Core Insights - Corpay, Inc. has completed a take-private transaction for AvidXchange Holdings, Inc. in partnership with TPG, initially announced on May 6, 2025 [1] - Corpay invested approximately $550 million for a 34% equity stake in AvidXchange [1] - The transaction is expected to be slightly accretive to Corpay's earnings in the fourth quarter of 2025 and accretive in 2026 [1]

Core Insights - Stripe has introduced the ability for consumers to pay for AI subscriptions, SaaS tools, and creator content using stablecoins, currently in private preview for US-based businesses [1] - The integration allows users to pay with Circle's USDC stablecoin through popular wallets, enhancing payment options at checkout [2] - A smart contract has been developed to facilitate stablecoin subscriptions, eliminating the need for manual transaction signing and allowing for recurring payments [3] Business Impact - Since the launch of stablecoin payments, Stripe has enabled rapid global expansion for fast-growing companies, with 60% of revenue for the top 20 AI companies coming from outside the US [4] - AI companies are shifting approximately 20% of their payment volume to stablecoins due to their near-instantaneous settlement and lower processing costs [4] - Stripe's subscription capabilities are designed for the 30% of businesses on its platform with recurring models, although there are transaction limits of $10,000 per transaction and $100,000 per month [5] User Benefits - Stablecoin payments via Stripe help companies reduce payment costs globally and attract tech-savvy users, including those without access to traditional payment methods [6] - The launch of Open Issuance allows businesses to create and manage their own stablecoins, further enhancing payment flexibility [6]

Core Insights - Kyivstar and Mastercard have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to establish a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing Ukraine's financial infrastructure and promoting cashless payments [1][4][6] Group 1: Partnership Objectives - The partnership will focus on developing innovative technological solutions to strengthen the resilience of Ukraine's financial infrastructure and expand access to financial services [1][6] - Both companies will test Starlink Direct to Cell satellite technology to enable financial transactions in areas lacking mobile coverage, enhancing connectivity during emergencies [2][6] - The collaboration will also involve the creation of new financial products and services, utilizing Big Data and analytics to improve customer insights and access to financial services [3][6] Group 2: Strategic Importance - The partnership is positioned as a critical element of national security, emphasizing the importance of resilient infrastructure in today's challenging environment [4][6] - The cooperation aims to promote cashless payments, particularly among small and medium-sized businesses, ensuring high security standards and a seamless customer experience [5][6] Group 3: Duration and Future Plans - The Memorandum will be valid for one year, with the possibility of extension, and will include separate agreements for specific projects [7] - Kyivstar Group plans to invest USD 1 billion in Ukraine from 2023 to 2027, focusing on infrastructure and technology development [8][9]

Core Insights - The article does not provide specific company or industry insights, focusing instead on disclosures and disclaimers related to investment positions and advice [1][2] Group 1 - There are no stock, option, or similar derivative positions held by the analyst in any mentioned companies, nor plans to initiate such positions in the next 72 hours [1] - The article expresses personal opinions of the author and does not reflect the views of Seeking Alpha as a whole [2] - Seeking Alpha's analysts include both professional and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any regulatory body [2]

Core Viewpoint - Investors are anticipating that PayPay's valuation may exceed Y3 trillion ($20 billion) as SoftBank prepares for a potential IPO in the US, possibly in December [1][2]. Valuation Expectations - A valuation of Y2 trillion is seen as a starting point, with expectations that the final figure could surpass Y3 trillion [2]. - Discussions with institutional investors regarding the IPO valuation began in mid-September, and any decisions will depend on market conditions at the time of the IPO [2]. Growth Potential - PayPay's current valuation estimates are primarily based on its operational growth within Japan [2]. - Investors are also considering the company's potential for international expansion, which could support a higher valuation [3]. - PayPay has announced plans for users to make payments overseas, starting with South Korea [3]. Financial Performance - SoftBank's telecom arm reported a significant increase in operating profit for its financial segment, which includes PayPay, with profits more than doubling to Y18.1 billion in the April-June quarter [4]. - The focus moving forward will be on the realistic potential for overseas expansion, particularly in the US and Asia [4]. Strategic Developments - PayPay is enhancing its cryptocurrency offerings, having acquired a 40% stake in the Japanese operations of Binance, with plans to introduce new cryptocurrency services [4]. - Ownership of PayPay is shared among several SoftBank affiliates, including SoftBank Corp, the Vision Fund, and LY Corp, a joint venture with Naver Corp [5].

