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Curated industry news and original merchant playbooks.
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furniture
The Waterfall Effect: How to Approve 90% of Your Furniture Shoppers
Stop losing sales to credit rejections by linking primary, secondary, and tertiary lenders into a single, seamless financing flow.
Curated
general
industry-news
Wells Fargo Retail Banking Executive Lisa Stevens to Depart - WSJ
The departure of Wells Fargo’s retail lead could signal a strategic shift for one of the nation’s largest providers of merchant financing programs.
Curated
automotive
merchant-playbooks
Customer Financing Options for Tire Dealers - Tire Review Magazine
Learn how tire dealers are using multi-lender financing waterfalls to increase average repair orders and build customer loyalty.
Curated
general
lender-updates
Katapult Appoints Nancy Walsh as CFO - citybiz
Katapult taps retail veteran Nancy Walsh as CFO, signaling a strategic focus on merchant-aligned growth for the lease-to-own provider.
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general
technology
LendingClub’s AI-driven underwriting model yields 40% fewer delinquencies - FinAi News
LendingClub's AI underwriting sees a 40% drop in late payments, paving the way for more accurate and stable consumer loan approvals.
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medical
lender-updates
PatientFi Expands Partnership With LaserAway - American Spa
LaserAway expands its use of PatientFi to make premium aesthetic treatments more affordable through integrated patient financing.
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home-improvement
lender-updates
PowerPay secures $60m in corporate bond funding to accelerate FinTech growth - FinTech Global
PowerPay injects $60 million into its platform, reinforcing its ability to fund large-scale home improvement projects and medical procedures.
Curated
general
industry-news
Snap Finance: Matt Hawkins' founder story - Utah Business
A look at the origins of Snap Finance highlights the massive retail opportunity in serving credit-challenged consumers through lease-to-own models.
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automotive
industry-news
Expanded auto repair financing options gain traction - Automotive News
New auto repair financing tools are helping service centers close more deals as vehicle owners struggle with rising maintenance costs.
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furniture
industry-news
Rent-A-Center agrees to acquire Acima Holdings for $1.27 billion cash - Furniture Today
Rent-A-Center’s $1.27B deal to buy Acima signals a new era of dominance in virtual lease-to-own options for furniture retailers.
Curated
automotive
lender-updates
DigniFi and Dealer Pay, LLC Join Forces to Transform Dealership Consumer Financing and Modern Payment Solutions - Business Wire
DigniFi and Dealer Pay integrate financing into dealership point-of-sale systems to speed up approvals and boost service department sales.
Curated
automotive
lender-updates
FinTech Leader DigniFi Bolsters Its C-Suite, Appointing Mariana Coontz as Chief Financial Officer and Kristy Nordmann as Chief People Officer - Business Wire
DigniFi strengthens its leadership team with new CFO and CPO appointments, signaling growth and stability for automotive repair financing.
Curated
home-improvement
lender-updates
Fortiva gives consumers a ‘second look’ - Floor Covering Weekly
Fortiva Retail Credit offers second-look financing solutions to help home improvement retailers approve more customers and increase transaction volume.
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general
lender-updates
Kafene said to raise $14m to offer flexible payments and protect customers from debt - FinTech Global
Lease-to-own provider Kafene secures $14M to expand flexible payment options for credit-challenged consumers at the point of sale.
Curated
home-improvement
lender-updates
LendingClub Tests Home Improvement Loans As New Earnings Growth Lever - Yahoo Finance
Digital banking giant LendingClub enters the home improvement market, targeting high-ticket residential projects with new financing products.
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general
lender-updates
Here's Why Katapult Holdings Stock Is Skyrocketing Today - The Motley Fool
Katapult’s strong earnings signal a comeback for lease-to-own, offering retailers a reliable way to capture non-prime consumer spending.
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general
industry-news
LendingClub becomes first fintech to buy a US regulated bank - FinTech Futures
LendingClub’s acquisition of Radius Bank creates a more stable, lower-cost financing partner for merchants and their customers.
