The team behind Vercel’s V0, an AI-powered platform for web creation, has developed an AI model it claims excels at certain website development tasks. Available through an API, the model, called “v0-1.0-md,” can be prompted with text or images, and was “optimized for front-end and full-stack web development,” the Vercel team says. Currently in beta, it requires a V0 Premium plan ($20 per month) or Team plan ($30 per user per month) with usage-based billing enabled. Vercel’s model can “auto-fix” common coding issues, the Vercel team says, and it’s compatible with tools and SDKs that support OpenAI’s API format. Evaluated on web development frameworks like Next.js, the model can ingest up to 128,000 tokens in one go. The launch of V0’s model comes as more developers and companies look to adopt AI-powered tools for programming.
Korl’s AI agent for sales teams creates customized presentations for customers by understanding the strengths and outcomes of each product, and then matching this understanding with the needs of each customer
Customer success software startup Korl is on a mission to help businesses of all sizes unlock more revenue growth opportunities after raising $5 million in seed funding to coincide with the general availability of its platform. The startup is leveraging AI to help companies better communicate the value of their products and services to customers, so they can use whatever insights it pulls up to increase sales. To do this, it has built a novel “presentation agent” that creates customized presentations for customers at critical milestones, such as executive business reviews and renewal conversations. The agent works by crafting a presentation that addresses each customer’s top concerns, highlighting how the company’s products and services can make a difference. In some ways, it can be thought of as a bridge between a company’s internal tools and its communication strategy, guiding the way it talks to customers. It attempts to understand the strengths of each product and the outcomes it can generate, and then matches this understanding with the needs of each customer. For instance, it will assess the customer’s business priorities, usage history and lifecycle stage, so companies can better understand how they’re able to help them.
Credit decisioning fintech Stratyfy to integrate Parlay Finance’s loan intelligence tech to offer a unified platform for digital onboarding, verification and underwriting through the full credit lifecycle for SMB lending
Stratyfy and Parlay Finance have announced a strategic partnership to transform the way financial institutions lend small businesses the capital they need to thrive. The partnership combines AI-powered technologies to deliver a frictionless intake and underwriting experience, helping banks convert more qualified borrowers and providing actionable insights to win funding. Parlay’s platform streamlines the application process, while Stratyfy’s credit solutions help financial institutions say “yes” to more borrowers without compromising on risk. The tools form a dynamic underwriting ecosystem that automates workflows, improves performance, and drives risk-adjusted returns. The partnership is already in motion, with the two teams collaborating on a first joint client engagement, an established community lender focused on increasing success rates for historically underbanked entrepreneurs.
Finley’s Monthly Servicer Reporting (MSR) solution for corporate borrowers with warehouse facilities offers a centralized hub for MSR management through integrated visibility
Finley has launched enhanced Monthly Servicer Reporting (MSR) capabilities to help corporate borrowers with warehouse facilities overcome logistical and technological challenges. The new capabilities address collaboration, data management, and knowledge management issues in MSR generation and management. The market for private credit is projected to reach $3.5 trillion by 2028, making MSRs crucial in asset-based transactions. Finley’s MSR capability is integrated into its Deliverables module, providing a centralized hub for all MSR needs. This module offers: Clear Deadline Visibility: Borrowers gain instant access to “Due Soon” reports and historical submissions, ensuring a single source of truth for preparing current MSRs and reviewing past outputs. Structured Requirements: MSRs often require 14-16 distinct input files, each with specific formatting requirements. Finley clearly outlines these needs, whether the files are programmatically generated or manually entered. A Collaboration and Analysis Hub: After submission, Finley customers can see all MSR data points, team discussions, historical files, and relevant analytics in the same Deliverables module. This moves MSR management from the email inbox into a purpose-built system. Finley tackles the complexities of data aggregation head-on, ensuring files are correctly formatted and easily managed: Guided File Generation: Within the platform, Finley provides a clear breakdown of required files and their exact formatting specifications. Each requirement comes with a “data dictionary” that provides crucial context, especially when Finance teams are collaborating with Data or Engineering teams for historical or point-in-time reports. Enhanced Collaboration and Versioning: Recognizing that generating files correctly on the first attempt isn’t always possible, Finley includes robust collaboration tools and versioning capabilities. This allows teams to track changes, view previously submitted files, and work with internal and external collaborators.
BNP Paribas Asset Management issues natively tokenized money market fund on the Allfunds private permissioned blockchain for carrying out a cross-border transactions
BNP Paribas Asset Management (BNPP AM) has issued a natively digital share class of a money market fund (MMF) on the Allfunds blockchain. The vast majority of tokenized funds are based on existing funds and tend to tokenize current share classes rather than creating a new natively digital share class. The new shares were then used in a cross-border transaction with a French counterparty. BNP Paribas AM acted as transfer agent and dealing services provider, with Allfunds Blockchain as the technology partner. The appeal of the solution is the efficiencies and the ability to move away from batch subscription and redemption to on-demand transactions based on NAV valuations. Plus, there’s potential for faster settlement once the European Central Bank rolls out its wholesale DLT settlement solution. BNP Paribas took part in the ECB’s wholesale DLT trials last year. Currently there’s significant interest around the potential of tokenized money market funds beyond traditional institutional investors to include crypto-native institutions and retail investors. With this step, BNPP AM is exploring that potential as well. However, the retail-focused solutions tend to be on permissionless blockchains, whereas the Allfunds Blockchain appears to be a private permissioned one.
