Core Insights - Demand for pay-over-time options is increasing in North America, with nearly 50% of U.S. consumers preferring it over credit cards according to Affirm research [1] - FreshBooks has partnered with Affirm to offer flexible pay-over-time options to its Payments customers in the U.S. and Canada [2][3] Company Overview: FreshBooks - FreshBooks is a financial management system designed for service-based small businesses, providing tools for invoicing, expenses, payroll, and payments [4] - The company aims to simplify business operations and help owners manage finances effectively [4] Company Overview: Affirm - Affirm focuses on delivering transparent financial products that enhance consumer lives, emphasizing trust and no hidden fees [5] - The company offers payment options with rates ranging from 0% to 36% APR, subject to eligibility checks [6][7] Partnership Impact - The integration of Affirm's payment options within FreshBooks Payments invoices allows clients to split purchases into biweekly or monthly plans, enhancing payment flexibility [2][3] - This partnership is expected to help small business owners win more jobs, increase customer loyalty, and drive long-term growth in a competitive market [3]

Core Insights - Brex has partnered with Oracle, becoming the first fintech issuer integrated within Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP, enhancing B2B payments solutions [1][2] - The collaboration aims to simplify supplier payments for global enterprises, addressing complexities in managing payments across different nations and currencies [2][4] Group 1: Partnership Details - The integration allows customers to select Brex virtual cards directly from their payables workflows, improving controls and supplier payments [2][3] - Brex's global card capabilities enable enterprises to manage payments in over 30 currencies from a single platform, eliminating the need for separate banking infrastructures [4][5] Group 2: Benefits and Features - The partnership is expected to provide financial incentives such as rebates and rewards, potentially transforming accounts payable into a revenue source [5] - Brex's virtual cards feature one-time-use numbers, spending limits, and merchant-specific restrictions, supported by a digital audit trail to minimize fraud risk [5] Group 3: Regulatory Developments - In August, Brex obtained a payment institution license in the European Union, allowing it to serve businesses across the region [6]

You can find original article here WealthManagement. Subscribe to our free daily WealthManagement newsletters. Whether a client business owner asks an advisor to create or manage a 401(k) plan for their company or an advisor decides to add retirement plan management as an offering of their practice—it is seldom easy to accomplish. This week, Aboon, an artificial intelligence-powered platform built from the ground up to make it easier for financial advisors to help their business owner clients launch and ...

Core Insights - Polymarket has launched a new "up/down" equity market feature, allowing users to bet on the closing prices of specific stocks and benchmarks [1][2] - The platform has gained traction with high-profile stocks like Tesla, Nvidia, and Microsoft, as well as major indexes such as the S&P 500 and Dow Jones [2][3] - Polymarket's recent expansion includes the introduction of company earnings prediction markets, marking its re-entry into the U.S. market [3] Investment and Valuation - Polymarket secured a $2 billion investment from Intercontinental Exchange Inc., raising its post-money valuation to $9 billion [4] - Prior to this investment, Polymarket attracted a multi-million-dollar investment from Donald Trump Jr.'s venture capital fund, 1789 Capital [4] Historical Context - The platform gained significant attention during the last presidential election, with over $3 billion wagered on the outcome, accurately predicting Trump's victory [5]

Core Insights - Nasdaq has successfully integrated advanced AI functionality into its market surveillance platform, achieving an 80% detection accuracy for pump-and-dump schemes during a pilot with the Capital Markets Authority of Saudi Arabia [1][4]. Group 1: AI Enhancements and Detection Capabilities - The new AI detection capabilities utilize extensive industry and internal data sets to enhance activity assessments and predictive analytics, improving detection rates and reducing false positives [2][3]. - The platform's machine learning models are designed to adapt to specific trading patterns and regulatory requirements, providing a dynamic defense system against sophisticated market abuse schemes [6]. Group 2: Strategic Partnerships and Global Reach - The partnership with the Capital Markets Authority of Saudi Arabia demonstrates a commitment to maintaining market integrity and trust, showcasing the transformative potential of AI in detecting market manipulation [5]. - Nasdaq's technology is utilized by 97% of globally significant banks, half of the top 25 stock exchanges, and over 3,800 clients in the financial services industry, highlighting its extensive reach and influence [7]. Group 3: Future Developments and Offerings - Nasdaq plans to offer these enhanced surveillance capabilities to all market surveillance platform customers starting in Q4 2025, indicating a commitment to continuous improvement in market abuse detection [3]. - The integration of AI tools is part of Nasdaq's broader strategy to combat financial crime and enhance the efficiency of anti-money laundering programs [6].

