But the fees themselves because of Apple Pay, I tried to buy a h 100 bucks worth of uh Bitcoin and the fee because I had to use Apple Pay was $6.25%. So I got $93.75%. So if you're looking for that and you're outside the United States, might be something for you like GemJim.But if you're in the United States and stuck like me, watch out for those fees because they can be pretty pretty vicious. ...

What happenedSignal Advisors Wealth, LLC reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission that its position in Apple(AAPL -0.59%) increased by 29,843 shares, according to its July 9, 2025, SEC filing. The transaction was valued at $6.04 million, bringing the firm’s total Apple stake to 68,821 shares, worth $14.12 million as of July 10, 2025.What else to knowThe fund increased its Apple position, which now comprises 1.1% of its $1.28 billion in reportable U.S. equity assets as of Q2 2025. The top five hold ...

Core Insights - Mastercard is transforming into a tech-forward payments enabler as physical cards decline in usage, focusing on digital wallets and tokenized payments [1][2] Group 1: Company Strategy - Mastercard is enhancing its Digital Enablement Service and Tokenization services to help banks and fintech securely integrate card details into digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay [2] - The company is engaging in the Buy Now, Pay Later trend and exploring Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and crypto initiatives to remain relevant in a changing landscape [2][8] - By partnering with major tech companies, Mastercard is ensuring its credentials are integrated into digital ecosystems, facilitating tap-to-pay transactions and launching APIs for smoother checkout experiences [3] Group 2: Technology and Security - The focus on cybersecurity, biometric authentication, and AI-powered fraud detection is critical for building trust in the digital payments space [4] - Mastercard's global network and strategic collaborations position it well for a cardless future, emphasizing the need for faster innovation to stay ahead of fintech and tech-native competitors [4] Group 3: Competitive Landscape - Competitors like Visa and PayPal are also advancing in the digital wallet space, with Visa focusing on real-time payments and PayPal enhancing its direct user engagement through its own digital wallet [5][6] Group 4: Financial Performance - Year-to-date, Mastercard's shares have increased by 7%, outperforming the industry's rise of 5.4% [7] - The company trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 32.36, above the industry average of 22.76 [9] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Mastercard's 2025 earnings indicates a growth of 9.5% from the previous year, with recent upward estimate revisions [10]

7 月 11 日消息，消息源 @Jukanlosreve 昨日（7 月 10 日）在 X 平台发布推文，报告称苹果已批准京东 方的屏幕面板量产资质，供应 iPhone 17 Pro 和 iPhone 17 Pro Max 屏幕，不过所装配后的 iPhone 仅限 中国国内市场。 消息源还透露，苹果有望在今年 7 月批准京东方的显示模组（DISPLAY MODULE）量产资质。 NEWS ◆ 苹果新动向 消息称京东方获批量产 iPhone 17 Pro / Max 屏幕，仅供国内市场 曾于今年 6 月报道，市场调查机构 UBI Research 认为东方已建成年产 1 亿片苹果 iPhone OLED 屏幕产 能体系，今年实际 OLED 出货量预估为 4500 万片。 该机构预估京东方 2025 年上半年 iPhone OLED 的出货量约为 2100 万部，较去年同期的 1860 万部增长 了 13%，预计 2025 下半年出货量为 2400 万部。（新闻来源：IT之家） 7 月 11 日消息，苹果与美国心脏协会以及哈佛医学院附属布莱根妇女医院合作的最新研究表明，用户 行为数据（活动量、睡眠、运动等）可能比心 ...

Core Viewpoint - Apple, Visa, and Mastercard achieved a legal victory in an antitrust lawsuit, with a federal judge dismissing the case due to insufficient evidence from the plaintiffs [2][3]. Group 1: Legal Proceedings - U.S. District Judge David Dugan ruled that the merchants did not provide adequate evidence to support their claims against Apple for not launching a competing payment network [2]. - The judge allowed the plaintiffs to amend their lawsuit to strengthen their claims, despite finding their initial allegations to be circumstantial [3]. - The defendants, Apple, Visa, and Mastercard, denied any wrongdoing and sought dismissal of the lawsuit [3]. Group 2: Allegations and Defense - The lawsuit, filed in 2023, accused Apple of conspiring with Visa and Mastercard to avoid competition, claiming that Visa and Mastercard paid Apple a significant portion of transaction fees for purchases made using Apple Pay [4]. - The plaintiffs alleged that these payments constituted a "very large and ongoing cash bribe" amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars annually [5]. - Apple contended that the complaint did not demonstrate any intention to enter the payments network market to compete with Visa or Mastercard [5]. Group 3: Industry Context - The ruling comes at a time when mobile wallets are increasingly influencing consumer in-store transactions globally, accounting for 21% of all in-store transactions, reflecting a 10.9% increase since 2022 [6].

