Key Points Bitcoin is a decentralized digital asset, while XRP and the XRP ledger facilitate cross-border payments. XRP may have a higher ceiling due to its smaller size and recent developments. However, that doesn't necessarily make it more likely to deliver for investors. 10 stocks we like better than Bitcoin › Investors have enjoyed tremendous gains in the cryptocurrency market during the past year. Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) has been a big winner, roughly doubling in price, only to be outdone by X ...

Key Points XRP seeks to disrupt the cross-border transactions market, offering faster and lower-cost solutions, compared to legacy solutions. Still, XRP faces stiff competition from SWIFT, as well as other cryptocurrencies with similar ambitions. Although XRP has potential, its long-term upside remains speculative. 10 stocks we like better than XRP › When investors survey the cryptocurrency market, only a handful of names consistently dominate the conversation. The most established players are ...

Core Insights - Mastercard has expanded its partnership with Corpay to enhance its near real-time cross-border payments across 22 additional markets, tapping into the growing global B2B money movement projected to exceed $250 trillion by 2027 [1][8] Group 1: Partnership and Investment - Mastercard invested approximately $300 million for a 3% stake in Corpay's cross-border business, strengthening operational ties and aligning with its focus on international transactions, which saw a 15% year-over-year increase in cross-border volumes in Q2 [2][8] - The partnership with Corpay addresses the demand for faster settlement, better fee transparency, and predictable currency conversions, positioning Mastercard as a solutions provider [3] Group 2: Market Dynamics - Cross-border transactions yield higher margins compared to domestic ones, and each new market entry enhances profitable scale for Mastercard [4] - Competitors like Visa and Western Union are also enhancing their cross-border payment capabilities, with Visa focusing on real-time transfers and Western Union modernizing its remittance services [5][6] Group 3: Financial Performance and Projections - Mastercard's shares have increased by 7.3% year-to-date, outperforming the broader industry growth of 0.1% [7] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate projects an 11.8% rise in Mastercard's earnings for 2025, followed by a 16.5% growth in 2026 [12]

Core Insights - PayPal Ventures has invested in Stable's latest funding round, enabling the use of PayPal's stablecoin, PayPal USD (PYUSD), on Stable's blockchain network [1][4] - Stablechain is designed for seamless financial transactions through stablecoins, aiming to enhance the utility of PYUSD across multiple blockchain ecosystems [2][4] - The collaboration between Stable and PayPal focuses on improving cross-border transactions and exploring cross-chain compatibility and onramp/offramp capabilities for stablecoins [3][4] Company Developments - Stable raised $28 million in seed funding to develop its blockchain network, hire new employees, and increase the distribution of Tether's USDT stablecoin [4] - The company emphasizes the need for an overhaul in global payments infrastructure to meet consumer demand for fast, reliable, and secure digital payments [6] - Stable's strategy includes working with trusted distribution partners to enhance real-world adoption and support innovative use cases for stablecoins [7] Market Context - The announcement comes amid rising stablecoin adoption following the passage of the GENIUS Act in the United States, indicating a favorable regulatory environment for stablecoin usage [5] - The partnership with PayPal is seen as a significant step towards addressing payment challenges in emerging markets, where reliable dollar-based payments can have a substantial impact [7]

Company Overview - Lobe Sciences Ltd. is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel therapies for rare neurological and hematological conditions [7] - The company operates through two subsidiaries and emphasizes its differentiated pipeline characterized by intellectual property, clinical momentum, and a strategic focus on high-value, underserved markets [7] Upcoming Event - Lobe Sciences will participate in the ArcStone-Kingswood Growth Summit in Toronto on September 18, 2025, where CEO Dr. Frederick D Sancilio will present the company's recent milestones and future growth strategy [2] - The summit will host over 20 companies and provide opportunities for targeted 1-on-1 meetings, panel discussions, and networking among industry professionals [3] Strategic Focus - Cynaptec Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a subsidiary owned 64% by Lobe Sciences, is advancing a patented new chemical entity targeting Chronic Cluster Headache, an orphan indication [8] - Altemia, Inc. is addressing sickle cell disease with two complementary assets: a medical food in early-stage distribution and a patent-pending therapeutic candidate designed to treat the underlying pathology of the disease [8]

