LOS ANGELES, Sept. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ServiceTitan (Nasdaq: TTAN), the software platform that powers the trades, today released its 2025 Consumer Trends in the Trades Report, developed in collaboration with Synchrony and Visa. The report analyzes evolving homeowner preferences and spending behaviors across key demographics, providing actionable insights that contractors can use to help grow their business, elevate customer satisfaction, and build long-term loyalty. “Residential contractors are con ...

Core Insights - The 2025 Consumer Trends in the Trades Report by ServiceTitan highlights the need for contractors to adapt to rising consumer expectations regarding convenience, payment options, and brand trust to enhance business growth and customer loyalty [1][6]. Group 1: Consumer Expectations - Homeowners are increasingly demanding a five-star experience, which includes brand presence, digital convenience, and flexible payment options [4][5]. - Communication preferences are shifting, with homeowners wanting options such as phone calls, text messages, and real-time job updates [2][5]. Group 2: Payment Trends - The use of checks for home-service payments has significantly declined from 59% in 2015 to 36% in 2024, indicating a shift towards modern payment methods [4]. - 94% of home service customers now own a credit card, and 90% use them regularly, with younger consumers favoring online payments and SMS-based invoicing [5]. Group 3: Demographic Insights - Women are the primary decision-makers in 65% of remodeling projects in the U.S., emphasizing the importance of trust, branding, and clear pricing options [5]. - Households earning over $100K annually are more likely to invest in home improvements, presenting growth opportunities for contractors [5]. - The next generation of homeowners is more diverse, with 48% of Gen Z customers identifying as non-white, which is projected to influence future homeownership trends [5]. Group 4: Digital Engagement - 80% of homeowners start their search for contractors online, yet many express dissatisfaction with the availability of trustworthy reviews and financing information [5]. - Contractors offering financing options see 12% higher close rates and 13% higher average ticket sizes, highlighting the importance of flexible payment solutions [5].

Core Insights - Visa Inc. is initiating a process to utilize stablecoins for cross-border remittances, with a prefunding pilot set to launch soon through Visa Direct [1][2] - The move aims to address slow and costly transactions in traditional finance by offering businesses a new way to fund international payments with stablecoins [2][3] - Visa believes that stablecoins can unlock liquidity and modernize treasury operations, enhancing the efficiency of global payouts [3][4] Group 1 - Visa's stablecoin prefunding pilot is expected to reduce friction and provide faster access to liquidity for financial institutions [4] - The pilot program will initially work with select partners, with plans to expand by 2026 [4] - The interest in stablecoins is growing, driven by the need for faster money transfer solutions beyond traditional banking [5] Group 2 - Visa and Mastercard previously downplayed the threat of stablecoins to their market dominance, citing their current usage as negligible [6] - Visa has recently partnered with Paxos to support USDG and PayPal USD (PYUSD), aiming to enhance transaction settlement options using digital dollars [6]

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Core Insights - Visa has initiated a pilot program to enable businesses to use stablecoins for cross-border payments, moving away from traditional cash deposits [1][3] - The integration of stablecoins through Visa Direct aims to enhance the speed and efficiency of global transactions, providing businesses with more payment options [2][3] - The stablecoin market is experiencing rapid growth, with estimates suggesting it could reach $2 trillion within three years, prompting Visa to adapt its strategy accordingly [5][6] Group 1: Visa's Pilot Program - The pilot program targets banks, remittance firms, and financial institutions, allowing them to reduce the need for holding multiple currencies for local payouts [3] - Visa has not disclosed its pilot partners but plans to expand the program by 2026 [3] - The initiative is expected to lead to faster transactions and less capital tied up in dormant accounts globally [3] Group 2: Regulatory Environment and Market Growth - The passage of the GENIUS Act in the US has increased confidence among institutions regarding stablecoin usage by providing clear regulations [2] - The stablecoin market has grown to approximately $269 billion, reflecting a 62% increase over the past year [5] - Visa's head of crypto anticipates a convergence of traditional payments and digital assets, positioning the company as a key player in this evolving landscape [5][6] Group 3: Visa's Strategic Positioning - Visa has processed over $200 million in cumulative stablecoin settlement volume, establishing itself as a competitor and a bridge between banks, fintech firms, and blockchain networks [6] - The introduction of the Visa Tokenized Asset Platform allows institutions to issue and manage tokens on blockchains, with early interest from banks like BBVA [7]

Core Insights - The inaugural FortuneAIQ 50 List ranks Fortune 500 companies based on their measurable impact from artificial intelligence, with Alphabet taking the top position [1][5] - The list highlights the significant role of female leadership, with nine female CEOs leading the recognized companies [2] Company Rankings - The top ten companies on the Fortune 2025 AIQ List are: 1. Alphabet 2. Visa 3. JPMorgan Chase 4. NVIDIA 5. Mastercard 6. Coca-Cola 7. Exxon Mobil 8. Amazon 9. Ecolab 10. WESCO International [4][7] Sector Representation - The AIQ list spans 18 sectors, predominantly featuring financial and technology companies, each contributing eight companies, followed by energy, healthcare, and industrials with four companies each [2] Geographic Distribution - The recognized companies are headquartered in 40 cities across 20 states, with California leading with 10 companies, followed by New York with seven and Texas with five [3] Investment and Strategy - Alphabet has invested over $85 billion in 2025 to enhance its AI capabilities, including infrastructure and core products like Gemini 2.5, Google Search, and Cloud [5] - The AIQ initiative aims to guide business leaders in maximizing AI's value and understanding its impact on various industries [8] Methodology - The AIQ ranking methodology is based on ServiceNow's Enterprise AI Maturity Index and includes insights from an ETR-designed survey assessing AI investments and adoption among Fortune 500 companies [9][10]

Core Insights - Visa is testing a pilot project to offer financial institutions, banks, and remittance service providers the option to use pre-funded stablecoins for cross-border payments, aiming to enhance payment speed and flexibility while preventing long-term fund immobilization [1][2] - The pilot will utilize USD stablecoin USC and EUR stablecoin EURC issued by Circle, leveraging Visa Direct's real-time processing platform [1] - This initiative addresses concerns about insufficient account funds causing delays in service for end-users, particularly during non-operational hours of traditional payment systems [1] Group 1 - Visa Direct currently facilitates fund transfers to approximately 11 billion Visa cards, bank accounts, and digital wallets across 195 countries [1] - The addition of stablecoin support allows clients to fund their global account networks in real-time, mitigating delays caused by existing payment systems during non-working hours [1] - Since 2021, Visa has been integrating stablecoins into its network, processing over $225 million in stablecoin transactions to date, although this still represents a small fraction of the total $16 trillion payment cash flow for fiscal year 2024 [2] Group 2 - Visa Direct also serves other applications, such as paying gig economy workers and providing instant withdrawal options for cryptocurrency exchange customers [2] - This service is a cornerstone of Visa's strategy to expand beyond traditional credit card business into inter-business payment sectors [2] - The lucrative business of Visa Direct faces intense competition, with banks like JPMorgan developing blockchain-based products to offer faster payment solutions for corporate clients [2]

Visa said on Tuesday it will start testing a new way for businesses to fund international payments by allowing them to use stablecoins instead of pre-depositing cash in local accounts. ...

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