Curated
general
technology
Finastra Sells Core Banking Business to Focus on Payments and Lending
Finastra pivots its strategy to focus on lending and payments, signaling more innovative financing tools for merchants on the horizon.
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general
regulation
Leaked EU Proposal Plans Regulatory Relief for Banks
A leaked EU proposal aims to cut red tape for cross-border banking, potentially simplifying financing for multi-national retailers.
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general
technology
NatWest CEO Says AI Will Take Over Some Existing Banking Roles
NatWest's move toward AI-driven banking signals a future of faster, automated consumer credit decisions and streamlined financing workflows.
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general
technology
Instacart Reports Agentic AI Assistant Drives Bigger Grocery Orders
Instacart’s new AI assistant is boosting basket sizes, signaling a growing need for integrated point-of-sale financing as digital carts get heavier.
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general
technology
Eltropy expands agentic AI certification
Community banks and credit unions are speeding up AI adoption, potentially leading to faster loan approvals and automated customer support for your buyers.
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general
technology
NatWest CEO Thwaite says AI will take some banking jobs
NatWest CEO predicts AI-driven role shifts, signaling a move toward faster, more automated consumer lending processes.
Curated
general
technology
The risk for banks as embedded payments take off
As payments become invisible parts of business software, merchants must choose tech-forward partners to avoid losing customers to friction.
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general
technology
Elavon expands all-in-one payments platform across North America
Elavon unifies in-store and online payments under one platform to help retailers simplify checkouts and streamline operations.
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general
technology
Franklin raises funds to bring agentic finance to e-commerce firms
Franklin secures €1.6M to automate financial management and capital access for online retailers using AI agents.
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general
technology
Repay completes stablecoin payments proof of concept
REPAY's successful stablecoin test signals a shift toward faster, blockchain-based settlement for merchants and lenders.
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general
technology
Deutsche Bank exec lauds AI impact on project times
Deutsche Bank reports AI is slashing project timelines, signaling faster tech rollouts and improved digital tools for merchant financing partners.
Curated
general
technology
'Stop prompting, start delegating': Anthropic exec to banks
Anthropic executives signal a shift toward autonomous AI agents that could automate complex business tasks and speed up consumer lending workflows.
Curated
medical
technology
Healthcare AI Has Left the Lab. Now Comes the Hard Part.
AI is transforming healthcare from clinical diagnostics to administrative workflows, requiring operators to focus on data security and integration.
Curated
general
technology
Consumers Want AI to Shop With Them, Not for Them
New research shows consumers want AI to help them find and finance products, but they still want total control over the final buy button.
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general
technology
53% of Businesses Plan RTP Adoption as Payment Habits Shift
Real-time payments are reaching a tipping point, promising merchants instant access to funds from financed sales.
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general
regulation
House Bill Would Give Banks Time to Investigate Suspicious Checks
New federal bill seeks to curb payment fraud by allowing banks to place longer holds on suspicious checks and wire transfers.
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general
technology
Deutsche Bank Points to Proven Returns on AI Investments
Deutsche Bank's AI breakthroughs signal a future of faster credit approvals and more efficient financing tools for retail operators.
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general
industry-news
Deluxe agrees $625m acquisition of payment processor Celero
Checkbook giant Deluxe acquires Celero Commerce for $625 million to bolster merchant payment and financing capabilities for small businesses.
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general
regulation
Reform leader Farage urges BofE to drop Britcoin plans
Increased political pushback against the 'Britcoin' digital pound could stall the future of state-backed UK digital payment systems.
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general
regulation
Banking Groups Push to Reduce Basel Proposal Capital Charges
Banking groups warn that new capital rules could restrict consumer credit, potentially making it harder for your customers to finance large purchases.
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general
technology
AI and Digital Money’s Next Test is Proving Their Business Case
Tech providers are struggling to price AI and digital payment tools, leaving retailers to weigh innovation against unpredictable costs.
