Agentic Payments

Business

Moonshot AI's Latest Model Claims Edge Over U.S. Rivals as China's Tech Giants Secure Critical Nvidia Chips

Alibaba-backed Moonshot AI has unveiled an upgraded flagship model, Kimi K2.5, asserting superiority in video generation and agentic capabilities against leading U.S. models. The development coincides with Beijing's approval for major tech firms, including Alibaba, to import advanced Nvidia H200 AI chips, signaling a dual-track strategy in the intensifying global AI race.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Visa Doubles Down on Digital Frontiers: Stablecoin Settlements and Crypto Access Take Center Stage

Visa is aggressively expanding its footprint beyond traditional card payments, launching new initiatives in stablecoin settlements, renter-focused commerce, and streamlined crypto-to-fiat conversions. These partnerships aim to embed Visa's network into the burgeoning worlds of blockchain-based finance and essential housing expenditures.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

The Bancorp Charts Aggressive Fintech Growth Path, Unveils Upbeat Profit Outlook Through 2027

The Bancorp (TBBK) capped off fiscal 2025 with robust earnings, driven by surging fintech payments and improved credit quality. Management outlined a bullish multi-year forecast, projecting significant profit growth anchored by three core digital initiatives and sustained capital returns to shareholders.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Apex Fintech's New AI Toolkit Aims to Democratize Wealth Platform Development, Amid Governance Warnings

Apex Fintech Solutions launches an 'agentic' AI suite designed to let business leaders prototype wealth management features without coding, promising to slash development time. While hailed as a potential game-changer for innovation, industry experts caution that the rush to adopt such tools must be balanced with robust oversight and firm-wide governance to avoid siloed risks and operational pitfalls.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Adyen Doubles Down on Strategic Partnerships Amid Stock Slump, Expanding U.S. Benefit Access and Asia-Pacific Footprint

Dutch payments giant Adyen is forging ahead with two key partnerships—enabling SNAP EBT payments in the U.S. with Forage and launching embedded solutions in Asia-Pacific with Raptor—as it seeks to reignite growth while its shares languish well below historic highs.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Mastercard Announces Workforce Restructuring Amid Record Profits, Plans 4% Staff Reduction

Despite reporting a 22% surge in Q4 2025 net income to $4.1 billion, global payments giant Mastercard is cutting approximately 1,400 jobs as part of a strategic review, highlighting the complex balance between growth and operational efficiency in the fintech sector.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Dynatrace Bets Big on AI with 'Intelligence' Platform Launch, Analysts Eye Growth Potential

At its Perform conference, Dynatrace unveiled Dynatrace Intelligence, a new platform merging deterministic and agentic AI to automate complex IT operations. The launch, coupled with enhanced cloud integrations and user monitoring tools, signals the company's aggressive push to dominate the observability market in an AI-driven era, even as some debate its current market valuation.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Retirement Tax Trap: How Frozen Allowances and Rising Pensions Are Forcing More Retirees into Self-Assessment

A growing number of pensioners are being drawn into the self-assessment tax system as frozen thresholds clash with rising state pension payments. This guide explains who needs to file, key deadlines, and strategies to protect your retirement income.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

PennyMac Navigates Refi Surge to Post Strong 2025, Eyes Efficiency Gains Amid Competitive Market

PennyMac Financial Services capped a robust fiscal 2025 with Q4 net income of $107 million, overcoming headwinds from an unexpected wave of mortgage prepayments. While competitive pressures limited margin expansion, CEO David Spector pointed to strategic tech investments and a significant embedded refinance portfolio as catalysts for targeted mid-to-high teens ROE later this year.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

DigitalOcean Soars as 'Clawdbot' AI Assistant Drives Analyst Optimism and Price Target Hikes

Bank of America leads a wave of analyst upgrades for DigitalOcean, citing the viral success of its AI agent 'Clawdbot' and the company's strategic positioning in the burgeoning agentic AI market for developers.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Bango's Turnaround: From Losses to Profitability as Capital Efficiency Rises

The UK-based payments technology firm Bango (LON:BGO) is showing early signs of a financial transformation, breaking into profitability and increasing its capital deployment. While its return on capital remains below the software industry average, the underlying trend suggests a company in the midst of a strategic pivot.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Visa Posts Strong Q1 2026 Results, Fueled by Payment Volume and Strategic Services Growth

Visa Inc. reported a 15% surge in net revenue for its first fiscal quarter of 2026, citing robust payments volume and significant gains in its value-added services and commercial solutions.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

XRP's 40% Plunge: A Buying Opportunity or a Value Trap?

XRP, the cryptocurrency designed for global payments, has seen its value tumble over 40% in the past year. While its long-term promise to reshape cross-border finance remains, investors now face a critical juncture: is this a chance to buy the dip, or a sign of deeper troubles ahead?

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Trump's $2,000 'Tariff Dividend' Promise: Can He Deliver Without Congress?

Former President Trump claims tariff revenue can fund direct payments to Americans, bypassing Congress. Experts question the legality and economic feasibility of the proposal.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust Posts Strong Q4 on Securitization Surge, Navigates Production Headwinds

PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust (PMT) closed 2025 with robust earnings, driven by a dramatic expansion in its private-label securitization business. While this growth fueled returns, the company's correspondent lending segment faced pressure, and faster mortgage prepayments impacted servicing rights income.

Jan 30, 2026

US

Repeat Offender in Arizona Border Shooting Incident Had History of Confrontations with Authorities

A suspected human smuggler with a prior conviction was shot by federal agents near the Arizona-Mexico border after allegedly firing at a CBP helicopter and agents during a foot pursuit, according to law enforcement officials.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Sanctions and Legal Woes Push Russia's Crypto Mining Giant BitRiver to the Brink

Russia's premier cryptocurrency miner, BitRiver, faces insolvency proceedings as its CEO is placed under house arrest, marking a dramatic fall for a firm already crippled by international sanctions and mounting legal disputes.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Janux Therapeutics Downgraded as Key Drug Data Gaps Raise Platform Concerns

Clear Street downgrades Janux Therapeutics (JANX) to Hold, slashing its price target amid concerns over a lack of durability data for its lead candidate JANX007 and rising competitive pressures, despite a recent major collaboration deal with Bristol Myers Squibb.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Dynatrace Maintains Buy Rating Despite Price Target Cut; New AI Platform Unveiled

TD Cowen reaffirms its Buy rating on Dynatrace (DT) while adjusting its price target, anticipating stronger-than-expected performance driven by its new AI-powered observability platform, Dynatrace Intelligence.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

IBM Bolsters Enterprise AI Strategy with New Platform, Key Partnership, and PepsiCo CEO Joining Board

IBM intensifies its focus on the enterprise AI market with the launch of its governed deployment platform, a strategic collaboration with e& for regulated sectors, and the appointment of PepsiCo's Ramon Laguarta to its board of directors.

Feb 2, 2026