Core Insights - The Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) industry is experiencing a pivotal moment, particularly for Affirm, as it prepares to report its fiscal Q1 2026 earnings, raising investor questions about the timing for buying or selling [2][3] Financial Performance - Affirm is set to report fiscal Q1 2026 results, covering the period from July to September 2025, with key metrics including revenue growth, earnings per share, gross merchandise volume (GMV), credit quality, and the performance of the Affirm Card, which saw a 97% increase in active users to 2.3 million in Q4 [3] - For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Affirm achieved its first-ever full-year GAAP net income of $52.19 million, a significant turnaround from the previous year's net loss [8] - The company reported a 43% year-over-year increase in GMV during its strong fiscal fourth quarter, marking its first quarterly operating profit [9] Market Conditions - Recent Federal Reserve rate cuts have eased funding pressures for BNPL players, improving margins and funding flexibility for Affirm [4] - Regulatory risks have diminished, as the CFPB reversed its earlier decision to classify BNPL lenders as "credit card providers," leading to a more favorable operating environment for Affirm and its peers [5] Stock Performance - Affirm shares have increased by 67.1% year-to-date in 2025, with a 52-week trading range between a low of $30.90 and a high of $100.00 [8] - The stock opened at $71.14 but declined to a low of $66.24 during the session at the time of writing [9] Industry Comparables - Klarna (KLAR), a relevant comparable in the BNPL space, has seen its stock price decline to around $35.66, more than 10% below its $40 IPO price, despite analysts maintaining a "Buy" consensus [10][12] Future Outlook - With high interest rates and regulatory uncertainties largely resolved, the BNPL industry is shifting focus towards diversification, with major players exploring traditional banking services [13]

Core Insights - Marqeta is collaborating with Klarna to expand the Klarna Card into 15 new European markets, leveraging Visa's Flexible Credential technology [1][2] - The Klarna Card is being rolled out in multiple countries including the UK, Denmark, Germany, Norway, and Poland, and is also available in several other European countries and the U.S. [2] - Marqeta's platform has processed nearly $300 billion in annual payments volume in 2024, demonstrating its scalability and compliance capabilities [2] Company Overview - Marqeta is a modern card issuing platform that enables companies to create customized card programs and embed financial services into their branded experiences [2] - Klarna is a global digital bank and flexible payments provider with over 111 million users and 2.9 million transactions per day [3] - Klarna's network includes over 790,000 retailers, enhancing consumer payment options across various platforms [3] Partnership Dynamics - The partnership between Marqeta and Klarna is aimed at accelerating time-to-market and scaling operations across countries [2] - Marqeta became the first issuer processor in the U.S. certified for Visa Flexible Credential in July 2024, further solidifying its position in the market [2] - The collaboration is expected to continue growing, with both companies eager to innovate and expand their offerings [2]

Revolut is set to open a local branch next year in Stockholm as part of its push into the Nordic market, taking on local favorite Klarna https://t.co/sbMz1JKdyP ...

Core Insights - The increasing interest in stablecoins is prompting payment firms to explore partnerships and technology to enhance payment solutions and settlement services across Europe [1][2][4] Group 1: Stablecoin Adoption and Partnerships - Worldline has partnered with Fipto to investigate how stablecoins can enhance payment services in Europe [1] - Zelle is also working on a stablecoin initiative following the passage of the GENIUS Act, indicating a trend among payment firms to develop stablecoin capabilities [2] - Western Union has announced plans to launch its own stablecoin, USDPY, and has partnered with Rain to facilitate payments through its Digital Asset Network [5][6] Group 2: Demand from Financial Institutions - A significant portion of banks and credit unions are reporting client interest in cryptocurrencies and stablecoins, with 47% seeking general information and 35% wanting payment capabilities [3][4] - Only 2% of financial institutions have launched their own stablecoins, indicating substantial potential for growth in this area [7] Group 3: Technological Advancements - Standard Chartered's CEO predicts that blockchain technology will soon support all transactions, emphasizing the need for banks to adapt to digital assets [7] - ACI Worldwide has acquired Payment Components to enhance its ACI Connetic platform, which integrates various payment technologies [8][9][10] Group 4: Collaborations in Traditional Finance - Ripple is collaborating with Mastercard, WebBank, and Gemini to facilitate traditional currency settlements using its RLUSD stablecoin [11][12] - Coinbase has partnered with Tink to enable account-to-account cryptocurrency payments in Germany, expanding its integration with traditional financial services [15][16] Group 5: Expansion of Services - Klarna is expanding its card services to 15 additional European markets, diversifying its product offerings in anticipation of a U.S. stock listing [20][21] - Visa and Transcard have launched a finance platform to support payments for shipping companies, utilizing Visa's virtual card technology [22][23][24]

Klarna Confirms Customer Data Leak But Won’t Reveal Extent https://t.co/9TaZ92rCuR ...

