Wormhole Outbids LayerZero with Stunning $110M+ Offer for Stargate in Bridge Protocol Battle

Cross-chain warfare erupts as Wormhole throws knockout punch against LayerZero's acquisition play.

The bridge protocol arms race just went nuclear—Wormhole's counter-bid surpasses LayerZero's original $110 million offer for Stargate, triggering a bidding war that's got the entire DeFi space watching. This isn't just corporate maneuvering; it's a strategic land grab for cross-chain supremacy.

Why Stargate Matters

Stargate's liquidity infrastructure represents the holy grail of interoperability—whoever controls it gains massive leverage in the multi-chain ecosystem. LayerZero saw the opportunity first, but Wormhole just raised the stakes dramatically.

The $110 Million Gambit

That number isn't random—it represents the valuation floor for critical DeFi infrastructure. Both players know controlling cross-chain bridges means controlling the flow of value between networks. The winner takes all in this high-stakes game of blockchain chess.

Traditional finance analysts are scratching their heads—they still think of acquisitions in terms of physical assets rather than code that moves billions. Their loss, our entertainment.

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Investors seeking exposure to PLTR stock may consider Global X Defense Tech ETF (SHLD) and iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (IGV).

Let’s take a deeper look at these two ETFs.

Global X Defense Tech ETF

The SHLD ETF invests in companies that benefit from the rising adoption of defense technology and covers sectors like industrials, cybersecurity, AI, and augmented reality. The ETF aims to track the performance of the Global X Defense Tech Index. Importantly, PLTR accounts for 9.49% of SHLD’s total holdings. Some of the top holdings in the SHLD ETF include RTX (RTX), General Dynamics (GD), and Lockheed Martin (LMT).

Overall, the ETF has $3.50 billion in assets under management (AUM) and an expense ratio of 0.50%. Over the past six months, the SHLD ETF has generated a return of 45.62%.

On TipRanks, SHLD has a Moderate Buy consensus rating based on 28 Buys, 14 Holds, and one Sell assigned in the last three months. At $69.85, the average SHLD ETF price target implies 15.68% upside potential.

iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF

The IGV ETF gives investors exposure to leading U.S. software companies, focusing on areas like cloud computing, cybersecurity, and AI. The fund seeks to track the performance of the S&P North American Expanded Technology Software Index.

PLTR stock constitutes 10% of the ETF’s holdings. Apart from PLTR, some of the top stocks in the ARKK ETF are Oracle (ORCL), Microsoft (MSFT), and Salesforce (CRM). Overall, the ETF has $9.85 billion in AUM. Also, it has an expense ratio of 0.39%. The IGV ETF has returned 8.6% in the past six months.

Turning to Wall Street, the ETF has a Moderate Buy consensus rating. Of the 114 stocks held, 94 have Buys, 19 have Holds, and one has a Sell rating. At $128.41, the average IGV ETF price target implies a 20.77% upside potential.

Concluding Thoughts

ETFs provide indirect exposure to PLTR, reducing risk compared to investing directly in the stock. Furthermore, ETFs are a liquid and transparent way to participate in the market. Investors seeking ETF recommendations might consider SHLD and IGV, as these ETFs offer exposure to Palantir stock.