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general
regulation
FDIC floats counting discount window borrowing toward liquidity
New FDIC proposals could stabilize the credit market by allowing lenders to use Fed borrowing to meet regulatory cash requirements.
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general
industry-news
Nordic Capital acquires Liberis to merge with Qred to create SMB finance platform
Nordic Capital merges Liberis and Qred to scale embedded finance solutions for small business operators.
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general
technology
What BILL Holdings gets from the JPMorgan Wallet
BILL partners with JPMorgan to upgrade its payment infrastructure, promising faster and more accurate financial tracking for business card users.
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general
technology
Alchemy Teams With Visa on AI Agent Payment Stack
Visa and Alchemy launch 'AgentCard,' enabling AI assistants to independently handle payments and online shopping for consumers.
Curated
medical
technology
Zelis Picks AWS to Automate Healthcare Pricing and Payments
Zelis taps AWS AI tools to modernize healthcare payments and pricing, promising a smoother financial experience for medical providers and patients.
Curated
general
technology
How the World Cup showcases payment tech
Global events are fast-tracking biometric payments and frictionless financing, setting new standards for everyday retail checkouts.
Curated
general
regulation
Treasury, agencies propose KYC rule for stablecoin issuers
New federal proposal clarifies identity rules for stablecoin issuers, lowering compliance hurdles for future digital payment adoption.
Curated
automotive
industry-news
Big Deals, Big Consequences: How some deals went very wrong
A cautionary tale of how a single dealership's collapse triggered a $40 million lender bankruptcy and industry-wide fallout.
Curated
general
technology
FedNow Cross-Border Plan Tests Real-Time Payments Infrastructure
The Federal Reserve's new proposal for cross-border FedNow access aims to bring instant settlement to international transactions and global supply chains.
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general
regulation
Banks have 'commitment' issues with the new Basel proposal
New banking regulations may hike costs for merchant credit lines by changing how banks calculate risk on undrawn loans.
Curated
home-improvement
industry-news
Bed Bath & Beyond to acquire real estate platform for $53M
Bed Bath & Beyond moves upstream into home financing and real estate to capture consumers at the start of the home-buying journey.
Curated
general
industry-news
Santander-Webster deal gets OCC approval
Santander's acquisition of Webster Bank gains regulatory steam, signaling a potential shift in the consumer lending landscape.
Curated
general
industry-news
Deluxe makes $625M acquisition
Deluxe pivots toward a digital-first future by acquiring payments processor Celero for $625 million.
Curated
general
regulation
What early mortgage feedback has been like for Basel
Proposed Basel III capital rules could tighten consumer credit markets by increasing costs for the non-bank lenders that retailers rely on.
Curated
general
industry-news
Lenders ramp up scam defenses to confront elder fraud
Lenders are increasing scrutiny and fraud detection for senior citizens, potentially adding friction to high-ticket point-of-sale financing.
Curated
general
technology
Lenders ramp up scam defenses
Lenders are rolling out advanced AI tools to stop fraudulent payments, which may add new verification steps to your customer's checkout experience.
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general
technology
GoCardless partners Intelligent Billing to automate billing-to-cash cycle for telecoms and MSPs
GoCardless and Intelligent Billing integrate to automate recurring payment collection and reduce manual administrative work for service-based businesses.
Curated
general
technology
Tru Cooperative Bank selects DataVisor for fraud prevention
Tru Cooperative Bank adopts AI-powered fraud prevention to secure member transactions and streamline real-time risk management.
Curated
general
industry-news
Three regional banks, three different layers of the financial stack
See how Citizens, Truist, and KeyBank are evolving to power the next generation of merchant-led consumer financing and embedded credit.
Curated
general
technology
The customer authentication gap banks can't afford to ignore
Digital security hurdles are blocking disabled customers from financing; fixing the 'authentication gap' is key to maintaining high conversion rates.
Curated
general
technology
Has AI Impact Accelerated Beyond Expectation?