Core Insights - Shopify Inc. is experiencing significant growth driven by strong global demand, record transaction volumes, and increasing adoption of payments through partnerships with PayPal and Klarna [1][4][5] Financial Performance - Shopify's third-quarter revenue reached $2.84 billion, exceeding estimates of $2.74 billion from DA Davidson and $2.76 billion from Wall Street, with a constant-currency revenue growth of 30% [4] - The company's gross merchandise volume (GMV) in North America and rising payments penetration contributed to the strong performance [4] - Payment adoption globally reached 65% of GMV, indicating robust growth in this area [5] Analyst Ratings and Price Forecasts - DA Davidson analyst maintained a Buy rating and raised the price forecast from $185 to $195 [2] - Scotiabank analyst reiterated a Sector Perform rating and increased the price forecast from $150 to $165 [2] - Benchmark analyst also maintained a Buy rating with a price forecast of $195 [2] Future Outlook - Analysts view Shopify's fourth-quarter guidance as conservative, anticipating mid- to high-twenties revenue growth due to holiday spending and new enterprise customers [6][8] - Projected revenue for full-year 2025 and 2026 is expected to rise to $11.46 billion and $14.25 billion, respectively [6] Strategic Positioning - Shopify has a clean balance sheet with no debt and approximately $6 billion in cash, positioning the company well for strategic acquisitions, particularly in AI capabilities [7] - The partnership with OpenAI is expected to enhance Shopify's position in the AI commerce space [9] Market Opportunities - Analysts believe advertising represents a significant untapped opportunity for Shopify, with potential additional revenue exceeding $10 billion if the company captures a small percentage of merchant marketing spend [10] - Shopify's stock has risen nearly 50% year-to-date, reflecting strong market performance [11]

Klarna Confirms Customer Data Leak But Won’t Reveal Extent https://t.co/9TaZ92sakp ...

图片来源：MEDIANEWS GROUP VIA GETTY IMAGES 罗洛夫·博塔即将卸任红杉资本（Sequoia）"全球高级执行合伙人"一职。 现任全球高级执行合伙人罗洛夫·博塔宣布退居二线后，林君叡（Alfred Lin）与帕特·格雷迪（Pat Grady）这两位"点金圣手"将接掌硅谷历史最悠久、最富 盛名的风投基金红杉资本。 博塔在一份声明中表示，他将转任新职，"为合伙人提供咨询"，并继续代表基金担任所投公司的董事会成员。他的职位将由林君叡和帕特·格雷迪接替。 林君叡自2017年起共同负责红杉的早期投资，而格雷迪则自2015年起共同主导其成长型投资。 01 此次领导层更替，为这家硅谷顶级风投基金的动荡时期画上了句号。 林君叡于2010年加入红杉，目前位居《福布斯》全球最佳创投人榜单榜首。他最知名的战绩包括投资了爱彼迎（Airbnb）、DoorDash以及如今的OpenAI 等初创公司。格雷迪于2007年加入红杉，是公司的资深老将，曾投资ServiceNow、Okta和Zoom等公司。近年，格雷迪还投资布局了一系列快速发展的人 工智能初创公司，如Harvey、抱抱脸（Hugging Face）和Op ...

Core Insights - The U.S. IPO market in 2025 has seen significant activity with notable companies such as Klarna, eToro, and Chime going public [1] Company Highlights - Klarna, eToro, and Chime are among the household names that have recently entered the public market, indicating a trend of established brands seeking to capitalize on favorable market conditions [1]

Core Insights - Affirm is enhancing its merchant and financial scale to compete with rivals like Klarna and PayPal by signing distribution deals with Worldpay and expanding its relationship with New York Life [1][8] - The company aims to integrate its payment solutions into various platforms, making it easier for consumers to choose Affirm as a payment option [2][4] Partnership Developments - Affirm has expanded its partnership with Worldpay to integrate its services into Worldpay's embedded payments option, which supports over 1,000 software-as-a-service companies that processed more than $400 billion in payments volume [3][4] - New York Life has agreed to purchase up to $750 million of Affirm's installment loans, providing off-balance-sheet funding that can support up to $1.75 billion in consumer loan volume per year [6] Market Positioning - Affirm has added 23 million users in the past 12 months, indicating strong consumer interest in its payment options, which include multiple payment methods beyond installment financing [4][8] - The company is focusing on mainstream payment solutions, aiming to be present where consumers make payment decisions [2][5] Competitive Landscape - Affirm is in a competitive environment with other BNPL fintechs like PayPal and Klarna, which are also expanding their offerings and partnerships [8][10] - PayPal has recently entered a similar BNPL investment deal, indicating a trend among fintechs to bolster their BNPL portfolios [9][10] Future Outlook - Affirm is set to report earnings soon, which may provide further insights into its growth and market strategies [8]