A new evaluation led by LatticeFlow AI, in collaboration with SambaNova, provides the first quantifiable evidence that open-source GenAI models, when equipped with proper risk guardrails, can meet or exceed the security levels of closed models, making them suitable for implementation in a wide range of use cases, including highly-regulated industries such as financial services. The security scores of the open models jumped from as low as 1.8% to 99.6%, while maintaining above 98% quality of service, demonstrating that with the right controls, open models are viable for secure, enterprise-scale deployment. Many companies are actively exploring open-source GenAI to gain flexibility, reduce vendor lock-in, and accelerate innovation. But despite growing interest, adoption has often stalled. The reason: a lack of clear, quantifiable insights into model security and risk. The evaluations released today address that gap, providing the technical evidence needed to make informed decisions about whether and how to deploy open-source models securely. Key results: DeepSeek R1: from 1.8% to 98.6%; LLaMA-4 Maverick: from 33.5% to 99.4%; LLaMA-3.3 70B Instruct: from 51.8% to 99.4%; Qwen3-32B: security score increased from 56.3% to 99.6%; DeepSeek V3: from 61.3% to 99.4%. All models maintained over 98% quality of service, confirming that security gains did not compromise user experience.
FIS bolsters account origination offering by acquiring Amount- cloud-native, unified solution with embedded AI functionality simplifies the online account opening experience
FIS has completed its acquisition of Amount, a provider of unified digital banking origination and decisioning experiences for financial institutions of all types and sizes. With more than 150 million new account applications processed, Amount provides a best-in-class digital account opening experience for consumers and small businesses across lending, cards and deposits. Its cloud-native, unified solution with embedded AI functionality simplifies the online account opening experience for banks, lenders and credit unions, providing customers with a seamless, digital-first capability. With the addition of Amount, FIS strategically expands its portfolio of innovative solutions that support the world’s money lifecycle, encompassing when money is at rest, in motion and at work. At Rest: Simplifies account opening with secure processes that reduce fraud and ensure compliance; In Motion: Streamlines credit card issuance and payments with faster approvals and seamless customer journeys; At Work: Empowers institutions with tools to boost efficiency, expand offerings, streamline lending and deliver exceptional service. The Amount platform, integrated into FIS digital, core banking and card systems, will help FIS clients grow deposits, loans and card portfolios efficiently and securely.
GoDocs launches SBA Loan Docs automation eliminating 70% processing time overhead for 7(a) and 504 loans; while ensuring real-time regulatory updates and built-in compliance logic
GoDocs, announced the availability of GoDocs SBA Loan Docs, a powerful new solution that enables lenders to confidently and efficiently generate SBA and state-law-compliant, attorney-quality, lender-ready loan packages for SBA 7(a) Standard and 504 loans. GoDocs SBA Loan Docs eliminates manual bottlenecks by automating the complex documentation process, preserving guaranty eligibility and enabling lenders to scale SBA lending profitably. Whether lenders are expanding into SBA lending for the first time or optimizing an existing program, GoDocs SBA Loan Docs delivers a modern, scalable solution built for today’s compliance landscape. By combining legal-grade precision with intuitive automation, GoDocs empowers financial institutions to close more loans, serve more small businesses, and stay confidently ahead of regulatory change, all while accelerating speed to market. GoDocs SBA Loan Docs is purpose-built for the 7(a) and 504 loan program, offering: Full SOP and state-law compliance, protecting the SBA guaranty; Dynamic document generation, delivering complete packages in minutes, not days; Attorney-drafted documents, continuously updated to reflect policy changes; Built-in compliance logic, reducing audit risk and rework; and Scalable automation, enabling high-volume processing without increasing headcount.
Finastra launches modern ACH solution built on cloud-native microservices and Kafka-based event streaming for scalable, resilient ACH processing
Finastra has launched its modern ACH payment solution, marking a significant milestone in the US market. With this release, Finastra becomes one of the major providers to support all US payment clearings—including ACH, wires, and real-time payments, within a unified payment hub, Finastra’s Global PAYplus. The Finastra ACH Module is designed and built on a modern technology stack to help financial institutions deploy a forward compatible solution to streamline ACH processing, reduce operational complexity, and meet evolving regulatory and customer demands. It supports comprehensive functionality including same-day ACH, early pay, and late return handling, while offering rich APIs for operational control and integration. Its user-friendly interface, enhanced scalability, and the ability to handle large-scale transaction volumes make the solution easily adaptable to meet the unique needs of both large and small financial institutions. Benefits include: Modern Architecture – Built on cloud-native microservices and Kafka-based event streaming for scalable, resilient ACH processing. Advanced Risk & Compliance Controls – Includes exposure management, validation, monitoring, Positive Pay, pre-funding, and integration with fraud and OFAC systems. High Performance and Scalability – Optimized to process large volumes —including multiple batches and transactions across single or multiple files, ensuring reliable performance for high-volume ACH operations. Enhanced Customer Experience – Empowers financial institutions to deliver more transparent and reliable payment services, improving user satisfaction and trust through real-time insights and streamlined operations.
