Google's Annual Revenue Exceeds $400 Billion for the First Time
Google's parent company, Alphabet, announced that its annual revenue topped $400 billion for the first time, according to its Q4 2025 earnings report released Wednesday. The milestone highlights a 15 percent year-over-year increase, driven by growth in its cloud business and YouTube, according to The Verge. YouTube's annual revenue ballooned past $60 billion in ads and subscriptions.
In other news, Azerbaijan's SOFAZ oil fund is leveraging gold to safeguard state reserves amid global instability. The fund is benefiting from the continuous rise in gold prices, generating significant revenue for the country, according to Euronews. Sovereign investors worldwide are boosting gold holdings as a hedge against external shocks, inflation, and broader market stress. SOFAZ uses gold as a hedge against these factors, with a larger allocation helping to protect capital and reduce exposure to volatility, according to Euronews. The State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan manages revenues from oil and gas exports to support long-term economic stability.
Meanwhile, Kyiv, Ukraine, faced renewed Russian drone strikes on Monday, exacerbating an existing energy crisis. According to Euronews, at least one person was injured overnight after drones hit several districts. The State Emergency Service reported damage to civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings and cars. Video shared online showed firefighters tackling a blaze in heavy snow. Many neighborhoods are already dealing with power cuts and heating problems, and crews worked to clear debris and restore basic services, according to Euronews.
In the European tech sector, Mundi Ventures closed on €750 million for Kembara Fund I, its largest deep tech and climate fund to date, according to TechCrunch. The fund secured a €350 million commitment from the European Investment Fund under the European Tech Champions Initiative in 2024. A regulatory filing from Spain reveals that the fund focused on deep tech could even stretch its final closing to €1.25 billion. Kembara co-founder and general partner Yann de Vries noted that reaching €750 million in two years as a first fund in this environment was not easy.
Additionally, business identity verification startup Duna raised a €30 million Series A, backed by Stripe and Adyen executives, according to TechCrunch. The funding round was led by Alphabet's growth fund CapitalG, which has also backed Stripe since co-leading its Series D in 2016. Based in Germany and the Netherlands, Duna was co-founded by Stripe alumni Duco van Lanschot and David Schreiber. With customers including Plaid, the startup helps fintech companies.
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