Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is facing a turbulent landscape following the launch of its latest smartphone series, the iPhone 16. While the tech giant has a loyal fanbase, recent consumer feedback indicates a mixed reception that has left analysts reevaluating their predictions for the company’s stock performance.
Analysts Weigh In – Jefferies Downgrades AAPL
In a recent investor note dated October 7, Jefferies analyst Edison Lee downgraded Apple’s stock from ‘Buy’ to ‘Hold,’ adjusting the price target to $219.92. Lee cautioned that expectations surrounding the iPhone 16—and even the anticipated iPhone 17—may be overly optimistic. He pointed out that the lack of groundbreaking features and limited advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities could lead to stagnating demand. Jefferies projects only a modest 2.5% growth in the iPhone 16’s lifecycle volume, which raises questions about Apple’s ability to generate excitement around its latest offerings.
Long-Term AI Potential vs. Short-Term Valuation Concerns
Despite the short-term caution, Jefferies remains bullish on Apple’s long-term AI prospects, predicting that by late 2026, there will be 490 million AI-capable iPhones on the market. However, Lee expressed concerns over the current price-to-earnings (PE) ratio of 33x for FY24E—close to Apple’s all-time high—suggesting limited upside in the near term. The analyst emphasized that significant advancements in smartphone technology are still a few years away, with the iPhone 17, set for release in 2025, possibly being the device that triggers a wave of upgrades.
Lee also highlighted Apple’s strategic partnership with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE: TSM), which positions the company well against Android competitors in the AI space. However, the analyst warned that Apple’s current growth trajectory appears stretched, particularly given the slowdown in smartphone demand.
Concerns Over Consumer Demand for iPhone 16
The initial rollout of the iPhone 16 has been met with disappointing pre-order numbers, resulting in a slowdown in AAPL’s share price. While Jefferies’ downgrade contributed to this sentiment, new data indicating that iPhone 16 lead times are stabilizing suggests that supply is beginning to meet demand, potentially alleviating some concerns.
Despite the mixed outlook, some analysts remain optimistic. Atif Malik from Citi reaffirmed a ‘Buy’ rating with a price target of $255, even as the bank adjusted its iPhone unit forecast downward by two million units for both the September and December quarters. On the other hand, Evercore ISI maintained an ‘Outperform’ rating with a $250 target, citing shorter delivery windows for the iPhone 16 as a positive sign.At the close of trading on October 4, AAPL shares were valued at $226, showing a modest increase of 0.50% for the day.
With the renewed interest in XRP as its market activity increases in 2025, many holders are looking for alternative strategies to make use of their assets. While XRP itself is a pre-mined coin and cannot be mined directly, there are platforms offering a workaround through cloud mining models that accept XRP as a means of payment.
Using XRP for Cloud Mining: A Practical Overview
As market activity increases in 2025, interest in XRP has rekindled, and many holders are looking for other strategies to leverage their assets. Although XRP itself is a pre-mined coin and cannot be mined directly, the Ripplecoin Mining platform provides a new solution:
You can use XRP to pay for cloud computing power, and the platform will invest this computing power in mineable currencies (such as BTC, DOGE, LTC), and the generated income will be automatically distributed to you daily. Then you can choose to exchange these coins back to XRP, thus forming an efficient cycle of “XRP launch → multi-coin output → then back to XRP”.
Highlights of the platform’s core functions
XRP payment support: Users can directly use XRP to purchase cloud computing contracts without additional redemption steps, reducing transaction costs.
Daily income settlement: The platform calculates mining income on a daily basis and automatically distributes it to user accounts to achieve continuous passive income.
Green energy drive: All mining nodes are run in 100% renewable energy data centers to support sustainable development.
AI intelligent scheduling: The system is based on artificial intelligence algorithms to optimize computing power allocation in real time and improve mining efficiency and stability.
Global user network: Ripplecoin Mining services cover more than 180 countries and regions around the world, supporting multi-language and localized experience.
Available Mining Contracts
Contract Size
Duration
Daily Return
Total Return
$100
2 Days
$5
$110
$500
5 Days
$6
$530
$3,000
12 Days
$43
$3,518
$8,100
21 Days
$126
$10,737
$50,000
30 Days
$860
$75,800
$105,000
42 Days
$2,100
$193,200
Note: These figures are based on the platform’s published data. Users should independently verify terms and conditions.
