Illustration : Betka82 ( Getty Images )

On May 22, 2010, a man in Florida spent 10,000 Bitcoin the current-day equivalent of $700 million on pizza. The event, which marked the first digital currency transaction ever made for a physical item, is now celebrated annually as Bitcoin Pizza Day.

That, of course, was just the beginning. The world of cryptocurrency has evolved to the point where you can buy anything from movie tickets, plane seats, and even a college education using Bitcoin, Dogecoin, and other digital currencies.

Heres a list of items you can buy with cryptocurrencies.

Read this article:

What can I buy with Bitcoin? - Quartz

Previous studies in correctional facilities have shown positive effects of yoga on inmates. They experience increased impulse control and improved mental health. Are the same positive results seen in detained individuals with severe psychiatric disorders? Now, the first results from a large national and globally unique research study in forensic psychiatry from the University West are presented.

It is the first scientific study of its kind to describe the effect and feasibility of trauma-adapted yoga in forensic psychiatry.

It is a breakthrough that we can now demonstrate the possibility of using yoga as a complementary care intervention in psychiatry and the positive effects it brings."

Nra Kerekes, Professor in Medical Sciences (Psychiatry) at the University West, and research leader of the study

The results of the study are now published in the prestigious scientific journal, Psychiatry Research.

"We wanted to explore whether previous positive results with the use of yoga in correctional facilities could be transferred to detained individuals suffering from severe psychiatric disorders. Therefore, we evaluated trauma-adapted yoga as a support within forensic psychiatry," says Nra Kerekes.

Forensic psychiatry deals with the complex challenges that arise at the intersection of psychiatric illness, legal issues, and security concerns.

"There are few high-quality clinical studies on individuals who have committed crimes and who have a serious mental disorder. What exists are either studies on inmates separately or studies of individuals suffering from various psychiatric disorders. For both of these groups, yoga has shown positive effects," says Nra Kerekes.

Self-choice was a central component in the study design, where 56 patients at various forensic psychiatric clinics chose to participate. Over 10 weeks, they either participated in specially developed yoga classes or chose to engage in other forms of physical activity. Throughout the study, changes in their mental health, emotional states, antisocial and aggressive behaviors, pain perception, substance cravings, and ability to control their behavior and emotional reactions were observed.

In the current study, the yoga group showed remarkable reductions in negative emotional states, anxiety, paranoid ideation, hostility, and overall psychological distress. These reductions were not observed in the group performing other forms of physical activities. Additionally, the yoga group exhibited a significant reduction in pain frequency, and showed strengthened self-control and accountability.

"We can conclude that trauma-iadapted yoga implemented in a forensic psychiatric setting demonstrates feasibility and results in several positive changes in patients' mental health, emotional states, pain, and self-control," says Nra Kerekes.

She continues:

"A structured program of trauma-adapted yoga for patients and training for healthcare personnel has been developed and has now been confirmed to be feasible and beneficial within forensic psychiatry."

Source:

Journal reference:

Kerekes, N. (2024). Exploring the Impact of Trauma-Adapted Yoga in Forensic Psychiatry: Midterm Findings and Insights.Psychiatry Research. doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115879.

More here:
Study shows yoga's positive impact on emotional health in forensic psychiatry - News-Medical.Net

The fearless approach with deep preparation of D Gukesh came out of syllabus for his well-versed opponents in the Candidates Chess tournament in Toronto. The only defeat that Gukesh suffered in the tournament came in the seventh round against French No. 1 Alireza Firouzja and the painful loss pumped the 17-year-old to give his best for the rest of the tourney. Gukesh took a sweet revenge of his defeat to Firouzja in the penultimate round and jumped to sole lead for the first time in the tournament and never looked back. At the press conference, when Gukesh was asked about the moment when he realized he might end up becoming the Candidates winner, he said, "If I had to pinpoint a moment where I really felt this could be my moment, it was probably after the seventh game, after I lost to Firouzja. Even though I just had a painful loss, I was feeling at my absolute best on the rest day. Maybe this loss gave me so much motivation and fired me up." He added, "After the loss I really felt that if I continue doing the right thing, and I am in the right mental state then I can really go for the triumph." He is just a step away from fulfilling his childhood dream of becoming the youngest world champion. Gukesh said, "I never think about the youngest or the first. My aim is to make it big at the world championship. The next goal and big thing is obviously the world title. I will give my absolute best but first I will try to relax. It has been stressful for the last three weeks." "After this much-needed break, I will think about the world championship and how I will plan to take things forward with my team. I will try to do the right things and be in the ideal shape required to play chess," he added.