Brex and AI accounting platform Puzzle partner to reduce startup accounting setup from a weeks-long process to a single click
Brex and AI accounting platform Puzzle announced Tuesday a partnership that reduces startup accounting setup from a weeks-long process to a single click, addressing what executives describe as a critical but often overlooked barrier to startup success. The integration, available immediately to Brex’s more than 30,000 customers, allows founders to establish complete accounting systems directly within their existing Brex dashboard without switching platforms or manual data entry. The partnership marks Brex’s evolution from a corporate credit card provider to a comprehensive financial operating system for growing businesses. The partnership addresses a persistent pain point in the startup ecosystem: while founders can quickly establish banking relationships and obtain corporate credit cards, setting up proper accounting systems has remained a complex, expensive process that many defer until it becomes critical for fundraising or compliance. Traditionally, startup accounting setup required founders to interview multiple bookkeepers, navigate sales processes, obtain quotes, and grant access to financial credentials across various platforms — a process that typically took four to six weeks and cost upward of $5,000 monthly just to get started, according to Puzzle CEO Sasha Orloff. The timing problem proves particularly acute because accounting becomes essential precisely when startups need it most urgently — during fundraising rounds, tax season, or acquisition discussions. The technical foundation for the partnership rests on APIs that Brex developed specifically to enable such integrations — infrastructure that previously didn’t exist in traditional banking. When a Brex customer clicks the accounting tab in their dashboard and selects Puzzle, the system automatically creates a Puzzle account, maps expense categories to the appropriate general ledger accounts, and begins syncing transaction data in real-time. The integration includes metadata like receipts, memos, and transaction context that enables AI-powered categorization and compliance checking. Puzzle’s AI system can provide what Orloff calls different “modes” of financial analysis — including “Steve Jobs mode” for direct feedback, “VC mode” for investor presentations, or “friendly mode” for positive reinforcement during challenging periods. Brex generates more revenue as companies grow and spend more, while Puzzle’s automated accounting becomes more valuable as transaction volumes increase. The integration launched to early access users last week, with Mok reporting 21-22 signups within the first 24 hours through organic adoption alone. Unlike traditional accounting software that requires companies to migrate between platforms as they grow — from Excel to QuickBooks to NetSuite — both Brex and Puzzle are designed to scale with companies from incorporation through significant revenue milestones.
MANTL processes $3B in deposits from existing customers in six months through real-time core integration, automated KYC/KYB workflows and omnichannel 3-minute account opening technology
MANTL, an Alkami solution team and leading provider of loan and deposit account opening technology, announced that its clients raised over $3B in deposits with existing banking relationships in the first half of 2025. This achievement highlights the significant opportunity financial institutions have to achieve low-cost, sustainable growth by strengthening customer and member relationships and driving banking primacy with omnichannel account opening technology. In just six months, MANTL clients opened nearly 130,000 deposit accounts from existing customers and members, with an average funding amount exceeding $24,000. Notably, nine institutions generated more than $100 million in deposits each from existing account holders in the first half of 2025, demonstrating how banks and credit unions can leverage MANTL to activate existing banking relationships and drive sustainable growth at scale. MANTL Deposit Origination streamlines the process for existing banking customers and members to open new accounts in just a few clicks. Powered by real-time data and actionable insights, MANTL enables financial institutions to activate their banking relationships, increase lifetime value, and achieve a more cost-effective path to deposit growth than traditional acquisition strategies.
Mortgage lender Rate launches first fully-integrated Spanish app processing 20,000+ digital applications, targeting 60 million Latino users with native language loan processing and bilingual professional connectivity
Mortgage lender Rate launched the Rate App in Spanish, which the company says makes it the first U.S. lender to offer a fully integrated mobile mortgage experience entirely in Spanish. The app allows users to search for homes, apply for a mortgage, track loan status, connect with bilingual professionals and access educational content entirely in Spanish. Rate says the launch underscores its commitment to removing language barriers and expanding access to homeownership. Rate CEO Victor Ciardelli said, “Now with the Rate App in Spanish, we’re giving Spanish-speaking buyers the same high-performance mobile experience that’s helped millions of homeowners, because language should never be what holds someone back.” Unlike partial translations, Rate’s in-language platform covers applications, servicing, interface and communication, loan disclosures and now mobile. Spanish-speaking users can download the Rate App from the App Store and Google Play. They can immediately access the Spanish version by updating their phone settings to Spanish. Rate expects to generate more than 30 million impressions as part of this broader effort to engage the 60 million Latinos in the U.S., who represent one of the most powerful economic engines in housing today.
