Tech & Finance
Israeli tech, startups, markets, and the shekel economy.
Israeli venture firm Team8 raises $365m. to invest in AI-native start-ups
The latest fundraising brings Team8’s total assets under management to nearly $2b. across eight funds launched since the firm was founded in 2014
Investment Banks Raise Forecasts. If They Are Right, the S&P 500 Will Make History
One after another, the major investment banks have begun raising their forecasts for the S&P 500 index. If expectations materialize, the index will end the year with a double-digit return for the fourth consecutive time.
Microsoft and Meta signed lease agreements worth $1.1 trillion
Five tech giants have committed to future lease agreements worth approximately $1.16 trillion for AI data centers • These contracts do not yet appear on financial balance sheets • Microsoft and Meta lead the race,…
The representative dollar rate was set at 2.991 shekels
The dollar weakened by 0.466% and its representative rate closed at 2.991 shekels. The euro fell by 0.485% and its rate was set at 3.45 shekels.
One mistake will cost dearly: Israelis warned about dangerous SMS
Israelis have been warned about a sharp increase in phishing attacks via SMS. Scammers are sending messages on behalf of well-known companies and services, trying to trick recipients into clicking a malicious link and voluntarily…
Saudi Arabia’s $55B gaming bet: why it bought EA
Saudi Arabia has bought football clubs, hosted some of the world’s biggest sporting events — and now, it’s taking its ambitions into the virtual world. A Saudi-led group has completed its 55-billion-dollar takeover of Electronic…
Following Global Demand for Munitions: Elbit's Order Backlog Soars to New Record
Elbit Systems reports revenues of $2.3 billion and a net profit of $173.6 million according to US-GAAP in the first half of 2026. The company's President and CEO: "Double-digit growth in sales, order backlog, and…
Netanyahu launches national AI program: ‘Israel will be a global power’
In announcing AI program, PM Netanyahu says: “The future is not waiting for us; we are creating it."
Trump 'low-keying' talks with Iran, opts for economic pressure
U.S. President Donald Trump signaled on Sunday that he is prepared to let economic pressure on Iran build rather than order a renewed military offensive. “We are low-keying it,” Trump said during a brief phone…
The United States want to intensify the blockade around Iran?
The United States plans to tighten the grip around Iran. A senior regional diplomatic official says that Gulf and US leaders agree on the need to economically weaken the Iranian regime until its fall or…
Israeli Exports Hit Historic $164 Billion Record as Economy Defies War, Boycott Efforts, and Global Uncertainty
The Tel Aviv skyline at night. Photo: Gilad Avidan via Wikimedia Commons. Israel’s export sector defied wartime pressures and growing efforts to isolate the Jewish state from global markets in 2025, surging to an unprecedented…
AI-powered prescription sunglasses launched in Israel
The glasses use digital measurement tech to locate the wearer’s pupil and adapt colour and clarity accordingly
Elbit Systems order backlog hits $32 billion amid global defense boom
Sales to the Defense Ministry continued to grow in the latest quarter, reaching 37% of the company's activity, driven by munitions, drones, and intelligence systems
Israeli AI agents co Wonderful seeks to raise $500m
Wonderful, one of the fastest growing companies in Israel, held a fund raising round just three months ago. Insight Partners is again expected to be among the round's leaders
After a jump of thousands of percent: SanDisk in a massive purchase of company shares
SanDisk is riding the wave of demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure and presents a jump of more than 3,400% in its stock since February 2025 • Now it announces an expansion of its share buyback…
The International earned NIS 583 million in the quarter
The International Bank publishes its financial results and reports a quarterly profit of NIS 583 million. At the same time, the bank announced that it will distribute a dividend of NIS 558 million to its…
Scandal at Bank Hapoalim – what its employees were caught doing
Israel's financial sector is shaken by a new scandal related to the leak and protection of personal data. An inspection initiated by the Bank of Israel's banking supervisor department revealed flagrant violations in the activities…
United Hatzalah rolls out AI system in 20 new ambulances
United Hatzalah is the biggest volunteer organization in Israel, responding to over 2,000 calls each day. Now, they are rolling out an AI system in 20 new ambulances to save lives
The old rule is broken: Not every government bond is a solid investment
Inflation, large deficits, and growing financing needs are pushing governments to raise debt at higher interest rates. In this situation, even government bonds can drop sharply - and sometimes corporate bonds of strong companies offer…
Podcast: The smart way to invest a lump sum you don’t need yet
Before you chase dividends, crypto, or hot stocks, make sure your money has a clear purpose
El Al doubles second-quarter net profit
Israeli flag carrier El Al announced Wednesday that it more than doubled its second-quarter net profit, as it continues to dominate travel to and from Tel Aviv amid the fallout from the war with Iran.…
David Barnea Appointed Head of Ondas Inc.
