Core Insights - PhotonPay has joined Circle's Arc public testnet to enhance global payment innovation [1][5] - The Arc public testnet is designed as an open, developer-friendly Layer-1 blockchain to facilitate real-world economic activities on-chain [1][4] Group 1: Company Overview - PhotonPay is an AI-powered financial infrastructure provider that offers scalable and customizable solutions for over 200,000 businesses globally [3] - The solutions provided by PhotonPay include accounts, card issuing, global payouts, online payment, FX management, and embedded finance [3] Group 2: Industry Developments - The collaboration with Circle represents a significant advancement in the development of open and programmable financial infrastructure [2] - The initiative aims to modernize global payment systems, enabling enterprises to implement blockchain-based financial solutions [2] Group 3: Arc Testnet Features - Arc features predictable dollar-based fees, sub-second transaction finality, optional privacy configurations, and seamless integration into Circle's full-stack platform [4] - It supports various use cases across lending, capital markets, FX, and international payments [4] Group 4: Strategic Goals - Through participation in Arc's testnet, PhotonPay aims to bridge traditional finance with blockchain innovation, enhancing transparency, security, and efficiency in the global financial ecosystem [5] - The launch of Arc has seen engagement from over one hundred companies, indicating strong infrastructure support and global participation [6]

Core Insights - The article compares two growth stocks in Singapore: iFAST Corporation, a fintech platform, and Singapore Exchange (SGX), a blue-chip exchange operator, highlighting their growth potential and market positions as interest rates are expected to fall by 2026 [1][8]. iFAST Corporation - iFAST has transitioned from a fund distribution platform to a digital wealth infrastructure player, achieving a net revenue growth of 39.9% year-on-year to S$89.53 million and a net profit increase of 54.7% year-on-year to S$26 million for 3Q 2025 [2]. - The company's assets under administration (AUA) reached an all-time high of S$30.62 billion, growing 29.6% year-on-year [2]. - iFAST's profit before tax margin improved to 34.5% for 9M 2025, up from 22.6% in 2023 and 33.5% in 2024, indicating a new phase of profitability [3]. - Recent initiatives include the introduction of payment services and the approval to operate as an Electronic Money Issuer in Malaysia, which could enhance profitability [4]. Singapore Exchange (SGX) - SGX serves as the backbone of Singapore's capital markets, with a revenue breakdown showing that the Equities-Cash segment contributed 30.3% and the Equities-Derivatives segment contributed 26.6% to total net revenue for FY25 [5]. - SGX's net profit attributable to equity holders grew from S$445 million in FY2021 to S$648 million in FY2025, with dividends increasing from S$0.32 to S$0.375 during the same period [6]. - Recent partnerships, such as with Climate Impact X, and expansion in Foreign Exchange derivatives are expected to drive growth [7]. Comparative Analysis - iFAST offers higher growth potential with a revenue growth rate of 29.5% CAGR over three years, while SGX has a more stable growth rate of 7.6% [9]. - iFAST has a profit margin of 18.5% compared to SGX's 47.3%, and a lower dividend yield of 0.7% versus SGX's 2.2% [9]. - The choice between iFAST and SGX depends on investor preferences for growth acceleration versus stable compounding [10]. Key Catalysts and Risks - For iFAST, successful digital platform rollouts and margin expansion are potential growth drivers, while delays or contract risks could negatively impact valuation [11]. - SGX's growth will depend on market turnover and derivatives volume recovery, with lower volatility potentially limiting momentum [11]. - Both companies could benefit from macro trends such as rate cuts and improved investor sentiment [12]. Investor Considerations - Investors should monitor earnings growth and dividend policies for both companies through 2025, as well as valuation movements post-rate cuts [13][14]. - A diversified investment approach could involve holding both stocks to balance growth and stability [15].