Expand

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Felt I could win the Candidates chess tournament after seventh round loss: Gukesh - The Times of India

Experience is the worst teacher. It always gives the test first and the instruction afterward. This is a quote by Vern Law who played 16 seasons pitching for the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team. This is a relevant quote to start todays column because it was through some very tough experiences that it was discovered that very important instructions were not followed that would allow lifetime insurance coverage under a postponed Minimum Retirement Age+ 10 retirement.

It is also possible that better instructions need to be written for former federal employees who choose the option to postpone applying for retirement under the FERS MRA + 10 retirement option. The postponed retirement date is allowed so that the applicant can avoid a 5% reduction for every year they are under age 62 (prorated by the number of months) at the time the FERS annuity benefit commences.

The FERS Application for Deferred or Postponed Retirement (Form RI 92-19) is used when a former employee wants to apply for an annuity which will begin at least one month after they separate from federal service and they have completed at least five years of creditable civilian service and are eligible for a deferred retirement at age 62, or they have completed at least 10 years of creditable service (including at least five years of creditable civilian service) and are eligible for an annuity at the MRAThe MRA is age 57 for individuals born in 1970 or later and as young as 55 if born before 1948. The RI 92-19 should be used by those who are eligible for a deferred annuity at age 62 or the MRA, as well as those who were eligible for an immediate annuity at the MRA, but who chose to postpone the commencing date to reduce or avoid the age reduction.

Today is Part 1 of a two-part column that addresses the option to choose a postponed commencing date of an immediate MRA + 10 retirement. The potential problem that you will see in the following examples is that there was no clear correlation included in the instructions for form RI 92-19 between the date retirement begins and the entitlement to reinstate valuable federal insurance benefits. The instructions on Form RI 92-19 may have lacked three critical elements important when writing instructions: The author(s) of the form failed to consider 1) who would be completing the form, 2) how they would understand and interpret the instructions; and 3) how important it is to know the difference between a postponed and deferred retirement.

Consider the following real-life examples:

Mark separated from federal employment at age 57 after completing 20 years of federal service. He initially filed his application based on the advice of his HR specialist who told him to file after he separated at age 57 requesting to have the retirement begin at age 60. She didnt say how long after he separated, so he mailed the application in immediately after his last day on the job. OPM returned the application explaining that they could not keep an unprocessed signature longer than one year. The letter stated the following: A Deferred Annuity under FERS commences on the annuitants 62nd birthday with 5 years of creditable civilian service, or if MRA with 10 years of creditable service.

Based on this letter, Mark delayed his application until he was 62 as instructed in the letter that accompanied his returned application. Due to Mark selecting a starting date of the first of the month after his 62nd birthday, Mark found out that he made two very expensive errors.

Mark appealed his loss to OPM based on the letter he received earlier from OPM that he interpreted as instructing him to wait until age 62 to re-apply for his retirement. His request was denied because he was told that the date elected must fall within a window which opens 31 days after the date the application is received and closes two days before the applicants 62nd birthday. He was provided instructions to file a request for reconsideration of this denial. For the second time, OPM denied his request to backdate his application to his 60th birthday and denied his request for reinstatement of insurance. He filed an appeal with the Merit Systems Protection Board and lost this appeal as well. Apparently, the law on this matter is clear even though the instructions on Form 92-19 were not.

Tammy (not me!) reached her MRA and completed 10 years of federal service in March 2018. She filed for her postponed retirement to begin on May 1, 2023, the first of the month after reaching age 62. Tammys husband felt responsible for choosing this date as they both read the instructions on Form RI 92-19, and he agreed with her that it was important to be 62 when the benefit began. After all, she had to reach her MRA before she separated from federal employment to qualify to apply for a postponed retirement. She knew that if she separated before reaching her MRA that the retirement would be considered deferred, and she would not be eligible for reinstatement of her insurance. Little did this couple know that she had to be at least two days younger than age 62 to qualify for a postponed retirement that would have provided the opportunity to reinstate insurance benefits. Tammy is appealing on the grounds that the instructions werent clear when she chose the date based on no warning to let her know that choosing a date after turning age 62 would result in the permanent loss of insurance benefits. So far, OPM has denied her request to change the date.

