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Consumers have become accustomed to all sorts of labels and seals of approval on products in the shopping process, from the Energy Star to sustainability standards. Next up, shoppers should prepare for a hacking-safe seal of approval in the works for home gadgets and appliances coming from the federal government.

Last July, the Biden administration and the Federal Communications Commission proposed the creation of the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark program, a voluntary cybersecurity product-labeling initiative to help consumers choose internet-connected devices that are certified by manufacturers as safe from hackers, scammers and other cyber criminals.

The final details are still to be determined, but as proposed, the program will require participating manufacturers of smart, internet of things (IoT) devices — including doorbell cameras, voice-activated speakers, baby monitors, TVs, kitchen appliances, thermostats and fitness trackers — to meet a series of cybersecurity standards developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). That includes unique passwords, data protection, software patches and updates, and incident detection capabilities.

Not included in the program, as it now stands, are smartphones, personal computers, routers and certain internet-connected medical devices, such as smart thermometers and CPAP machines, which are protected by Federal Drug Administration regulations. Also excluded are motor vehicles and the data stored in them, which are overseen by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and where data privacy concerns have been rising.

The program will rely on public-private collaboration, with the FTC providing oversight and enforcement, and approved third-party label administrators managing activities such as evaluating product applications, authorizing use of the label and consumer education. Compliance testing will be handled by accredited labs.

Packaging for products that meet the criteria will carry a U.S. Cyber Trust Mark shield logo emblazoned with a QR code that consumers can scan on a smartphone to receive detailed, up-to-date security information about that particular device. “Just like the Energy Star logo helps consumers know what devices are energy efficient, the Cyber Trust Mark will help consumers make more informed purchasing decisions about device privacy and security,” said FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.

To date, Amazon, Best Buy, Google, LG Electronics U.S.A., Logitech and Samsung Electronics have committed to the program, though none of those companies has yet to use the symbol.

Holiday season labeling is goal, but an unlikely one

In March, the FCC voted to approve the program, aiming to launch it later this year. During a cybersecurity panel discussion in May at Auburn University’s McCrary Institute in Washington, Nicholas Leiserson, the White House’s assistant national cyber director for cyber policy and programs, said, “You should hopefully, by the holiday season, start to see devices that have this [Cyber Trust Mark] on it.”

Despite the administration’s best intentions, however, consumers shouldn’t expect to see products bearing the symbol until early next year, at the soonest. In an email asking about the timeline for the launch, an FCC spokesperson did not provide any specific dates.

“We are now in the process of standing up this comprehensive program as quickly as possible,” the spokesperson said. “It is currently undergoing the standard intergovernmental review process that is required for new rules of this sort. Once that process is complete, we will communicate publicly about next steps.”

In the meantime, manufacturers are also awaiting definitive rules, said David Grossman, vice president of policy and regulatory affairs for the Consumer Technology Association, which represents more than 1,000 tech companies. “Once a manufacturer receives certification for the Trust Mark, they will need additional time to retool their packaging, as well as shipping updated products from the manufacturer to retailers,” he said.

70 million U.S. homes actively using smart devices

While the program’s particulars are being hammered out, it’s worth looking at why consumers need the protection it will provide. In 2024, according to research firm Statista, nearly 70 million homes in the U.S. are actively using smart devices, up more than 10% from last year. That number is expected to reach 100 million homes by 2028. What’s more, the average U.S. household contains around 25 connected devices.

Many of those devices, as well as the Wi-Fi networks and routers that connect them, lack adequate security safeguards. A 2023 study by research firm Park Associates found that nearly 75% of U.S. households with internet service were concerned about the security of their personal data, while 54% reported experiencing a data privacy or security issue in the past 12 months, an increase of 50% over five years.

Staffers from Consumer Reports attended a White House meeting during which the Cyber Trust Mark program was announced. The organization subsequently conducted an American Experiences Survey that included questions about the program and the types of data-protection information consumers would like to have before purchasing a smart device.

About two-thirds of those polled (69%) said that it is very important to have information about who the collected data is shared with or sold to, and 92% said that such information is either very or somewhat important. Three out of four respondents said that it is the responsibility of the manufacturers of those devices to provide privacy and security information to consumers, while only 8% said the government is responsible.

“It is incredibly important to make a consumer-legible standard for IoT devices, because right now it is totally a Wild West,” said Stacey Higginbotham, a cybersecurity expert and writer for Consumer Reports. “Consumers really care about having this kind of information, so that’s why we need the program.”

Higginbotham cited the breadth of the proposed program for requiring more stringent levels of cybersecurity, not only for devices themselves, but also the internet services that connect them and the cloud networks where personal data is stored. She was glad, too, that it includes a guaranteed support timeframe, stipulating the number of years that a product maker will continue to provide software security updates and patches.

A voluntary program is business reality

One criticism is that the program is voluntary for manufacturers. “I would love to see this as a mandatory program,” Higginbotham said, “but the reality in the U.S. is that it will have to be a voluntary program,” she added, referring to the business community’s frequent pushback against government-mandated regulations.

