a $310 price target.
Buxar cracks down on traffic chaos, forms QRTs to ease congestion
The district administration has announced a series of measures to tackle severe traffic congestion on key stretches, including the formation of multiple Quick Response Teams to enforce rules and improve vehicular movement. Grappling with persistent traffic congestion on key arterial roads, the Buxar district administration on Monday announced measures to restore order and ensure smooth vehicular movement. The worst-affected stretches include Buxar Golambar to Purana Bhojpur and Dumraon town to Dumraon block. The decision was taken at a high-level meeting held at the collectorate, jointly chaired by district magistrate (DM) Sahila and superintendent of police (SP) Shubham Arya. The DM warned that negligence and traffic violations would invite strict action. To strengthen ground-level monitoring, the administration ordered the formation of three Quick Response Teams (QRTs) in the Buxar Nagar Parishad area and two in Dumraon Nagar Parishad. These teams will patrol major junctions and act immediately against violators. Commuters, however, said the situation reached a breaking point. "The stretch from Buxar Golambar to Purana Bhojpur remains choked for hours every day. Even short distances take an unreasonably long time," said Nisha Rani, a daily commuter. A resident of Dumraon echoed similar concerns, blaming unregulated auto stops and illegal parking for chronic congestion on the Dumraon town-block office road. Officials have been directed to act against a range of violations, including illegal parking, black films on vehicle windows, overloading of passenger vehicles, minors driving e-rickshaws, triple riding, riding without helmets, and failure to wear seat belts. Vehicles lacking fitness or pollution certificates will also face penalties. Special emphasis will be placed on lane discipline on national highways and preventing unauthorised passenger pick-up and drop-off. Misuse of sirens and pressure horns will not be tolerated, officials warned. Acknowledging that roadside encroachments, vegetable vendors and haphazard parking worsen congestion, officials have been tasked with conducting regular eviction drives. Nagar Parishad authorities have also been asked to install proper signage, while the road construction department will repair potholes and complete blacktopping work. Regular water sprinkling has been ordered to curb rising dust pollution.
SpaceX IPO filing shows Musk and insiders set to retain voting control after listing
SpaceX's IPO plans aim to strengthen Elon Musk's control through super-voting shares while he retains top leadership roles SpaceX plans to cement founder Elon Musk's control after its IPO, granting him and a small group of insiders super-voting shares that will outweigh those of other investors. The prospectus, which was filed confidentially this month, provides fresh details of the company's financials and corporate governance. Upon completion of the offering, Musk will remain Chief Executive Officer and Chief Technical Officer, and will also serve as Chairman of SpaceX's nine-member board of directors.
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Late-Stage Private Markets Show Signs of Reacceleration as Private Shares Fund Reports Strong 1Q Sales and IPO Pipeline, with SpaceX as Largest Position
All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here The Private Shares Fund (PRIVX/PIIVX), managed by Liberty Street Advisors, Inc. (Liberty Street), reported strong first quarter performance alongside an expanding pipeline of portfolio companies progressing toward potential IPO, tender, or acquisition events. The Fund's largest holding, SpaceX , has been the subject of recent IPO-related developments, while several other key holdings, including Cerebras and Kraken, have advanced S-1 activity. These developments reflect increasing activity across late-stage private markets. All information is as of March 31, 2026, unless otherwise indicated. Momentum Builds as Private Market Activity Develops The update comes amid improving sentiment across private equity and venture markets. Over 50% of the portfolio (+$600 million in net assets) is tied to companies that have taken steps toward or have publicly discussed undertaking Initial Public Offering (IPO) or Merger and Acquisition (M&A) transactions, including notable companies such as SpaceX, Cerebras and Kraken. Gross sales for the Fund totaled approximately $118 million for Q1 2026, representing the fifth strongest quarter in the Fund's 12-year history. As of 3/31/2026, the Fund manages approximately $1.16 billion in assets. While timing and outcomes remain uncertain, this pipeline reflects increasing momentum across late-stage private markets. SpaceX Remains Largest Position The Fund's largest holding, SpaceX, represented approximately $224 million or 19.3% of Fund net assets, reflecting a company valuation of approximately $1.25 trillion. While there can be no assurance regarding the timing, occurrence, or valuation of any future transaction, recent market commentary has referenced a potential IPO valuation at or around $2 trillion with the IPO targeted to take place the week of June 15 . Strong Liquidity Profile Supports Portfolio Flexibility The Fund enters the second quarter with a solid liquidity profile. After funding new investment opportunities and fulfilling 100% of 1 quarter redemption requests, cash and cash equivalents totaled approximately $100M. Quarterly gross sales of $118 million have increased over the