Warren is another former employee who resigned from federal service with entitlement to a postponed FERS retirement benefit. He left federal service at the end of January 2022. He turned 62 in November 2023 and requested an annuity commencement date of Dec. 1, 2023. After all, like Tammy, he thought it was important to be at least age 62 to begin the unreduced benefit. Because he chose to begin his FERS annuity the first of the month after reaching age 62 rather than the first of the month of his 62nd birthday, OPM denied him reinstatement of his insurance and denied his credit for his unused sick leave because his application was processed as a deferred, not a postponed retirement. When he realized his error, Warren submitted a request to OPM to change the commencement date to Nov. 1, 2023, rather than Dec. 1, 2023. OPM denied his request and replied to Warren providing only two options:

Something must happen two times to be considered a pattern and the three examples outlined seem to be a pattern of former employees misunderstanding the importance of the commencement date of the postponed annuity and reinstatement of insurance. These three examples are only from my experience; could there be more? I feel certain that there are, and I would love to hear from you if you have been impacted by missing some important points when filing your application for a deferred or postponed FERS retirement. Next week, well consider some reasons for these mistakes and how to avoid them.

The rest is here:
Postponing retirement problems: Part 1 - Government Executive

Singapore, Singapore, April 10, Chainwire On April 4th, Binance Web3 Wallet joined forces with BEVM, a leading Bitcoin Layer2, and its ecosystem project, Satoshi Protocol, to launch an airdrop campaign worth millions. Users who bridge BTC to the BEVM via Binance Web3 Wallet and borrow at least $10 SAT (USD-stablecoin) will be eligible to share a pool of 500k OSHI and 10.5 million BEVM tokens. The campaign has attracted over 30,000 participants in just 3 days since its launch.

Satoshi Protocol is the first CDP protocol built on BEVM, live on BEVM mainnet on March 28th. In addition to the Binance campaign, there's a referral program that allows early participants to accumulate points by borrowing the SAT and inviting friends.

BEVM is an EVM-compatible Bitcoin Layer 2 solution that stands out in the crowded market. By leveraging Taproot consensus, Schnorr signatures, MAST, and Bitcoin SPV, BEVM achieves the highest level of decentralization and security among all BTC Layer 2 solutions.

Satoshi Protocol is the first Collateralized Debt Position (CDP) protocol built on BEVM, aiming at providing liquidity for BTC through the SAT dollar stablecoin, expanding the scenarios of BTCFi. This move unlocks trillion-dollar liquidity within the Bitcoin ecosystem, offering users a way to maintain Bitcoin holdings while gaining liquidity.

The Bitcoin ecosystem is experiencing a renaissance. Recent advancements like inscriptions and scaling solutions have revitalized the ecosystem. Satoshi Protocol's team views the upcoming halving and the launch of the Runes protocol as poised to attract a wave of new users.

However, a critical challenge persists the lack of a reliable, fiat-pegged crypto for seamless trading and efficient market pricing. This is where Satoshi Protocol steps in. By enabling users to borrow SAT with their Bitcoin as collateral, Satoshi Protocol offers a reliable liquidity solution within the Bitcoin ecosystem.

In the past month, Satoshi Protocol has built a strong community, with 60,000+ followers onTwitter and 70,000+ members acrossTelegram andDiscord.

Lets see what they have achieved:

The Satoshi Protocol utilizes a sophisticated system to maintain a stable peg of $1 for SAT. This system combines several mechanisms: over-collateralization, permissionless liquidation, stability pools, and arbitrage. Additionally, it features OSHI, a utility token granting holders 97.5% of the protocol's revenue.

For more details about OSHI and sOSHI, refer to the official documentation: OSHI & sOSHI.

Collateralized Borrowing

When borrowing SAT, users must maintain a minimum collateral ratio (MCR) of 110%. This means the borrowed amount cannot exceed 90.9% of the deposited BTC value.

