Project Prometheus, an AI laboratory co-founded by Jeff Bezos, has closed a funding round of €8.7 billion at a €33 billion valuation. Investors include JPMorgan and BlackRock. Bezos returns to an operational role alongside co-CEO Vikram Bajaj, a quantum physicist. The funding round was expanded from an initial €5.4 billion due to high demand. The company is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in London and Zürich. Unlike language-focused AI labs, Prometheus develops AI systems that understand physical laws for industrial applications, including materials research, fluid simulation and robotic manipulation. The company plans to establish a holding structure to acquire industrial companies that could benefit from its AI technology, following a Berkshire Hathaway-style model. The Zürich office positions Prometheus as a competitor for talent in the DACH region's engineering sector.

BlackRock launches signature philanthropic initiative in Texas with $30M commitment to grow electrical workforce. BlackRock | May 06, 2026 The BlackRock Foundation's $100 million Future Builders Initiative Awards First Grants to Texas-Based Organizations Partnerships with Workforce Leaders and Educational Institutions will Expand Access to Skilled Trades Jobs May 6, 2026 - WACO, TX - BlackRock today announced a $30 million philanthropic investment in Texas through BlackRock Future Builders, a national initiative funded by The BlackRock Foundation to strengthen skilled trades pipelines across the United States. Over three years, funding from the grants will be used to help train more than 12,000 Texans for electrical careers, strengthening the workforce needed to support Texas' rapid growth. The launch will be highlighted on National Skilled Trades Day at an event hosted by Texas State Technical College (TSTC) in Waco. Texas sits at the center of America's infrastructure and energy buildout, driven by the nation's fastest population growth, rising electricity demand, and the rapid expansion of AI-enabled industries. Federal data shows Texas accounts for the largest share of U.S. electricity generation and is experiencing the fastest growth in power demand, making it an early indicator of national infrastructure and workforce pressures. Meeting these needs will require thousands of additional licensed electricians in the years ahead. Through Future Builders, BlackRock is supporting proven training pathways and local partners to help expand the state's electrical workforce. "The scale of growth underway in Texas demands a workforce ready to build it," said Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock. "By working alongside trusted Texas training institutions and workforce leaders, Future Builders is expanding access to skilled trades jobs that are essential to the state's economy - helping more Texans access good-paying careers and build long-term security." Future Builders will partner with leading union and independent training providers and educational institutions, including the IBEW-NECA electrical training ALLIANCE (etA), Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) of Dallas, and Texas State Technical College (TSTC). Together, these partners will expand access to training, help more people complete their training programs and get licensed, and put people on the path to long-term careers. With funding from The BlackRock Foundation, etA will launch The ProTech Skills Institute BlackRock Foundation Electrical College, a first-of-its-kind, statewide pre-apprenticeship program, which will include a 14-day immersive bootcamp to provide thousands of Texans with jobsite readiness preparation and industry-recognized safety credentials. The program will not only help more participants transition into union registered apprenticeship programs, but it will also support contractors to access workers from a statewide talent pool, addressing supply and demand challenges. "We're thrilled to partner with BlackRock through Future Builders to meet Texas' surging demand for skilled electrical workers, opening doors to long-term, family-sustaining careers in one of the nation's most essential trades," said Todd Stafford, Executive Director at electrical training ALLIANCE. IEC of Dallas will receive funding from The BlackRock Foundation to expand the independent electrical workforce pipeline in North Texas - one of the country's fastest growing regions for commercial construction. This partnership will introduce a BlackRock SafeSTART pre-apprenticeship program for thousands of local workers, providing 80-hours of safety training and hands-on lab experience as well as a direct on-ramp to IEC's registered apprenticeship program. IEC of Dallas will also use the funding to offer a journeyman exam prep course, helping eligible apprentices unlock higher earning potential and increasing the number of journeymen statewide. "IEC Dallas is excited to partner with BlackRock through the Future Builders program to strengthen Texas' electrical workforce. The results are showing successful outcomes. These programs are increasing licensed Journeyman electricians while our SafeSTART Pre-Apprenticeship Program is training and equipping individuals with industry recognized safety certifications," said Erin Stewart, Executive Director and CEO of Independent Electrical Contractors of Dallas. "We are delivering job-ready apprentice electricians, resulting in a real impact for contractors and the future of our industry." The BlackRock Foundation's grant to TSTC will support the establishment, development and implementation of a new Associate of Applied Science in Electrical Technology program, creating a college-based pathway that prepares students to test for their journeyman license. TSTC's new Construction Technologies Center in Waco positions it to expand training capacity beyond traditional apprenticeship routes - and this additional funding will help TSTC students prepare for licensure through advanced simulation labs, expanded instructor capacity, and targeted financial support. "TSTC is proud to join forces with BlackRock to address the critical skilled trades workforce gap in Texas. This partnership will enable us to expand hands-on training and provide more Texans with the tools and opportunities they need to succeed in high-demand careers," said Mike Reeser, Chancellor & CEO of Texas State Technical College. "Together, we are investing in the future of our students, our communities, and the economic vitality of our state." In addition to technical training, Future Builders will integrate financial education and digital tools into apprenticeship programs to help workers translate rising earnings into lasting financial stability. Through a grant to Dallas College, a new financial education course tailored specifically to electricians will be developed with input from industry and piloted with apprentices across Texas. This builds on work that BlackRock has done for more than 30 years, helping millions of Texans save and invest for retirement. Launching Future Builders in Texas deepens that commitment by pairing strong career pathways with financial education tools that support economic mobility and long-term financial wellbeing. "Dallas College