past several quarters, contributing to continued growth in assets under management. Public security positions amounted to approximately $34M. The Fund also maintains a line of credit totaling $150M, which has never been drawn upon. In addition, SpaceX and the aforementioned IPOs and M&A transactions also serve as potential sources of future liquidity. "The Fund performed extremely well over the last several, very difficult, years for venture and traditional private equity funds," said Tim Reick, Liberty Street's CEO & CIO. "We are pleased to be entering this period in strong financial condition with a more vibrant IPO calendar and promising prospects ahead." Key Focus: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Defense, Aerospace The Fund continues to invest across a broad range of late-stage private companies, while increasing focus on areas driving the next phase of innovation, including artificial intelligence, defense, and aerospace. Reflecting this strategic breadth, over half of the top 25 holdings represent a variety of sectors and have additionally taken formal steps toward or publicly discussed undertaking an IPO or M&A transaction. Recent portfolio additions highlight this evolving focus, alongside existing exposure to companies advancing critical technologies across these industries. The Fund recently added two companies advancing in their respective fields: * Ayar Labs (artificial intelligence, 2015) -- developing a critical component of AI and high-performance computing with an optical input and output (I/O) chiplet that replaces traditional copper-based interconnects with light-based data links, vastly accelerating data movement critical to the growth of generative AI. * Saronic (defense, 2022) -- focused on naval warfare and defense operations with the most advanced and capable autonomous surface vessels (ASVs). "These additions reflect our emphasis on areas we believe are driving the next phase of innovation," said Kevin Moss, Managing Director and Portfolio Manager. "Artificial intelligence and defense will continue to be focus areas, alongside our existing emphasis on aerospace, as we move forward." About Liberty Street Advisors, Inc. Liberty Street Advisors, Inc. ("Liberty Street") is an SEC registered investment advisor. The firm is located in New York City and launched its first fund in 2007. Liberty Street provides access to valuable and timely investment strategies designed to help investors and financial advisors meet the challenges of today's market environment. As of 3/31/26, Liberty Street manages four open-end mutual funds, the Private Shares Fund, and a non-U.S. fund with total assets under management of over $1.9 billion. For further information, visit https://libertystreetfunds.com/ . About The Private Shares Fund The Private Shares Fund is a 1940 Act registered, closed-end interval fund that invests in a portfolio of private, late stage, growth companies. Traditionally, such access to private companies has only been available to institutional and high net worth investors through high-minimum, complex and paperwork laden private placement vehicles. The Private Shares Fund provides access to such companies without accreditation at low investment minimums, with a daily NAV, a quarterly repurchase program, no performance fees and simple 1099 tax reporting.* To learn more about the Fund's current holdings, total return performance, investment process, our team, and more, please visit the Fund's website at www.privatesharesfund.com . The Fund's top ten holdings represented 50.71% of the portfolio as of 3/31/2026: SpaceX, Grubmarket, Nanotronics, Motive, Tradeshift, Dataminr, Databricks, Upgrade, Lime and Betterment. *The investment minimums are $2,500 for the Class A Share and Class L Share, and $1,000,000 for the Institutional Share, which is waived for fee-based asset management programs. Shares in the Fund are highly illiquid, and can be sold by shareholders only in the quarterly repurchase program of the Fund. Due to transfer restrictions and the illiquid nature of the Fund's investments, you may not be able to sell your shares when, or in the amount that, you desire. Though there is no performance fee, other fees and expenses apply to the Fund. Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. For a prospectus with this and other information about The Private Shares Fund (the "Fund"), please visit the Fund's website at www.privatesharesfund.com , or call 1-855-551-5510. Read the prospectus carefully before investing. Investment in the Fund involves substantial risk. The Fund is not suitable for investors who cannot bear the risk of loss of all or part of their investment. The Fund is appropriate only for investors who can tolerate a high degree of risk and do not require a liquid investment. All investing involves risk including the possible loss of principal. Shares in the Fund are highly illiquid, and can be sold by shareholders only in the quarterly repurchase program of the Fund which allows for up to 5% of the Fund's outstanding shares at NAV to be redeemed each quarter. Due to transfer restrictions and the illiquid nature of the Fund's investments, you may not be able to sell your shares when, or in the amount that, you desire. The Fund intends to primarily invest in securities of private, late-stage, venture-backed growth companies. There are significant potential risks relating to investing in such securities. Because most of the securities in which the Fund invests are not publicly traded, the Fund's investments will be valued by Liberty