Axios

Home Depot is spooking the calendar with its earlier-than-ever release of Halloween merchandise like its 12-foot skeleton.

Why it matters: The home improvement store chain is the first major retailer to push out fall holiday decor months ahead of summer and earlier than last year.

Companies like Amazon are tacking on new fees and surcharges on top of the regular subscription fees they already charge.

Why it matters: Subscription fatigue is real and growing, testing the limits of consumer appetites for convenience.

Far-right website The Gateway Pundit is declaring bankruptcy, founder Jim Hoft announced Wednesday.

The big picture: The site is facing a lawsuit from two election workers over accusations it committed ballot fraud to alter the outcome of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.

Federal prosecutors on Wednesday charged the founders of a crypto-mixing service called Samourai Wallet with conspiracy to commit money laundering and operating an unlicensed money transmitter business.

Why it matters: The U.S. government is cracking down on crypto-mixing tools that criminals can use to hide their tracks.

Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the founder of Binance, the world's largest crypto exchange, will be sentenced next week in federal court in Seattle, and the government is looking for more prison time than originally thought.

Why it matters: CZ is the biggest fish in the relatively young industry of cryptocurrency, until recently running the largest and most far-reaching venue for trading, launching and making bets on digital assets.

There are 3,333 cats on the Bitcoin blockchain that want to change it forever.

Why it matters: Bitcoin doesn't change often, but proponents of this latest update believe it could open up a bunch of very positive use cases, such as making Bitcoin wallets much more hacker-proof.

Two powerful business lobby groups filed suit Wednesday against the Federal Trade Commission seeking to overturn its ban on noncompete agreements just one day after it was finalized.

Why it matters: The lawsuit will likely delay the ban from taking effect — or derail it entirely, and test the limits of the FTCs power.

Editor's note: This piece first appeared in Dan's Pro Rata newsletter, which dives into the world of dealmaking. Subscribe here.

Dear venture capitalists,

I've been covering your industry for over two decades, through booms and busts and back again. If there is to be another two decades, you'd better change your behavior. And quick.

Airlines must issue automatic cash refunds to passengers whose flights have been canceled or significantly delayed under a new rule that the Biden administration issued Wednesday.

Why it matters: Post-pandemic air travel has at times verged on chaotic, as airlines have struggled to handle surging demand. It's the administration's latest effort to boost protections for passengers whose plans are upended by flight schedule setbacks.

Xaira Therapeutics, an AI drug discovery startup, has launched with more than $1 billion in funding co-led by Arch Venture Partners and Foresite Capital.

Why it matters: Xaira is the landing spot for CEO Marc Tessier-Lavigne, the former Genentech chief scientific officer and Denali Therapeutics co-founder who last year resigned as Stanford University president after findings of research manipulation in his lab.

Amkan Ventures, a Dubai-based fund-of-funds focused on backing emerging venture investors, has raised $5 million of the $10 million target for its debut fund.

Why it matters: Amkan is connecting family offices in the Gulf region and emerging U.S.-based VCs — two groups unlikely to otherwise meet.

Strike, the bitcoin-focused payments app, is now in Europe.

Why it matters: Strike is built atop the Lightning Network, a so-called layer 2 Bitcoin payments solution that promises to use blockchain to reduce transaction speeds down to seconds.

By lowering the bar on its first quarter results, Tesla has managed to reverse waning investor confidence — for now — even as specifics about its future product lineup remain lacking.

Why it matters: The wider electric vehicle transition is intertwined with Tesla, the world's largest seller of battery-powered cars.

The big rise in interest rates this year has drawn renewed attention to the balance sheets of banks in general — and of Bank of America in particular.

Why it matters: If you look at the market value of BofA's assets, the bank starts to look weaker than would befit its too-big-to-fail status.

A new card from the buy now, pay later company Klarna shows that it's possible to build a credit card that isn't designed to trap users in a so-called sweat box.

Why it matters: Only 33% of Americans pay off their credit cards in full every month, per the Philly Fed.

Move over, flavored seltzer: The cola wars are back as young consumers reach for pretty cans of soda in oddball flavors.

Why it matters: Startups are trying to disrupt the "big three" soda makers, which dominate the $110 billion market for soft drinks purchased in supermarkets and convenience stores.