OpenFX’s open, real-time FX network connects traditional banking rails with digital-native systems using a multi-layer liquidity architecture that enables 90% of transactions to settle in under 60 minutes vs industry standard of 2-7 days
OpenFX announced its emergence from stealth with $23 million in funding. OpenFX is building a real-time, open, transparent FX network that enables near-instant settlement of cross-border transactions. The company’s platform dramatically reduces payment friction by making FX transfers 99% faster and up to 90% cheaper, while operating 24/7/365 – eliminating the constraints of banking hours, weekends, and holidays. OpenFX’s multi-layer liquidity architecture leverages next-generation financial technology to connect traditional banking rails with digital-native systems, enabling 90% of transactions to settle in under 60 minutes, compared to the industry standard of 2-7 days. The company’s capital-efficient liquidity model eliminates the need for massive balance sheets typically required by traditional FX providers. Over the last 12 months, OpenFX has validated its cross-border payment platform and settlement network at scale, processing billions in transactions across the top G20 FX pairs while maintaining institutional-grade security and reliability. Early customers have witnessed a remarkable transformation in their FX money movement experience, resulting in 8-10x growth in quarter-over-quarter volumes. In one striking example, a recently onboarded client scaled from zero to $100 million in transaction volume within just 17 days of integration.
Trans-Fi’s platform uses AI-powered dynamic routing to optimize payouts or pay-ins for the fastest and most cost-effective route using fiat or stablecoin rails to enable instant cross-border transactions with >250 payment methods
Global payment infrastructure firm Trans-Fi has launched a unified platform called BizPay that enables instant, compliant cross-border transactions with more than 250 payment methods across more than 100 countries. BizPay enables businesses and individuals to send and receive money, initiate payouts and accept pay-ins, in minutes. The platform uses artificial intelligence-powered dynamic routing and more than 70 back-end integrations to optimize payouts or pay-ins for the fastest and most cost-effective route using fiat or stablecoin rails. It also has a self-onboarding feature that allows users to sign up, connect their details and start moving money in minutes. BizPay features transparent pricing, real-time foreign exchange (FX) rates and zero hidden fees. For many [businesses], this could mean the difference between expanding into a new market — or holding back due to unpredictable costs and delayed settlements Automated checks on every transaction—whether pay-in or payout, standardized error codes, multi-jurisdictional safeguards, and adherence to global regulations ensure every transaction moves not just fast, but right.
Curve Pay launches on iOS as Apple Pay alternative; to leverage iPhone NFC feature to offer more than tap-to-pay experience that includes split payments, rewards stacking and real-time spending
Curve announced the launch of Curve Pay on iOS, the first payment solution to leverage the newly accessible iPhone NFC interface after Apple’s acceptance of the European Commission’s ruling. As a staged wallet with built-in smart features — including real-time spending insights, the ability to switch payment sources post-transaction, and rewards stacking — Curve Pay gives iOS users more functionality than ever before. Now with Apple’s hands forced to open to competition, Curve Pay ushers in a new era of choice for iOS consumers,” said Shachar Bialick, CEO & Founder of Curve. “With Curve Pay also recently going live on Android, we are bringing universal access to all Curve users, regardless of device — so everyone can now manage their money, on any phone, with all the unique Curve benefits that comes with it.” Unlike pass-through wallets like Apple Pay, which simply transmit existing card credentials, Curve’s staged architecture means it actively sits in the payment flow. That allows Curve to offer far more than a tap-to-pay experience. Customers can retroactively change the card they used, split payments, earn cashback, track spending in real time and even pay from accounts like PayPal — all through a single app.
Lowe’s is expanding third-party marketplace assortment to include full range of homeowner products for every project around the home while also featuring wider assortment across the full price spectrum
Lowe’s is partnering with digital marketplace technology provider Mirakl to scale its e-commerce business while allowing marketplace sellers to more easily manage their catalogs on Lowes.com. Since first introducing its marketplace, Lowe’s has expanded its offerings from third-party sellers to include indoor and outdoor furniture, kitchen and bath, home décor, and power and hand tools. Lowe’s chief digital and information officer Seemantini Godbole said “Our partnership with Mirakl allows Lowe’s Marketplace to offer a full complement of products to homeowners for every project around the home, driving our Total Home Strategy forward.” In addition to offering customers more product categories and brand choices, Lowe’s Marketplace will also feature products ranging the full price spectrum from value to premium products. Benefits of Lowe’s Marketplace also extend to members of the MyLowe’s Rewards loyalty program, with members accruing points on any marketplace purchase. All marketplace products are currently available for home delivery, and customers may return marketplace products purchased through Lowes.com directly to any of Lowe’s over 1,700 stores, creating more convenience for customers.
Square’s new pop-up store in San Francisco to provide hands-on support in one-on-one consultations with Square experts and act as community hub for networking and collaboration
Square announced the opening of The Corner Store, a new community space for local businesses located at 1100 Valencia Street (corner of 22nd and Valencia) in San Francisco’s Mission District. Opening May 27th and running through June, this pop-up initiative will provide hands-on support and educational resources to area merchants and create a point of connection where home-grown businesses can network and collaborate. In 2024, Square processed more than 20,000 transactions per day in the Mission. The Corner Store will serve as both a daytime resource center and an evening community hub with programming for local business owners and operators. During business hours, sellers can access one-on-one consultations with Square experts, receive personalized guidance on Square’s suite of business tools, and get hands-on experience with the company’s latest innovations, including products and tools recently announced in Square Releases. A selection of curated goods from Mission-based Square sellers will be available, and hardware devices, including the recently announced Square Handheld, can be purchased on-site.