Purchase Contract: Choose a suitable mining contract and pay with XRP. Other payment options are also available.
Start Mining: The system allocates computing power within a minute of purchase. Mining begins automatically.
Manage Earnings: Users can withdraw earnings daily or reinvest them into new contracts.
No longer just holding coins and waiting, use XRP to increase the value of crypto assets
While most XRP holders are still waiting for the next price breakthrough, truly smart investors have begun to use XRP to create daily income sources and accumulate firepower for the next market outbreak.
In the crypto world, the real value is not “buy and wait”, but to continue to create income and options during the waiting process.
Ripplecoin Mining provides such an opportunity for XRP holders
Choosing the right crypto exchange for trading today means more than just access — it’s about getting an edge. Traders want platforms that work harder for their capital: zero fees, tight spreads, real rewards, and fast execution. Flipster offers these features along with the option to trade and earn passive income simultaneously.
With USDT earning yield even while used for trading, Flipster helps users get more from every move. Add to that zero trading fees, competitive spreads, and access to over 360 trading pairs have made Flipster one of the fastest-growing platforms in the world.
In the past year alone, Flipster’s trading volume increased by 856% while total user assets grew by over 6,000%.
What is Flipster?
Flipster is a global crypto trading platform with millions of users in nearly 200 countries. Flipster combines zero-cost execution, tight spreads, and the ability to earn passive income while trading—giving users more ways to stay active, efficient, and in control.
Available on both desktop and mobile (iOS and Android), Flipster offers spot trading, perpetual futures, earn opportunities, social trading, and more— all of which will be explored in more detail below.
Platform Security
Before diving into the platform’s trading features, it’s important to consider Flipster’s security standards — which are set at a relatively high level. Key highlights include:
1:1 Backed Reserves Ratio: Flipster maintains full transparency regarding its exchange reserves. Users can verify this information through the regularly updated Proof of Reserves report.
ISO Certification: Flipster has successfully achieved ISO/IEC 27001 certification — the world’s most recognized standard for information security management, adding another layer of credibility to the platform.
Cold Storage Custody via Fireblocks: The exchange utilizes Fireblocks, a leading digital asset custody solution, to ensure secure cold storage of user funds.
User account security
Users can enhance the security of their accounts by enabling Advanced Login Protection, which includes options like Google Authenticator (2FA), SMS verification, email confirmation, or passkey-based login (including biometric authentication).
Core Features of Flipster
As Flipster primarily focuses on trading, let’s highlight its key strengths:
No Trading fees – Flipster is one of the few exchanges that charges zero trading fees on both spot and futures trading.
Trade and Earn Simultaneously – USDT funds can be used as margin for trading while simultaneously earning rewards with a competitive APR. Flipster is the only platform offering this across all assets, maximizing performance without sacrificing flexibility.
Spot Trading
Flipster provides zero-fee spot trading, allowing users to buy and sell crypto as frequently as they want without incurring any maker or taker fees. Currently, six trading pairs are available: BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT, XRP/USDT, SOL/USDT, TRX/USDT, and TON/USDT.
The spot trading experience on Flipster is built around a simple, user-friendly interface, with a trading terminal that includes all the essential tools that create a seamless trading environment:
Market orders – Buying or selling crypto instantly at the best available market price.
Trigger orders – Specific price points can be set at which assets are automatically bought or sold.
Recurring buy orders – Crypto purchases can be scheduled at regular intervals to support automated, long-term investment strategies.
Perpetual Futures Trading
Flipster offers zero-fee perpetual futures trading and particularly stands out for being among the first to list trending altcoins, allowing users to start trading earlier than the broader market. Currently, there are over 360 trading pairs available, with new ones added regularly.
The platform supports leverage of up to 100x, enabling traders to engage in both medium-term strategies and also in short-term, intraday trading based on small price movements. It also provides all essential order types and supports both isolated and cross margin modes, giving users more control over their risk management.
