Sovos, announced the launch of Sovi™ AI, a first-of-its-kind suite of embedded AI and machine learning capabilities purpose-built for tax compliance. Sovi symbolizes smart power in action, a perfect reflection of Sovos’ embedded AI engine that drives a whole panorama of intelligent automation across the Sovos Tax Compliance Cloud platform. Sovi delivers unprecedented insight, automation, and reliability throughout every stage of compliance for e-invoicing, taxation and regulatory reporting. Sovi AI will integrate across analytics, automation, and regulatory workflows, enabling technical and non-technical teams to navigate complexity through natural language, visual interfaces, and intuitive guidance. Sovi AI capabilities are already operational across Sovos solutions, including advanced biometrics for face and liveness detection, image recognition, and secure authentication built into Sovos Trust solutions. The roadmap includes ambitious expansions such as AI compliance checks, Ask Sovi for embedded assistants, automated mapping tools for goods and services classification, and intelligent document agents for AP process automation. Sovi AI enables organizations to achieve: Enhanced Efficiency: Self-service analytics eliminate IT dependencies for finance and tax teams; Improved Accuracy: Biometric security and AI validations reduce errors, fraud, and compliance mismatches; Greater Clarity: Conversational AI and insightful dashboards uncover hidden issues and opportunities; Unlimited Scalability: Future-proof compliance capabilities regardless of country, volume, or complexity.
PayPal stablecoin expands operations to Arbitrum’s blockchain network to offer users faster transaction confirmations and reduced costs by leveraging multi-chain operations
PayPal PYUSD has expanded its operations to Arbitrum’s blockchain network, addressing concerns about high transaction fees and slow processing speeds. The move has accelerated solutions for these issues, allowing users to perform faster and more cost-effective transactions. PayPal’s expansion was facilitated by changes to its terms of service document, which now explicitly mention Arbitrum network support across key operational areas. This shift has transformed strategic approaches towards multi-chain operations, allowing users to benefit from Arbitrum’s Layer 2 efficiency. Arbitrum blockchain technology has revolutionized transaction fee structures, addressing barriers to widespread PYUSD stablecoin adoption. Users can expect faster transaction confirmations and reduced costs when conducting PayPal PYUSD transfers on the network. PayPal’s Arbitrum integration has optimized the PYUSD stablecoin’s position as a more competitive option in the digital payments space, demonstrating how major financial institutions leverage multi-chain strategies to enhance user experience. The move validates Arbitrum blockchain as a viable platform for enterprise-level applications and may inspire other companies to follow PayPal’s lead in crypto stablecoin news development.
D-Wave’s study finds 27% of business leaders whose company has implemented quantum optimization or plans to do so within the next two years expect a return on investment of more than $5 million in the first 12 months
D-Wave Quantum study highlights the potential for quantum optimization to create value across industries. According to the study, 46% of surveyed business leaders whose company has implemented quantum optimization or plans to do so within the next two years expect a return on investment of between $1 and $5 million, while 27% predict a return of more than $5 million in the first 12 months. A majority of the business leaders surveyed (81%) believe that they have reached the limit of the benefits they can achieve through optimization solutions running on classical computers. Against that backdrop, many are starting to explore whether quantum technologies can help. 53% are planning to build quantum computing into their workflows and 27% are considering doing so, indicating a growing recognition of quantum computing’s real-world business value. 22% are seeing quantum make a significant impact for those who have adopted it, while another 50% anticipate it will be disruptive for their industry. The results of the study show that quantum computing is gaining recognition among business leaders for its ability to potentially deliver major efficiencies in addressing complex optimization problems and operational improvements. 60% respondents expect quantum computing-based optimization to be very or extremely helpful in solving the specific operational challenges that their companies face. In fact, among those respondents most familiar with quantum, this figure rises to 73%, including nearly a quarter who describe it as “a game changer.” The areas in which business leaders expect to benefit from an investment in quantum optimization include: supply chain and logistics (50%), manufacturing (38%), planning and inventory (36%), and research and development (36%). Most respondents (88%), especially those in the manufacturing industry, believe that their company would go “above and beyond” for even a 5% improvement in optimization.
