banking services through GXS Bank in Singapore and GXBank in Malaysia. Grab was founded in 2012 with the mission to drive Southeast Asia forward by creating economic empowerment for everyone. Grab strives to serve a triple bottom line – we aim to simultaneously deliver financial performance for our shareholders and have a positive social impact, which includes economic empowerment for millions of people in the region, while mitigating our environmental footprint.About the FICO® Decision AwardsThe FICO Decis ...

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the importance of building a balanced investment portfolio that includes both technology stocks and defensive options, highlighting the intrinsic value of companies as a key focus for investment decisions [1] Group 1: Investment Strategy - The company specializes in equities and diversified portfolios, aiming to ensure clients benefit from technology stock growth while maintaining investments in defensive options [1] - There is a strong preference for established technology companies and those in consumer staples and discretionary goods, prioritizing company value over market circumstances [1] Group 2: Experience and Expertise - The company has been an active investor for seven years, managing third-party portfolios and focusing on macroeconomic trends, stock valuation, and the interplay between politics and markets [1] - A Master's degree in Economics and experience as a consultant for public and private organizations contribute to the company's analytical capabilities, particularly in financial and economic aspects [1] Group 3: Challenges and Insights - The company acknowledges the difficulty of the investment principle "buying low and selling high," drawing parallels between the pressures of public tenders and market crises experienced in 2020 and 2022 [1] - The company actively promotes financial inclusion programs for women in finance, recognizing the ongoing challenges in this area and expressing a commitment to contribute positively [1]

Core Insights - Tether is expanding USDT and Tether Gold support within Opera's MiniPay wallet, enhancing financial inclusion in emerging markets [1][6] - USDT has a market capitalization exceeding $186 billion, making it the most widely used digital dollar globally [2] - MiniPay has over 12.6 million activated wallets and has seen significant user growth, particularly in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia [3][4] User Engagement and Growth - MiniPay recorded a 50% growth in on-chain users in Q4 2025, with 7 million phone-verified USDT wallets and 300,000 unique buyers in December, a 33% increase month-over-month [3][4] - Celo, the blockchain supporting MiniPay, experienced a user growth of 506% over the last year, increasing from 825,000 to 5 million users [4] - In December 2025, MiniPay users initiated over 96 million USDT in transfers and conducted more than 3.5 million peer-to-peer payments [4] Financial Transactions and Local Integration - Users added over $49 million in cash to MiniPay wallets through local partners, facilitating direct connections to Tether's liquidity network [5] - More than $153 million was sent or received through MiniPay in December, indicating a rising demand for stable, dollar-based payments in mobile-first regions [5] Product Features and Market Position - MiniPay supports Tether Gold (XAU0), providing an inflation-resistant savings option as gold prices rose nearly 50% in 2025 [6] - Tether Gold serves as a transparent bridge between traditional value stores and the digital economy [7] - Tether's commitment to transparency and accessibility is aimed at expanding the real-world use of stablecoins [8]

Core Insights - NCR Atleos has renewed its partnership with Heart of England Co-operative for five years, focusing on enhancing financial inclusion through upgraded ATM services [1][1][1] Company Overview - NCR Atleos is a leader in self-service financial access, providing innovative solutions for financial institutions, retailers, and consumers [1][1] - The company operates the largest independently-owned ATM network and emphasizes operational efficiency and digital-first experiences [1][1] Partnership Details - The renewed agreement includes a comprehensive upgrade of Heart of England Co-operative's 35-site ATM network, ensuring free cash access for local communities [1][1] - The collaboration aims to enhance ATM availability and service quality, aligning with both organizations' commitment to customer satisfaction [1][1] Strategic Goals - Heart of England Co-operative aims to maintain its strategic priorities while benefiting from NCR Atleos' operational efficiency and innovative solutions [1][1] - The upgraded ATM network is expected to drive foot traffic and meet evolving customer needs in Coventry and Warwickshire [1][1]

