This story was originally published on Payments Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Payments Dive newsletter. Flexbase Technologies aims to lure high net worth business owners into its product ecosystem with new AI-powered finance bots and private banking services, with aspirations of taking on American Express. The company, known as Flex, said Thursday it had raised $60 million from investors, bringing to $105 million its total fundraising since the company launched in 20 ...

Core Insights - Wind's "Alice Investment Advisor" has won the "Benchmark Award" at the 2025 AI Model Financial Innovation Application Competition, highlighting its leading position in China's financial AI sector [1] - The solution has evolved from winning an "Innovation Model" award in 2024 to becoming an industry benchmark in 2025, focusing on AI empowerment in wealth management and enhancing service efficiency [3] Innovation Journey - The Alice Investment Advisor aims to eliminate repetitive tasks for investment advisors, allowing them to focus on client service and enhancing their professional capabilities [3] - The solution is designed to transform wealth management professionals into "super advisors" in the era of digital intelligence [3] Future Directions - Wind plans to deepen the integration of financial models and intelligent investment advisory services, aiming to enhance service professionalism and create greater value through AI [6] - The platform offers features such as automatic integration and analysis of various financial products, personalized asset allocation based on client profiles, and detailed ETF insights [6] - It also includes automated report generation and an Agent function for building personalized AI workflows, significantly improving work efficiency [6]

Core Viewpoint - SoFi Technologies is initiating a public offering of $1.5 billion in common stock to fund additional business opportunities and enhance its capital position Group 1: Public Offering Details - The company plans to grant the underwriter a 30-day option to purchase an additional 15% of the shares offered in the public offering [2] - The net proceeds from the offering will be used for general corporate purposes, including enhancing capital position, increasing optionality, and funding incremental growth [3] Group 2: Company Overview and Services - SoFi's app is utilized by over 12.6 million members for various financial activities, including borrowing, saving, and investing [4] - The technology platform Galileo is employed by FinTechs and financial institutions to manage financial solutions across 160 million global accounts [4] Group 3: Product Developments - Recent product pipeline developments include the launch of SoFi Pay, a blockchain-enabled remittance service, and plans to relaunch crypto trading within the SoFi app [5] - The company debuted SoFi Crypto, allowing customers to trade Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana, marking a significant step in integrating banking and cryptocurrency [6] - Future plans include a SoFi-branded stablecoin in 2026 and an AI-powered Cash Coach [5]

Market Overview - Major U.S. indices closed mixed, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 0.07% to 47,850.94, the S&P 500 up 0.1% to 6,857.12, and the Nasdaq up 0.2% to 23,505.13 [1] SoFi Technologies Inc. - SoFi Technologies' stock rose by 1.82% to close at $29.60, with an intraday high of $29.70 and a low of $28.48, but fell nearly 6% in after-hours trading to $27.83 [1] - The company announced a $1.5 billion common stock offering, with underwriters having a 30-day option to purchase up to 15% more shares, aimed at strengthening its capital position and supporting growth initiatives [2] Oklo - Oklo's stock surged by 15.59% to close at $111.65, reaching an intraday high of $114.29, but declined over 6% in after-hours trading to $104.70 [3][4] - The stock's rise was influenced by comments from Nvidia's CEO regarding the importance of nuclear power for AI data centers [4] Meta Platforms Inc. - Meta Platforms' stock increased by 3.43% to close at $661.53, with an intraday high of $676.10 and a low of $660.05 [5] - The company is reportedly preparing to cut metaverse spending by up to 30% in 2026, with potential layoffs as early as January, as it shifts resources toward AI [6] Ulta Beauty - Ulta Beauty's stock fell by 1.94% to close at $533.95 but rose 5.9% in after-hours trading to $565.51 [7] - The company reported stronger-than-expected third-quarter results, with earnings of $5.14 per share and revenue of $2.86 billion, net sales grew 12.9%, and comparable sales were up 6.3% [8] BigBear.ai - BigBear.ai's stock climbed by 15.27% to close at $7.02, with an intraday high of $7.18, but fell 1% in extended trading to $6.95 [8] - The rise was attributed to the company's support for the Washington Commanders' charity initiative, with custom cleats being auctioned to benefit various nonprofits [9]