Liquidation

A liquidation is triggered if a user's collateral value dips below 110% (MCR) due to price fluctuations. The user's BTC collateral is sold at a discount to Stability Pool providers to repay the SAT loan. This mechanism protects the protocol and prevents borrowers from taking on excessive debt.

BEVM and Satoshi Protocol recently joined forces with Binance Web3 Wallet to offer a total of 10.5M $BEVM and 500k OSHI Token Airdrop.

By using Binance Wallet to complete tasks like bridge to BEVM, and create positions on Satoshi Protocol, you'll be eligible to share the rewards.

Duration: 2024/04/04-2024/05/04

Rewards: 10,500,000 BEVM and 500,000 OHSI

Tasks:

Join Binance Wallet Airdrop Campaign

STEP 1: Users should go to Campaign Landing Page, and connect Binance Wallet

STEP 2: Withdraw BTC and bridge to BEVM

STEP 3: Users should go to Satoshi Protocol, and create Position

Users should go to Satoshi Protocol, and Connect Wallet

Binance Wallet Mobile tutorial: Create Position Using Binance Web3 Wallet

Upon completing all those steps, the user becomes qualified for the BEVM and OSHI airdrop!

Satoshi Protocol represents a glimpse into the future of Bitcoin finance. By leveraging the BEVM and a robust CDP model, it allows users to borrow BTC-backed stablecoin SAT and expand the possibility for Bitcoin Ecosystem.

Binance Wallet launched an airdrop campaign with a total of 10.5M $BEVM, 500K OSHI for those who bridge BTC to BEVM and create positions on Satoshi Protocol, which is also Binance Wallet's first integration with a Bitcoin Layer 2 solution. BTCFi is heading west.

Built on BEVM, it's the first CDP protocol to unlock the true potential of Bitcoin. Unleash unprecedented liquidity through SAT, a stablecoin designed to supercharge the booming BTCFi market.

To learn about Satoshi Protocol, users can follow:

Website | Web APP | Twitter | Telegram | Discord | Docs | Blog

Marketing

Hugo

Satoshi Protocol

marketing@satoshiprotocol.org

This publication is provided by the client. Cointelegraph does not endorse and is not responsible for or liable for any content, accuracy, quality, advertising, products, or other materials on this page. Readers should do their own research before taking any actions related to the company. Cointelegraph is not responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods, or services mentioned in the press release.

Read the original here:

Satoshi Protocol: First CDP on Bitcoin Layer2, 500k OSHI Airdrop with Binance wallet and BEVM - Cointelegraph

Yogi Paws hostsevents at The Knoll Centrein Old Shoreham Road,Hove, and began its first classes in February.

People have a conventional yoga session before the puppies go into the studio where they wander aroundfreely.

The business, believed to be the first of its kind in Sussex, is owned by Brighton residents Brandon Mojica, 25, and Hayley Bianco, 24.

The pair, who own two dogs,said it was their love of canines thatinspired them to set it up.

They told The Argus: "There isnt a person who isnt beaming with smiles after getting a dose of that magic chemistry between dogs and humans when they interact."

READ MORE:Vintage market returns to city centre after five years

They hold three sessions on each event day to make sure the puppies do not get too tired. Each event involves a different breed and so far have been with French bulldogs, labradors and huskies.

The yoga sessions begin witha 20-minute traditional yoga routine, led by expert instructor Kayla Becher, followed by 20 minutes of continued yoga exercise with puppies wandering around the studio.

The final 20 minutes are for cuddling and playing with the puppies, with the dogs then given a separate room to rest and sleep in before the next session.

The owners said all the puppies come from Sussex and are visited in their homes beforehand.

They make sure they are from loving families who have bred them safely and that owners provideproof of first vaccinations to ensuretheyare safe and healthy.

The puppies take part in these sessions before they move on to their forever homes away from their mothers.

More information can be found athttps://www.instagram.com/yogipawss/.

Brandon and Hayleysaid they wanted to base the business inBrighton as it is a "city of dog lovers" and the sessionsbenefitboth humans and dogs.

They said:"In this fast-paced and fast-moving time, its often easy to put spending time looking after the mind aside. But its absolutely necessary to do this.

"A puppy yoga session allows for mindful practice, a time when people can benefit from being very much in the present moment as opposed to being carried away by the hustle and bustle and rush of everyday life.

