CleanCore Solutions has reached the halfway mark in its plan to acquire up to 1 billion Dogecoin within 30 days, as it announced its latest purchase of 500 million DOGE.

This acquisition follows a previous purchase of 285.42 million DOGE.

CleanCore’s DOGE Push

The treasury is backed by the Dogecoin Foundation and its official corporate arm, House of Doge. It was created to strategically accumulate DOGE in anticipation of growing adoption and utility.

According to the official press release, CleanCore’s long-term goal is to secure up to 5% of Dogecoin’s circulating supply and position the company as a leading digital asset treasury to advance DOGE’s role in global finance. The treasury, which is securely custodied on Bitstamp via Robinhood’s platform, allows CleanCore to execute disciplined accumulation strategies while supporting broader market growth.

In an official statement, Marco Margiotta, Chief Investment Officer of CleanCore and Chief Executive Officer of House of Doge, said,

“Crossing the 500 million DOGE threshold demonstrates the speed and scale at which ZONE is executing its treasury strategy. Our vision is to establish Dogecoin as a premier reserve asset while supporting its broader utility across payments, tokenization, staking-like products, and global remittances.”

House of Doge is developing initiatives that aim to unlock advanced real-world use cases for the OG meme coin, which the company believes will drive utility-driven demand in the coming months. CleanCore explained that these purchases are part of a carefully planned strategy to capitalize on DOGE’s expanding role in digital finance, while steadily building a strong corporate holding.

CleanCore’s DOGE purchase comes amid a nearly 22% rally over the past week, as the meme coin climbed above $0.26. Market momentum is also being fueled by anticipation of the first-ever Dogecoin ETF, though its launch has been delayed until next week, according to Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas.

For the uninitiated, the REX-Osprey Doge ETF, filed by Osprey Funds and Rex Shares, will hold a mix of DOGE and DOGE derivatives via a Cayman Islands subsidiary.

Bullish Momentum in Dogecoin

A crypto analyst called “World of Charts” believes DOGE is showing strong momentum and is currently testing an important resistance level near $0.28. According to the analyst, if the meme coin successfully manages to break this resistance, it could rally further toward $0.50 in the coming days, in a potentially sharp short-term price surge.

Meanwhile, market commentator Trader Tardigrade observed early signs of increasing trading volume in DOGE on the weekly chart. According to the analysis, this uptick in volume could signal strong potential for price appreciation in the coming weeks.

He also highlighted a breakout in Dogecoin’s Money Flow Index (MFI), which suggested a surge in buying pressure.

This year has offered no shortage of market-moving headlines shaping investor sentiment. Mixed job reports, new tariffs fueling turbulence in U.S. trade policy, and ongoing uncertainty around Federal Reserve decisions have all contributed to a difficult backdrop for identifying compelling investment opportunities.

Fortunately, quarterly disclosures from Wall Street’s most seasoned investors provide a window into where the “smart money” is moving. Every quarter, investment firms managing over $100 million are required to file a Form 13F with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This documentation itemizes which stocks firms bought and sold during the most recent quarter — offering valuable insight into institutional positioning.

One of the more interesting moves that came this quarter was from the Duquesne Family Office, led by billionaire investor Stanley Druckenmiller. According to the firm’s second-quarter 13F, Druckenmiller initiated a new position in Viking Therapeutics (VKTX 4.53%) — a pharmaceutical stock that has plummeted by 35% so far in 2025.

Let’s unpack what may have compelled Druckenmiller to buy the dip in Viking and assess if now is a good time for investors to follow his lead.

Viking could be an asymmetric bet

An asymmetric investment opportunity occurs when the potential upside far outweighs the potential downside. Venture capital offers a textbook example: Most early-stage companies fail, but a single unicorn can generate enough returns to offset losses across the entire fund.