Core Insights - Apple has faced challenges in the Chinese market due to competition from Huawei and Xiaomi, with iPhone sales declining by 2.3% year-over-year in Q2 of fiscal 2025 [1] - Recent data indicates a recovery for Apple, with over 8% year-over-year growth in iPhone sales from April 1 to June 22, attributed to strong promotions for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max [2] - The U.S. tariffs on China are expected to negatively impact Apple's supply chain, with an estimated cost of $900 million in Q3 of fiscal 2025 [3] Sales and Market Performance - Apple has recorded its first growth in China since Q2 of 2023, driven by effective marketing strategies for the iPhone 16 series [2][9] - Huawei continues to lead the market with over 12% year-over-year growth [2] - Apple's Services revenue grew by 11.6% year-over-year in fiscal Q2, supported by a growing subscriber base across its services [7][9] Product and Feature Developments - Apple Intelligence features are being expanded, with new language support and functionalities aimed at enhancing user experience and driving sales [4][5] - New features in Apple Music and Apple Wallet are expected to further boost Services revenue [6] Financial Metrics and Stock Performance - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Apple's fiscal 2025 earnings remains steady at $7.11 per share, indicating a 5.33% growth from fiscal 2024 [8] - Apple shares have declined by 9.9% year-to-date, underperforming compared to peers like Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet [10] - Apple's current valuation shows a forward Price/Sales ratio of 7.51X, higher than the sector average of 6.57X [13] Conclusion - Despite the growth in Services, the performance of Apple Intelligence poses challenges for the product business, particularly in the competitive Chinese market [19]

Core Viewpoint - Elon Musk has expressed a desire to replicate WeChat's comprehensive functionality in his new messaging platform, XChat, which includes features like encryption, self-destructing messages, and file sharing capabilities [1][3]. Group 1: Product Features - XChat is currently in beta testing and aims to provide encryption, message self-destruction, and support for various file types, as well as audio and video calls [1][3]. - The platform's primary goal is to become the second-largest encrypted messaging service after Telegram, focusing on "active privacy control" [8]. Group 2: Competitive Landscape - XChat faces significant competition from established platforms such as Facebook, Telegram, WhatsApp, and WeChat, each with unique strengths and large user bases [3][4]. - Facebook, with its extensive social media ecosystem, and WhatsApp, boasting 3 billion monthly active users, present formidable challenges for XChat in attracting users [6]. - Telegram is known for its strong encryption and user-friendly experience, appealing to privacy-conscious users, which adds to the competitive pressure on XChat [6][10]. Group 3: Technical Aspects - XChat employs Bitcoin-like encryption technology, utilizing public and private keys to secure communications, ensuring that only intended recipients can access messages [8][10]. - The encryption methods include elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) and hashing algorithms, which are essential for maintaining the confidentiality of messages and files [10]. Group 4: Market Challenges - Implementing payment functionalities within XChat may prove difficult due to the established payment systems in the U.S. and user habits, as many users prefer using existing services like Apple Pay and PayPal [11][12]. - The challenge of integrating multiple functionalities (social, payment, e-commerce) into a single app is significant, as users in the U.S. are accustomed to using different apps for different needs [12].

Key Takeaways Amazon is enhancing its subscription services to deepen engagement and customer loyalty. Prime Day 2025 is central to AMZN's strategy with exclusive deals and early access for members. AMZN faces rising competition from Walmart and Apple's bundled digital service offerings.Amazon’s (AMZN) subscription services continue to deliver steady benefits to the company by increasing customer engagement and loyalty across its ecosystem. The segment includes Prime memberships, audiobooks, digital video ...

Core Insights - The report titled "Saudi Arabia Cards and Payments: Opportunities and Risks to 2029" provides a comprehensive analysis of the Saudi cards and payments industry, focusing on market trends, performance indicators, and competitive landscape [1][2][3]. Market Overview - The report covers current and forecast values for various markets within the Saudi cards and payments industry, including debit, credit, and charge cards [6]. - It includes detailed insights into payment instruments such as cash, card, credit transfer, direct debits, and cheques, along with an overview of alternative payment instruments [6]. - The competitive landscape is analyzed, detailing market shares of issuers and schemes [2][4]. Payment Instruments - The report provides a thorough analysis of payment instruments, highlighting the growth of contactless payments driven by the mada POS-supporting NFC payments and the introduction of Apple Pay's Express Transit mode for public transport [7]. - The adoption of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) solutions is increasing, with significant funding raised by BNPL firms like Tabby, which secured SAR 600 million ($160 million) in February 2025 [7]. Ecommerce Payments - The report discusses the government's initiatives to support ecommerce growth, including the organization of E-commerce Week by the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Monsha'at) to promote ecommerce among entrepreneurs [7]. Regulatory Environment - Detailed regulatory policies and recent changes in the regulatory structure governing the Saudi cards and payments industry are covered, providing insights into the market drivers and regulations [3][6].

Group 1: Apple - Apple faces challenges due to potential tariffs from China, which could increase costs and reduce margins and earnings [3] - The company generated significant free cash flow of $98.5 billion over the trailing-12-month period, allowing for production shifts and domestic manufacturing enhancements [4] - Apple's strong brand name enables it to pass on higher manufacturing costs to consumers without losing market share [5] - The services segment, with over 2 billion devices and more than 1 billion paid subscriptions, is a key growth area that generates higher margins than hardware [6] - Apple is investing in fintech initiatives like Apple Pay, which are expected to yield returns in the future [7] - Despite a 19% decline in shares this year, Apple remains attractive for long-term growth investors due to its competitive advantages and culture of innovation [8] Group 2: Amgen - Amgen is pursuing new blockbuster medicines, but faced a setback with its weight management drug MariTide in a phase 2 clinical trial [9] - MariTide showed an average weight loss of about 20% after 52 weeks, with a convenient monthly dosing schedule that could appeal to patients [10] - The company reported a 9% year-over-year revenue growth to $8.1 billion in the first quarter, with adjusted earnings per share rising 24% to $4.90 [11] - Amgen has a robust pipeline with several dozen programs that are expected to lead to new approvals and label expansions [12] - The company has increased its dividend by 750% since initiating payouts in 2011, with a current forward yield of over 3.4% [12] - Despite recent underperformance, Amgen's solid underlying business could provide strong returns and consistent dividend growth for long-term investors [13]