🔥 NEW: Revolut rolls out 1:1 USD-to-stablecoin swaps with zero fees or spreads for its 65M users across USDC and USDT on six blockchains.Could this become the standard? https://t.co/VLxnsu1gFw ...

Core Insights - Nvidia plans to invest $1 billion in Nokia, acquiring approximately 2.9% equity through the issuance of about 166 million shares at a price of $6.01 per share [3] - The collaboration will focus on 5G and 6G network software and AI infrastructure, combining the core technological strengths of both companies to meet the demands of network infrastructure in the AI era [3] Group 1: Investment Details - Nvidia's investment in Nokia is part of a larger spending plan, which includes a potential $100 billion investment in OpenAI and significant investments in other AI companies [3] - The partnership will utilize Nvidia's chips to accelerate Nokia's 5G and 6G network software, while exploring the integration of Nokia's data center technology into Nvidia's AI infrastructure [3] Group 2: Nokia's Strategic Shift - Nokia is known for its mobile network equipment sales but has been expanding into the data center business, which is experiencing rapid growth due to increased demand for computing power driven by AI [3] - Earlier this year, Nokia acquired Infinera Corp for $2.3 billion to further enhance its AI data center network product offerings [3] - CEO Justin Hotard is leading a significant transformation at Nokia, with recent quarterly performance exceeding expectations, indicating that the strategic shift is beginning to show results [3]

Core Viewpoint - Revolut aims to obtain its own bank charter in the U.S. to gain direct access to regulators and enhance its operational capabilities [1][2]. Group 1: Reasons for Pursuing a Bank Charter - Direct engagement with regulators is essential for addressing issues and ensuring compliance, which builds consumer trust [2]. - Having a bank charter allows for faster innovation and reduces the complexity of compliance associated with partner banks [3]. - Maintaining deposits on the balance sheet is critical for the sustainability of lenders, especially during economic downturns [4]. Group 2: Investment and Expansion Plans - Revolut announced a planned investment of $500 million in the U.S. as part of a broader $13 billion global expansion strategy [4]. - The investment will focus on capitalizing the bank, marketing, product development, and job creation [4]. - The company currently employs a couple hundred people in the U.S. and has a total of 11,000 employees globally [5]. Group 3: Competitive Landscape - Other international neobanks, such as Brazil-based Nubank, are also seeking U.S. charters, indicating a competitive environment for fintech expansion in the U.S. market [5].

Nik Storonsky, chief executive of British fintech giant Revolut, pictured with Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, has moved from the UK to the United Arab Emirates - Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Tech investors will flee Britain if Rachel Reeves goes ahead with a new tax raid on corporate partnerships, the Treasury has been warned. The Startup Coalition, which represents technology companies and investors, said a plan to raise taxes for limited liability partnerships (LLPs) would result in fewer UK-based ventu ...

Core Insights - Monzo is planning a new private share sale, potentially valuing the fintech at over £5 billion ($6.5 billion) [1][2] - The share sale aims to provide liquidity for early investors and employees, a common strategy for high-growth startups nearing a decade of operation [2][3] - Monzo is working with financial advisors to structure the deal, which may involve secondary shares, allowing current shareholders to cash out without raising new capital [3][6] Company Growth and Market Position - Founded in 2015, Monzo has over 10 million customers, attributed to its user-friendly interface and affordable fee structure [2][4] - The fintech is diversifying its offerings by venturing into investment products and business banking, moving beyond core retail banking services [5][8] - Monzo faces competition from other fintech players like Revolut and Starling Bank in a crowded UK market [4][6] Financial Context and Challenges - The share sale comes amid a cautious market for fintech valuations, influenced by rising interest rates and economic uncertainty [5][6] - Monzo's ability to secure a high valuation will depend on demonstrating sustained profitability and scalability while navigating regulatory scrutiny [6][7] - Details regarding the size and timeline of the potential sale remain undisclosed, with plans subject to change [7]