"Weve absolutely seen first hand that puppy yoga has enormous benefits for people and pups alike.

"It is a valuable experience for puppies to interact with people for the first time in a quiet, peaceful and tranquil environment. Puppies benefit from socialisation and the bonding experiences with new people.

"The puppies also thrive in this environment, where everything and everyone is new and exciting to them.

"They love seeing themselves in the mirrors for the first time, sprinting from yoga mat to yoga mat, and figuring out whether hair scrunchies that are still in peoples hair are toys meant for them.

"The puppies soak up the affection and love they get from everyone."

Read more from the original source:
Brighton welcomes 'first ever' puppy yoga classes - The Argus

MADISON Madison City Chess League or MCCL was well represented and awarded for masterful playing at the 2024 Alabama State Scholastic Chess Championship.

Twenty-three MCCL members competed in this event on March 23-24 in Pike Road with hosts Pike Road Elementary School and Rasberry Chess Academy. Alabama Chess Federation runs this annual event.

Several Madison schools won top team awards in their sections at the State Scholastic, MCCL Executive Director Todd Guthrie said.

Bob Jones High School was the first-place team in the High School Championship section. Team members are Xavier Bruni, Steven Pan, Nirvana Rajbhandari, Aadi Saxena and Jacob New Andrew Yang.

Xavier Bruni was named High School State Champion. Steven Pan finished in third place in the section, and Andrew Yang and Jacob New tied for fifth place. Aadi Saxena finished eighth, and Nirvana Rajbhandari finished ninth.

Discovery Middle School ruled as first-place team in the Middle School Championship section. Team members are Noah Hsu, Caden Jordan and Holland Lang. Individually, Sophia Jerez of Journey Middle School finished third in the section.

The team from Rainbow Elementary School with Annabelle Hsu and Dennis Lenski was the first-place team in the Elementary Championship section. Individually, Esteban Jerez of Horizon Elementary School finished second in the Elementary Championship section. Dennis Lenski tied for second. Annabelle Hsu finished in sixth place.

The Mill reek Elementary School team with Brandon Edmondson and Ananth Ravishekar was the first-place team in the Primary Championship section. In individual standings, Ananth Ravishekar finished second in the Primary Championship section, Milan Malak from Heritage Elementary School tied for second, and Brandon Edmondson finished in fifth.

Congratulations to MCCL member Grattan ONeill who finished third in the High School Under 1,300 section, Guthrie said. Abigail Barbre from Discovery Middle School and Daksh Sunil from Liberty Middle School both finished tied for fifth place in the Middle School Under 1,100 Section.

Christopher Chan from Columbia Elementary School finished second in the Elementary Under 700 section. Austin Pullum from Rainbow Elementary School finished tied for first place in the Primary Under 400 section.

For more information, visit Madisonchess.com.

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Bob Jones hails as section's top team at Scholastic Chess Championship - The Madison Record - themadisonrecord.com

Candidates chess 2024: In 2013, right after Magnus Carlsen won the Candidates tournament in London, a frame captured by Norwegian photographer Morten Rakke went viral. In it, the grandmaster is captured behind a door, slumped on the handrail of a staircase, shirt untucked, his face buried into his arm. An ominous sign on the wall behind Carlsen read: Beware of the steps.

Barely had the world championship challenger caught his breath after qualifying for the world championship, he was interviewed by International Master Lawrence Trent, who asked him how he planned to celebrate his victory. Carlsens answer was revealing. My thoughts have not gone further than getting back to my hotel and lying down. Thats whats next for me.

Trent prodded him further, asking if he was more exhausted physically or emotionally. Its a lethal combination right now, offered Carlsen.

In the decade that has followed, Carlsen scythed his way through the world of chess, racking up five crowns after battling through five World Championship jousts, before eventually abdicating his throne.

A case can be made that the World Championship battle is more forgiving than the Candidates. If you err, you come back with redrawn battle plans and take on the same opponent once more. At the Candidates, though, one loss can suddenly become a slippery slope.

It is into this tournament of suffering that R Praggnanandhaa, D Gukesh, Vidit Santosh Gujrathi. Koneru Humpy and R Vaishali head for the next three weeks. Each player in the eight-man open event and the eight-women corresponding tournament will play the other opponents twice and the winner after 14 rounds will earn the right to challenge the world champions next year.

