Ari Goldschmidt:

Watch: SpaceX Starship Explodes During Test in Texas. What’s Next for Elon Musk’s Company?

SpaceX's massive Starship exploded in a spectacular fiery blaze during an engine test in Texas, raising questions about what's next for Elon Musk's spaceflight company. This time, the explosion was not a result of a launch, but a routine test to prepare the rocket for what would have been its 10th flight since 2023.

The dramatic failure marked the latest setback for Musk’s spaceflight company, founded in 2002, as Starship continues to face challenges. The rocket has struggled to replicate earlier mission successes, with all three of its 2025 test flights ending in failure.

The spacecraft, standing nearly 400 feet tall when fully stacked, did not injure or endanger anyone when it exploded in a fireball that could be seen for miles, SpaceX said.

Musk, whose public rift with President Donald Trump recently cast into doubt the future of the U.S. spaceflight program, appeared to initially make light of the mishap – saying "Just a scratch" in a post on social media site X, which he also owns.

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James Altucher:

Meta’s Oakley Smart Glasses Have 3K Video—Watch Out, Ray-Ban

After months of rumors, Meta has officially announced its next pair of smart glasses with Oakley. The smart glasses have double the battery life of the Meta Ray-Bans and are able to capture 3K video. The models are based on Oakley’s HSTN (pronounced “how-stuhn”) design, and are described as Meta’s “first product for athletes and fans alike.”

The limited-edition Oakley Meta HSTN model with gold-colored accents costs $499 and will be available for preorder on July 11. The rest of the collection starts at $399 and is dropping later this summer, Meta says.

The glasses feature a front-facing camera, along with open-ear speakers and microphones. You can use the glasses to listen to music, take photos, and make and receive calls.

The glasses also feature Meta AI, letting you ask questions on the go, such as “Hey Meta, how strong is the wind today?” or “Hey Meta, take a video.” In addition, you can ask Meta AI about what you’re seeing, and also get it to translate languages.

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Chris Campbell:

The Stablecoin Arms Race Has Begun

Everyone used to think stablecoins were boring. They're not boring. They're a complete paradigm shift. And Congress just lit the fuse by passing the Genius Act.

It means stablecoins are now officially becoming a legitimate part of U.S. financial infrastructure. To put it simply, we run massive deficits. We need the world to keep using dollars. Stablecoins are a frictionless way to spread the dollar virus—without lifting a finger.

Every time someone overseas sends money via USDT or buys groceries with a Circle coin, the U.S. gains soft power. And the more real commerce moves to these rails, the more valuable the rails become. That’s why Ethereum, Solana, and even newer players like Base and LayerZero are suddenly in the spotlight – they’ll soon be collecting fees on trillions in stablecoin activity.

The Genius Act will supercharge the arms race for the dominant stablecoins. Whoever wins that race—be it a company, a protocol, or a coalition—will sit atop a trillion-dollar empire.

This leaves only two questions: Who’s going to win the race? And what’s the actual upside potential?

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