Street Advisors, Inc. (the "Investment Adviser") pursuant to fair valuation procedures and methodologies approved by the Board of Trustees, as set forth in the prospectus. As a consequence, the value of the securities, and therefore the Fund's Net Asset Value (NAV), may vary. There are significant potential risks associated with investing in venture capital and private equity-backed companies with complex capital structures. The Fund focuses its investments in a limited number of securities, which could subject it to greater risk than that of a larger, more varied portfolio. There is a greater focus in technology securities that could adversely affect the Fund's performance. The Fund's quarterly repurchase policy may require the Fund to liquidate portfolio holdings earlier than the Investment Adviser would otherwise do so and may also result in an increase in the Fund's expense ratio. Portfolio holdings of private companies that become publicly traded likely will be subject to more volatile market fluctuations than when private, and the Fund may not be able to sell shares at favorable prices. Such companies frequently impose lock-ups that would prohibit the Fund from selling shares for a period of time after an initial public offering (IPO). Market prices of public securities held by the Fund may decline substantially before the Investment Adviser is able to sell the securities. The Fund may invest in private securities utilizing special purpose vehicles ("SPV"s), private investments in public equity ("PIPE") transactions where the issuer is a special purpose acquisition company ("SPAC"), and profit sharing agreements. The Fund will bear its pro rata portion of expenses on investments in SPVs or similar investment structures and will have no direct claim against underlying portfolio companies. PIPE transactions involve price risk, market risk, expense risk, and the Fund may not be able to sell the securities due to lock-ups or restrictions. Profit sharing agreements may expose the Fund to certain risks, including that the agreements could reduce the gain the Fund otherwise would have achieved on its investment, may be difficult to value and may result in contractual disputes. Certain conflicts of interest involving the Fund and its affiliates could impact the Fund's investment returns and limit the flexibility of its investment policies. This is not a complete enumeration of the Fund's risks. Please read the Fund prospectus for other risk factors related to the Fund. The Fund is distributed by FORESIDE FUND SERVICES, LLC. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially. Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, words or phrases generally written in the future tense and/or preceded by words such as "will," "may," "could," "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "seek," "estimate," "preliminary" or other similar words are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from any future results or outcomes expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement made in this press release speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260421339941/en/
Ryanair flight leaves passengers behind due to passport control chaos
Several UK-bound Ryanair passengers were left behind in Italy as chaos at passport control continues in Europe. Around 30 travellers due to fly from Milan Bergamo to Manchester last week were not boarded following "passport control delays". Travellers heading to Europe have faced disruption and confusion following the rollout of the EU's new entry-exit system (EES). Long queues for the input of biometric data have caused serious teething problems for EES - a system that was planned to be fully applied by every Schengen area frontier for non-EU citizens, including Britons, since 10 April. A Ryanair spokesperson said in a statement: "Due to passport control delays at Milan Bergamo airport (16 April), a number of passengers missed this flight from Milan to Manchester. "Should these passengers have presented at the boarding gate desk before it closed, they would have boarded this flight." Adam Hassanjee, an 18-year-old from Bolton, told BBC News that passport control queues at Milan Bergamo were "complete chaos". He said: "We were waiting for an hour and a half and weren't moving. "Then we see the plane leave and got told we have to go and book our own flight back." According to the airline, Ryanair passengers who miss a flight are offered the option of a £100 "missed departure fee" to be moved to a new departure. It also noted that once boarding is closed, a legal report of the manifest - the document detailing onboard passengers and crew - is signed and sent to the captain. After this point, boarding cannot be reopened. It's one of several airlines to encounter delays due to the enforcement of the EU entry-exit system this month. A family travelling with easyJet were forced to spend £1,600 for a connecting flight via Luxembourg after their plane departed without them. The Hume family from Leeds queued for nearly three hours at Milan Linate airport's passport control due to the chaotic enforcement of EES. Speaking to The Independent's travel correspondent Simon Calder, Mr Hume said he felt "gutted, upset, let down, absolutely shattered and poorer - much poorer". Of the 156 passengers said to be booked on easyJet flight 5420 to Manchester, only 34 boarded - leaving 122 behind in Italy. EasyJet said it is "sorry for any inconvenience caused" and that stranded passengers will be offered free transfers to alternative flights.
