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Its a hard time to be an XRP investor. The token, the fifth-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, has been on a downward trajectory for nearly half a year. And this week, things have gotten much worse. Heres what you need to know about XRP and the beating the coin is taking. Whats happened? The price of XRP is getting pummeled today. In the last 24 hours, the tokens value has plunged nearly 14.5% as of the time of this writing, falling from above $1.50 per coin to around $1.36. And thats just the most recent price shock for the coin. Looking back over the past month, XRP is down more than a staggering 41%, according to Yahoo Finance data. On January 5, the coin was trading as high as $2.41. Even more astounding: XPR topped $3.60 a coin in July 2025, meaning it’s now down more than 60% from its summer high. For XRP investors, the tokens fall over the past six months is difficult to stomach. Many had high hopes for the rising cryptocurrency star, especially after Donald Trump entered the White House for a second term last January, leading an administration seen as very crypto-friendly. Why is XRP falling? It’s important to note that XRP is not the only token that has been hit hard in the past several months. Most major cryptocurrencies are on the decline as of late, including Bitcoin (down nearly 25% in the past month), Ethereum (down 35%), and BNB (down 25%). As Fast Company previously reported, two main factors are driving the fall of cryptocurrencies this year. The first is the renewed strength of the U.S. dollar (USD). At the end of last month, President Trump announced his pick for the new chair of the Federal Reserve, Kevin Warsh. The news sent the U.S. dollar surging. But because cryptocurrencies are generally priced in U.S. dollars, a stronger dollar means more tokens can be bought with the same amount of fiat currency, making them appear cheaper and thus lessening their value. The rising dollar has led to a selloff in some cryptocurrencies as investors try to protect their digital gains before they fall further. And then there is the seemingly unending geopolitical uncertainty rocking the world, most of it spurred on by Trump himself. First it was Americas attack on Venezuela, then it was Trumps threats to take Greenland from Americas allies by force, and now its the possibility of military strikes on Iran. All this geopolitical uncertainty breeds risk, and increased risk typically sends investors into safe-haven assets: typically gold or U.S. dollars. Given that cryptocurrencies are historically highly volatile, the digital coins are seen as anything but a safe haven. Ripple comments anger XRP ardents Given that XRP is the fifth-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, its no surprise the digital token has a large number of ardent supporters behind it. Recently, some of those supporters were angered by comments made by David Schwartz, CTO emeritus of Ripple. Ripple is a private company that offers software to financial institutions that facilitate international money transfers. Ripple is also the largest owner of XRP tokens in the world. This connection is one of the reasons why some supporters of XRP may have been angered by online comments that Schwartz had made earlier this month. As noted by Benzinga, Schwartz said he thought it was unlikely XRP would ever hit the $50 to $100 price range. But Schwartz noted that his past predictions had been wrong before. While Schwartzs comments dont seem to be a big driver of XRPs price in either direction, they may have contributed to fears that astronomical gains for the coin are out of reach for the foreseeable future. Indeed, as CoinDesk reports, XRP is now at its lowest level since October 2024wiping out all the gains it had achieved after the crypto-friendly Trump administration returned to office. And now there are fears that the token may fall to the $1 mark if its trajectory does not change course. Whether that actually happens remains to be seen.
