Data privacy and security are the top concerns of 73% of C-level executives worldwide regarding AI implementation, according to an April BearingPoint survey.
In today’s episode, we talk about the promise and challenges financial media networks face in the burgeoning commerce media network landscape. Join the discussion with host and Head of Business Development Rob Rubin, Principal Analyst Sarah Marzano, and Senior Analyst Max Willens.
The news: President Trump recently signed an executive order to allow Americans to invest 401(k) retirement savings in private equity, cryptocurrency, real estate, and other alternative assets, per NBC. The administration believes this will give retirement savers more opportunities for potentially higher returns. Our take: This may excite younger consumers in particular, as they generally are more interested in alternative investments. But critics and financial experts warn that these new options come with higher risks and costs than traditional 401(k)s. The traditional banking model centers on stability, trust, and relatively conservative financial products. In addition to new opportunities, introducing high-risk, alternative assets into retirement accounts creates significant challenges for the banking sector.
The news: Circle reported $658 million in total revenues and reserve income in its first quarterly earnings as a public company, amounting to 53% growth YoY. USDC in circulation also jumped 90% YoY to 61.3 billion by the end of the quarter. Net losses hit $482 million, which largely accounted for IPO-related non-cash charges totalling $591 million. Our take: Circle’s early mover status and the newly passed GENIUS Act are working in the stablecoin issuer’s favor. Circle anticipates a 40% annual compound growth rate for USDC. If it can establish the most efficient and easy-to-use infrastructure for the nascent stablecoin industry, it can garner lasting loyalty from financial institutions.
A key inflation gauge that excludes food and energy prices picked up in July, suggesting tariff-related cost increases are being passed along to consumers. Core CPI, which strips out energy and food, rose 3.1% YoY, up from 2.9% in June. On a monthly basis, that closely watched measure rose 0.3%, the highest increase since January and up from June’s 0.2% advance. Retailers and producers are exhausting their early strategies to shield consumers and will need to plan for sustained cost pressures. Some strategies retailers can take on include negotiating with suppliers on cost-cutting measures or the use of lower-cost materials, exploring investments in onshoring production to avoid tariffs, and increasing D2C sales in a bid to improve profit margins.
The news: BlinkRx debuted a new quick startup direct-to-consumer (D2C) offering for pharma companies, on the heels of President Trump’s demand for more D2C drug distribution. Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr, joined the board of BlinkRx in February. BlinkRx told Bloomberg it did not consult with Trump Jr. nor anyone in the Trump administration about the new offering. The takeaway: Pharma companies were already looking at new access models and ways to build direct connections to patients, but with the now pressing Trump demands, there’s new opportunity for digital health companies to offer vetted plug-and-play models.
The news: Google is turning search results into a customizable, algorithmic feed. The search giant is rolling out Preferred Sources, which allows users to select their favorite blogs or news outlets to appear the most in the “top stories” section. The feature aims to help users see more content from their favorite sites, per Google. Our take: If search results become a more limited discovery engine, news sites and blogs may need to rely more heavily on traffic through alternative sources. Joining blogging sites like Medium and Substack could help maintain visibility and surface new readers who will add them as preferred news sources, considering the platforms’ focus on content discovery.
Swiss footwear company On posted raised its full-year sales and gross margin outlook, citing broad-based geographical strength as Gen Z consumers scoop up its premium-priced athletic shoes.
Some students have already started their school year, but the back-to-school shopping season is far from over. In fact, over a third (34%) of families begin their back-to-school shopping in August, according to recent data from ad platform gumgum.
For advertisers, the increasing fragmentation within the search landscape can be quite frustrating and challenging. “But for consumers it feels like ease and convenience," said our analyst Sarah Marzano on a recent episode of "Behind the Numbers." "We're able to conduct product searches wherever we're spending time and go on a journey that's tailored to the mindset we're in."
Over half (56%) of US adults commonly purchase private label grocery/food and beverage products, the most popular category of private label purchased, according to April 2025 data from First Insight.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss what to make of Meta’s ‘Superintelligence Labs’ unit, the unconventional ways young people are using Instagram, and the potential sleeping giant of WhatsApp’s ads. Join our conversation with Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, Vice President and Principal Analyst, Jasmine Enberg, and Senior Analyst, Minda Smiley. Listen everywhere you find podcasts and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
The news: The release of OpenAI’s long-awaited GPT-5—a frontier model the company originally expected to launch in summer 2024—hit turbulence almost immediately. Despite high expectations, early users reported the model felt sluggish and less capable than GPT-4o, labeling it “kinda mid.” It’s a surprising letdown for what was billed as a major leap forward. Our take: Marketing and communications remain stubbornly human domains for now. If AI could fully replace them, OpenAI’s own product announcements would run like clockwork. Instead, the debut of one of the world’s most advanced AI models was labeled an avoidable public relations headache, showing that even cutting-edge technology may be remembered less for what it can do and more for how it was introduced.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss if Google is actually fending off the AI search competition, what its AI Overviews are doing to search behavior, and why growing AI search usage might not necessarily translate into a booming ad business. Join our conversation with Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, Senior Director of Briefings, Jeremy Goldman, and Principal Analyst, Yory Wurmser. Listen everywhere you find podcasts and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
Some 46% of worldwide marketers say customer retention rates are the most important metric when evaluating A/B test results, per April 2025 data from Ascend2.
The news: We recently covered Wells Fargo’s early entrance into the agentic AI realm. And we recommended that other financial institutions (FIs) explore how they could implement it, too—regardless of size. Now a smaller FI, Michigan-based Family Financial Credit Union, has announced its partnership with fintech start-up Algebrik AI to implement a new digital lending suite, per a press release. Why this matters: Family Financial Credit Union will be one of the first smaller FIs to go public with its agentic AI offering. If it proves successful and customers like the experience—which could in turn draw more business to its loan products—it could inspire other institutions to pursue similar partnerships and offerings. We expect many more FIs of all sizes to announce agentic AI pilots in the near future.
The news: Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser met with President Donald Trump to propose a public stock offering for mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, per Bloomberg. The proposal is part of a larger push by Wall Street executives who see the deal as a potentially large source of revenue. Our take: IPOs take time, and this one would be an especially massive undertaking. In his first term, President Trump attempted to privatize the two firms and was unsuccessful, highlighting the rocky road ahead. This leaves the next steps and timeline murky, but we will be closely watching developments.
The news: Block’s gross profit rose to $2.54 billion, an increase of 14% YoY. Cash App’s gross profit grew 16% YoY Square’s gross profit increased 11% YoY Developments like Cash App Afterpay are gradually drawing the distinct Cash App and Square ecosystems into a robust dual-sided network. However, the Cash App’s enduring lack of a credit card makes it harder for Block to sell itself as the one-stop shop for young people’s financial needs.