News

IPO
Panera Brands Plans Confidential IPO in 2024
December 01, 2023

Panera Brands, the casual dining group owned by investment group JAB, has confidentially filed paperwork for an initial public offering (IPO) in the U.S., according to sources familiar with the matter. The Missouri-based group is planning to go public in 2024, signaling a potential revival...

Faster Payments
Five Months in, FedNow Is ‘Doing What It Was Planned to Do’
December 01, 2023

Five months since the FedNow® Service launched, Miriam Sheril, head of product, U.S. at Form3, told PYMNTS, there are some encouraging signs. Although it is early days, “from my point of view, FedNow is doing exactly what it was planned to do,” said Sheril. She...

Retail
Amazon Amps Up AI Efforts, While Walmart Takes a Shoppable Blockbuster Approach
December 01, 2023

This week, eCommerce giant Amazon rolled out a new slew of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, giving brands and retailers a chance to upgrade their customer experiences without breaking the bank. Mega retailer Walmart, on the other hand, is hoping to draw more shoppers with a new blockbuster debut. ...

IPO
FinTech IPO Index Gains 4.3%, Affirm Jumps on BNPL’s Black Friday Popularity   
December 01, 2023

And now, we’re back to the regularly scheduled stock market volatility. The short trading week is behind us, and so is Thanksgiving and Black Friday. And the initial read across is that buy now, pay later (BNPL) was a strong winner as consumers opted for...

Payment Methods
What to Know About the Embedded Finance Opportunity for Software Platforms and Marketplaces
December 01, 2023

Embedded finance has the potential to revolutionize the way software platforms and marketplaces operate. Yet for all its promise, certain barriers stand in the way of broader adoption by Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platforms and marketplaces. Luke Latham, general manager of Australia and New Zealand at Airwallex,...

Mobile Commerce
Microsoft Prepares to Launch Mobile Gaming Store
November 30, 2023

Microsoft is in talks with partners to launch a mobile gaming store that would compete with those of Apple and Google. Phil Spencer, the head of Microsoft’s Xbox video game division, revealed the company’s plans during an interview at the CCXP comics and entertainment convention...

Artificial Intelligence
Can’t Choose the Right AI Model? Amazon Wants to Help
November 30, 2023

For nearly a year, there has been one clear generative artificial intelligence leader: OpenAI. But now, with generative AI technology advancing rapidly — and hastily patched-up cracks showing at Sam Altman’s OpenAI — the marketplace is starting to get chippy. This week, Amazon, which industry...

CFPB
CFPB Handles 20,000 Consumer Complaints Per Week
November 30, 2023

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) sends 20,000 complaints to companies for responses every week. “I am proud of the CFPB’s work in getting consumers the resolutions they deserve, often through referrals from local organizations, Congressional offices and many others,” CFPB Director Rohit Chopra said...

eCommerce
Kroger Takes Short-Term Margin Hit on eCommerce to Drive Long-Term Growth
November 30, 2023

As Kroger continues to drive double-digit digital growth, the grocery giant is accepting a negative impact on profit margins for the time being, betting on its digital transformation to drive long-term loyalty and spending. In the grocer’s third-quarter fiscal 2023 earnings report released Thursday (Nov. 30), the...