Trump says Anthropic is 'shaping up,' open to deal with Pentagon
WASHINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday told CNBC that AI giant Anthropic was "shaping up" in the eyes of his administration and he was open to a deal to allow the firm to resume contracting with defense officials. Trump in February directed federal agencies to blacklist Anthropic from procurement projects, alleging its new "Mythos" system was a supply chain risk. The company disputes that characterization and filed suit against the Defense Department in March over the determination. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei met with White House officials last week to attempt to repair the relationship. The White House called the meetingproductive and constructive. "They came to the White House a few days ago, and we had some very good talks with them," Trump told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Tuesday. "And I think they're shaping up. They're very smart, and I think they can be of great use. I like smart people." (Reporting by Jacob Bogage;Editing by David Ljunggren)
Anthropic's $100B commitment to Amazon benefits Marvell and Astera Labs: analysts
Anthropic's (ANTHRO) $100B commitment to Amazon Web Services (AMZN) over the next decade for Trainium chips and Graviton cores and 5 GW of compute capacity should also benefit Marvell (MRVL) and Astera Labs (ALAB), according to analysts. Astera Labs had Analysts expect Marvell and Astera Labs to benefit significantly as key Amazon suppliers, gaining from increased Trainium chip deployment and connectivity solutions. Higher capital expenditures might drive concerns about returns, but analysts believe Amazon is well-positioned to capitalize on rising AI demand despite potential margin pressure. Anthropic's massive infrastructure commitment and partnerships, plus launching the Claude Platform on AWS, could give it a competitive edge over third-party AI platforms.
Amazon invests another $5B in Anthropic
SAN FRANCISCO -- Amazon on Monday said it pumped another $5 billion into Anthropic as it ramps up its collaboration with the startup behind Claude artificial intelligence. The e-commerce and cloud computing colossus noted that the investment builds on $8 billion it had already invested in Anthropic, according to the companies. Amazon added that it could invest $20 billion more in Anthropic, provided the startup meets certain performance goals. For its part, San Francisco-based Anthropic said it has committed to spending more than $100 billion on Amazon Web Services (AWS) technology to power AI in the coming decade. "We need to build the infrastructure to keep pace with rapidly growing demand," Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei said in a release. Get the latest news delivered to your inbox Sign up for The Manila Times newsletters By signing up with an email address, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. "Our collaboration with Amazon will allow us to continue advancing AI research while delivering Claude to our customers." Anthropic said in early April that it had tripled its annualized revenues quarter-on-quarter to over $30 billion -- outpacing OpenAI for the first time. Advertisement Amodei visited US officials last week at the White House, where they struck a different tone from the dispute that erupted in February, when the AI startup infuriated Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth by insisting its technology should not be used for mass surveillance or fully autonomous weapons systems. "We discussed opportunities for collaboration, as well as shared approaches and protocols to address the challenges associated with scaling this technology," a White House spokesperson told AFP. The rhetoric marks a departure from months earlier, when President Donald Trump instructed the US government to "immediately cease" using Anthropic's technology after the company refused to allow the Pentagon unconditional use of its Claude AI models. Anthropic has challenged the Trump administration in court, as well as Hegseth's move to add the company to a list of firms that pose a "supply chain risk." Advertisement Earlier this month, Anthropic announced its newest AI model Mythos, withholding it from public release due to its potential cybersecurity risks.