“If you’re going to participate, you’re going to have to meet the requirements the FCC has established. Device manufacturers don’t want the agency dictating things such as the size of the Cyber Trust Mark on packaging or where exactly it has to be displayed,” Grossman said. “You want something that’s easily recognizable to consumers, but you also want to ensure manufacturers have flexibility.”

Grossman said that means companies may shy away from making the commitment if the final proposal is too prescriptive. “If the requirements are too burdensome, I don’t think that companies are going to be as eager to step up to the plate and participate,” he said.

Barry Mainz, CEO of Forescout Technologies, a cybersecurity provider, says he is a big fan of the Cyber Trust Mark. “It’s a good step in the right direction to making it a little bit more complicated to get into these devices,” he said. Nonetheless, he worries about the millions of IoT devices in people’s homes today that are vulnerable to cyberattacks and can’t retroactively get a label. “What responsibility do the companies creating these devices have?” he said. Some of the more popular products, like smart TVs and door locks, could be voluntarily upgraded by their manufacturers to prevent hacking as a goodwill measure, Mainz said, “so that people that couldn’t afford to go out and buy new things could ensure that they were safe.”

Steps to take now to protect your home internet

There are actions consumers can take right now, before the Cyber Trust Mark program kicks in, to harden their cybersecurity. Perhaps the most important component to focus on are the routers that wirelessly interconnect devices. They ship from manufacturers with a default password, which a hacker could change in order to spy on you or access files on a network-attached hard drive. Immediately create your own strong and unique password, not only for the router but also for each of the connected devices, and use two-factor authentication if available. If you have a guest network on the router, set it up with a separate password. Also be sure the router’s software is current, usually by activating the automatic update feature, though you can check the manufacturer’s website for patches that can be downloaded and installed.

Of course, you could take the Luddite approach and simply avoid all of this IoT technology and devices. But for the millions of consumers who embrace the smart home, the Cyber Trust Mark — once it’s in place — should provide a heightened measure of cybersecurity and keep them one step ahead, or at least in the race, with the bad guys.

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USDC stablecoin issuer Circle files for IPO as public markets open to crypto

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USDC stablecoin issuer Circle files for IPO as public markets open to crypto

Jeremy Allaire, Co-Founder and CEO, Circle 

David A. Grogan | CNBC

Circle, the company behind the USDC stablecoin, has filed for an initial public offering with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The S1 lays the groundwork for Circle’s long-anticipated entry into the public markets.

While the filing does not yet disclose the number of shares or a price range, sources told Fortune that Circle plans to move forward with a public filing in late April and is targeting a market debut as early as June.

JPMorgan Chase and Citi are reportedly serving as lead underwriters, and the company is seeking a valuation between $4 billion and $5 billion, according to Fortune.

This marks Circle’s second attempt at going public. A prior SPAC merger with Concord Acquisition Corp collapsed in late 2022 amid regulatory challenges. Since then, Circle has made strategic moves to position itself closer to the heart of global finance — including the announcement last year that it would relocate its headquarters from Boston to One World Trade Center in New York City.

Read more about tech and crypto from CNBC Pro

Circle is best known as the issuer of USDC, the world’s second-largest stablecoin by market capitalization.

Pegged one-to-one to the U.S. dollar and backed by cash and short-term Treasury securities, USDC has roughly $60 billion in circulation.

Circle is best known as the issuer of USDC, the world’s second-largest stablecoin by market capitalization.

Pegged one-to-one to the U.S. dollar and backed by cash and short-term Treasury securities, USDC has roughly $60 billion in circulation. It makes up about 26% of the total market cap for stablecoins, behind Tether‘s 67% dominance. Its market cap has grown 36% this year, however, compared with Tether’s 5% growth.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said on the company’s most recent earnings call that it has a “stretch goal to make USDC the number 1 stablecoin.” 

The company’s push into public markets reflects a broader moment for the crypto industry, which is navigating renewed political favor under a more crypto-friendly U.S. administration. The stablecoin sector is ramping up as the industry grows increasingly confident that the crypto market will get its first piece of U.S. legislation passed and implemented this year, focusing on stablecoins.

Stablecoins’ growth could have investment implications for crypto exchanges like Robinhood and Coinbase as they integrate more of them into crypto trading and cross-border transfers. Coinbase also has an agreement with Circle to share 50% of the revenue of its USDC stablecoin.

The stablecoin market has grown about 11% so far this year and about 47% in the past year, and has become a “systemically important” part of the crypto market, according to Bernstein. Historically, digital assets in this sector have been used for trading and as collateral in decentralized finance (DeFi), and crypto investors watch them closely for evidence of demand, liquidity and activity in the market.

More recently, however, rhetoric around stablecoins’ ability to help preserve U.S. dollar dominance – by exporting dollar utility internationally and ensuring demand for U.S. government debt, which backs nearly all dollar-denominated stablecoins – has grown louder.

A successful IPO would make Circle one of the most prominent crypto-native firms to list on a U.S. exchange — an important signal for both investors and regulators as digital assets become more entwined with the traditional financial system.

