Axios

The founder of HyperVerse, one of the many iterations of a crypto project accused by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission of being a pyramid scheme, continues to promote new projects.

Why it matters: It's become increasingly cool in crypto to publicly challenge regulatory authority, but Sam Lee, who's also wanted on U.S. criminal fraud charges, is testing the limits.

Most of the biggest U.S. office leases got renewed last year, according to a new report first shared with Axios.

Why it matters: Instead of locking down a new space, many companies are staying put as they continue to adjust to a workweek that's part remote, part in-office.

While Taylor Swift will not be performing at this year's game, she's still garnered 112% more media mentions than all four Super Bowl performers combined, according to Muck Rack data shared with Axios.

Go deeper... Female-focused ad spots take the Super Bowl.

As senior vice president of communications for the National Football League, Katie Hill helms the team that tells the story of America's favorite pastime.

New York Community Bancorp once looked like a winner of last spring's regional banking crisis. But now it's in trouble, with shares losing more than 60% of their value since a disastrous earnings report on Jan. 31.

The big question: Could there be contagion that sparks another investment and acquisition surge, much like when Silicon Valley Bank's collapse begat transactions for rivals like First Republic and PacWest?

Communication is the most in-demand job skill for the second year in a row, according to data gathered by LinkedIn.

Why it matters: Soft skills, like effectively communicating, still trump AI skills — for now.

Dow Jones, the parent company to the Wall Street Journal, Barron's, MarketWatch, Investor's Business Daily and Financial News, has doubled its digital subscription base from 2.43 million during the last three months of 2019 to 4.86 million in January.

Why it matters: Several major national news companies are starting to reverse course on hard subscriptions or are leaning into lifestyle products to grow. Dow Jones remains committed to its subscription strategy focused on business professionals, its CEO Almar Latour told Axios in an interview.

For the first time in two years, CEOs are optimistic about the economy, according to a survey out Wednesday morning.

Why it matters: CEOs, they're just like us ... Overall consumer confidence also hit a two-year high in January.

The Super Bowl is expected to attract more than 110 million viewers, 25% of whom plan to focus more on the ads than the game itself.

Why it matters: In 2022, the average Super Bowl advertiser saw $4.60 for every dollar spent, according to a report from market research firm Kantar.

For the National Football League, the Super Bowl isn't just the biggest game of the year — it's an opportunity to court an emerging group of younger, international viewers.

Why it matters: It's a lesson in how organizations can use big tentpole moments to draft off the news, promote their brand and reach new audiences.

The Department of Justice announced charges in two separate cases Wednesday over allegedly "sophisticated schemes to transfer sensitive technology, goods, and information" to benefit the governments of China and Iran.

The big picture: In one case in California, Chenguang Gong, a 57-year-old U.S. citizen who was born in China, is accused of stealing trade secrets developed for use by the U.S. government to detect nuclear missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles, per a DOJ statement.

Coca-Cola is spicing up the soda aisle by adding its first permanent soda flavor in three years — Coca-Cola Spiced.

Why it matters: It's the latest sign that the soda wars are taking off again and follows the January 2023 launch of Pepsi's Starry.

The U.S. deficit is expected to climb over the next 10 years with higher interest payments set to account for a historic share of government spending, the Congressional Budget Office said on Wednesday.

Why it matters: New projections from the nonpartisan agency show deficits jumping from $1.6 trillion this year to $2.6 trillion in 2034, alongside a slightly less gloomy prediction for the nation's fiscal health than previously estimated.