Core Insights - Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (FIS) is a financial services technology provider with a market cap of $35.4 billion, operating through various segments including Banking Solutions and Capital Market Solutions [1] Financial Performance - FIS is expected to announce its third-quarter results in early November, with analysts predicting an adjusted profit of $1.48 per share, a 5.7% increase from $1.40 per share in the same quarter last year [2] - For the full fiscal year 2025, adjusted EPS is projected to be $5.74, reflecting a nearly 10% increase from $5.22 in 2024, with further growth expected in fiscal 2026 to $6.23 per share, an 8.5% year-over-year increase [3] Stock Performance - FIS stock has declined by 25.3% over the past 52 weeks, underperforming the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund's 24.3% increase and the S&P 500 Index's 14.7% returns during the same period [4] - Following the release of Q2 results on August 5, FIS stock dropped 8.5%, despite reporting a topline of $2.6 billion, which was a 5.8% growth year-over-year and exceeded expectations by 1.6% [5] Investor Sentiment - Investor sentiment was negatively impacted by a $598 million loss from FIS's investment in Worldpay Holdco, which was not included in the bottom-line calculation under non-GAAP accounting [6] - Analysts maintain a "Moderate Buy" consensus rating for FIS, with 12 "Strong Buys," 3 "Moderate Buys," 9 "Holds," and 1 "Strong Sell," and a mean price target of $86.75 indicating a 30.3% upside potential from current levels [7]

Core Insights - The study "Broadening Asset Servicing 2025" highlights the rapid growth in asset servicing volumes, which are increasing by over 25% year-over-year, while also identifying significant challenges related to legacy technology and data quality [3][8]. Group 1: Industry Challenges - Industry leaders face a crossroads with transaction volumes and processing complexity rising, yet growth is hindered by outdated technology and increased data costs [2]. - Up to 67% of asset servicing errors are attributed to poor data quality, with legacy technology being the primary barrier to automation [3][8]. Group 2: Outsourcing and Operational Efficiency - Outsourcing is becoming a vital strategy to manage complexities in areas such as tax reporting and proxy voting, with firms that outsource reporting lower error rates and costs [4]. - Nearly 60% of servicing resources are consumed by income and corporate actions, leading to operational strain, while over 60% of brokers have seen a decline in automation levels [5]. Group 3: Client Demand and Investment Trends - Client expectations are the main driver of investment in asset servicing (38%), followed by efforts to reduce errors (33%) and regulatory compliance (9%) [6]. - Firms are prioritizing technology investments to enhance efficiency and profitability, with process re-engineering identified as a key area for change over the past five years [6][8]. Group 4: Role of Technology Providers - Over half (57%) of asset servicing leaders view technology companies as essential for enabling meaningful scale and automation in the industry [5][8]. - Issuers recognize the need for accuracy and timeliness, with 53% acknowledging they are not facilitating automation effectively [5].

Erebor, backed by some of Silicon Valley’s most prominent White House allies, now boasts a key advantage in the race to dominate the emerging U.S. stablecoin market. https://t.co/aQL1LproLA ...

Hong Kong, Hong Kong, October 15th, 2025, FinanceWire Edgen, a market intelligence platform for equities and digital assets, today announced "Intelligent Portfolios", a Personalized AI Investment Assistant that runs continuous portfolio-native diagnostics, letter-grade ratings, and personalized recommendations on investor-defined lists of assets. The system produces a single, explainable, cross-asset view that updates as markets move. With this update, users will leverage a guidance model to coordinate sp ...

Xero Limited has just announced that it has completed the  acquisition of Melio Limited and its associated entities (collectively Melio). Melio is a leading US SMB bill pay platform that seamlessly enables customers to manage their cashflow by offering SMBs and their advisors easy-to-use accounts payable (A/P) workflows and a wide choice of payment methods. Click here to read the rest of the story.  Expand IA Newsletter Like what you're reading? Subscribe to our FREE newsletter and we'll deliver content ...