Viking can be viewed through this same lens. The company is advancing a pipeline of obesity and weight-management medications. At the moment, this pocket of the healthcare realm is dominated by a duopoly — Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, the makers of blockbuster GLP-1 treatments Mounjaro, Zepbound, Ozempic, and Wegovy.

While Viking remains in the clinical-trial stage, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of even one of its candidates could unlock explosive upside, positioning the company as a disruptive entrant in a lucrative healthcare market.

He may be hedging his existing exposure in this space

Another reason Druckenmiller may have his eyes on Viking is due to some existing exposure to the weight-loss market. According to filings, the Duquesne Family Office already owns Lilly stock, having bought shares for three consecutive quarters.

According to research from Goldman Sachs, the global total addressable market (TAM) for obesity-care medications could reach $120 billion by next decade. Given the size of the market and the dynamics of its fragmented competition, it’s possible that Druckenmiller is merely hedging the existing position in Lilly with one that could become a multibagger should Viking successfully advance its weight-loss drug candidates.

Viking is a speculative takeover candidate

Although Viking has yet to formally break into the weight-management space, its clinical trial data over the past year has shown some encouraging signs.

Still, a key concern for investors is whether the company has the financial resources to manufacture at scale should the company secure FDA approval. On one hand, Viking’s science has demonstrated some promise, but on the other hand, its size raises legitimate questions about its capacity to handle commercialization.

With Lilly and Novo already competing fiercely, and other big pharma heavyweights actively seeking entry into the weight-loss industry, Viking’s pipeline positions it as a compelling acquisition candidate should its therapies progress beyond proof-of-concept.

Is Viking Therapeutics stock a buy?

Whether viewed as a hedge, an acquisition play, or a high-risk/high-reward bet on clinical success, Druckenmiller’s decision to buy Viking stock signals two things: a willingness to embrace uncertainty, as well as a conviction that the obesity-care market is expansive enough to support more than just two incumbents.

For prospective investors, the decision to buy Viking Therapeutics stock ultimately comes down to your personal risk tolerance. For now, Viking’s entire valuation rests on speculation and the hope that its pipeline breaks into a rapidly growing, billion-dollar industry with limited competition.

The trade-offs here should not be overlooked: Viking could emerge as the next breakthrough in weight management, or, just as easily, it could suffer setbacks that consign it to a long list of biotech companies with unrealized potential.

Adam Spatacco has positions in Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Goldman Sachs Group. The Motley Fool recommends Novo Nordisk and Viking Therapeutics. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Alphabet (GOOGL 1.70%) (GOOG 1.52%), the parent of Google, and Meta Platforms (META 2.65%), formerly known as Facebook, are facing antitrust litigation regarding the ways they have maintained their dominance in internet search and social media.

Investors generally dislike uncertainty, and amid a macroeconomic environment that has become far less predictable over the past few months, the entire market has become increasingly volatile. Between that and the company-specific risks they face, Alphabet had fallen by 27% from its high and Meta Platforms had lost 32%, as of April 22.

The potential outcomes of the cases against those companies could include regulators forcing them to sell or spin off key business assets. That said, shying away from these top artificial intelligence (AI) companies now could prove to be a mistake for investors.

Here’s why investors may want to buy this dip on Alphabet and Meta Platforms.

Technology empires may shrink

Alphabet and Meta Platforms are among the world’s most powerful technology leaders. Each generates billions of dollars in annual ad revenue from its core businesses. Alphabet dominates the internet with its Google search engine and software ecosystem, while Meta’s social media apps, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads, collectively reach 3.35 billion daily active users.

However, antitrust regulators have stepped in due to those companies’ strangleholds on their respective niches within the tech sector.

Alphabet has already lost two antitrust cases, one involving Google Search and another relating to its anticompetitive practices in online advertising. Now, Alphabet and regulators will argue in court, and judges will determine what actions Alphabet may need to take to remedy its violations. Alphabet may be ordered to sell its Chrome web browser, or to cease paying Apple the billions of dollars a year it spends in the deal that has made Google the default search engine on iPhones’ Safari web browser.

