Revolut seeks US banking license as fintech eyes expansion (3 minute read)
Revolut has applied for a US national banking license to operate as Revolut Bank US, N.A., which would allow it to access Federal Reserve payment systems, accept insured deposits, and offer credit products directly rather than relying on partner banks. The fintech, valued at $75B, is investing $500M in US expansion and has hired former VISA executive Cetin Duransoy to lead the region. The move reflects a broader trend of global fintechs seeking US bank charters as regulatory conditions shift and competition intensifies. |
Robinhood launches $695 Platinum card to compete with Amex (2 minute read)
Robinhood unveiled a $695 annual fee "actual" Platinum credit card aimed at affluent customers, offering perks like 5% cash back on dining, 10% on hotels and rental cars, a $250 DoorDash credit, and autonomous vehicle ride credits. The move expands Robinhood beyond trading into full financial services as it targets high-spending users who outgrew its Gold card. The company is also rolling out family investing features, custodial accounts, and trust accounts to deepen its role as a primary financial platform. |
New York preps BNPL rules (1 minute read)
New York regulators are moving to establish a formal licensing and supervision regime for buy now, pay later providers operating in the state. The proposal introduces requirements such as clear disclosures, dispute resolution standards, limits on fees, and stronger data privacy protections to better safeguard consumers using short-term installment loans. The move follows the federal government stepping back from earlier plans to regulate pay-in-four products like credit cards, positioning New York to set the pace for state-level BNPL oversight. |
Klarna and Stripe team up to bring BNPL payments to AI agents (2 minute read)
Klarna is partnering with Stripe to make buy now, pay later options available in purchases initiated by AI shopping agents. The integration relies on Stripe's Shared Payment Tokens, which allow agents to complete transactions using a customer's preferred payment method without accessing their actual card details. |
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FloQast: How AI transforms accounting & finance functions (4 minute read)
FloQast is expanding from a month-end close tool into a broader accounting automation platform, enabling finance teams to build AI agents that execute repetitive workflows like reconciliations and operational tasks. CEO Mike Whitmire says the push is driven by a growing accounting talent shortage and increasing CFO expectations, making automation critical for finance teams. The company's approach emphasizes auditability and human oversight, positioning accountants as supervisors of AI systems rather than manual data processors. |
Agents will use cards first. Then stablecoins (10 minute read)
There's an assumption in tech that AI agents will prefer stablecoins to cards, and the card networks will suffer. A few weeks ago, a piece from Citrini Research arguing stablecoins would disintermediate Visa and Mastercard sent card stocks down sharply. Crypto Twitter cheered. The thesis felt clean: AI agents optimize every transaction, interchange is a tax, stablecoins route around it. Intuitively appealing. Mostly wrong. Agents will absolutely use cards. And stablecoins. And other payment methods. Because stablecoins don't replace what cards do. Cards authorize the movement of money. Stablecoins move money. Complementary. Not competitive. The question isn't which one wins. It's when each is the right tool for the specific job and at the right time. |
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How Balyasny built an AI research engine for investing (5 minute read)
Balyasny Asset Management built a centralized AI investment research platform used by ~95% of its 180 investment teams to analyze massive volumes of financial data and accelerate decision-making. The system combines GPT-5.4 reasoning models, internal models, and agent workflows to synthesize filings, broker research, and market data—cutting research tasks from days to hours. Key lessons include rigorous model evaluation before deployment, embedding AI directly into analyst workflows with feedback loops, and using a centralized AI platform that teams can customize for different investment strategies. |
Stripe wants to turn your AI costs into a profit center (3 minute read)
Stripe has introduced a billing feature that lets AI startups automatically pass through LLM token costs to customers with a configurable markup, allowing companies to maintain consistent margins across model providers like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. The system tracks model pricing, records customer token usage, and applies a preset margin (e.g., 30%) automatically. The move addresses a growing challenge for agentic AI startups, where heavy usage can quickly erode margins due to underlying model costs. |
Mastercard unveils trust layer for agentic commerce (3 minute read)
Mastercard is introducing a new infrastructure layer designed to verify and record what consumers authorize when AI agents make purchases on their behalf. The system, called Verifiable Intent, creates a tamper-resistant record of user approval and provides cryptographic proof that a transaction was legitimately authorized. Built on open standards and backed by partners including Google, IBM, and Checkout.com, the framework aims to establish trust and accountability as autonomous AI-driven commerce becomes more common. |
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Affirm pursues affluent consumers (2 minute read)
Affirm is increasingly targeting prime and super-prime borrowers through 0% interest installment loan promotions, which attract higher-income shoppers with stronger credit profiles. The company says these customers drive stronger retention and repeat usage, with roughly 80% of users returning after trying a zero-interest loan. The strategy helps AFFIRM expand beyond BNPL's traditional lower-income base while still generating revenue through merchant fees and interest-bearing loans. |
Stripe valued at $159 billion after tender offer for employees, shareholders (3 minute read)
Stripe reached a $159 billion valuation after launching a tender offer that allows employees and early shareholders to sell some of their holdings. The payments giant processed $1.9 trillion in volume in 2025, up 34% year over year, and says demand from large enterprises and fast-growing AI startups is accelerating its business. Despite investor speculation, leadership says a public listing isn't imminent, with president John Collison noting that going public isn't "one of our top five or ten or twenty priorities." |
Polymarket saw $529M traded on bets tied to bombing of Iran (3 minute read)
Prediction market Polymarket processed massive trading activity tied to speculation around a potential US and Israeli strike on Iran. Data shows roughly $529 million in bets were placed on contracts predicting when an attack might occur, with blockchain analysis suggesting six newly created accounts collectively earned about $1 million after correctly wagering the strike would happen by February 28. The activity has sparked concerns that geopolitical prediction markets could enable insiders with early information to profit from sensitive global events. |
Morgan Stanley to axe 2,500 staff across divisions (2 minute read)
Morgan Stanley is cutting roughly 2,500 employees, about 3% of its workforce, across investment banking, wealth management, and investment management as it adjusts its strategy. The move reflects a broader shift across global finance as banks restructure operations and invest more heavily in technology and automation. The bank itself has projected that AI and digitalization could drive up to 30% efficiency gains, potentially eliminating around 200,000 banking jobs in Europe by 2030. |
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