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E-Commerce
On most golf courses, silence is sacred. At the WM Phoenix Opens 16th hole, noise is the point. Every year, tens of thousands of fans pack into a stadium-like enclosure at TPC Scottsdale, turning a short par 3 into one of the most recognizableand rowdiestsettings in sports. Missed putts are booed. Holes in one trigger cascades of beer. The atmosphere is closer to a college football rivalry than a PGA Tour stop. But as iconic as the 16th hole has become, its future wasnt guaranteed by tradition alone. Behind the spectacle, the structure itself had reached a limitarchitecturally, operationally, and environmentally. We made the decision that that was as good as that structure was going to get, says Jason Eisenberg, the 2026 tournament chairman. If we want to continue to have an amazing fan experience, if we want fans to come back and see something new, we were going to have to elevate that experience. That realization sparked a full redesign of the 16th holeone that goes far beyond aesthetics. Whats emerging ahead of the 2026 tournament is a case study in how physical design, systems design, and cultural design can align to quietly change how large-scale events are built and run. [Rendering: courtesy WM Phoenix Open] The result isnt just a louder or flashier venue. Its a reusable, modular structure designed to last decades, embedded within one of the worlds largest certified zero-waste sporting eventsand supported by a culture that treats experimentation as essential, not optional. TPC Scottsdale is a publicly owned course, operated by the City of Scottsdale and host to the Phoenix Open for decades. Its ownership structureand the regulatory constraints that come with itmeans that even the tournaments most iconic spaces must be built to appear and disappear each year. [Image: courtesy WM Phoenix Open] Design Change Like every structure on the PGA Tour, the 16th hole at the WM Phoenix Open is built from scratch each year and dismantled once the tournament ends. What makes it unusual isnt that its rebuilt annually, but that it has reached the practical limits of how much a temporary structure can evolve without fundamentally changing how its designed. Every year, we would add to the 16th hole, says Danny Ellis, senior vice president of sales and business development at InProduction, the company that has built the structure for nearly three decades. Every year it would take on another section, another layer. Eventually, we reached a point where the footprint couldnt expand anymore. [Rendering: courtesy WM Phoenix Open] By 2020, the grandstand had reached three levels wrapping fully around the hole. The Thunderbirds, who operate the tournament, were satisfied with its location and scale. What wasnt sustainable was how it was built. The structure relied heavily on timber and cut plywood, requiring all three levels to be recut, modified, and refinished every yeara process that was increasingly misaligned with both modern fan expectation and the tournaments zero-waste ambitions. Across the PGA Tour, temporary construction is the norm. Each week, courses are outfitted with general-admission grandstands, hospitality structures, media centers, broadcast towers, volunteer headquarters, and fan walkways, all designed to exist for a single event. A typical Tour stop might involve roughly 200,000 square feet of temporary flooring spread across an entire course. At most tournaments, those elements are distributed across multiple holes; at the WM Phoenix Open, they are concentrated, layered, and intensified within a single one. From disposable to reusable The 16th hole alone doubles that footprint. With approximately 400,000 square feet of flooring contained within a single hole, it operates less like a golf installation and more like a stadium buildrebuilt annually, but engineered for one of the most densely packed fan environments in sports. By both scale and construction method, the 16th hole now occupies a category of its ownwithout direct analogue on the PGA Tour or at any other sporting event worldwide. The redesign addresses that mismatch by shifting from disposable construction to modular reuse. Levels two and three have been rebuilt using fully modular decking systems encased in metal frames, eliminating the need for annual cutting on two-thirds of the structure. Only the first level still relies on plywood, reducing constructionrelated waste at the 16th hole by roughly two-thirds compared to previous builds. Designing for reuse also changed the structures internal logic. Long-span engineering allows for wider interior spaces, fewer vertical supports, and cleaner sight linessubtle changes that have an outsized impact on how fans move through and experience the space. Robert MacIntyre of Scotland throws items to fans in the stands on the 16th hole during the third round 2025 tournament. [Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images] The spans we created inside literally took out every other leg in the structure, Ellis says. Before, we