and Dallas College Foundation are proud to partner with BlackRock through Future Builders to ensure Texans entering the skilled trades are prepared not only for great careers, but for long-term financial success," said Dr. Justin Lonon, Chancellor of Dallas College. "By embedding financial education directly into apprenticeship pathways for electricians, we are helping workers turn increased earning power into lasting economic mobility, strengthening families, communities, and the future of Texas' workforce." About The BlackRock Foundation Guided by BlackRock's purpose to help more and more people experience financial well-being, The BlackRock Foundation funds and partners with organizations that strengthen financial security by helping people earn, save and invest - earlier, more often and for their futures. About BlackRock. BlackRock's purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. As a fiduciary to investors and a provider of financial technology, Blackrock help millions of people build savings that serve them throughout their lives by making investing easier and more affordable. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com/corporate. First Name * Last Name * Location * *Required information | Read its Privacy notice

BlackRock IBIT options just crushed Deribit volume and here's what Bitcoin traders need to know. BlackRock's IBIT options hit $27.6B open interest, overtaking Deribit. What this shift means for Bitcoin price discovery and traders. For a decade, Deribit was the undisputed king of Bitcoin options. That era officially ended on April 25, 2026, when BlackRock's IBIT Bitcoin ETF options hit $27.61 billion in open interest on Nasdaq, edging past Deribit's $26.90 billion. This isn't just a milestone for BlackRock. It's a structural shift in how Bitcoin derivatives work, where institutional money flows, and ultimately where price discovery happens. If you trade Bitcoin or hold it for the long term, here's why this matters. The numbers behind the shift. IBIT options launched in late 2024. In less than two years, they've overtaken a platform that spent a decade building liquidity in crypto-native derivatives. That speed tells you something about how quickly institutional capital can reshape markets when it finds a regulated on-ramp. The comparison goes deeper than raw volume. IBIT options show stronger bullish positioning, with call open interest implying Bitcoin price targets around $109,709. That's roughly 41% above where Bitcoin was trading at the time (approximately $77,400). Deribit's equivalent target sits around $106,000, still bullish but notably more conservative. Perhaps more telling: the average IBIT options expiration is October 2026, about two months longer than Deribit's August 2026 average. Longer-dated positioning typically signals conviction rather than speculation. Institutional traders aren't just betting on Bitcoin; they're positioning for multi-month holds. Why this happened. The shift reflects something traders have anticipated since spot Bitcoin ETFs launched in early 2024: traditional finance infrastructure attracts traditional finance money. Deribit served crypto well. It offered deep liquidity, perpetual contracts, and the kind of leverage that institutional compliance departments often reject. But it operated offshore, outside the regulatory frameworks that pension funds, endowments, and registered investment advisors require. IBIT options trade on Nasdaq. They settle through established clearinghouses. They fit into existing brokerage infrastructure. For a hedge fund manager who needs to explain positions to a compliance officer, that matters more than Deribit's superior fee structure. There's also a mechanical factor worth noting. IBIT options exhibit slightly higher implied volatility than Deribit equivalents. This stems partly from ETF holders' limited ability to short the underlying shares, creating demand for put hedges that pushes up premiums. It's a quirk of the regulated structure, not necessarily a better read on actual expected volatility. What this means for price discovery. Bitcoin's price has always been set across a fragmented landscape of exchanges, each with different liquidity profiles and user bases. Adding regulated U.S. derivatives into that mix changes the equation. Institutional options flow now rivals, and sometimes exceeds, crypto-native platforms. When a large fund rolls a position or hedges exposure through IBIT options, that activity affects price in ways that may not immediately register on offshore exchanges. The practical implication: traders who only watch Deribit are now missing part of the picture. Open interest, put/call ratios, and strike concentration on IBIT have become essential data points. This could also reduce the influence of offshore volatility on spot prices over time. When institutional flows dominate derivatives volume, their longer time horizons and different risk tolerances may dampen the sharp moves that crypto markets are known for. Whether you view that as stabilization or dampened opportunity depends on how you trade. The counterargument. Not everyone sees this as progress. Critics point out that regulated markets come with limitations, including trading hours, position limits, and surveillance that crypto-native platforms don't impose. Deribit still offers perpetual contracts, more granular strike prices, and 24/7 trading. For active traders who want flexibility and leverage, it remains the better tool. The IBIT shift primarily reflects institutional preferences, not necessarily superior market structure. There's also a philosophical concern worth acknowledging. Bitcoin was designed to operate outside traditional finance. Its derivatives trading moving into TradFi venues represents a kind of absorption by the system it was meant to circumvent. You can view that as maturation or co-optation depending on your perspective. What traders should do now. If you actively trade Bitcoin options or use derivatives for hedging, you need to track both venues. IBIT open interest and strike distribution now carry as much signal as Deribit's, sometimes more for understanding institutional sentiment. Watch for divergences between the two. When IBIT calls cluster around specific strikes that Deribit doesn't reflect, or vice versa, those gaps can indicate where different market participants expect price to go. Pay attention to expiration calendars. The longer average duration on IBIT suggests institutional traders are positioning for moves that may take months to play out. If you're trading shorter timeframes, that context matters. For long-term holders who don't trade derivatives, the main takeaway is simpler: Bitcoin's integration into traditional finance continues accelerating. The infrastructure that supports price discovery is increasingly the same infrastructure that handles equities, bonds, and commodities. That brings stability, liquidity, and institutional legitimacy. It also brings Bitcoin further into a system that operates on rules quite different from its original design. Two years from ETF options approval to surpassing a decade-old incumbent. Whatever comes next, it's probably coming faster than most people expect.