Core Insights - IDT Corporation reported strong financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, with significant growth in revenue, gross profit, and Adjusted EBITDA, driven by its National Retail Solutions (NRS) and Fintech segments [4][5][7]. Financial Performance - Consolidated revenue increased by 4% year-over-year to $322.8 million, with gross profit rising by 10% to $118.2 million, resulting in a gross margin of 36.6% [7][40]. - Adjusted EBITDA grew by 26% to $37.9 million, and net income attributable to IDT increased by 30% to $22.3 million, leading to a GAAP EPS rise from $0.68 to $0.89 [7][40]. Segment Performance National Retail Solutions (NRS) - Recurring revenue for NRS increased by 22% to $35.3 million, with income from operations up by 35% to $8.9 million and Adjusted EBITDA rising by 33% to $10.3 million [7][10]. - The segment added approximately 800 net active terminals and payment processing accounts, reflecting both seasonal and non-seasonal factors [11]. - NRS launched partnerships with DoorDash and Grubhub to enhance retail delivery options, contributing to revenue growth [12]. Fintech Segment - BOSS Money digital revenue grew by 20% to $27.9 million, with total Fintech revenue increasing by 15% to $42.7 million [7][15]. - Income from operations in the Fintech segment nearly doubled year-over-year, driven by transaction growth and improved operating leverage [6][17]. - Digital channel send volume increased by 34%, indicating strong demand for BOSS Money services [16]. net2phone - Subscription revenue for net2phone rose by 10% to $23.0 million, with income from operations increasing by 94% to $1.9 million [7][18]. - The segment introduced AI solutions to enhance customer service and operational efficiency, contributing to profitability despite increased investments in AI development [19]. Traditional Communications - Revenue for the Traditional Communications segment decreased slightly by 0.5% to $219.5 million, with income from operations up by 1% to $15.8 million [7][20]. - IDT Digital Payments showed growth, with a 90% year-over-year increase in revenue from the Zendit B2B platform [21]. Cash Flow and Capital Expenditures - Net cash used in operating activities was $10.1 million, a decline from the previous year, attributed to working capital timing [24]. - Capital expenditures increased to $5.8 million from $5.3 million in the prior year [25]. Outlook - IDT maintains its FY 2026 guidance, expecting to generate Adjusted EBITDA in the range of $141-$145 million [29]. - The company declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.06 per share, payable on December 23, 2025 [30].

Core Insights - FactSet has launched its market intelligence services via Amazon Quick Research, enhancing accessibility for clients [1][2] - The integration aims to streamline research processes for enterprise-level AI strategies, reducing manual data uploads [2][3] - FactSet emphasizes its long-standing commitment to innovation in the AI space, supporting clients in deploying their own AI strategies [3] Company Overview - FactSet is a global financial digital platform with over 47 years of experience, serving approximately 9,000 clients and over 237,000 users [4] - The company provides integrated financial data and technology solutions across various sectors, including buy-side, sell-side, and private equity [4] - FactSet is a member of the S&P 500 and operates in 20 countries, focusing on innovation and long-term client success [4]

Core Viewpoint - Pintec Technology Holdings Limited will hold an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders on January 8, 2026, in Beijing, China, to discuss important company matters [1]. Group 1: Meeting Details - The extraordinary general meeting (EGM) will take place at 10:00 a.m. Beijing time at the Sino Ocean International Center [1]. - Shareholders of Class A and Class B ordinary shares as of December 8, 2025, are entitled to attend and vote at the EGM [2]. - Holders of American Depositary Shares (ADSs) can instruct the Depositary on how to vote their underlying Class A ordinary shares [2]. Group 2: Company Information - Pintec is a Nasdaq-listed technology company focused on providing innovative financial and digital solutions to micro, small, and medium enterprises globally [5]. - The company connects business partners and financial institutions through its open platform, enabling efficient, technology-driven services [5]. - Pintec aims to empower partners with embedded financing capabilities and advanced digital tools, enhancing their offerings and supporting financial institutions in reaching new customer segments [5].

