Core Insights - Mastercard is evolving from a card-network operator to a comprehensive technology and services platform, with value-added services becoming a significant growth driver [1][9] Value-Added Services - Mastercard's value-added services (VAS) include fraud prevention, cybersecurity, data analytics, loyalty programs, open banking, and identity verification, enhancing efficiency and decision-making for banks, merchants, fintechs, and governments [2] - The net revenues from value-added services rose by 21% year-over-year on a currency-neutral basis in the first nine months of 2025, now accounting for nearly 40% of total revenues, indicating a shift towards revenue diversification [4][9] Artificial Intelligence Integration - Artificial intelligence plays a crucial role in Mastercard's VAS, improving fraud detection, real-time risk assessments, and identity verification, bolstered by the acquisition of Recorded Future for enhanced cyber threat intelligence [3] Competitive Landscape - Competitors like Visa and American Express are also enhancing their value-added services, with Visa focusing on digital identity and fraud prevention, while American Express offers real-time fraud monitoring and merchant analytics [6][7] Stock Performance and Valuation - Over the past year, Mastercard's shares increased by 11.1%, contrasting with a 6.7% decline in the industry [8] - The company trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 29.79, above the industry average of 20.55, and has a Zacks Consensus Estimate indicating a 12.5% growth in earnings for 2025 [10][12]

Group 1 - The author is an electromechanical engineer with experience in automotive, IT infrastructure, and medical device industries, aiming to provide technical breakdowns on company products and share industry experiences [1] - The focus is on delivering insights into current engineering trends and real-world product knowledge, which can benefit investors conducting research [1] - The author identifies as a long-term buy-and-hold investor, seeking investments with strong cash flows and a growing passive income stream or significant R&D investments [1]

Group 1 - Airwallex plans to invest approximately $234.3 million in the Netherlands over the next five years as part of its strategy to expand in Europe, moving away from its traditional focus on the Asia-Pacific region [1][3] - The company aims to increase its staff in Amsterdam by 60%, reaching around 70 full-time employees by the end of 2026 [1] - Airwallex has surpassed $1 billion in annual recurring revenue and is preparing for a potential initial public offering in 2026, although it has not confirmed its listing plans [3] Group 2 - Established in 2015, Airwallex operates a cross-border payments platform that facilitates international transfers, multi-currency accounts, and online payment processing [2] - The firm has raised significant capital, including $300 million in May 2025, which increased its valuation to over $6 billion, followed by a Series G round that secured $330 million at an $8 billion valuation [2] - As of October 2025, Airwallex serves over 150,000 customers, including notable clients like Shein, Bolt, TikTok, and Canva, and competes with European payment providers such as Adyen and Mollie [4]

Core Viewpoint - Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) is recognized as one of the best dividend stocks to invest in for January, reflecting its strong market position and growth potential [1]. Group 1: Financial Performance - Freedom Capital analyst Mikhail Paramonov raised the price target for Mastercard to $655 from $635, maintaining a Hold rating, following strong Q4 results [2]. - Mastercard is experiencing faster growth compared to Visa, despite operating on a smaller scale [2]. Group 2: E-commerce Growth - The steady expansion of e-commerce continues to benefit Mastercard, as both merchants and consumers prefer the convenience and cost efficiencies of online transactions [3]. - Early data from Mastercard SpendingPulse indicates healthy consumer activity during the holiday season, with US retail sales (excluding autos) rising 3.9% year over year from November 1 to December 21 [4]. - E-commerce sales increased by 7.4% during the holiday period, while in-store sales rose by 2.9%, highlighting the trend of blended shopping [4]. Group 3: Company Overview - Mastercard operates as a technology company in the global payments space, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, and governments through its payments network [5].

Additional information regarding the Series A Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock can be found within the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 5, 2025, which can be accessed via the Company's website investors.shift4.com. About Shift4 CENTER VALLEY, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Shift4 Payments, Inc. ("Shift4†or the "Company†) (NYSE: FOUR), announced today, in connection with the 10,000,000 shares of 6% Series A Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock issu ...

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 5, 2026. Registration No. 333-______ UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– FORM F-1 REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Picpay Holdings Netherlands B.V.* (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter) ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The Netherlands 7389 N/A (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or org ...

Key Takeaways V earns from payment volumes as a core payment infrastructure without lending or taking credit risk.V posted 8% year-over-year payment volume growth in FY25 from digital and cross-border use.V is expanding into fraud prevention, analytics, tokenization and real-time payments to diversify revenues.Visa Inc. (V) remains a key player in the digital payments landscape, even as fintech innovations and alternative payment options are on the rise. The main reason lies in the company’s network size an ...

Stablecoin issuer Tether has invested in SQRIL, a payments technology startup that connects banks, ewallets and fintech applications to real-time QR code payment networks. The size of the investment was not revealed. SQRIL plans to use the fresh capital to expedite the development of infrastructure that supports payments powered by stablecoins. The company offers an API-based switch that links into banking networks and digital finance platforms. SQRIL’s technology connects with banks such as Barclays ...

Australian payment firm Airwallex said on Monday it will invest around 200 million euros ($233.64 million) over the next five years in its Netherlands operations, marking a major European expansion as... ...

Core Insights - Visa, ExxonMobil, Oracle, and Netflix are identified as potential investments with the ability to join the $1 trillion market cap club by 2030, appealing to patient investors [2][19] Visa - Visa has a straightforward path to reaching a $1 trillion market cap, supported by high margins, reasonable valuation, and steady earnings growth [4] - In 2025, Visa's non-GAAP earnings per share grew by 14%, indicating strong growth potential that could lead to a market cap exceeding $1 trillion by 2030 [5] - Current market cap stands at $663 billion, with a gross margin of 77.31% and a dividend yield of 0.70% [6][7] ExxonMobil - ExxonMobil needs to double its market cap in five years to surpass $1 trillion, but it has strong fundamentals to achieve this [7] - The company generates significant free cash flow and high earnings, even with oil prices at four-year lows, and has reduced production costs [8] - ExxonMobil's corporate plan forecasts double-digit earnings growth through 2030, with a potential 15% annual growth rate that could double earnings [9][10] Oracle - Oracle nearly reached a $1 trillion market cap but faced a decline due to concerns over AI spending and debt [11] - The company is investing heavily in data center infrastructure to grow its cloud computing market share, with $523 billion in remaining performance obligations indicating high demand [12] - Despite being free cash flow negative, Oracle's aggressive AI investments present a high-risk, high-reward opportunity for investors [13] Netflix - Netflix's market cap has decreased from over $560 billion to under $400 billion due to valuation concerns and uncertainties regarding its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery [14] - The company is expected to grow earnings through global subscriber growth and pricing power, with potential benefits from the acquisition [15][16] - Netflix has demonstrated strong pricing power and effective content spending strategies, positioning it as a likely outperformer over the next five years [17]