David Barnea, former director of the Mossad, has recently taken the helm of Ondas Inc., an American company specializing in defense technology, as global president and chairman of the board. This appointment comes at a…
Trump: US ‘only semi-negotiating’ with Iran, observing impact of economic pressure - report
"We are only semi-negotiating with them. We are just watching Iran with its huge inflation and the fact they have no money," Trump told Axios
25.4 billion shekels deposited in 'Savings for Every Child'. This is the big winner of the year
Since the launch of the program nearly a decade ago, children's accounts have yielded 3.85 billion shekels in the capital market, according to National Insurance Institute data • The year 2025 was characterized by a…
Are Nvidia's AI chips the new real estate?
Nvidia's founder is trying to convince Wall Street that the company's chips are a long-term financial asset • To this end, he is recruiting six of the world's largest investment giants for a large-scale financing…
Bank Hapoalim: Net Profit of Approximately NIS 2.5 Billion in the Second Quarter
Bank Hapoalim published its results for the second quarter of 2026, reporting a net profit of approximately NIS 2.5 billion and a return on equity of 15%. Since the beginning of the year, the credit…
New VAT Rules – Why This Is Bad News for Entrepreneurs
The Israel Tax Authority is preparing to implement a sweeping reform that threatens to seriously complicate the lives of sole proprietors and small business owners. The issue is a change in the VAT collection procedure:…
When the Data Speaks: AI Agents Change the Way Executives Make Decisions
AI agents are changing the way organizations work with information: instead of opening reports and analyzing endless data, executives can ask questions in natural language, receive real-time insights, and even drive actions directly from organizational…
United Airlines returns to Israel: Two daily flights to New York
American carrier United Airlines is resuming flights to Israel. Starting September 8, the airline will restart service on its Newark-Tel Aviv route. (Arutz Sheva-Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the…
Israel ranked second in Big Mac Index 2026
Israel reached the second spot in The Economist ’s Big Mac Index for 2026, published on Thursday, indicating the high price of a McDonald’s hamburger in the Jewish state, preceded only by Switzerland. The index,…
Pentagon Said No to Israel, Now It Pays Dearly
Backlash for the Pentagon: they said no to Israel – and now they will pay a fortune. It is rare for an attack on an American aircraft in Iran to occur without the use of…
Bank Hapoalim to open free financial education complex for children at Tel Aviv Port
The temporary “Junior City” complex will let children ages 5-13 earn simulated salaries, shop with a budget, and learn about financial decision-making through games and activities.
Team8 raises $365m
$265 million will go to Team8’s third fund, which has already made an exit, and $100 million will be allocated to follow-on investments in existing portfolio companies
Is the company that bet on bitcoin and lost big giving up?
Strategy company of Michael Saylor holds about 4% of all bitcoin in circulation. Now, as the currency plunges, the company records a paper loss of $10 billion. The company's stock has fallen 35% since the…
Bank of Israel: Representative Dollar Rate Set at 2.998 Shekels
The dollar weakened by 0.266% and its representative rate was set at 2.998 shekels. The euro rose by 0.072% and its rate closed at 3.465 shekels.
El Al Prepares a Revolution in the Skies — Dozens of New Flights Already on the Way
Israeli national carrier El Al has released its financial results for the second quarter of 2026, showing strong growth and extensive plans to modernize its fleet. By the end of June, the company's own fleet…
Investing in Tomorrow: The Metro Project is Israel's Future | Yodfat Afek Arazi
Even in the era of artificial intelligence, economist Shlomo Maoz's article raises an important question: Is it right to invest hundreds of billions of shekels in the metro project, or is it better to wait…
Visa to buy Israeli fraud prevention leader BioCatch for $24 billion
Visa is purchasing Israeli behavioral biometrics firm BioCatch for $2.4 billion in cash to bolster global defenses against AI-driven digital fraud
Israel reports all-time high of $169 billion in 2025 exports
Israel's exports reached a record $169 billion in 2025, the country's Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday. The official Israeli government X account highlighted the all-time high as a reflection of the economy's "strength, resilience and…
Spain to establish border controls on travelers from Italy amid migration dispute
Passport, nationality, visa checks would be conducted for Italian passengers and visitors from other countries arriving from Italy "amid the persistent irregular migratory pressure" from the country
Cellcom recorded its most profitable quarter in 11 years
Cellcom presented its strongest quarter in 11 years, with a 44% jump in net profit to 92 million shekels and a 26% increase in operating profit. The main improvement stemmed from a sharp increase in…
A Better Investment? The Company Challenging SpaceX Sets a New Record
Space company Rocket Lab reports record revenue of $234 million in the second quarter. Alongside this, the company recorded a loss of about $49 million, leading to a drop in its stock. Now it plans…
Sephora chain will open stores in Israel
Sephora chain (SEPHORA) will open stores in Israel on August 20. The stores that will open immediately will be at Azrieli Tel Aviv, Malha and Ayalon malls, and in three additional malls later.
