Finance

5 Smart Tips to Avoid a Financial Hangover This Holiday Season

The holiday season is a time for joy, family, and celebration, but it can also take a toll on your finances if you're not careful. With over $1.166 trillion in credit card debt, many Americans could be facing a financial "holiday hangover" if they’re not mindful of their spending.

We've all felt the aftermath of that post-holiday financial slump, where the excitement of gift-giving gives way to the harsh reality of overspending. This year, let’s break that cycle!

Here are some easy and practical tips to help you enjoy the holidays while keeping your budget in check.

TECH

Tech's Final Goodbye: The Innovations That Died in 2024

As 2024 comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on the tech we’re leaving behind. While we bid farewell to the year, let’s pause to remember the products and innovations that won’t be making the leap into 2025.

As time marches on, technologies that were once cutting-edge have become obsolete, while others met an early demise due to companies shifting focus to more profitable ventures. This year, the generative AI boom showed no signs of slowing, yet the challenge remains in identifying truly transformative use cases. At best, many AI offerings offered modest productivity improvements, and at worst, they generated frustrating inaccuracies.

CRYPTO

Ripple Eyes New York Approval for Stablecoin, Poised to Enter US Crypto Market

New York’s top cryptocurrency regulator is reportedly on the verge of approving a new stablecoin from cross-border payments company Ripple, according to FOX Business.

Sources familiar with the matter suggest that the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) has signaled its intention to approve Ripple’s stablecoin, with a potential launch date set for December 4. If approved, Ripple will be authorized to legally offer its RLUSD stablecoin to the public, positioning the company as a key player in New York’s regulated digital finance market and the broader stablecoin ecosystem.

Representatives from both Ripple and the NYDFS declined to comment.

Ripple’s primary business revolves around its decentralized global payments network, RippleNet, which leverages blockchain technology to offer faster, cheaper, and more efficient cross-border payment solutions for banks and businesses. Positioned as an alternative to the global bank settlement system, SWIFT, Ripple uses its native token XRP as a bridge currency for transactions. However, XRP is currently in regulatory uncertainty in the U.S., as the Securities and Exchange Commission argues in court that it qualifies as an unregistered security.

The case, now in the appeals phase in the Second Circuit, may be dismissed by the crypto-friendly Trump administration once it takes office in January. In the meantime, XRP continues to face volatile price fluctuations due to the ongoing legal battle.