Kantar launches ExperienceEvaluator to help brands fast-track CX improvements using direct customer feedback from Kantar’s high-quality, privacy-compliant consumer access panels
Kantar, a marketing data and analytics company, has launched ExperienceEvaluator, a cost-effective Customer Experience (CX) solution that enables brands to benchmark and optimize customer experiences, accelerate business growth, and ultimately win against competition. The solution delivers results in as few as four days, allowing CX teams to quickly evaluate how audiences react, engage, and connect with brands. It uses direct customer feedback from Kantar’s high-quality, privacy-compliant consumer access panels, allowing clients to analyze what is influencing people’s experiences, pinpoint areas for improvement, and prioritize next steps based on data-driven insights. ExperienceEvaluator is available on Kantar Marketplace, Kantar’s agile market research platform, making it easier and more cost-effective for CX teams to continuously refine and enhance their offerings in response to customer feedback. Kantar’s proprietary Meaningfully Different Experiences (MDX) methodology links strong consumer experience to measurable business outcomes such as increased market share, reduced churn, higher pricing power, and stronger customer retention.
Affirm’s differentiated underwriting model, robust funding strategy, and transparent pricing to drive continued BNPL share gains; GMV to grow at a mid-20% CAGR over the next two years
Oppenheimer has initiated coverage on Affirm Holdings with an Outperform rating and a $80 price target, highlighting the company’s strong position in the fast-growing Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) market. The broker’s price target implies roughly 15% upside potential from current levels, with Oppenheimer analysts highlighting Affirm’s differentiated underwriting model, robust funding strategy, and transparent pricing as key drivers of continued BNPL share gains. Over the next two years, they expect Affirm to deliver at least a mid-20% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in gross merchandise volume (GMV) and high-20% CAGR in adjusted operating income. According to Global Market Insights data cited by Oppenheimer, global BNPL volume rose at a 21% CAGR from 2022 to 2024. While Klarna, the top provider by market share, grew GMV at 13%, Affirm expanded at a 42% pace during the same period, driving nearly 400 basis points of global share gains. Recent discussions with companies indicate that card volume growth in May was consistent with April’s performance and slightly better than the first quarter of 2025, Oppenheimer said. This reinforces the idea that consumers are still spending robustly. Despite the recent loss of the Walmart partnership, Oppenheimer expects the company to outperform conservative initial full-year 2026 (FY26) guidance. The firm projects GMV growth of 27% in FY26 and adjusted operating income of roughly $1 billion. While the broker’s model anticipates a modest increase in net charge-off rates and provisioning expenses, analysts believe Affirm is well-positioned to handle potential economic downturns.
Algebrik’s integration of Spinwheel’s debt APIs to enable banks to access real-time, verified consumer credit data and balances across credit cards, student loans, auto loans, mortgages, personal loans and non-traditional sources using just a phone number and birthdate from within LOS
Algebrik AI Inc. announced that Spinwheel will be natively integrated into Algebrik One — Algebrik’s agentic AI-powered lending suite that includes Digital Account Opening, the Lender’s Cockpit (LOS), Omni-channel Point-of-Sale (POS), AI Decision Engine, and Portfolio Analytics. This empowers credit unions, community banks, and fintech lenders to access verified consumer debt information and integrated payment processing directly within the lending journey—streamlining approvals, enhancing member experiences, and improving decision confidence. Through this integration, Spinwheel’s debt APIs, using just a phone number and birthdate, provide real-time, verified consumer credit data, insights, and balances across credit cards, student loans, auto loans, mortgages, personal loans and non-traditional sources to remove costly errors and friction from loan applications and disbursement. Key Benefits of the Integration: Verified Consumer Debt Data at Point of Origination: Enables access to real-time credit and debt balances to Algebrik’s LOS across major categories without requiring manual document uploads—lifting borrower friction and improving data accuracy. Embedded Payment Capabilities: Supports direct debt-related payments and balance transfers in-line with application flows—helping borrowers manage existing obligations seamlessly. 1-Click Decisioning Enhancements: With Spinwheel’s platform, lenders can incorporate verified debt signals into Algebrik’s AI-powered underwriting policies quickly and confidently. Better Borrower Experience & Compliance: Deliver more informed loan options and packaging, while ensuring full transparency—reducing borrower drop-off and improving consent-driven data usage.