Meanwhile, the Federal Trade Commission’s antitrust case against Meta Platforms over its aggressive tactics to either acquire rivals like Instagram and WhatsApp or eliminate them is just starting. If the company loses, some speculate that it may be ordered to spin off or sell those apps.

Antitrust remedies might not be that bitter

The idea of a breakup is scary, but investors could be overreacting to the headlines. Both companies have layered multiple products and services to build technology ecosystems with powerful network effects.

Suppose the courts blocked Alphabet from paying Apple for search engine placement on its Safari web browser.

Now, Alphabet decided it was worth paying tens of billions a year to make Google the default search engine in Apple’s Safari browser. Still, it is unlikely that Google Search would collapse if that arrangement were to end. Safari is just one of Google’s many distribution channels, and has only a 17.5% share of the world’s web browser market.

Google’s Chrome is the global leader, with a 66% share. Even if Alphabet were to sell or spin off Chrome, it is tightly integrated with Google’s productivity apps, such as Gmail and others. In other words, it would be difficult to eliminate the network effects Alphabet benefits from unless regulators dismantle the company. That seems unlikely given how complicated it would be. Meanwhile, the Chrome unit on its own could struggle to generate revenue without its Google connection, as it’s a free product.

The situation around Meta is a little trickier because there aren’t as many layers to its ecosystem. If it had to sell Instagram, WhatsApp, or both, that would be a sizable blow to its empire. The good news is that while Meta has leveraged its family of apps to boost each other, such as by letting users cross-post from Instagram and Facebook to Threads, the big three apps — Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp — still function independently of each other.

Therefore, Meta losing one wouldn’t necessarily diminish the others. A spinoff would leave Meta smaller, but could also unlock shareholder value if an independent, publicly traded Instagram or WhatsApp thrives.

The antitrust risks are real, but investors shouldn’t panic. There is no rush to act, especially when each company’s AI efforts might create new core businesses down the road.

Both of these AI stocks are better bargains now

The AI trend could someday be the more important catalyst for both companies, and that seems unlikely to change regardless of how things turn out with these antitrust cases. Experts such as those at PwC believe AI technology could create a multitrillion-dollar economic opportunity over the next decade and beyond.

Alphabet’s AI opportunities include:

• AI-fueled growth in the cloud;
• An expanding autonomous ride-hailing business in Waymo;
• Quantum computing development;
• Competitive AI models (Gemini) for consumers and enterprises.

Meta doesn’t own a public cloud platform, but it does have:

• A broadening hardware business with Meta Quest headsets and AI smart glasses;
• An open-source AI model (Llama) with over 1 billion downloads;
• AI integrations throughout its social media apps and existing ad business.

The dips in these stocks have left them trading at reasonably compelling valuations. Alphabet trades at a price/earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio of just 1.2, and Meta’s is 1.4. True, the generally agreed upon view is that a stock is fairly valued with a PEG ratio of 1, and lower is better. And sure, there are some potential risks to be wary about with both of these tech giants. But would an investor be better off buying shares of Walmart, a mature business trading at almost 40 times earnings and at a PEG ratio of 5.1? I don’t expect Walmart’s stock to outperform either Alphabet or Meta Platforms over the next five years unless there is a dramatic decline in the tech companies’ growth and competitive advantages.

GOOGL PE Ratio data by YCharts.

It can be easy to get overanxious about investment risks when the markets are already shaky. However, in the cases of Meta Platforms and Alphabet, it’s way too early to panic about what these antitrust cases could mean, and even aggressive court-mandated remedies could benefit shareholders. With that in mind, I’d recommend tuning out the noise and taking a long-term view on two of the world’s most powerful technology companies.

Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Justin Pope has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Apple, Meta Platforms, and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Matt DiLallo has positions in Blackstone, Starbucks, and Verizon Communications and has the following options: short March 2025 $80 puts on Starbucks. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Blackstone and Starbucks. The Motley Fool recommends Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

For the last couple of years, the stock market has rallied on an unwaveringly positive narrative surrounding the prospects of artificial intelligence (AI). The momentum that’s fueled technology stocks in particular carried into 2025 — until about two weeks ago, when the party music suddenly stopped out of nowhere.

An AI start-up out of China called DeepSeek released a model that is similar to those built by ChatGPT or Perplexity. The concern, however, is that DeepSeek claims to have unlocked new methods to train AI models by using older, seemingly less sophisticated architectures. As such, investors have become worried that the hundreds of billions that U.S. technology businesses are pouring into expensive chipware may have been an overzealous move. Unsurprisingly, stock prices for big tech, and in particular the “Magnificent Seven,” have been cratering in epic fashion.

Nevertheless, one prominent tech investor doesn’t seem dissuaded by the DeepSeek drama. Of course, I’m talking about Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood — who almost always seems to exhibit a sense of optimism when it comes to new technologies.

I’ll reveal which Magnificent Seven stock Wood just scooped up and make the case for why I think her decision is a savvy move.

Which Magnificent Seven stock did Cathie Wood just buy?

One of the nice things about Ark Invest is that the fund publishes its trading history daily. Usually, investors need to wait until the end of the quarter to see which stocks institutional investors bought and sold. Wood’s transparency is helpful, as it provides investors with a real-time glimpse into what stocks she’s monitoring.

Around Jan. 24 was when I first started hearing chirps about DeepSeek and began seeing some headlines publish on financial news programming. The chart shows that shares of Amazon (AMZN -0.73%) clearly started to slide in the final days of January — as more news about DeepSeek started to break.

AMZN data by YCharts

Well, Wood took note of these moves. Between Jan. 27 and Feb. 7, Wood added over 120,000 shares worth more than $28 million to five of her exchange-traded funds (ETFs), including ARK Next Generation Internet, ARK Innovation, ARK Fintech Innovation, ARK Autonomous Technology & Robotics, and ARK Space Exploration & Innovation.

Data source: Ark Invest.

In addition to the initial sell-off influenced by DeepSeek, Wood doubled down on her conviction in Amazon, as evidenced by her purchases following the company’s fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 earnings call on Feb. 6.

Since reporting earnings, Amazon stock has dropped again — primarily due to the company’s hefty capital expenditures (capex) plan for 2025, which is forecast to be in excess of $100 billion. I think some investors have reservations about this level of spend due to DeepSeek’s initial claims. For these reasons, some investors appear to be souring on big tech at the moment.

Is now a good time to buy Amazon stock?

As an investor in Amazon, I am not personally worried about how much the company is investing in AI infrastructure. Rather, I am more focused on where the company is spending.

During the company’s recent earnings call, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said the “the vast majority of that capex spend is on AI for AWS.”

When you look at the financial profile, it’s hard to argue with Jassy’s vision. Over the last two years, Amazon has invested $8 billion into an AI start-up called Anthropic — which the company has integrated tightly with its cloud computing platform, Amazon Web Services (AWS). In this time, AWS has accelerated both revenue and profit growth, now becoming a business generating more than $100 billion in annual sales while generating nearly 50% growth in operating income.

Amazon’s investments in AI infrastructure are already bearing fruit. For this reason, I see the company’s 2025 capex budget as a good sign for more growth to come down the road.

Nevertheless, Amazon currently trades at a price-to-free cash flow (P/FCF) multiple of 75 — well below its five-year average of 104.

I think many investors are honing in too closely on Amazon’s spending and not giving management enough credit for the growth the company has already witnessed over the last two years in particular (since AI became the main focal point).

I think Wood’s idea to buy the dip on Amazon right now is incredibly smart. Investors with a long-term time horizon might want to consider following Wood’s lead and scoop up some shares of the company while the stock remains at a historical discount.

John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Adam Spatacco has positions in Amazon. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.