The missing Magnus effect

Srinath points out that Magnuss decision to forsake his crown and not compete at the current Candidates cycle in the open event means that players, even first-timers, will want to win this time, knowing an easier battle awaits them at the World Championship against Ding Liren. There is also a possibility that the world no.1 Carlsen could decide to compete in the next Candidates, thus making that one more difficult to win.

Defeating anyone else in the World Championship is definitely relatively easier than trying to beat Magnus in a match. This makes winning the 2024 Candidates more lucrative. Ding has not been in his best shape at all in the past one year. He has a year more and even a weakened Ding is by no means easy. But if he plays at his current form at the World Championship, then the challenger will be the favourite against Ding, points out Srinath.

However, Srinath warns against trying to floor the pedal in a desperate bid to come out flying from the start of the tournament.

For any player competing for the first time, ideally its important to not get overawed by the occasion. Throwing the kitchen sink might actually backfire. This is not the kind of event where you can blitzkrieg your opponent. Its really important to wait for your chances, says Srinath.

Experience matters

Some of the greatest last names in the world of chess Petrosian, Najdorf, Euwe, Spassky, Tal, Fischer, Korchnoi, Karpov, Anand, Topalov, Kramnik, Carlsen and Liren have fought their way out of the trenches of the Candidates tournament before they were deemed worthy of taking a crack at the kings throne.

For all three Indian contenders in the open category (and Vaishali in the womens event), the Candidates will be their first brush with an event with the stakes so high.

There are two ways of neatly dividing the eight-man open category. The 30 somethings Ian Nepomniachtchi, Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura who have been around for a while at the elite level, and have considerable experience of how to tackle such events. Then come the players in their late 20s: Vidit Gujrathi and Nijat Abasov. And the final group is the one that has made the world sit up and take notice since the pandemic, 20-year-old Alireza Firouzja, 18-year-old Praggnanandhaa and 17-year-old Gukesh, who is the second youngest player ever at the Candidates after Bobby Fischer.

In many senses its a battle of generations. Its a good platform for youngsters to make their mark at the highest level, says RB Ramesh, who is Praggs coach and has also been instrumental in the development of Vaishali.

The other way of separating the eight-man pack is prior Candidates experience. On one side are the haves: Nepomniachtchi (playing at his third consecutive Candidates tournament and chasing his third win), Caruana (fifth Candidates appearance), Nakamura and Firouzja. And the have nots: Vidit, Gukesh, Pragg and Abasov.

In the womens category too, Viashali steps into her first Candidates event, while Humpy has been there last time.

Over the next three weeks, Pragg, Gukesh, Vaishali, Vidit and Humpy will try and climb the staircase, one treacherous step at a time through a haze of opponents, to be able to take on Liren and Ju Wenjun in the World Championship battle.

But they must be wary. As the sign behind Carlsen warned, Beware of the steps.

Read this article:

Candidates chess tournament: Why playing at the Candidates and winning it is as tough as the World Championships - The Indian Express

The FIDE Candidates Tournament 2024 is set to take place in Toronto, Canada, on April 3-23. This event marks a historic occasion as it is the first time the Candidates Tournament will be held in North America (as a round-robin). Another first for the 2024 edition: the Candidates and the Womens Candidates are organized together under one roof on the same dates.

Eight players in each category have gone through the excruciating qualification process to earn a chance at becoming a challenger for the World Championship title and facing Ding Liren (open) and Ju Wenjun (womens) at the end of this year.

The lineups pique curiosity as several young talents enter the late stages of the World Championship cycle for the first time.

More information

Attack like a Super Grandmaster

In this Fritztrainer: Attack like a Super GM with Gukesh we touch upon all aspects of his play, with special emphasis on how you can become a better attacking player.

Read more from the original source:

The Candidates are ready - First impressions from Toronto! - Chess News | ChessBase

Many growth investors gravitated back toward the cryptocurrency market this year as hopes for lower interest rates, the approvals of the first Bitcoin spot price exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and big institutional purchases suggested the "crypto winter" was over. However, it's still tough to gauge the true value of most cryptocurrencies, since their price is driven more by supply and demand than by an actual underlying business.