AI is transforming consumer lending faster than expected, moving from simple automation to advanced 'digital teammates' for customer support.
Curated
general
technology
Sumsub launches new suite of AI agent skills
Sumsub's new AI agents aim to automate customer verification, helping retailers approve financing faster while reducing fraud risks.
Curated
general
industry-news
Mollie commits €350 million to European expansion
Mollie goes all-in on Europe with a €350 million expansion, offering retailers easier access to cross-border payments and merchant capital.
Curated
general
industry-news
JPMorgan, BofA, others challenge the BNPL space
Big banks like Chase and BofA are launching installment payment tools to challenge BNPL giants like Affirm and Klarna.
Curated
general
regulation
CFPB, Fincen guidance casts a pall over ITIN lending
New federal guidance on ITIN verification could lead to tighter credit boxes and lower approval rates for non-SSN consumer applicants.
Curated
general
technology
NymCard launches nCore FullStack
NymCard’s new all-in-one platform simplifies how businesses launch, manage, and scale consumer lending and payment programs.
Curated
general
technology
Microsoft picks Checkout.com for Emea Xbox digital payments
Microsoft transitions Xbox digital payments in EMEA to Checkout.com to boost authorization rates and streamline the customer experience.
Curated
general
technology
PYMNTS Panel Concludes Credit Unions Face an AI Trust Test
Local lenders are racing to adopt AI to speed up consumer credit, but maintaining the 'human touch' remains a critical hurdle for customer trust.
Curated
general
technology
Just 30% of Financial Firms Use AI for Customer Retention
Most lenders use AI to stop fraud, but few use it to help merchants keep customers coming back for more.
Curated
general
merchant-playbooks
87% of Merchants Say Checkout Still Falls Short
New data shows 87% of retailers are failing at checkout, highlighting an urgent need for better integrated financing and smoother payment flows.
Curated
general
technology
Stripe and AWS enable AI agent payments for content owners and publishers
Stripe and AWS bridge the gap between AI bots and digital payments, allowing businesses to monetize automated data access.
Curated
general
industry-news
PayPal winds down venture unit
PayPal shutters its VC arm to focus on core checkout and Buy Now, Pay Later features for merchants.
Curated
general
industry-news
Santander Gets OCC Nod to Fold In Webster Bank
Santander’s acquisition of Webster Bank nears completion, signaling a potential expansion of consumer financing resources for retailers.
Curated
general
technology
Visa and Mastercard Put Tokens in Charge of AI Commerce
Visa and Mastercard are upgrading tokenization tech to allow AI assistants to securely handle consumer purchases and financing.
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general
industry-news
PayPal Weighs Shutdown of Venture Capital Arm in Corporate Overhaul
PayPal scales back venture capital investments to prioritize core payment products and consumer financing tools.
Curated
general
regulation
'We have a task force for that': Welcome to the Fed's Warsh era
Chairman Warsh's new Fed strategy ends predictable rate guidance, signaling a more volatile but potentially less regulated climate for consumer lenders.
Curated
general
regulation
Industry and consumer groups pan Illinois' potential BNPL law
Illinois is set to become the second state to regulate BNPL, forcing lenders and retailers to brace for stricter disclosure and compliance rules.
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general
regulation
Banks can share fraud data in real time, FinCEN says
New FinCEN guidance makes it easier for lenders to share real-time fraud data, helping protect merchants from application scams.
Curated
general
technology
Tracking digital payments skids
Electronic payments are faster than ever, but the challenge for retailers is ensuring the data and accountability keep up with the money.
Curated
general
regulation
Lawmakers Push FinCEN to Focus on Serious Financial Crime
Lawmakers urge FinCEN to cut regulatory red tape, potentially streamlining the point-of-sale credit application process for retailers.
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general
industry-news
PayPal's shake-up reaches its investment unit
PayPal evaluates its venture capital arm as the company pivots to focus on core payment processing and merchant credit profitability.