Goldman Sachs Private Credit Fund to offer managed accounts access to private credit investments including direct lending and private placements through a vehicle structured specifically for long-term retirement portfolios
Goldman Sachs Asset Management announced plans for a private credit collective investment trust for defined contribution plans. The fund, the Goldman Sachs Collective Trust – Private Credit Fund, is designed to deliver access to private credit investments through a vehicle structured specifically for long-term retirement portfolios. It will be available for use in managed accounts such as target-date funds. The GS Private Credit CIT will be included in Great Gray Trust Co.’s Panorix Target Date Series, a retirement solution that integrates institutional-grade public and private market exposure. The new target-date series, developed by Great Gray in collaboration with BlackRock, Wilshire Advisors and Goldman Sachs, aims to bring sophisticated investment strategies to everyday retirement savers. “This solution is designed to meet the practical needs of retirement plans,” said Greg Wilson, Goldman Sachs Asset Management’s global head of retirement. The GS Private Credit CIT will invest across a broad spectrum of private credit strategies—including North American and European direct lending and private placements—while maintaining a liquidity sleeve to ac. It will be available in managed portfolios, including target-date funds, multi-manager bond funds and CIT-based managed accounts. “The addition of private credit completes the vision behind Panorix, a purpose-built retirement solution that brings together institutional-quality public and private markets in one seamless structure,” said Rob Barnett, Great Gray’s CEO “By collaborating with Goldman Sachs, BlackRock and Wilshire, we’re unlocking broader access to sophisticated strategies that were once out of reach for everyday savers—all while staying anchored to fiduciary standards and participant-first design.”
Stripe’s acquisition of payment orchestration startup Orum to enable it to intelligently route payments across all major US payment rails in real time through a unified API, offer instant payouts and 3-tier bank account verification and extend reach to debit card-linked accounts
Payment acceptance and financial services platform Stripe has agreed to acquire payment orchestration startup Orum for an undisclosed amount. The company’s payment API orchestrates instant payouts, using AI to predict the availability of funds within an account and pre-authorize transactions. In addition to its payment orchestration tools, Orum also verifies bank accounts and delivers payments 24/7 with its Direct to Fed solution that’s built on a connection to the US Federal Reserve’s payment rails as a service provider. CEO Stephany Kirkpatrick said that combining with Stripe offers a “rare” opportunity to help Orum accelerate its mission to power a better financial system where everyone has the opportunity to build their potential. For Stripe, which processed more than $1.4 trillion in total payment volume in 2024, the Orum purchase is just the latest in a string of acquisitions.
In-car payments are still on track to grow from 87 million in 2021 to over 4.7 billion by 2026
The push to embed payments in vehicles is gaining traction, with projections by Juniper Research showing in-car transactions will grow from 87 million in 2021 to over 4.7 billion by 2026. Automakers like Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, and BMW have rolled out systems enabling payments for fuel, parking, and charging via in-car interfaces, biometrics, and stored card info. Mercedes uses fingerprint sensors in Germany, Hyundai Pay has expanded across models via software updates, and BMW has launched features in Germany with plans to scale. Despite the progress, challenges remain, such as lack of a unified infrastructure, the presence of non-connected vehicles, and complications in shared vehicle models. Apps like PACE Drive, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Amazon Alexa are emerging alternatives, enabling voice and app-based payments. Companies like Metropolis are also enabling AI-powered, checkout-free experiences at thousands of locations. For banks, this shift poses a threat to interchange revenue if consumers bypass card networks. To stay relevant, banks need to understand evolving customer preferences, mitigate fraud risks, and consider partnerships with automakers. “At the end of the day, this has to work with all banks and all cards,” said Glenbrook’s Chris Uriarte.
Bitget Wallet partners with MoonPay to launch a new fiat withdrawal feature that allows users to convert stablecoins directly into cash over 25 fiat currencies
Bitget Wallet has partnered with MoonPay to launch a new fiat withdrawal feature that allows users to convert stablecoins directly into cash. Through MoonPay, Bitget Wallet users can now sell USDT and USDC for more than 25 major fiat currencies, including USD, EUR, GBP, CHF, AUD, HKD and more, without relying on centralized exchanges. The launch also introduces fiat withdrawal functionality to Bitget Wallet for the first time. Accessible via Bitget Wallet’s “Sell Crypto” page, users in eligible countries can select their token and preferred fiat currency before completing the transaction via MoonPay’s platform. As part of the process, users complete identity verification (KYC) and select their withdrawal method through MoonPay, which facilitates crypto-to-fiat conversion and fund settlement. Supported payout options include Apple Pay and debit or credit cards via Visa and Mastercard. Once approved, funds are deposited directly to the selected payment method. All transactions undergo identity verification and AML checks, with most fiat withdrawals processed within minutes depending on the payment method. Users can monitor their transactions directly within Bitget Wallet and receive real-time updates via email. Users can buy crypto directly in Bitget Wallet, and spend their crypto through the in-app Shop section, crypto card, and QR code-based Pay feature. For those preferring to convert crypto back into fiat, the new sell feature enables direct withdrawals to supported payment methods.