Crypto x AI Developments - Crypto x AI 领域发展迅速，AI + 支付领域呈现类似加速趋势，涉及 Neo 银行、稳定币和 DeFi [1] - 行业内存在数十甚至数百个协议，拥有巨大的资金储备，机构资本正被用于创建下一代支付系统 [1] Disintermediation and Threat to Traditional Systems - 传统金融系统在国际交易中效率低下且成本高昂，行业面临被颠覆的风险 [2] - 传统支付体系被迫转型以应对挑战，否则可能被取代 [2] AI Integration and Future Implications - 增强的支付体系与物理 AI 结合，将使机器人能够融入社会，尽管这需要较长时间 [2] - x402 只是颠覆性变革中的一环 [2] Key Players and Initiatives - Tether 推出 Wallet Dev Kit + Plasma [3] - Visa 推出 "Intelligent Commerce"，构建 AI 代理购物的未来 [3] - Mastercard 推出 Agent Pay，与 VISA 竞争 [3] - Coinbase 推出 x402 (HTTPS & payments) [3] - Circle 与 Coinbase 合作，将受益于 x402 的下游效应 [3] - Cloudflare 专注于 AI 代理的稳定币 NET Dollar，用于计算等 [3] - Tria 是一家利用 AI 进行最佳交换的 Neo 银行 [3] - Revolut 收购了汉莎航空孵化的 AI 旅行代理初创公司 "Swifty" [3] - Almanak 提供稳定币收益优化和 Pendle 策略的自主流动性金库 [3] - Gizatechxyz 提供自主稳定币策略 + Pendle [3]

RT s4mmy (@S4mmyEth)A year ago I began writing daily posts on crypto x AI developmentsThat compounded into twice daily as the rate of development hit escape velocityI’m getting the same feeling specifically with AI + payments, but this time it involves Neo banks, stablecoins & DeFi:- @Tether_to: Recent Wallet Dev Kit + Plasma (XPL: God forbid we break even)- Visa: “Intelligent Commerce”: building a future where AI Agents shop for you- Mastercard: Agent Pay (VISA rival) announced within 2 days of VISA- @coin ...

AI + Payments Landscape - The industry observes a rapid development in AI + payments, similar to the earlier crypto x AI developments, involving Neo banks, stablecoins & DeFi [1] - The industry identifies hundreds of protocols within this vertical, supported by substantial capital [1] - Institutional capital is being heavily invested in creating the next generation of payment systems [1] Disruption of Traditional Finance - Incumbent financial systems face disintermediation due to their cumbersome and expensive international transaction processes [2] - Traditional payment rails are compelled to adopt new technologies to avoid being displaced [2] - Enhanced payment rails integrated with physical AI will enable robots to integrate into general society in the long term [2] Key Players and Initiatives - Tether is developing a Wallet Dev Kit + Plasma (XPL) [3] - Visa is building "Intelligent Commerce" for AI Agents to shop for users [3] - Mastercard announced Agent Pay, a VISA rival, within 2 days of VISA [3] - Coinbase is involved with x402 (HTTPS & payments) [3] - Circle's partnership with Coinbase will benefit from the downstream effects of x402 [3] - Cloudflare is developing NET Dollar, specifically an AI Agents focused stablecoin for compute [3] - Tria is a Neo Bank leveraging AI for optimal swapping using "Best Path" [3] - Revolut acquired AI travel agent startup "Swifty" incubated by Lufthansa [3] - Almanak offers autonomous liquidity vaults for stablecoin yield optimization and Pendle strategies [3] - Giza provides autonomous stablecoin strategies + Pendle [3]

Core Insights - Revolut's commitment to invest £3bn in the UK and create 1,000 jobs is seen as a significant move for Labour's growth agenda [1] - Despite Revolut's success, UK fintech investment has dramatically decreased from $48bn in 2021 to $9.9bn (£7.4bn) in 2024, indicating a potential decline in London's fintech dominance [2] - The UK fintech sector, led by companies like Revolut, Monzo, and Starling, is facing challenges as many start-ups struggle with falling valuations and reduced funding [3][5][7] Investment Trends - UK fintech investment fell to $9.9bn (£7.4bn) in 2024, a significant drop from $48bn in 2021 [2] - Predictions indicate that Britain's fintech investment may lag behind that of the UAE in the first half of 2025 [2] Company Performance - Revolut is nearing a valuation of $75bn and has been a key player in the fintech sector [3] - Monzo and Starling are valued at £4.5bn and £2.5bn respectively, having gained millions of customers over the past decade [5] Market Challenges - Many fintech start-ups are facing existential threats, with some retreating or selling to larger companies at reduced valuations [6][8] - Curve, a digital wallet start-up, is in talks for a £120m sale to Lloyds, significantly lower than its £600m valuation in 2021 [9] - GoCardless is nearing a sale to Dutch rival Mollie for $1.5bn, down from its $2.1bn valuation in 2022 [10]

Facebook, Spotify and Revolut investor Klaus Hommels says that his fund Lakestar has closed its door to external investors, and will invest from Hommels's own capital. https://t.co/XP7kJ7lLpX ...