In today’s top news, Ant Group is valued at over $200 billion, and U.K. tech startups have raised almost $8 billion in the first three months of 2021. Plus, Deliveroo aims to raise $1.4 billion in its initial public offering (IPO).
Ant Group’s Valuation Tops $200 Billion
Based on Ant Group’s 2020 numbers, some investors around the world have pegged the Chinese company with a valuation in excess of $200 billion — down from its record valuation of $315 billion before its IPO was pulled by regulators last year.
UK Startups Notch $8 Billion In Three Months
The technology industry in the U.K. has raised almost $8 billion in funding so far this year, following a record-breaking $15 billion in 2020. Five startups had valuations pegged at more than $1 billion in the first three months of this year, which is almost as many as there were in all of last year.
Deliveroo Seeks To Raise $1.4 Billion Through IPO
U.K.-based Deliveroo is gearing up to raise $1.4 billion in a planned IPO of stock. The delivery service, which is backed by Amazon and others, could be valued at around $10 billion after its IPO.
US Retail Investors Get Stimulus Checks, Look To Stock Market
Another check is being sent out, and the question is, again: Will consumers spend or save? Or maybe they’ll invest: Retail investors are expected to put 37 percent of their checks into stocks. Retail investing would likely remain a force in some measure for the foreseeable future.
Data-Driven: Vroom CEO Takes Fast Lane To Car Buying’s Connected Economy
Data and devices are the fuel of the connected economy. And as Vroom CEO Paul Hennessy told Karen Webster, that connected economy is poised to use data and a digital front door to disrupt the way we buy and sell cars — and what we do with them after the deal is done.
Simplicity Defines Success For Cross-Border B2B Marketplaces
B2B marketplaces have seen a massive change as businesses are looking for better, smoother and more digitized ways to initiate and complete payments with each other, especially across borders. Limonetik CEO Christophe Bourbier tells Karen Webster that success will be measured by the same benchmark as B2C payments: simplicity.
eCommerce’s Trillion-Dollar Year Is (Easily) In Sight
Will there be $1 trillion in U.S. eCommerce sales in 2022? We’re well on track to hit that tally amid the great digital shift — and the online buying patterns will stick around long after the pandemic ends. In fact, the nine-zero number estimate, while impressive by any stretch of the imagination, may prove to be a tad conservative.
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