had a support every 10 feet. Now, its every 20 feet. [Image: courtesy WM Phoenix Open] The materials themselves reflect a shift toward permanence without permanence. The structure is built from galvanized steel and aluminum, and incorporates I-beams, bar joists, and glass guardrailscomponents typically associated with fixed buildings rather than temporary events. Reducing material use Dismantling and load-out takes roughly eight weeks, after which the modular components will be stored locally at InProductions facility in Goodyear, Arizona. Because much of the structure is custom-sized for the 16th hole, about 20% of the decks and beams will be redeployed to other events, while the remaining components will be reserved for annual assembly. Across InProductions broader inventory, those same modular systems will be reused across roughly 300 events each year, allowing materials to circulate continuously rather than being rebuilt from scratch. For InProduction, aligning with the tournaments sustainability requirements was a core design constraint. As Ellis explains, the shift to a fully reusable structure was driven in part by a long-running effort to reduce material usage, particularly wood, scrim, and paint that previously had to be recycled, donated, or discarded after each event. From the outset, the goal was to cut construction-related material use. While the cassette flooring system required a higher upfront investment than traditional lumber, Ellis says it delivers long-term savings while eliminating painting and significantly reducing scrim usage, bringing the rebuild into closer alignment with the tournaments zero-waste strategy. This is a different interpretation of temporary architecture: one that still appears overnight and disappears just as quickly, but behaves more like infrastructure than spectacle. In doing so, the 16th hole becomes less a one-off anomaly and more a case study in how large-scale events can rethink durability, waste, and experience. [Image: courtesy WM Phoenix Open] Designing for Experience The new structure firmly aligns with and reflects the Phoenix Opens long-standing zero-waste ambitions. For Tara Hemmer, chief sustainability officer at WM, that significance of the redesign lies less in any single material choice than in how the structure fits into a broader closed-loop system. (Waste Management became the named sponsor of the Phoenix Open in 2010 and rebranded to WM in 2022.) Reimagining the construction of the 16th hole and making it modular and completely reusable really speaks to the heart of what it means to be a zero-waste event, Hemmer says. This is just another step in that evolution. The WM Phoenix Open officially became a zero-waste event in 2013, but Hemmer is quick to point out that it didnt start with a playbook. When we decided to try this, we had no idea how to get to a 100% zero-waste event, she says. So we had to try a lot of different things. What emerged is a system designed across time, not just space. The process begins months before the tournament, immediately after the previous one ends. The minute the tournament ends, Hemmer and her team are already working on matters for the following years tournament. Aligning with vendors WM works directly with vendors, specifying which materials can and cannot be used. We go to them and say, These are the types of materials that you can and cant use'” Hemmer explains. Those are selected by the WM team, embedded by the WM team. Vendors can propose alternatives, but only if those materials fit into the broader system. Sometimes we take those and say, That might be a best practice for all of our vendors, she says. The goal is simple but demanding: How can each item that comes onto the course be reused, donated, or recycled. That lifecycle thinking extends into unexpected areas. One example Im really proud of on 16 is beverages, Hemmer says. There are a lot of cold beverages, kept cold by ice. Ice melts, and that water has to go somewhere. Instead of discharging it, WM designed a reuse loop. Several years ago, someone came up with the idea: Can we take that water as its melting and use it as gray water for our portable toilets?, said Hemmer. Thats a great example of design thinking that happens throughout the year. The WM Green Scene At the Phoenix Open, there are no trash binsonly compost and recycling. The success of that approach depends as much on psychology as infrastructure. We have to make things exciting but also easy,” Hemmer says. Especially on 16, which tends to be very crowded. Signage, bin placement, and staff engagement are carefully designed to reduce contamination. But the ambition goes further. WM spends a lot of time in researching how fans take their messaging home, and apply it. Compost and recycling bins at the 2024 edition. [Photo: Ben Jared/PGA TOUR/Getty] The WM Green Scene, an interactive fan zone, functions as the tournaments sustainability classroom. Staffed by WM employee volunteers, the space uses golf-themed games and hands-on demonstrations to teach fans how to identify recyclable