Average Salary in Israel Rises — The Troubling Truth Behind the Numbers
Alex Zabzhinsky, chief economist at the investment house Meitav, analyzed the situation in the Israeli labor and bond markets, the state of the American labor market, the impact of the artificial intelligence revolution, and the…
Impersonated Dozens of Victims Using AI and Issued Credit Cards in Their Names
An indictment was filed against a 20-year-old, who according to the police used AI to forge images from identity cards, created fake verification videos, and issued dozens of credit cards. He conducted transactions and attempted…
Israel tests AI-powered drone system for rapid wildfire detection
Israel has successfully completed the first test of a new drone-based system designed to detect wildfires within minutes of ignition, enabling emergency crews to respond before flames spread
US targets UAE-based crypto exchange over alleged Iran sanctions evasion scheme
“Treasury will hunt down and dismantle the illicit financial networks that keep the regime afloat,” Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said in a statement
Following supervisory intervention: Leumi waives Hanan Friedman's options plan
Bank Leumi decided to withdraw from the move to allocate options to the CEO, derived from the value of the investment arm's activity, following clarifications published last month by the Supervisor of Banks. Despite the…
Trump to profit big? Meteoric rise in Intel stock value
Intel shares have surged 153% this year, and the company announced a $15 billion fundraising round • The White House clarifies that President Donald Trump will decide when to sell the government's ownership stake in…
The New Trick of the Hackers
The government's Cyber Defense Unit warns of a ShadowCaptcha campaign, which displays a fake 'I am not a robot' screen that lures users to copy and paste malicious commands. The Digital Directorate emphasizes: a real…
Rami Levy Gives Away Free Airline Tickets — Promotion for Several Days
The Rami Levy chain, Israir Airlines, and Isracard are launching a new joint club called SuperFly. Its members will be able to earn virtual dollars for purchases made with a new credit card and use…
Elon Musk prepares for extreme scenario: Tesla considers giving up on the Chinese market
According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, Tesla is considering selling or splitting its operations in China as part of preparations for a possible merger with SpaceX – a move that could change…
Meridian Holdings Q2 2026: What happens when the bettors win, but the company still grows?
Meridian Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: MRDN) reported 16% revenue growth, a second consecutive profitable quarter, showing why diversification, technology & Meridian x UFC matter beyond the headline numbers
A year ago, Ofer Gilboa didn't know exactly what he had purchased. Today, he is up 160 million shekels.
Gilboa, owner of cargo airline Challenge Airlines, acquired control of Gaon Holdings last year and admitted at the time in an interview with Globes that "it's not even clear to me what I bought." Since…
A 275% Leap: The Small Cloud Company That Defeats the Tech Giants
While the tech giants invest billions in data centers, the cloud company Digital-Ocean shows a 275% leap in its stock over the past year • The company focuses on cheap artificial intelligence solutions for small…
The Surprising Surge of Haredi High-Tech
Data from the acceleration program reveals that 53 startups founded by Haredi entrepreneurs since 2019 have raised a combined $62.4 million, with a 93% survival rate one year after completing the program.
How to avoid problems with the tax authority thanks to new rules
The Israel Tax Authority is preparing for a large-scale technological reform and plans to check absolutely all tax returns using artificial intelligence. If previously the agency, due to resource constraints, selectively analyzed only a small…
From start-up nation to scale-up nation: A blueprint for Israel’s $1 trillion economy - opinion
Israel does not primarily have an innovation problem. It has an institutional problem. The country is exceptionally good at producing start-ups, but far less effective at financing and retaining them
Israel's tech workforce stable despite layoffs - survey
While overall numbers remain steady, profound changes are taking place in employment patterns
It's going to cost: The reason we will pay more for the next iPhones
A new report by TrendForce reveals that the component cost of the iPhone 18 Pro devices has soared by tens of percent. The main reason is a dramatic increase in memory prices, which now account…