Earlier this month, I suggested that investors buy three promising tech stocks -- Nvidia, Super Micro Computer, and ASML -- instead of going all-in on cryptocurrencies. Today, I'll add three other speculative plays to that list of potential cryptocurrency alternatives: Symbotic (NASDAQ: SYM), QuantumScape (NYSE: QS), and IonQ (NYSE: IONQ).

Symbotic is a provider of warehouse automation robots and software. It claims a $50 million investment in just one of its modules (which includes its robots and software) can generate $250 million in lifetime savings over 25 years.

Symbotic went public by merging with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) in June 2022. Its revenue surged 136% in fiscal 2022 (which ended in September 2022) and 98% in fiscal 2023. However, most of that growth came from a deal with Walmart, which tapped Symbotic to automate all of its regional distribution centers across the U.S. through fiscal 2034. Walmart still owns 11% of Symbotic and accounted for 88% of its revenue in fiscal 2023.

That customer concentration is worrisome, but it's secured deals with other big retail customers like Target, Albertsons, and C&S Wholesale. It also launched a new warehouse-as-a-service platform called GreenBox with its other big backer, SoftBank, last July.

Analysts expect Symbotic's revenue to rise 48% in fiscal 2024 and 42% in fiscal 2025. It's still bleeding red ink, but it's expected to turn profitable on a generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) basis by fiscal 2025. Its stock isn't cheap at 16 times this year's sales, but it might be a great pure play on the warehouse automation market.

Story continues

QuantumScape develops solid-state batteries, which are more stable, charge faster, and last longer than traditional lithium-ion batteries. Those batteries are a great fit for the electric vehicle (EV) market, and the company's biggest backer is Volkswagen. Like Symbotic, QuantumScape went public by merging with a SPAC in November 2020. But unlike Symbotic, QuantumScape doesn't generate any meaningful revenue yet.

QuantumScape hasn't commercialized any of its batteries since its public debut, but its latest batteries could give EVs a range of 400-500 miles with a charge time of less than 15 minutes. It's also developing batteries that can reach 600 miles with a charge time of under 30 minutes. For reference, most top-tier lithium-ion batteries for EVs have a range of roughly 300 miles and a charge time of 30 minutes. Volkswagen also recently conducted an endurance test that found that QuantumScape's batteries could power an EV for over 310,000 miles "without any noticeable loss of range." Most lithium-ion batteries lose approximately 10% of their range after the first 200,000 miles.

QuantumScape's technology sounds disruptive, but it's tough to value its stock without any revenue. However, if it successfully commercializes its first batteries before its like-minded competitors, its stock could skyrocket over the next few years.

Investors looking for another speculative play should take a look at IonQ, a quantum computing company that merged with a SPAC in October 2021. IonQ provides quantum computing power as a cloud-based service, and it's trying to shrink qubit processing unit (QPU) systems from several feet to a few inches wide with its "trapped ion" technology.

It expects that miniaturization to make it easier to build large quantum computing systems that process binary "bits" of zeros and ones simultaneously. That big leap could support the growth of the cloud, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI) markets.

IonQ gauges its quantum computing power in algorithmic qubits (AQ). It achieved AQ 29 in 2023, AQ 35 earlier this year, and it aims to reach AQ 64 by 2025 with a longer-term target of 1,024 by 2028. It only generated $22 million in revenue in 2023, but it continues to lock in new government and commercial customers. Analysts expect its revenue to rise 77% in 2024 and 110% in 2025 -- so it could still have plenty of upside potential.

IonQ isn't profitable yet, and its stock looks pricey at nearly 50 times this year's sales. But if it can achieve its ambitious miniaturization goals and scale up its business, its sales could soar as the nascent quantum computing market expands.

Should you invest $1,000 in Symbotic right now?

Before you buy stock in Symbotic, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the10 best stocks for investors to buy now and Symbotic wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Stock Advisor provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month. The Stock Advisor service hasmore than tripledthe return of S&P 500 since 2002*.

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Leo Sun has positions in ASML. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends ASML, Bitcoin, Nvidia, Target, Volkswagen Ag, and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

3 Growth Stocks With More Potential Than Any Cryptocurrency was originally published by The Motley Fool

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3 Growth Stocks With More Potential Than Any Cryptocurrency - Yahoo Finance