Group 1 - Visa is set to announce its Q3 FY'25 earnings on July 29, with revenues expected to rise by approximately 10% year-over-year to $9.82 billion and adjusted earnings predicted to be around $2.83 per share, reflecting a 17% increase compared to last year [2] - The anticipated growth is driven by increasing payment volumes and greater cross-border transactions, which are typically more profitable, along with strong performance in the value-added services segment [2] - The company currently has a market capitalization of $680 billion, with total revenue over the past twelve months at $38 billion, operating profits of $25 billion, and a net income of $20 billion [2] Group 2 - Historical data indicates that Visa has recorded 20 earnings data points over the last five years, with 11 positive and 9 negative one-day post-earnings returns, resulting in positive returns approximately 55% of the time [3] - The median of the 11 positive returns is 2.2%, while the median of the 9 negative returns is -1.6% [3] Group 3 - A correlation analysis between 1D, 5D, and 21D historical returns post-earnings suggests that understanding these correlations can help in making informed trading decisions [4] - If the 1D post-earnings return is positive, traders may consider going long for the subsequent 5 days if there is a strong correlation between 1D and 5D returns [4]

Core Insights - Visa Inc. is experiencing significant growth driven by a resurgence in international travel and consumer spending, with cross-border transaction volumes showing a notable increase [1][8] Financial Performance - In the second quarter of fiscal 2025, Visa reported a 13% year-over-year increase in cross-border volume, reflecting strong global travel demand [8] - International transaction revenues rose by 18.6% in 2023, 8.8% in 2024, and 12.1% in the first half of fiscal 2025, with expectations for nearly 12% growth in fiscal 2025 [2] - International transactions now represent 50.5% of Visa's total payment volume, highlighting their importance as a high-margin component of the business [3][8] Regional Performance - Growth in payment volumes was observed in various regions: CEMEA (14.2%), Europe (9.6%), and Latin America (6.1%) during the first half of fiscal 2025 [3] - However, the Asia Pacific region experienced a decline of 1.2% in the same period, following previous declines in fiscal 2024 and 2023 [3] Competitive Landscape - Other companies like Mastercard and American Express are also benefiting from similar trends, with Mastercard reporting a 15% year-over-year increase in cross-border volumes and American Express showing 13% growth in international card services [5][6] - Mastercard's broader acceptance in Asia and value-added services provide it with a competitive edge, while American Express's focus on affluent U.S. consumers limits its global exposure [6] Stock Performance and Valuation - Visa's shares have increased by 16.4% year-to-date, outperforming the industry growth of 6.6% [7] - The company is trading at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 29.87X, above its five-year median of 26.92X and the industry average of 23.38X [9] Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Visa's fiscal 2025 earnings indicates a 12.9% increase from the previous year, with 11 upward revisions in the past 60 days [10]

Core Viewpoint - Mastercard reported strong first-quarter 2025 results, with adjusted earnings per share of $3.73, exceeding estimates by 4.5% and showing a 13% year-over-year improvement [1][2]. Financial Performance - Net revenues increased by 14% year over year to $7.3 billion, surpassing the consensus estimate by 1.8% [1][2]. - Adjusted operating income grew 15% year over year to $4.3 billion, beating estimates of $4.1 billion, with an adjusted operating margin improvement of 50 basis points to 59.3% [7]. Operational Metrics - Gross dollar volume rose 9% on a local-currency basis to $2.4 trillion, although it missed the consensus estimate by 2.6% [3]. - Cross-border volumes increased by 15% on a local currency basis, while switched transactions improved 9% year over year to 40.1 billion, missing the consensus mark of 40.3 billion [4]. Value-Added Services - Net revenues from value-added services and solutions reached $2.8 billion, a 16% year-over-year increase, but fell short of estimates by 1.4% [5]. Expenses and Incentives - Adjusted operating expenses rose 13% year over year to $3 billion, driven by higher general, administrative, and marketing costs [6]. - Payment network rebates and incentives increased by 12% year over year due to new and renewed deals [6]. Cash Flow and Capital Deployment - Cash flows from operations were $2.4 billion in Q1 2025, up from $1.7 billion in the prior year [9]. - The company repurchased 4.7 million shares for $2.5 billion in the first quarter and paid out $694 million in dividends [10]. Financial Position - As of March 31, 2025, cash and cash equivalents were $7.6 billion, down from $8.4 billion at the end of 2024, while total assets increased to $48.5 billion [8]. Future Guidance - Management projects mid-teens growth in adjusted net revenues for Q2 2025 and low-teens growth for the full year [11][12].