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Hims & Hers shares rise as company adds new weight-loss medications to platform

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Hims & Hers shares rise as company adds new weight-loss medications to platform

The Hims app arranged on a smartphone in New York on Feb. 12, 2025.

Gabby Jones | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Hims & Hers Health shares closed up 5% on Tuesday after the company announced patients can access Eli Lilly‘s weight loss medication Zepbound and diabetes drug Mounjaro, as well as the generic injection liraglutide, through its platform.

Zepbound, Mounjaro and liraglutide are part of the class of weight loss medications called GLP-1s, which have exploded in popularity in recent years. Hims & Hers launched a weight loss program in late 2023, but its GLP-1 offerings have evolved as the company has contended with a volatile supply and regulatory environment.

Lilly’s weekly injections Zepbound and Mounjaro will cost patients $1,899 a month, according to the Hims & Hers website. The generic liraglutide will cost $299 a month, but it requires a daily injection and can be less effective than other GLP-1 medications.

“As we look ahead, we plan to continue to expand our weight loss offering to deliver an even more holistic, personalized experience,” Dr. Craig Primack, senior vice president of weight loss at Hims & Hers, wrote in a blog post.

A Lilly spokesperson said in a statement that the company has “no affiliation” with Hims & Hers and noted that Zepbound is available at lower costs for people who are insured for the product or for those who buy directly from the company. 

In May, Hims & Hers started prescribing compounded semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk‘s GLP-1 weight loss medications Ozempic and Wegovy. The offering was immensely popular and helped generate more than $225 million in revenue for the company in 2024.

But compounded drugs can traditionally only be mass produced when the branded medications treatments are in shortage. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced in February that the shortage of semaglutide injections products had been resolved.

That meant Hims & Hers had to largely stop offering the compounded medications, though some consumers may still be able to access personalized doses if it’s clinically applicable. 

During the company’s quarterly call with investors in February, Hims & Hers said its weight loss offerings will primarily consist of its oral medications and liraglutide. The company said it expects its weight loss offerings to generate at least $725 million in annual revenue, excluding contributions from compounded semaglutide.

But the company is still lobbying for compounded medications. A pop up on Hims & Hers’ website, which was viewed by CNBC, encourages users to “use your voice” and urge Congress and the FDA to preserve access to compounded treatments.

With Tuesday’s rally, Hims and Hers shares are up about 27% in 2025 after soaring 172% last year.

WATCH: Hims & Hers shares tumble over concerns around weight-loss business

Hims & Hers shares tumble over concerns around weight-loss business

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Meta’s head of AI research announces departure

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Meta's head of AI research announces departure

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg holds a smartphone as he makes a keynote speech at the Meta Connect annual event at the company’s headquarters in Menlo Park, California, on Sept. 25, 2024.

Manuel Orbegozo | Reuters

Meta’s head of artificial intelligence research announced Tuesday that she will be leaving the company. 

Joelle Pineau, the company’s vice president of AI research, announced her departure in a LinkedIn post, saying her last day at the social media company will be May 30. 

Her departure comes at a challenging time for Meta. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has made AI a top priority, investing billions of dollars in an effort to become the market leader ahead of rivals like OpenAI and Google.

Zuckerberg has said that it is his goal for Meta to build an AI assistant with more than 1 billion users and artificial general intelligence, which is a term used to describe computers that can think and take actions comparable to humans.

“As the world undergoes significant change, as the race for AI accelerates, and as Meta prepares for its next chapter, it is time to create space for others to pursue the work,” Pineau wrote. “I will be cheering from the sidelines, knowing that you have all the ingredients needed to build the best AI systems in the world, and to responsibly bring them into the lives of billions of people.”

Vice President of AI Research and Head of FAIR at Meta Joelle Pineau attends a technology demonstration at the META research laboratory in Paris on February 7, 2025.

Stephane De Sakutin | AFP | Getty Images

Pineau was one of Meta’s top AI researchers and led the company’s fundamental AI research unit, or FAIR, since 2023. There, she oversaw the company’s cutting-edge computer science-related studies, some of which are eventually incorporated into the company’s core apps. 

She joined the company in 2017 to lead Meta’s Montreal AI research lab. Pineau is also a computer science professor at McGill University, where she is a co-director of its reasoning and learning lab.

Some of the projects Pineau helped oversee include Meta’s open-source Llama family of AI models and other technologies like the PyTorch software for AI developers.

Pineau’s departure announcement comes a few weeks ahead of Meta’s LlamaCon AI conference on April 29. There, the company is expected to detail its latest version of Llama. Meta Chief Product Officer Chris Cox, to whom Pineau reported to, said in March that Llama 4 will help power AI agents, the latest craze in generative AI. The company is also expected to announce a standalone app for its Meta AI chatbot, CNBC reported in February

“We thank Joelle for her leadership of FAIR,” a Meta spokesperson said in a statement. “She’s been an important voice for Open Source and helped push breakthroughs to advance our products and the science behind them.” 

Pineau did not reveal her next role but said she “will be taking some time to observe and to reflect, before jumping into a new adventure.”

WATCH: Meta awaits antitrust fine from EU

Meta awaits antitrust fine from EU

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