and compostable materials. In past years, visitors chipped items resembling cans, bottles, and food waste into the correct bins. This year, the space will also feature a three-dimensional WM Phoenix Open logo that allows fans to recycle bottles and cans directly. Free hydration stations encourage reusable bottles, while the tournaments 50/50 raffles tie sustainability engagement to charitable giving. Weve learned so much by watching how fans interact, Hemmer says. And yes, weve also learned how many beverage containers can be consumed in a short period of time. Behavior-led system design Weve all seen those cup snakes [collection of stacked cups] going up the 16th hole, Hemmer says. Thats important because we need to think through what fans are going to do and how we get those materials back. On the 16th hole, behavior is part of the system design. All cold beverages cups used on course are recyclable. WM anticipates misplacement, cup snakes, and even thrown cups, collecting materials from the course and manually sorting every bag to ensure proper processing. [Photo: Ben Jared/PGA TOUR/Getty] Why Sports Are the Perfect Test Lab Sporting events offer a rare advantage for experiments such as the modular system: controlled chaos. These events are remote, Ellis says. They always need infrastructure built temporarilyon a racetrack or a golf course. The level of detail increases every year. Hemmer agrees. The Phoenix Open is a closed event across several hundred acres, she says. We can test things at the 16th hole that we test differently at the 12th hole and see what works. The stakes are high, but so is the payoff. All of this depends on leadership willing to push past comfort zones. The WM Phoenix Open is the WM Phoenix Open because we take chances, Eisenberg says. We do things that not just other golf tournaments, but most other events dont do. Min Woo Lee of Australia and Akshay Bhatia, 2025. [Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images] Nearly a century of community commitment That confidence comes from trust that has been built over 90 years of community involvement. We have faith that if we build something and say its going to be great, our fans will support us, he says. The Thunderbirds rotating leadership structure reinforces that mindset. There is no dictator sitting on the throne for 10 years, Eisenberg says. Everybody comes in with fresh ideas, each trying to make it better. That culture extends beyond spectacle. Eisenberg points to accessibility improvements and the addition of a family care center as examples of design thats easy to overlook but deeply intentional. I hope they dont feel any burden getting in and out, he says of fan accessibility. I hope it just runs in the background. When asked what other tournaments would struggle to replicate, Eisenberg is blunt. Its hard to replicate the time weve invested, he says. We have 90 years of goodwill in our community. But he also believes the responsibility is clear. If we can do this at our size and scale, no event has an excuse. This weekend, fans will pack into the 16th hole once again. Theyll cheer, boo, and raise their cups skyward. What they likely wont notice is the modular decks beneath their feet, the materials already destined for reuse, or the systems designed months earlier to make the experience feel effortless. I hope they walk away thinking it was the most incredible temporary structure theyve ever been in, Eisenberg says. And the best sporting event theyve ever attended.
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E-Commerce
The Super Bowl is mere days away and chances are youve seen most of the ads already. Right? Lets rewind for a 10-second Super Bowl ad history lesson that goes like this: In 2011, Volkswagen decided to drop its full adcalled The Forceonline the Wednesday before the Super Bowl. This was brand marketer blasphemy! But it worked. Ever since, more and more brands began dropping ads earlier and earlier, which then evolved into creating teasers for the ads to run even earlier. If youre confused as to why this happens, dont sweat it, even Christopher Walken wasnt sure in BMWs 2024 Super Bowl teaser. Super Bowl commercials are no longer just Super Bowl commercials. They are Super Bowl campaigns that run for weeks before and after the game. Now, say it in your best Walken voice, Why would they do that? So much more than $8M The last time the Patriots and Seahawks met in the Super Bowl in 2015, 30 seconds of commercial time on NBC went for about $4.4 million. This year, a 30-second spot averaged $8 million, plus another $8 million in required spend for other NBC sports broadcasting and the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, according to Ad Age. That price tag could go as high as $10 million, when you consider expanding that to Peacock and Telemundo. And thats all before you spend a dime on actually making the ad. With this much at stake, brands are investing even more to extend the life of their Super Bowl ads. Which is why we start hearing about them in early to mid-January. Given