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general
industry-news
Karta Raises $140 Million for Credit-Invisible Travelers’ Card
Karta secures $140M to expand credit access for 'invisible' consumers through alternative data and lifestyle-focused financing.
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general
industry-news
Santander scores OCC approval on pending Webster acquisition
Santander's acquisition of Webster Financial’s equipment unit gets a green light from the OCC, signaling further consolidation in the lending space.
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general
regulation
CFTC Seeks Industry Input to Unlock FinTech Innovation
New federal effort aims to slash red tape, making it easier for fintech lenders to partner with banks and launch new financing tools.
Curated
general
lender-updates
Milestone Capital Partners Issues $11.5 Million of Corporate Notes
Milestone Capital Partners secures $11.5M in funding to boost loan originations and support platform growth for merchants.
Curated
automotive
industry-news
CarMax Revenues Climb as CEO Calls for Digital Tune-Up
CarMax hits $8B in revenue as it prioritizes digital-first financing tools to combat high interest rates and drive sales.
Curated
general
regulation
EBAday 2026: Regulation and consumer experience are driving Europe’s future of payments
New European regulations are set to streamline instant payments and tighten oversight on embedded retail financing strategies.
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general
industry-news
Banks bring BNPL rivalry
Traditional banks are challenging fintech giants by launching their own BNPL tools, offering retailers more stable and trusted financing options.
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general
industry-news
UAE grants Revolut two full payments licences
Global fintech giant Revolut secures UAE licenses, signaling a major expansion of digital payment and financing competition in the Middle East.
Curated
general
technology
EBAday 2026: ISO 20022 and the evolving global payments ecosystem
New global payment standards are set to streamline consumer financing by attaching richer data to every transaction.
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general
industry-news
Barclays to buy kid-focused financial literacy app GoHenry
Barclays acquires GoHenry’s EU business, signaling a move by major lenders to capture Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers through early financial literacy tools.
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general
lender-updates
Chetwood Bank launches wholesale banking division
Chetwood Bank's new wholesale division ready to pump liquidity into the lending ecosystem, supporting point-of-sale finance providers.
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general
industry-news
Zilch appoints Microsoft Emea chief Clare Barclay to board
Zilch adds Microsoft EMEA chief Clare Barclay to its board, signaling a massive push into AI-driven consumer financing and future market expansion.
Curated
general
lender-updates
BBVA issues first credit card in Germany
BBVA enters the German market with a digital-first Mastercard, signaling increased competition and new credit options for European consumers.
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general
industry-news
Klarna embeds in Bolt mobility app
Klarna moves into ride-hailing through a Bolt partnership, signaling the expansion of BNPL into daily transportation and delivery services.
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general
regulation
Proposed CAMELS changes would ignore time-tested warning signs
Proposed shifts in bank health ratings could lead to less stable lending partners and sudden shifts in consumer credit availability.
Curated
general
technology
The 3-Min Read: The two systems Coinbase is building for an agent-driven financial ecosystem
Coinbase shifts toward asset-backed credit and AI-driven payments, signaling a move away from traditional consumer credit underwriting.
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general
technology
EBAday 2026: Rebuilding the payments landscape
Expert panels highlight how embedded finance and real-time payments are removing friction from the consumer credit journey.
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general
technology
Nopan becomes Principal Member of EPI
European digital wallet Wero expands its ecosystem, signaling a future shift toward account-to-account retail payments and reduced card network reliance.
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general
technology
HSBC targets $100 million gain in AI deal with Google Cloud
HSBC partners with Google Cloud to deploy enterprise-grade AI, aiming to accelerate credit decisions and streamline digital lending.
Curated
general
regulation
Asic introduces checks for imposter websites
New ASIC verification tools help merchants confirm the legitimacy of financial partners and avoid imposter fintech scams.
Curated
general
technology
'Bank in a Box' technology vendor Monument raises £18 million
Monument Technology secures £18M to scale its cloud-native banking platform, promising more agile tech for lenders and financing providers.