在助力国内消费的同时，微信支付在春节假期持续响应国务院关于优化支付服务、提升支付便利性的工 作部署，让境外人士来华消费更加便利。在"外卡内绑"方面，境外用户来华可在微信直接绑定VISA、 Mastercard等7大卡组织的国际信用卡至微信支付，并在中国境内数千万商户扫码消费。为进一步提升用 户体验，微信支付还推出手续费减免活动，单笔交易200元及以下的交易免手续费。"外包内用"上，微 信支付现已支持12个国家地区的29个境外钱包，境外用户来华后可使用钱包APP扫微信支付收款码完成 线下消费。境内、外人士在微信内通过钱包快付使用微众银行（微信支付）数字人民币钱包支付，还有 机会享受随机立减。同时，通过支持部分口岸城市离境退税，微信支付进一步释放了入境旅游市场的消 费潜力。 春节期间，微信支付还积极配合财政部、商务部、税务总局等部门开展的"有奖发票试点"工作。通过微 信"发票助手"与"卡包"能力，微信支付即日起在北京、上海两地实现了在微信支付卡包里摇奖的便捷体 验，让提振消费的政策红利通过数字渠道"秒到账"。此外，微信支付与商务部联合，将在春节前限量推 出"乐购新春"主题红包封面，通过群众喜闻乐见的社交互动方式， ...

Core Insights - Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services like Affirm and Klarna are increasingly popular among consumers, particularly younger demographics, allowing them to make purchases in smaller, often interest-free payments [3][10] - Analysts are divided on the investment potential of Affirm versus Klarna, with some viewing Affirm as a stronger buy due to its lower fees and established profitability [14][18] Industry Overview - The BNPL market is growing as consumers seek flexible payment options, with services allowing payments to be split into smaller amounts without interest, appealing to a wide range of consumers [6][9] - The Federal Reserve indicates that credit card debt in the U.S. has reached $1.28 trillion, highlighting a shift towards alternative payment methods like BNPL [5] Consumer Behavior - Approximately 19% of individuals aged 18 to 29 and 30 to 44 have utilized BNPL services, with late payment rates being notably higher among younger users [10][11] - The financial stability of consumers using BNPL is questioned, as a significant percentage of users report making late payments, indicating potential budgeting risks [11][13] Company Performance - Affirm's CEO reported that a majority of their users are financially stable, with 72% of stable users and 89% of fragile users making multiple BNPL purchases in a year [13] - Affirm is currently priced at $54.26, down 27% year-to-date, while Klarna is trading at $18.34, having experienced a 36% decline year-to-date [17][20] Investment Analysis - Analysts have mixed views on Affirm and Klarna, with some recommending Affirm as a buy due to its profitability and lower fees, while others express caution regarding Klarna's lack of profitability and potential risks [14][19] - Merc Research has a contrarian view on Affirm, suggesting a strong sell position due to anticipated challenges in the UK market and competition in the checkout space [16] Market Dynamics - Both Affirm and Klarna have established relationships with retailers, with Klarna offering cash back for certain merchants, while Affirm has discontinued its cash back rewards program [21]

Core Insights - Both Amazon and MercadoLibre have faced challenges primarily due to their non-e-commerce businesses, impacting their stock price growth over the past year [2][10] - The choice between investing in Amazon or MercadoLibre depends on the investor's risk tolerance [15][16] Amazon - Amazon's cloud computing arm, AWS, is its main profit source, contributing significantly to operating income despite only accounting for 18% of total revenue in 2025 [4] - The company plans to allocate $200 billion to capital expenditures in 2025, following a $132 billion spend in 2025, which has raised concerns among investors [5] - Amazon generated $11 billion in free cash flow in 2025 and has $123 billion in liquidity, allowing it to invest in growth [9] - Amazon's net sales grew by 12% in 2025, and its market cap is approximately $2.25 trillion [11][12] MercadoLibre - MercadoLibre's fintech business, Mercado Pago, has become a key growth driver but is currently facing issues with non-performing loans, with provisions for doubtful accounts increasing by 58% to over $2.1 billion in the first nine months of 2025 [6][10] - The company experienced a revenue surge of 37% in the first nine months of 2025, significantly outpacing Amazon's growth [12] - MercadoLibre's market cap is around $102 billion, allowing for potentially faster growth due to its smaller size [11][13] Investment Considerations - For risk-averse investors, Amazon's liquidity and potential in AI make it a more suitable choice despite high capital expenditures [15] - For those willing to take on higher risks, MercadoLibre may be a better option due to its ability to navigate challenges and its potential for rapid growth [16]

Core Insights - Global private equity and venture capital investments in the fintech sector increased by 43.7% year-over-year, reaching $18.54 billion in 2025, despite a decline in deal volume [2] - The volume of deals in the fintech sector fell by 34.2% from 2024, indicating a shift in investment dynamics [2] Investment Trends - The significant growth in investment value suggests strong investor confidence in the fintech sector, even as the number of deals decreases [2] - The decline in deal volume may reflect a more selective approach by investors, focusing on higher-quality opportunities rather than quantity [2]

Affirm Holdings, Inc. ( AFRM ) has seen great volatility as of late. This is despite the company posting strong results, with the most important being sustained and increasing GAAP profitability. The company’s incremental operating margins are impressive and bolster my view of theJulian Lin is a financial analyst. He finds undervalued companies with secular growth that appreciate over time. His approach is to look for companies with strong balance sheets and management teams in sectors with long growth runw ...

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National shareholder rights law firm Hagens Berman is notifying investors in Klarna Group plc (NYSE: KLAR) of the upcoming February 20, 2026, lead plaintiff deadline in a pending securities class action. The firm is actively investigating the lawsuit’s claims of alleged misstatements in Klarna’s September 2025 Initial Public Offering (IPO) documents. CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR KLARNA LOSSES Investors who purchased Klarna (KLAR) shares pursuant to the company’s ...

Toast stock is testing lower boundaries. Why did TOST hit a new low?Toast Beats Estimates In Q4Q4 Revenue: $1.63 billion, versus estimates of $1.62 billionQ4 EPS: 16 cents, versus estimates of 13 centsAnnualized recurring run-rate (ARR) grew 26% to over $2 billion as of Dec. 31, 2025. Gross Payment Volume (GPV) increased 22% year-over-year to $51.4 billion.Toast said total locations increased 22% year-over-year to approximately 164,000 after adding 30,000 locations in 2025. “We have momentum across the busi ...

New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - February 12, 2026) - WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Klarna Group plc (NYSE: KLAR) pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and related prospectus (collectively, the "Registration Statement") issued in connection with Klarna's September 2025 initial public offering (the "IPO"), of the important February 20, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline in the securities class action first filed by the Firm.SO WH ...

XP Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter 2025 Results-# XP Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter 2025 ResultsShare---SÃO PAULO--([BUSINESS WIRE])--XP Inc. (NASDAQ: XP) ("XP†or the "Company†), a leading tech-enabled platform and a trusted pioneer in providing low-fee financial products and services in Brazil, reported today its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2025.Dear Shareholders,Before reflecting on the year, I would like to thank our clients, investment advisors, employees, and partners for their trust, resili ...

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)---- $BLND #BLND--Blend Labs, Inc. (NYSE: BLND), a leading digital origination platform for banks, credit unions, and mortgage lenders, today announced the expansion of its Verification of Income capability, powered by a partnership with Truework. The company also announced the addition of supplemental asset reports to verify borrower employment during the pre-close verification process, expanding the benefits of its Verification of Assets solution for mortgage lenders. Verific ...