Core Insights - Tether's USDT has a market capitalization of $187 billion, surpassing all its stablecoin competitors combined, and is growing rapidly with 536 million users, increasing by 30 million per quarter [2][3] - Tether has launched USAT, a U.S.-regulated stablecoin, to comply with new federal regulations and compete with Circle's USDC, marking a significant shift towards mainstream acceptance [4][3] - Tether's CEO emphasizes the company's role in financial inclusion, particularly in countries with weak currencies, and claims that Tether has collaborated with nearly 300 law enforcement agencies globally [5][7] Market Position and Competition - Tether's USDT is positioned as a digital dollar that operates independently of traditional banking institutions, making it a preferred choice for users in countries with unstable currencies [2][11] - The stablecoin market is becoming increasingly competitive, with major financial institutions like Fidelity, JPMorgan Chase, and PayPal launching their own dollar-pegged tokens [1][4] - Tether has demonstrated resilience during market crises, successfully redeeming $20 billion in 20 days during the TerraLuna collapse, showcasing its stability compared to traditional banks [9][10] Regulatory Landscape - Tether's recent initiatives, including the launch of USAT, are aimed at aligning with U.S. regulatory requirements, which have historically posed challenges for the company [4][3] - The CLARITY Act, currently in Congress, could impact Tether's business model by prohibiting stablecoin issuers from paying interest to holders, which may solidify Tether's existing practices while affecting competitors [11][12] Future Ambitions - Tether is expanding its product offerings beyond stablecoins, including Tether Gold, which has a circulation of $2.6 billion and positions the company as a significant private gold holder [12][13] - The company is also venturing into AI with the launch of Qvac, a decentralized AI platform aimed at providing access to underserved populations, reflecting Tether's broader strategy of financial inclusion [13][14] - Tether's investments in various sectors, including agriculture and technology, are part of a strategy to create a stable ecosystem that supports its core mission of financial stability for its users [15][16]

Key Benefits of Rental Reporting: For tenants: Recognizes monthly rental payments to support credit-building efforts.For housing providers: Supports proactive rent management and fosters stronger rental relationships. TORONTO and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TransUnion and FrontLobby are joining forces to incorporate rental payment data from FrontLobby into TransUnion’s alternative data reporting system. This integration enables renters to have their consistent, on-time ren ...

Approximately five million Canadian households rent their homes1; rental payments on credit reports could help millions showcase responsible payment behaviour, marking a major step forward in financial inclusion TORONTO and CALGARY, Alberta, Jan. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TransUnion and Zenbase today announced a partnership to expand the availability of rental payment information within the credit reporting ecosystem, giving renters a new way to strengthen their TransUnion credit reports and broaden acce ...

THE PATHWARD STORY UPDATED JANUARY 22, 2026 Pathward Financial, Inc. (Nasdaq: CASH) | Quarterly Investor Presentation 1 FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This investor update contains "forward-looking statements" which are made in good faith by Pathward Financial, Inc. (the "Company") pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify forward-looking statements by words such as "may," "hope," "will," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "intend," ...

I am a personal investor specializing in equities and diversified portfolios. In this diversification, I like to build a balanced portfolio where no client misses out on the rise of technology stocks -for example- but at the same time, they can keep a portion of their savings invested in more defensive options.I'm very fond of established technology companies and those focused on consumer staples and discretionary goods, always prioritizing company value over circumstances, which can sometimes be adverse. T ...

Financial Inclusion Challenges in Pakistan - 80% of Pakistan's 250 million people are financially excluded [3] - 11 trillion rupees are outside the formal sector [4] - Over 40% of agricultural produce is wasted due to lack of storage [4] - 266 billion children are out of school [5] - Microfinance reaches less than 1 million households despite 30 years of formal microfinance [8][9] Institutional Landscape and its Limitations - Pakistan has approximately 35 commercial banks and 12 microfinance banks, plus nearly 40 non-bank financial institutions [7] - Microfinance serves about 12 million microloans, but only around 4 million unique clients [7][8] - Larger microfinance institutions serve only two to three lakh (200,000-300,000) clients, significantly less than institutions in Bangladesh and India [9] Required Institutional "Killer Apps" - Capital: Need for a spectrum of capital, including tier one and tier two capital, for non-bank financial service providers [12][13] - Funding: Need for diverse funding sources beyond shareholder capital, including capital markets activity (retail TFCs, commercial papers, etc) [14][15] - Risk Predicates: Safety nets like collateral (gold), first loss guarantees, and party passive guarantees are needed to encourage lending to vulnerable populations [16][17] - Technology, Product Strategy, and Channel Strategy: Leveraging Pakistan's high teledensity (around 120 million unique SIMs) and the NADRA database for KYC/AML [20] Banking as a Service (BaaS) - Banks need to evolve from product providers to ecosystem enablers, offering "banking as a service" [21] - BaaS involves banks becoming platforms where fintechs and digital companies can access funding and scale [24] - This can enable instant access to financing for e-commerce merchants and women entrepreneurs [24]