Good evening, ladies, gentleman, and crypto degenerates.

Reporting live from the heart of the action (my desk) – we’ve just confirmed two new developments in stories already covered this week.

It’s the talk of the town (group chats) right now, and here’s what you need to know:

1/ Grayscale ETF

On Wednesday, we told you the SEC approved Grayscale’s new crypto ETF that features Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP, and Cardano.

Well, they approved it technically… but then put a “stay” on it, which means Grayscale can’t actually launch the ETF yet.

Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas thinks the SEC just wants to finalize crypto ETF listing rules before letting this one go live.

So, the situation: approved in theory, not happening in practice. For now.

2/ OpenAI vs. Robinhood

On Tuesday, we talked about Robinhood launching tokenized US stocks and ETFs in Europe.

What we didn’t point out then, though, is that some of those tokens represent private stocks – companies you can’t invest in unless you have VC connections or millions to invest.

One of those? OpenAI.

So, with that launch, Robinhood gave regular retail investors a way to get price exposure to OpenAI – something they can’t do by buying shares directly.

Pretty damn sick, amirite? Well… not everyone agrees:

Basically, what OpenAI’s saying is that even if Robinhood’s tokens are backed 1:1 by real OpenAI shares, you’re not legally an OpenAI shareholder.

And what does that mean for you?

You’re trusting Robinhood, not OpenAI

When you buy one of the tokens, you’re not directly owning a piece of OpenAI.

You’re just counting on Robinhood (or its partner) to hold OpenAI shares somewhere.

No shareholder rights

You don’t get voting rights, a say in decisions, or access to OpenAI’s financials. You just track the price.

Liquidity isn’t guaranteed

These tokens only have value if Robinhood keeps the market open.

If they stop or demand drops, you might not be able to sell.

At the same time, hey, at least it’s an option. If you just want to exposure to OpenAI’s price, then fine. But make sure you understand the risks before jumping in.

And with that, I’ll return you to your regularly scheduled scrolling

This was the Daily Squeeze, thanks for reading, and good luck out there.

It’s happening: Prime Day 2025 kicks off on July 8th and runs through the 11th, marking the first time that the Amazon sale has ever last four full days. It also means that we’re going to be experiencing a hectic week of sale events across the web, with all of your favorite websites and influencers alike inundating you with dozens of deals on everything from kitchen appliances to smartphones.

I’ve been working sale events like this long enough that I know exactly how to breeze through the week of Prime Day with relatively little stress. Whether you’re shopping for a smartphone, tablet, or simply browsing, keep reading for my top 5 tips for finding actually good deals during Prime Day 2025. No fluff, no tricks, just good old-fashioned discounts on tech. 

Quick links

Tip #1: Do your research

1. Do your research

This one might be a bit obvious, but if you plan to make a major purchase during Prime Day, it’s important to do a little research beforehand so you know what you’re looking for. Simply shopping for “any Android phone” during the sale, for instance, could lead to buyer’s remorse when you realize that you didn’t read up on these devices before making a purchase. 

Start by considering what’s important to you personally when you use your devices. Do you just need something simple and affordable? Maybe great cameras or battery life? What about AI features or long software support? Reading up on the best Android tech beforehand is a great way to make sure you’re prepared when the big sale goes live. 

Start shopping on July 8th with a wish list of the items you’re interested in. That’ll keep you from feeling overwhelmed and ensure you feel confident in your purchase once that order confirmation page appears. After all, tech can be expensive, and every penny counts these days. 

Tip #2: Look at price history

2. Look at price history

When these major sale events go live, it can be hard to tell if a deal is actually good or if the retailer is just trying to make you think it’s good. Items marked with text like “Lightning Deal” can make you feel a sense of urgency on a discount that isn’t necessarily that special. This is where price tracking tools come in handy. 

Websites like Camelcamelcamel.com let you check the complete price history on items sold through Amazon. Pasting the product page URL into the site’s search field will give you a timeline of every instance that the item has been discounted, plus it will tell if you the current discount is record-breaking or if we’ve seen it before. This can be helpful if you’re trying to decide between making a major purchase today or waiting a few more months to buy.

The problem with websites like Camelcamelcamel is that the data can be a bit unreliable if a product has a lot of different color variants or storage configurations. Information can also be disrupted if the item has too many third-party sellers. Still, I wouldn’t make any purchase on Amazon without at least attempting to check the price history first. 

Tip #3: Check rival sales

3. Check rival sales

Of course, whenever Amazon launches a Prime Day event, you can expect most of its competitors to launch rival sales around the same time. Many of these sales match or beat Amazon’s prices, which can be great if you don’t have a Prime membership and aren’t interested in joining (even though there’s a 30-day trial that lets you shop the sale for free). 

Before you buy an Android device from Amazon during Prime Day, see if Best Buy or Walmart is offering an equal or better deal. Don’t forget to check for extra perks too. Buying a tablet from Amazon may get you the device alone, but purchasing the same tablet for the same price during Best Buy’s sale might also get you three free months of Apple Music or a free trial to Xbox Game Pass. 

Retailers like Best Buy and Samsung may also offer enhanced trade-in credit during their respective sale events, which could land you some additional savings if you have an old or broken device lying around. Needless to say, we’ll be covering all of the best Android deals from across the web that week — regardless of the source — so you can always check with us if you’re unsure about a discount.

Tip #4: Watch out for scams

4. Watch out for scams

Although Prime Day presents itself as the perfect opportunity to find great deals this summer, it’s also an opportunity for scammers to target your data and bank account. Reports of scams and phishing attempts increase dramatically during the sale event, and it’s easy to fall victim to these traps if you’re not careful.

Watch out for emails or texts that are trying to compel you to click on a link concerning a recent purchase, especially if you haven’t placed an order lately. These scammers will often try to impersonate Amazon representatives or mail providers and will send emails from suspicious sources like “amazonusa[.]shop” or “amazonindo[.]com”. Other dishonest agents may attempt to contact you by phone. 

Rule of thumb, as Amazon clearly expresses on its site, representatives “will never send you an unsolicited message that asks you to provide sensitive personal information like your social insurance number, tax ID, bank account number, credit card information, ID questions like your mother’s maiden name or your password”. 

Tip #5: Stay calm

5. Stay calm

Last but not least, if you want to have a good time shopping this Prime Day, it’s important to stay calm. Email newsletters, search engines, and even celebrities will be flooding the airwaves that week with breathless endorsements and recommendations for top products, and it’s important to remember that it’s just a sale. 

Don’t get carried away by a false sense of urgency and buy a bunch of items you don’t need, and don’t get so overwhelmed by the flood of information that you end up missing a truly great deal. By simply researching products beforehand and preparing a list of everything you need in advance, you can wake up on the morning of July 8th and shop for deals at your leisure. 

And don’t forget: the entire Android Central staff (including yours truly) will be around to share our favorite deals and provide helpful shopping advice during the sale, so you’ll never feel too lost.