Sephora integrates creator-powered storefronts with 200+ brands and 13,000+ products, enabling year-round commission tracking through data analytics and performance insight automation
Sephora is providing content creators with the chance to engage in affiliate sales on its site. The beauty giant, a subsidiary of global retail conglomerate LVMH, is rolling out My Sephora Storefront, an affiliate platform that allows U.S. influencers to build shoppable digital storefronts and share curated product recommendations with their followers. Seamlessly integrated into the Sephora e-commerce site and app, My Sephora Storefront lets content creators include shareable, shoppable links optimized for all major social platforms on their storefronts. They also obtain access to Sephora’s Beauty Insider loyalty program, as well as year-round commission opportunities and full integration with Sephora’s data analytics and performance insights. Brent Mitchell, VP of social media and influencer marketing at Sephora said “My Sephora Storefront is a pivotal next step to building an inclusive ecosystem that empowers creators to authentically connect with their audiences and also enables deeper creator relationships with our brand partners and clients that make it all possible.”
Fintech Jar’s gold micro-investment infrastructure integrates UPI auto payments with localization technology and gamification engines to grow revenue 49x
Jar, an Indian fintech startup that allows users to invest in gold, has turned profitable by helping millions of first-time savers use its app to build digital gold holdings. While many consumer fintechs focus on affluent urban users or credit products, Jar has gained traction by offering a culturally familiar asset — gold — as a low-barrier entry point to saving. The startup targets low- to middle-income users —a segment often underserved by traditional financial institutions—by allowing them to save in gold for as little as ₹10 (about $0.11) a day. That strategy has helped Jar reach over 35 million registered users across 12,000 zip codes, co-founder and CEO Nishchay AG said. About 60% of users are from India’s smaller cities and towns (known as tier-2 and tier-3 towns), and more than 95% are saving formally for the first time, he told. Jar’s operating revenue — primarily from its core gold-saving app — grew ninefold in fiscal year 2024, which ended in March, to ₹2.08 billion (roughly $23.6 million), as disclosed in its latest filing. More dramatically, its total revenue across all business lines during that same period jumped to ₹24.50 billion (approximately $279.3 million), representing a 49-fold jump from ₹500 million ($5.7 million) in the previous financial year (FY24). This total revenue figure includes earnings from digital gold transactions, jewelry sales through its Nek platform, and fees from third-party distribution partnerships. The jewelry component is a sizable piece of this diversified approach. The platform works on a drop-shipment model with zero inventory. By controlling the entire value chain, Jar can now capture a larger share of the gold value chain and even distribute its gold through third-party platforms,including the Walmart-owned fintech firm PhonePe.
Apple’s Liquid Glass is drawing mixed reviews; critics complain about slow animations, poor readability, and a childish appearance, while supporters praise its modern feel, fluid animations and a more vibrant UX.
There are a long list of complaints about Liquid Glass, from the impact on readability to lag caused by animations. Here are some of the main critiques: Animations run slow, and the interface feels sluggish on older iPhones. The constantly changing colors, shapes, and shading are distracting. The animations make no sense. It looks like a Barbie phone with battery wasting features. Basic actions require too many taps. The bubbles and floaty icons are cartoony. The contrast is awful. Some app icons look blurry. The design is inconsistent, and some things are flat while some are glass. Highlights on UI elements are inconsistent. It’s hard to read things like notifications. The effects are too subtle for the system overhead costs. Not everyone hates Liquid Glass, and there are also many positive comments from people who prefer the new design. Some of that sentiment: It makes the iPhone feel faster. It feels modern and clean, and makes a boring smartphone a little more fun. It’s bright, bouncy, and just plain cool to use. Getting notifications is satisfying, and the Lock Screen keypad is like bubbles. It’s fresh and easy to get accustomed to. iOS 18’s flat UI was depressing, so iOS 26 is an improvement. It’s technologically impressive with the light refraction and diffusion of chromatic aberration. The icons are slick and it harkens back to the OG Apple UI design.