Instant Flip
The Instant Flip feature allows traders to manage their positions more efficiently. With a single click, users can instantly reverse the direction of their open position (for example, from a long to a short) without manually closing and reopening a new trade with the same parameters.
Profit Boost
Flipster includes a unique feature called Profit Boost, allowing traders to temporarily amplify the profits of their open positions on perpetual futures. This option is currently available for BTC, ETH, SOL, and XRP pairs.
When activated, Profit Boost doubles the profit and loss (PnL) of the selected position for a limited time. Activation requires a premium fee, and importantly, if the PnL turns negative during the boost period, the loss remains unaffected — only the profits are multiplied.
Social Trading
Flipster also features a Social Trading section, where users can share and view each other’s trading performance and activity, with options to set notifications and subscribe to specific traders. This provides traders with a broader set of tools for market analysis, as users can also leave comments and share their positions directly within the trading platform.
Rewards Hub and User Bonuses
In addition to its advanced trading features, Flipster offers a wide range of products designed to engage users through marketing campaigns, bonuses, and passive income tools. The Rewards Hub section includes a welcome bonus of up to 150 USDT for new users who register and complete simple tasks. It also features ongoing community events where users can earn additional rewards directly from Flipster.
Flipster Earn Campaign
The Flipster Earn Campaign allows users to deposit USDT, ETH, or BTC and earn passive income with no lock-up period, offering the flexibility of instant withdrawals.
Initial annual yields include:
8% APR on USDT
5% APR on BTC and ETH
Additionally, users can boost their earnings up to 21% APR on USDT by reaching a trading volume of over 250,000 USDT within 15 days on Flipster. If users become a Flipster VIP, they can earn an additional 1% APR, bringing it to 22% APR.
As a bonus, Flipster’s limited-time APR Supercharge campaign, running from June 1 to 14, 2025, offers up to 122% APR on eligible USDT deposits, with stacked yields, zero trading fees, and full liquidity tailored for both active traders and yield-focused users.
Referral Bonuses
A referral system is provided by Flipster, allowing bonuses to be earned when new users join through a referral link. The following rewards can be received:
Deposit Bonus – Up to 4% of the invited user’s deposit may be awarded (3% for regular users, 4% for VIP users).
Trading Fee Bonus – An additional 0.002% of the referred user’s trading volume is credited.
VIP Program
Access to exclusive privileges is available through the VIP Program once one of the following criteria is met:
A trading volume of 3M USDT or more over any 5-day period
An average platform balance of 50,000 USDT, calculated over 24 hours
The following benefits are included in the VIP Program:
2,000 USDT daily prize pool is distributed based on USDT balance and trading volume
Trading rebates of 0.001% are calculated from weekly trading activity
Conversion USDT bonus to USDT at 1:1 ratio
Additional 1% APR is applied to participation in the Earn campaign, including a +1% APR boost on referees’ balances
Weekly competition called Master League rewards the top 10 VIP traders by PnL with 3,000 USDT
4x multiplier is used in Launchpool campaigns
Extra 0.002% bonus is applied to the trading volume of referees under the referral program
Affiliate Program
This program is a good fit for those with a large following on social media — such as a blog, channel, or crypto-focused project with a community. The Affiliate Program requires a simple application form to be submitted via the Flipster website, after which participants gain access to regular commission-based payouts.
The program includes a streamlined affiliate dashboard that provides detailed performance metrics such as trading volume, registrations, deposits, and more. Additional benefits include dedicated support from an account manager, as well as exclusive offers such as global event invitations and other promotional opportunities.
Educational Resources
Flipster provides a comprehensive set of educational materials to help users navigate the platform, available through detailed guides in the Support section. These resources cover not only how to use Flipster’s features but also explain how the tools themselves work, making them especially useful for beginners. In addition, users can access a crypto glossary and a regularly updated blog featuring news, platform announcements, and user-focused campaigns.
How to Deposit Crypto on Flipster
To unlock full access to Flipster’s features, users must first complete the registration process and pass KYC verification.
As a bonus, new users can earn up to 150 USDT through the Reward Hub by completing simple tasks such as verifying their account, making a deposit, placing a first trade, and reaching certain trading volume milestones.
