Part of the deal, which was first reported by the Financial Times, was tied to sponsorship of Swift's upcoming tour, her first in four years, and included plans to offer tickets as NFTs.
What was FTX, an exchange that specialized in the trading of complex derivatives, hoping to gain by marketing itself to Taylor Swift fans?
What Taylor Swift album does Sam Bankman-Fried most identify with?
Perhaps the most pressing question, however, as pointed out by senior finance editor Michelle Abrego, is this: How does Taylor Swift have better due diligence practices than half of Silicon Valley? What does it say about venture investing in general that a pop star with no background in finance could vet a deal better than them?
Advertisement
It is worth noting that Swift might have a sharper eye in negotiations than your typical entertainer. Swift famously was in a very public dispute with talent manager Scooter Braun over his purchase of the masters of her back catalog. (Click here to read a fantastic profile on Braun.)
Part of me wonders whether this is the biggest indication of SBF wanting to get caught. Swift's fanbase is, to put it mildly, rabid. The so-called Swifties keep a keen eye on any potential slight against their star.
If a deal were to go through and malfeasance was uncovered on the part of FTX toward Swift, her fans might have personally extradited SBF from the Bahamas.
Also, was Swift trying to warn us about SBF all along?
Check out this lyric from "Anti-Hero," the first hit of her latest album, "Midnights."
Advertisement
Did you hear my covert narcissism I disguise as altruism Like some kind of congressman? (Tale as old as time)
Swift has said the majority of the work done on the album was with Jack Antonoff while both their partners were filming a movie in Panama. Swift and Antonoff's partners — Joe Alwyn and Margaret Qualley, respectively — both starred in "The Stars at Noon," which shot in Panama last December.
2. These are all the mistakes you're making during your digital transformations. Sumeet Chabria, a former top Bank of America tech executive who is launching his own consulting firm, detailed why the firm's tech overhauls end up going off the rails. Here are three key errors you should avoid.
4. Plaid is the latest fintech to get hit by layoffs. The startup, which plays a key role behind the scenes connecting financial apps to users' banks, is cutting roughly 20% of its staff. Read CEO Zach Perret's note to staff about the layoffs.
5. Bargain hunting for crypto companies is under way. Galaxy Digital has plans to acquire the self-custody arm of Celsius at a 60% price cut from what the bankrupt crypto lender paid for it a year ago, Bloomberg reports. More on the deal here.
6. Carvana's creditors are driving it crazy. The online used-card retailer saw its stock price plummet in the wake of some of its largest debt holders agreeing to work together on credit negotiations with Carvana. Read more here.
8. Meet 27 of the women who became executives at top VC firms in 2022. We mapped out women who were named investing or general partners for the first time in 2022 (including Yasmine Lacaillade, founder and managing partner at Sinefine, who is pictured above). Here's our list of the new women leading investing strategies at top firms.
10. If you're feeling nostalgic, check out this Blockbuster pop-up bar. We've got plenty of photos from the bar, which is in Los Angeles. Grab a drink and take stroll down memory lane.
Keep updated with the latest business news throughout your day by checking out The Refresh from Insider, a dynamic audio news brief. Listen here.
NewsletterSIMPLY PUT - where we join the dots to inform and inspire you. Sign up for a weekly brief collating many news items into one untangled thought delivered straight to your mailbox.
Adjusted for inflation, policy rate still remains accommodative, says RBI Governor
SBF's Alameda racked up $55,000 Margaritaville debt by snapping up around 20 premium suites for workers, who took bus across tropical island to work, report says
RBI’s lower rate hike as expected, but Das’ commentary still hawkish, say analysts