Ant International, the Singapore-based spin-off of Chinese fintech giant Ant Group, is stepping up its global treasury operations through a strategic partnership with Swiss bank UBS, as both companies also seek to explore innovations in blockchain-based tokenised deposits. Under a memorandum of understanding signed at UBS' Singapore offices, Ant International will use UBS Digital Cash - a blockchain-based payments platform launched last year - for its global treasury operations to enhance efficiency, trans ...

Fintech Industry - Danish startup FlatPay joins the club of European fintech unicorns [1] Company Status - FlatPay is now a European fintech unicorn [1]

Core Insights - Flatpay has achieved unicorn status with a valuation of €1.5 billion ($1.75 billion) in just three years, positioning itself among European fintech leaders [1][3] - The company focuses on small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) by offering a flat transaction rate for card payments, which has led to rapid customer growth from 7,000 to approximately 60,000 [2][3] - Flatpay aims to significantly increase its annual recurring revenue (ARR) from €100 million ($116 million) to between €400 million and €500 million by 2026, supported by a recent funding round of €145 million ($169 million) [4][5] Company Growth and Strategy - The newly raised capital will facilitate growth in existing markets (Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, and the U.K.) and potential expansion into new markets, with the Netherlands being a likely candidate [5] - Flatpay plans to double its workforce from 1,500 to 3,000 by the end of next year, emphasizing that employee growth is as crucial as revenue growth [6] - The company's sales strategy involves direct engagement with SMB owners, showcasing its solutions through in-person demonstrations [7]

Core Insights - The modern card issuing platforms market is projected to grow from $1.8 billion in 2025 to $4.2 billion by 2030, driven by traditional banks' interest in fintech innovations [1][2] Market Trends - Key trends driving demand include the rise of Card-as-a-Service, enabling companies like Monzo, Uber, and Coinbase to integrate card issuance into their ecosystems [2] - Regulatory support for Open Banking and digital-first solutions, such as tokenisation and push provisioning, is also contributing to market growth in key regions [2] Competitive Landscape - Leading vendors in the modern card issuance space are increasingly adopting data-driven strategies to create personalized offerings and enhance client engagement [3] - The Juniper Research Competitor Leaderboard evaluated 22 vendors, identifying the top players for 2025 as Thales, IDEMIA, FIS Global, G+D, and Marqeta [4][6] - Success in this competitive market will depend on the shift to API-based card issuing to meet new data demands [4] Research Insights - The new market research suite provides a comprehensive assessment of the modern card issuing platforms market, analyzing over 18,500 datapoints across 61 countries over five years [4]

Core Insights - Paytech emerged as the top-performing fintech vertical in Europe for Q3 2025, with an estimated EUR 896 million in growth and venture capital funding, representing a 117% increase from Q2 2025's EUR 413 million [1][3] - Klarna's IPO significantly contributed to the sector's momentum, raising approximately US$1.37 billion and marking it as the fourth-largest IPO of the year [5][6] - Insurtech also showed notable growth, with funding reaching EUR 258 million in Q3 2025, up 25% quarter-on-quarter [15] Paytech Sector - Established ventures like Rapyd and Fnality drove funding surges, with Rapyd raising an additional US$25 million and Fnality securing US$136 million for its global settlement network [3][4] - Klarna's IPO involved selling 34.3 million shares at US$40 each, leading to a valuation of US$19.65 billion and operational profitability for five consecutive quarters [5][6] - Other significant transactions included Lloyds Banking Group's acquisition of Curve for EUR 140 million, enhancing its payments infrastructure [8] Banking and Digital Currency - The banking and digital currency vertical saw a 22% quarter-on-quarter increase in funding, totaling EUR 219 million in Q3 2025 [10] Insurtech Sector - Insurtech experienced major M&A activity, highlighted by Inigo's acquisition of Radian for EUR 1.5 billion, aimed at expanding into new insurance markets [11][12] - Applied Systems acquired Cytora for EUR 150-300 million to integrate AI technology into its insurance solutions [13][14] Overall Fintech Landscape - European fintech growth and VC funding remained stable at EUR 1,711 million in Q3 2025, reflecting a slight decline of 5% from the previous quarter [15] - Wealthtech and capital markets continued to lead the public fintech landscape, with high EV/EBITDA and EV/Revenue multiples indicating strong investor confidence [20][21]