Currently, Flipster supports only on-chain deposits. To make a deposit, navigate to the “Asset” page, choose the asset and network, and copy your wallet address. Flipster does not charge any deposit fees, only standard network fees apply.
How to Trade on Flipster
To make your first trade on Flipster, go to the ‘Trade’ page and select either Spot or Perpetual trading. Then, choose the asset you want to trade and open a position using a market or limit order.
Conclusion: Final Thoughts on Flipster
Flipster creates a convenient and multifunctional environment for traders, allowing them to trade with zero fees and lower spreads, earn passive income, and participate in various campaigns—all simultaneously. The platform maintains a hack-free record and applies strong security measures to protect both the platform and user accounts. This overview introduced one of the fastest-growing cryptocurrency exchanges, with a continuously expanding set of tools for traders.
To learn more about Flipster, check the official links below:
HTX, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, recently announced its “Boost SOL ETF Approval” special event, a week-long campaign celebrating the highly anticipated potential approval of spot SOL ETFs by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This landmark approval would position SOL—following Bitcoin and Ethereum—as the third cryptocurrency to have a spot ETF, signifying substantial recognition from capital markets for its technology, ecosystem, and market influence. More importantly, it serves as a powerful indicator of the crypto industry’s accelerated progression toward mainstream adoption and institutional acceptance.
This campaign, which runs from 10:00 (UTC) on June 26 to 10:00 (UTC) on July 3, offers a total prize pool of $100,000 in $HTX tokens. Users can participate by trading popular Solana ecosystem tokens to earn rewards. As a bonus, the 8th, 88th, 888th, and 8,888th registered users will each receive a Solana smartphone.
The campaign features three dynamic events designed for broad participation:
Event 1: Soar with SOL — Airdrops for New Signups and Referrals
During the event period, new users and first-time traders can get a random airdrop of 1,000,000 $HTX or an 8% SmartEarn APY Booster Coupon by completing any amount of spot or futures trading. Additionally, participants can refer friends to HTX during the event. If their invitee signs up and trades at least 1,000 USDT, the inviter will receive an airdrop of 6,000,000 $HTX.
Event 2: Support SOL — Trade Solana Ecosystem Tokens for Rewards
Support the push for Solana ETF approval and get rewarded. Trade a minimum of 100 USDT in spot or USDT-M futures with any of the specified Solana ecosystem tokens (SOL, TRUMP, WIF, FARTCOIN, BONK, BOME, PNUT, MYRO, JTO, JUP). Complete this daily trading task for two days to be eligible for a $3 airdrop in $HTX.
Event 3: Boost SOL ETF Approval — Top the Trading Volume Leaderboard
Trade to share a $50,000 prize pool! Achieve a total spot or futures trading volume of ≥10,000 USDT across the listed Solana ecosystem tokens (SOL, TRUMP, WIF, FARTCOIN, BONK, BOME, PNUT, MYRO, JTO, JUP) during the event. Rewards, with a top prize of $5,000 in $HTX, will be shared among qualifying participants based on their trading volume ranking.
HTX Maintains Market Leadership Through User-Centric Innovation
Dedicated to the global circulation of premier assets, HTX remains at the forefront of industry trends, consistently bringing new opportunities to its users. With the Solana ETF’s approval on the horizon, the platform is rolling out exclusive events. This move demonstrates HTX’s ability to identify emerging opportunities and reaffirms its core philosophy of prioritizing users.
The upcoming Solana ETF could initiate a new period of rapid growth for the crypto ecosystem. HTX will continue to deliver stable, convenient, and diverse trading experiences through high-quality services and innovative products, working alongside its global user base to embrace the new era of crypto.
About HTX
Founded in 2013, HTX has evolved from a virtual asset exchange into a comprehensive ecosystem of blockchain businesses that span digital asset trading, financial derivatives, research, investments, incubation, and other businesses.
As a world-leading gateway to Web3, HTX harbors global capabilities that enable it to provide users with safe and reliable services. Adhering to the growth strategy of “Global Expansion, Thriving Ecosystem, Wealth Effect, Security & Compliance,” HTX is dedicated to providing quality services and values to virtual asset enthusiasts worldwide.