Musk, insiders to keep voting control of SpaceX after IPO
SpaceX plans to cement founder Elon Musk's control after its IPO, granting him and a small group of insiders super-voting shares that will outweigh other investors, according to excerpts of the company's IPO filing reviewed by Reuters. The prospectus, which was confidentially filed this month, provides fresh details of the company's financials and corporate governance. Upon completion of the offering, Musk will stay on as chief executive officer, chief technical officer, and will serve as chairman of SpaceX's nine-member board of directors. Though Musk was paid $54,080 last year, according to the excerpts, he stands to gain billions in equity after the company;s stock market debut. SpaceX is targeting a listing valuation of roughly $1.75 trillion with a $75 billion raise, which would make it the largest initial public offering in history. Musk bought $1.4 billion in the company's stock last year and stands to get another 60 million in shares if SpaceX's market value reaches $6.6 trillion and he is able to build data centres in space under a stock plan approved last month, the Information reported. President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell received $85.8m in total compensation last year, Reuters previously reported, while Chief Financial Officer Bret Johnsen was paid $9.8m. Some of the executives are driving Musk's IPO ambitions with three days of meetings planned this week for Wall Street analysts, starting with a tour and briefings at SpaceX's Starbase launch facility in Boca Chica, Texas. The filing excerpts show SpaceX will use a dual-class equity structure that gives Class B shareholders 10 votes each, concentrating power with Musk and a handful of other insiders, while Class A shares sold to public investors will carry one vote each. They also outline provisions that could limit shareholders' ability to influence board elections or pursue certain legal claims, forcing disputes into arbitration instead and restricting where they can be brought. While such structures are common among founder-led technology companies, they limit public shareholders' ability to influence strategy or challenge management. The filing gives investors the first look at SpaceX's financial health, especially after Musk combined the rocket maker with his social media and AI company xAI this year. The combined company ended 2025 with about $24.8 billion in cash on hand, and had total assets of $92 billion against total liabilities of $50.8 billion. Its satellite internet business Starlink generated billions in profit last year, helping to offset heavy losses inherited when it bought founder Elon Musk's social media and artificial intelligence company xAI this year, the excerpts show. SpaceX swung to a $4.94 billion consolidated loss in 2025 on revenue of $18.67 billion as it invested heavily in xAI's artificial intelligence infrastructure, from a $791m profit and $14.02 billion in revenue the year before. It lost $4.63 billion on $10.4 billion in revenue in 2023. AI Spending Its losses stem from an almost fivefold increase in capital spending over two years to $20.74 billion last year, more than half of that on AI spending. The company's successful Starlink satellite internet service is subsidising much of that spending, generating $4.42 billion in operating profit but accounting for less than a quarter of its total capital expenditures. Capital expenditure at the AI segment surged to $12.7 billion from $5.6 billion the prior year, pushing SpaceX's total capex above $20.7 billion, more than double the prior year. That remains a fraction of spending by the largest technology companies on AI infrastructure: Meta, with a comparable market capitalisation of about $1.7 trillion, had capital expenditure of $72 billion in 2025. The Information previously reported some aspects of the financials.
President Trump said "it's possible" Anthropic and the Pentagon could reach a deal eventually.
During a television interview with CNBC, he said Anthropic, which has been enmeshed in a dramatic lawsuit with the Department of Defense, had a positive meeting at the White House. Anthropic had come to discuss Mythos, its buzzy private model. "We had some very good talks with them, and I think they're shaping up," he said. "They're very smart, and I think they can be of great use."