Core Insights - Intuit Inc. has underperformed the broader market and sector over the past year, with stock prices gaining only 5.4% year-to-date and declining 5.5% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 Index and Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund saw gains of 14.5% and 23.9% respectively [2][3] Financial Performance - In Q4, Intuit reported a 20.3% year-over-year increase in revenue to $3.8 billion, exceeding expectations by 2.3%. Adjusted EPS surged 38.2% year-over-year to $2.75, surpassing consensus estimates [4] - For the full fiscal 2026, analysts expect an adjusted EPS of $23.17, reflecting a 15% year-over-year increase. Intuit has a strong earnings surprise history, having exceeded bottom-line estimates in the past four quarters [5] Analyst Ratings and Price Targets - Among 29 analysts covering Intuit, the consensus rating is a "Strong Buy," with 20 "Strong Buys," three "Moderate Buys," five "Holds," and one "Strong Sell." This is a slight decrease from three months ago when 21 analysts recommended "Strong Buy" [5][6] - Morgan Stanley analyst Keith Weiss maintained an "Overweight" rating but lowered the price target from $900 to $880. The mean price target of $835.46 suggests a 26.1% premium to current price levels, while the highest target of $971 indicates a potential upside of 46.6% [6]

Core Insights - Remitly Global has established itself as a leader in the global remittance market, with a total addressable market of $22 trillion [4] - The company reported strong growth in Q3, with active customers increasing by 21% to 8.9 million, send volume rising by 35% to $19.5 million, and revenue growing by 25% to $419.5 million, surpassing estimates [5] - Despite strong performance, Remitly's stock fell 25% following the earnings report due to guidance indicating a slowdown in revenue growth [8] Company Performance - Remitly's adjusted EBITDA rose by 29% to $61.2 million, and GAAP earnings per share increased from $0.01 to $0.04 year-over-year [7] - The company is launching new products, including Remitly One, aimed at expanding its customer base and increasing engagement [6] - The stock is currently trading at a price-to-sales ratio of 1.7 and 11 times its EBITDA forecast for the year, indicating it may be undervalued [9] Market Context - The fintech sector is experiencing a downturn, with many stocks declining due to concerns over loan losses and consumer confidence [2] - Remitly's business model, which primarily generates income from transaction fees, presents a lower credit risk compared to other fintech companies [10] - The overall housing market remains weak, and consumer discretionary spending is declining, impacting various sectors [2]

Core Viewpoint - Mark Cuban's endorsement of Dave Inc. has generated significant market interest, but the sustainability of its stock price depends on the company's growth fundamentals rather than just celebrity backing [1][2][3] Company Overview - Dave Inc. is a banking app aimed at simplifying financial management, particularly for individuals facing cash flow challenges, offering up to $500 in five minutes through its "ExtraCash" feature [4] Financial Performance - The company reported impressive financial growth in its second quarter, with revenue increasing by 64% to $131.7 million, net income rising by 42% to $9.1 million, and adjusted net income soaring by 233% to $45.7 million [5][8] - Adjusted EBITDA skyrocketed by 236% to $50.9 million, while diluted GAAP earnings per share increased by 32% to $0.62, and adjusted EPS rose by 210% to $3.14 [8] Growth Projections - Dave Inc. has raised its 2025 revenue guidance to between $505 million and $515 million, and adjusted EBITDA guidance to between $180 million and $190 million, indicating strong growth expectations [6] Market Performance - As of November 14, the stock has increased approximately 138% year-to-date, reflecting its status as a favorite among momentum investors, despite being below its peak in early July [7]