Core Insights - 54% of investors utilize ChatGPT for trading and investment decisions, yet only 11% trust the results, indicating a significant gap between AI's potential and its current performance in financial markets [1] - TrueNorth has raised $3 million to develop specialized financial intelligence aimed at bridging this gap [1] Investment and Development - The pre-seed funding round was led by CyberFund, with participation from Delphi Labs, SNZ, GSR, and Ocular, focusing on creating a "reasoning layer for financial intelligence" that avoids hallucinations in critical financial contexts [2] - TrueNorth emphasizes the necessity for domain-specific AI in finance, contrasting it with specialized AI in other sectors like legal and healthcare [2] Market Challenges - The TrueNorth team, with backgrounds from Meta, Temasek, and Goldman Sachs, identified that generic AI models struggle in fast-paced financial markets due to their inability to grasp market context and structural reasoning [3] - Willy Chuang, co-founder of TrueNorth, asserts that generalized AI fails in financial environments because of the rapid market movements and high stakes involved [4] Technological Approach - TrueNorth's platform aims to convert elite trader expertise into AI agents through structured playbooks, real-time data integration, and proprietary models tailored to market logic [4] - Early results indicate a 98% accuracy rate on finance-specific tasks, which is a 28% improvement over leading general models, while also achieving an 80% reduction in latency [5] User Engagement - TrueNorth addresses the challenges faced by both professional and retail traders by creating AI-powered digital twins that replicate expert workflows [6] - The startup has partnered with leading educators, reaching over 1.5 million cumulative followers, enabling everyday traders to adopt the logic and discipline of expert traders [7]

Core Insights - OppFi Inc. (OPFI) shares have increased by 32.5% year-to-date, outperforming its industry which declined by 11.6% and the Zacks S&P 500 Composite which grew by 19.8% [1][7] - The company has consistently raised its earnings guidance for 2025, indicating strong investor confidence in its profitability outlook [9][10] Performance Comparison - Over the past month, OPFI gained 2.2%, surpassing Cantaloupe's 0.2% and Fidelity National Information Services' 1.5% [4] - Year-to-date, OPFI has outperformed Cantaloupe's 11.2% rise and Fidelity National Information Services' 17.4% decline [1][4] Operational Efficiency - OPFI improved its auto approval rate to 79.1% in Q3 2025 from 76.8% in the previous year, contributing to a 500-basis-point decline in total expenses as a percentage of revenues [5] - The company experienced a 13.5% year-over-year increase in revenue, leading to a 136.9% increase in net income [5][7] - Model 6 also reduced net charge-offs as a percentage of total revenues by 430 basis points year-over-year [6] Financial Guidance - For 2025, OPFI expects adjusted net income to range from $106 million to $142 million across the first three quarters, with adjusted EPS projected between $1.18 and $1.60 [9][10] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for OPFI's 2025 revenues is $598 million, reflecting a 13.6% year-over-year growth [15] Valuation Metrics - OPFI is currently priced at 5.99 times forward 12-month earnings per share, significantly below the industry average of 20.1 times [11] - The trailing 12-month EV-to-EBITDA ratio for OPFI is 5.03 times, compared to the industry average of 10.94 times, indicating undervaluation [11] Analyst Confidence - Over the past 60 days, EPS estimates for both 2025 and 2026 have been revised upward, with the 2025 earnings estimate rising by 10.6% [16] - This upward revision trend highlights strong analyst confidence in OPFI's financial performance [16] Investment Recommendation - Given the operational improvements, consistent earnings guidance increases, and undervaluation relative to the industry, OPFI is recommended as a strong buy for investors seeking long-term capital gains [17][18]

Core Insights - Digital Asset has received an investment from BNY, iCapital, Nasdaq, and S&P Global, although the specific amount of funding was not disclosed [2][4]. Group 1: Funding and Investment - In June, Digital Asset raised $135 million in a funding round led by DRW Venture Capital and Tradeweb Markets, with participation from Goldman Sachs [2]. - The recent investment signifies a growing recognition among institutions of the need for blockchain infrastructure tailored for regulated markets [4]. Group 2: Canton Network - The Canton Network is a public, permissionless blockchain designed for institutional finance, supporting various use cases including bonds, equities, and alternative investment funds [3]. - The network currently has over $6 trillion of assets on-chain and involves more than 600 institutions from both traditional and decentralized finance [3]. Group 3: Statements from Executives - Digital Asset's CEO emphasized the importance of blockchain infrastructure for regulated markets and noted that the participation of major financial institutions marks a significant milestone for both Digital Asset and the Canton Network [4]. - Executives from BNY, iCapital, and Nasdaq highlighted their commitment to enhancing financial market infrastructure and driving efficiency and transparency through the adoption of tokenized solutions [5][6][7].