Core Viewpoint - The current stock market is not in a bubble despite significant gains, particularly driven by AI advancements [2][4][10] Market Performance - Over the last six months, stocks have increased by 32.4%, equating to a 65% annualized return, which raises concerns about sustainability [4] - The average annual return for stocks over the past decade is 12.9%, slightly above the century-long average of 10.5% [4][6] - Historical context shows that the recent market performance follows two major selloffs due to the pandemic and recession fears, suggesting a recovery rather than a bubble [6] AI Impact - There is widespread interest in AI, with discussions permeating various sectors, including education, indicating its significance in the current market [7] - The CNN Fear and Greed Index shows a neutral reading, suggesting that fears of an AI bubble are not currently reflected in market behavior [8] - Studies indicate that AI is not displacing jobs but rather enhancing corporate profits, contributing to overall earnings growth [10][11] Investment Strategies - A two-step investment strategy is proposed to mitigate risks while capitalizing on potential gains, offering yields up to 8.2% [3] - The Nuveen S&P 500 Dynamic Overwrite Fund (SPXX) is highlighted for its 7.7% yield and exposure to large-cap AI companies [15] - The Liberty All-Star Growth Fund (ASG) is preferred for its 8.2% yield, strong long-term performance, and current trading at an 8.2% discount to NAV, providing additional upside potential [16][18]

Core Insights - Visa Inc. is launching the Trusted Agent Protocol to enhance security in AI-driven commerce, developed in collaboration with Cloudflare [1][8] - The protocol aims to help merchants verify the authenticity of AI agents, addressing the challenge of distinguishing between trustworthy agents and harmful bots [2][4] - Early partners like Microsoft, Shopify, Stripe, Coinbase, and Worldpay have contributed to the protocol's design, promoting an open and interoperable system [3][8] Company Positioning - Visa is positioning itself as a leader in digital payments by fostering trust in AI-driven commerce, potentially becoming a foundational element for future commerce [4] - Visa's stock has increased by 24.6% over the past year, outperforming the industry average of 1% [7] Competitor Landscape - Competitors such as Mastercard and Affirm are also advancing their AI commerce strategies, with Mastercard introducing the Agent Pay protocol and Affirm supporting Google's Agent Payments Protocol [5][6] Financial Performance - Visa trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 26.59, above the industry average of 21.23, and has a Value Score of D [9] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Visa's fiscal 2025 earnings indicates a 13.7% increase from the previous year [11]

Market Overview - The cryptocurrency market experienced a significant decline, with nearly $500 billion lost as panic spread due to President Trump's threat of 100% tariffs on China [1] - Bitcoin (BTC) fell nearly 19% from its all-time high earlier in the week, reaching a low of $103,800 before recovering to around $112,000 [4][5] - The Federal Reserve's recent interest rate cuts and concerns about inflation and a shrinking labor market have led investors to shift from riskier assets like cryptocurrencies to safer options such as gold [6] Bitcoin Recovery - Bitcoin is attempting a rebound after its decline, with expectations that it will resume its upward trajectory once market conditions improve [2][7] - The cryptocurrency's recent volatility is attributed to unclear statements from President Trump regarding trade relations with China [4] Investment Opportunities - A "buy-the-dip" strategy is suggested for investing in crypto-focused stocks, with three companies highlighted: Robinhood Markets, NVIDIA Corporation, and Visa Inc. [3][11] Robinhood Markets, Inc. - Robinhood operates a financial services platform allowing users to invest in various assets, including cryptocurrencies [8] - The expected earnings growth rate for Robinhood for the current year is 62.4%, with a 16.4% improvement in earnings estimates over the past 60 days [9] NVIDIA Corporation - NVIDIA is a leading designer of graphics processing units (GPUs), which are essential for cryptocurrency mining and production [12] - The expected earnings growth rate for NVIDIA for the current year is 48.3%, with a 4.7% improvement in earnings estimates over the past 60 days [13] Visa Inc. - Visa is modernizing cross-border money movement by expanding its stablecoin settlement capabilities on the Solana blockchain [14] - The expected earnings growth rate for Visa for the current year is 13.7%, with a 0.9% improvement in earnings estimates over the last 90 days [15]

This story was originally published on Payments Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Payments Dive newsletter. Visa this week will revamp its discount rates for fees on credit card transactions, and industry consultants fear that many merchants will be caught off guard by the change. Starting Friday, Visa will demand more data from retailers, restaurants and other merchants that want to receive certain discounts on the interchange fees paid for processing card payments, per ...

Core Insights - Mastercard is a leading payment processing company with a market cap of $504 billion, providing a variety of transaction processing and payment-related services to a wide range of clients [1] Financial Performance - Analysts anticipate Mastercard will report an adjusted profit of $4.30 per share for Q3, reflecting a 10.5% increase from $3.89 per share in the same quarter last year [2] - For the full fiscal year 2025, Mastercard is projected to achieve an adjusted EPS of $16.32, an 11.8% increase from $14.60 in 2024, with further growth expected in fiscal 2026 to $19 per share, a 16.4% year-over-year increase [3] Stock Performance - Over the past 52 weeks, Mastercard's stock has increased by 11.3%, which is lower than the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund's 13.2% and the S&P 500 Index's 14.4% gains during the same period [4] - Following the release of strong Q2 results, Mastercard's stock rose by 1.3%, with Q2 revenues increasing by 16.8% year-over-year to $8.1 billion, surpassing expectations by 1.9% [5] Analyst Sentiment - The consensus rating for Mastercard is "Strong Buy," with 25 out of 36 analysts recommending "Strong Buy," four "Moderate Buy," and seven "Hold." The mean price target of $652.33 indicates a potential upside of 16.6% from current levels [6]