the sheer size and scale of the Super Bowl season, we decided to do a power-rankings list to break down the five brands we believe have the most momentum heading into the game. 1. Budweiser Created by BBDO New York, “American Icons” traces the friendship and bond between a foal and an eaglet. I mean, come on. Buds done it before with a puppy in 2014, so why not adapt the audience-winning concept to celebrate Buds 150th (horse!) and Americas 250th (eagle!) anniversaries? Creative data firm Daivid analyzed early-release Super Bowl commercials to identify those that are most likely to resonate with consumers. This spot topped its pregame rankings after generating intense positive emotions among 54% of viewers11% higher than the U.S. average. It was also 155% more likely than the average ad to evoke intense nostalgia, and nearly twice as likely to generate strong feelings of warmth (+99%). Per Daivids analysis, the spot drove elevated feelings of adoration for its use of animal characters (+80%) and joy (+71%)and maintained above-average attention throughout. Budweiser consistently puts out top-rated ads, from comedy with the frogs and Wassup to all the variations on heartwarming puppies, dogs, and horses. Its so iconic, even Jason Kelces Garage Beer made a funny Clydesdales spoof for this years game. Here Bud is going full Murica, but manages to thread the nonpartisan needle to find a sweet spot that everyone can enjoy. Just dont be surprised if the guy next to you spontaneously holds his light in the air. 2. Pepsi Back in 1995, Pepsi dropped an iconic Super Bowl ad in which a Coke delivery truck driver takes an impromptu Pepsi Challenge in a diner. Many brands shy away from directly challenging their biggest rivals, especially on such a big ad stage, for fear of giving any oxygen to another brand. But Pepsi famously rode the Pepsi Challenge to success, constantly trolling Coca-Cola and scoring an impressive eight spots in the USA Today Ad Meters 10 Best Super Bowl Ads of the 1990s. Here, the brand goes back to the well and puts Cokes famous polar bear mascot in the delivery truck drivers roleanother symbol of Coke choosing Pepsi. The simplicity may seem like a waste of Taika Waititis talents, but its going to score big with Super Bowl audiences. According to the Daivid survey, the spot is 56% more likely to make viewers laugh than the average ad, and most likely to make viewers’ mouths water. 3. Rocket and Redfin Heres an idea: Lets get one of the biggest pop stars on the planet to reimagine a childhood classic. Right then and there you have a potential winner. Thats exactly what Rocket Mortgage and Redfins teaser featuring behind-the-scenes footage of Lady Gaga singing Fred Rogerss Wont You Be My Neighbor? does. This looks like it might be one of those vibe-shift adsthe one people shush the party for because they want to hear it. The Daivid data backs this up, reporting it generated the most intense positive emotions of any teaser or ull Super Bowl ad so far. 4. State Farm Just a Super Bowl shopping list of good stuff here: funny? Danny McBride and Keegan-Michael Key. (Check.) Celebrity? Hailee Steinfeld and Katseye. (Check.) Nostalgic sing-along? Bon Jovi remix. (Check.) And the teasers with McBride and Key doing full ads for Halfway There Insurance are also a nice touch. This continues State Farms long-running formula for its Super Bowl ad campaigns. In 2024, it was Arnold Schwarzenegger making the brands tagline his own with “Like a Good Neighbaaa. Last year, it was Jason Bateman becoming a less-than-ideal version of Batman. (The brand actually pulled that spot out of the big game due to sensitivities around the Los Angeles wildfires, but ran it a month later for March Madness.) CMO Kristyn Cook told me the strategy has been working. Insurance is very complex, and we’re able to break it down in a way that’s humorous enough for people to hopefully pay attention and get them thinking about it, she says. Do I have the right coverage? Are people going to be there when I need them? Just trying to create those opportunities for people to think about it and then drive action. It’s a formula for us, but it’s a big stage and we want to do it really well with the standards that we have that are very high. 5. Novartis Im not saying this spot involves a poop joke, but its pretty close. And its not going full Raisin Bran, but were in the vicinity. Directed by Eric Wareheim, Relax Your Tight End stars celebrated NFL tight ends and a playful double entendre for prostate cancer screening awareness. Set to Enyas Only Time (shout-out to Volvo and Van Damme), getting big tough guys talking about an uncomfortable health issue is important. Showing them all relaxing their buns when they hear its just a blood test will definitely clinch (clench?) some major attention. According to Daivid, so far the campaign has generated intense positive emotions among 52.6% of viewers8% higher than the U.S. norm.
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E-Commerce
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