SEALSQ Advances Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) in Silicon to Counter AI-Driven Threats Following Anthropic's Mythos Breakthrough
Geneva, Switzerland, April 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SEALSQ Corp (NASDAQ: LAES) ("SEALSQ" or "Company"), a company that focuses on developing and selling Semiconductors, PKI, and Post-Quantum technology hardware and software products, today provides an update to its previous communication on the evolving intersection of artificial intelligence and quantum-era cybersecurity risks, highlighting how recent breakthroughs in AI are reinforcing the urgent need for Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) and other secure algorithms to be embedded directly into semiconductor infrastructure. Since Anthropic unveiled Claude Mythos Preview on April 7, 2026, the model has drawn significant attention in cybersecurity for its advanced capabilities in coding, reasoning, and vulnerability discovery. In response to the risks, Anthropic has restricted access to Mythos and launched "Project Glasswing," a cross-industry initiative to secure critical software. Mythos significantly outperforms previous models, uncovering serious long-standing flaws in widely used software. As AI agents become fully autonomous cybersecurity actors, they accelerate both offensive and defensive operations, systematically exploring attack paths and using sophisticated evasion techniques. This evolution also amplifies the quantum threat by enabling faster identification of cryptographic weaknesses and shortening the effective lifespan of classical encryption through "harvest now, decrypt later" strategies. Get the latest news delivered to your inbox Sign up for The Manila Times newsletters By signing up with an email address, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. In this new environment, software-based security alone is no longer sufficient. SEALSQ emphasizes that the most effective long-term mitigation is the integration of Post-Quantum Cryptography and other secure algorithms directly into silicon. By embedding PQC into secure microcontrollers and semiconductor components, cryptographic operations are executed within tamper-resistant hardware environments, creating an immutable root of trust that cannot be altered, bypassed, or extracted-even by AI-driven attacks. This hardware-based approach fundamentally reduces the attack surface by mitigating vulnerabilities linked to software layers and misconfigurations. It ensures that cryptographic keys are generated, stored, and used entirely within secure environments, protecting from unauthorized access or exfiltration. As a result, even highly autonomous AI agents would be unable to escalate privileges or compromise protected systems. Advertisement While no system can claim absolute theoretical immunity, embedding PQC in silicon raises the barrier to attack to a level that is practically unfeasible. Unlike software defenses, which can be continuously probed and exploited by AI, hardware-enforced cryptographic protections are inherently resistant to observation, manipulation, and iterative attack strategies. The convergence of advanced AI and emerging quantum computing capabilities is creating a new cybersecurity reality where hardware-rooted, quantum-resilient infrastructures can provide sustainable protection. SEALSQ remains at the forefront of this transformation, developing next-generation semiconductors designed to secure digital ecosystems against both AI-driven cyber threats and future quantum attacks. About SEALSQ: SEALSQ is a leading innovator in Post-Quantum Technology hardware and software solutions. Our technology seamlessly integrates Semiconductors, PKI (Public Key Infrastructure), and Provisioning Services, with a strategic emphasis on developing state-of-the-art Quantum Resistant Cryptography and Semiconductors designed to address the urgent security challenges posed by quantum computing. As quantum computers advance, traditional cryptographic methods like RSA and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) are increasingly vulnerable. Advertisement SEALSQ is pioneering the development of Post-Quantum Semiconductors that provide robust, future-proof protection for sensitive data across a wide range of applications, including Multi-Factor Authentication tokens, Smart Energy, Medical and Healthcare Systems, Defense, IT Network Infrastructure, Automotive, and Industrial Automation and Control Systems. By embedding Post-Quantum Cryptography into our semiconductor solutions, SEALSQ ensures that organizations stay protected against quantum threats. Our products are engineered to safeguard critical systems, enhancing resilience and security across diverse industries. For more information on our Post-Quantum Semiconductors and security solutions, please visit www.sealsq.com. Forward-Looking Statements This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning SEALSQ Corp and its businesses. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our business strategy, financial performance, results of operations, market data, events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future, as well as any other statements which are not historical facts. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct. These statements involve known and unknown risks and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates which are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include SEALSQ's ability to continue beneficial transactions with material parties, including a limited number of significant customers; market demand and semiconductor industry conditions; and the risks discussed in SEALSQ's filings with the SEC. Risks and uncertainties are further described in reports filed by SEALSQ with the SEC. Advertisement SEALSQ Corp is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. SEALSQ Corp. Carlos Moreira Chairman & CEO Advertisement Tel: +41 22 594 3000
Late-Stage Private Markets Show Signs of Reacceleration as Private Shares Fund Reports Strong 1Q Sales and IPO Pipeline, with SpaceX as Largest Position
NEW YORK-(BUSINESS WIRE)-The Private Shares Fund (PRIVX/PIIVX), managed by Liberty Street Advisors, Inc. (Liberty Street), reported strong first quarter performance alongside an expanding pipeline of portfolio companies progressing toward potential IPO, tender, or acquisition events. The Fund's largest holding, SpaceX, has been the subject of recent IPO-related developments, while several other key holdings, including Cerebras and Kraken, have advanced S-1 activity. These developments reflect
Trump says Anthropic is 'shaping up,' open to deal with Pentagon
WASHINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday told CNBC that AI giant Anthropic was "shaping up" in the eyes of his administration and he was open to a deal to allow the firm to resume contracting with defense officials. Trump in February directed federal agencies to blacklist Anthropic from procurement projects, alleging its new "Mythos" system was a supply chain risk. The company disputes that characterization and filed suit against the Defense Department in March over the determination.
