The news: Stripe is developing a blockchain called Tempo with crypto venture capitalist Paradigm, per an exclusive from Fortune. Our take: Even after the completion of its ecosystem, Stripe still faces steep competition with a crowd of existing public and private blockchain networks.
The news: The American Bankers Association, the Bank Policy Institute, and Consumer Bankers Association defended their decisions to charge fees to fintechs in a letter responding to the Financial Technology Association’s recent plea to protect Section 1033. Our take: Banks are in lock-step marching toward undoing Section 1033. As competing trade groups make appeals to President Donald Trump—whose own family has expressed support for the open banking rule—fintechs need to prepare for a post-1033 world.
As tariffs raise costs for brands and retailers, many are embracing SKU rationalization—cutting underperforming items to rein in expenses and protect margins.Retailers face a delicate balancing act: trimming costs without alienating customers. SKU rationalization may be a short-term necessity, but its long-term impact hinges on how well brands can preserve shopper loyalty while streamlining the aisle.
The advertising industry’s age and experience mix is shifting fast. In the US, entry-level roles are shrinking as automation replaces routine tasks, while in Australia, “juniorisation” favors younger, digitally fluent hires over seasoned veterans. Agencies face a balancing act—bringing in Gen Z talent to master AI-driven tools and authentically shape campaigns, while retaining senior expertise crucial for strategy, oversight, and client trust. Without a robust entry-level pipeline today, the industry risks a future shortage of homegrown leaders just as marketing grows more complex.
US retail sales advanced in July as consumers took advantage of major sales events. However, signs are emerging that consumers are becoming more pessimistic as inflation expectations rise. With pressure from rising food prices, higher housing costs, and uncertainty about higher tariffs, consumers remain cost-conscious—and are wary about what’s ahead. Still, it’s clear that they’re willing to spend when they see clear value, providing a roadmap for retailers to capture sales.
Nearly two-thirds of US consumers (63%) believe businesses are taking advantage of the challenging economic climate to raise prices, according to a survey by The Harris Poll. Still, consumers shouldn’t be surprised by tariff surcharges at checkout. Businesses should avoid the urge to use tariffs as an excuse to pad their margins and instead aim to keep prices on popular items as steady as possible while clearly explaining unavoidable increases.
Three in four US online shoppers consider fast delivery to be important, per a YouGov survey. Just 8% believe it to be unimportant. Thanks to Amazon Prime and similar offerings, consumers have come to expect free and fast shipping. But if forced to pick between the two, shoppers will accept slower delivery speeds if it means no extra cost. That’s good news for brands that can’t afford to compete with the likes of Amazon and Walmart on speed.
The news: Klarna’s revenues jumped 20% YoY to $823 million in the latest earnings released ahead of its IPO this fall. Gross merchandise volume (GMV) spiked 19% to $31.2 billion—nearly four times the size of competitor Affirm’s $8.6 billion. Klarna’s US GMV growth is even more impressive, at 37% YoY. Our take: Klarna will have an uphill battle if it wants to dethrone Affirm as the dominant BNPL provider in the US. Given Affirm’s recent partnership with Stripe, Klarna may not be able to rely on the fintech for such rapid growth anymore—especially considering Affirm’s more direct integrations with Stripe in-store.
The news: Affirm will be available as a payment option for in-store shoppers on Stripe Terminal for US and Canadian merchants, per a press release. Our take: Snagging a Stripe Terminal integration is a big win for Affirm. This can help expand its lead in the US, where it holds $35.69 billion in payment value—a $4 billion dollar lead over Klarna.
The news: Western Union will acquire International Money Express (Intermex) in a deal with a total equity and enterprise value of $500 million, per a press release. Our take: Increasing its retail footprint in the US positions can help Western Union capture more remittance outflow from the US, which we forecast to hit $92.58 billion this year.
More than a dozen food manufacturers have pledged to remove artificial dyes from their products in response to pressure from US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement. The shift from artificial dyes underscores the increased sway of public health advocates and consumer demand for cleaner labels—even in the absence of conclusive science. It puts food manufacturers in a tough spot: They are under pressure to reformulate without compromising appearance or taste, all while facing steep costs and limited upside for benefits that may be more symbolic than nutritional.
The Ulta Beauty at Target partnership, which put more than 600 Ulta mini-stores inside Target locations, will end in August 2026 when the current agreement expires. The companies said they mutually agreed not to renew the deal, which launched in 2021. With this business venture set to end, Ulta will focus on new growth opportunities, while Target will gain space to focus on operational improvements and refine its retail strategy.
Quick-service chains like Starbucks, Taco Bell, and Potbelly are leaning into secret menus as a low-risk, high-reward strategy to spark buzz, drive app engagement, and crowdsource product innovation. “Secret” is one of the most powerful words in the marketing playbook—it signals exclusivity, discovery, and insider access. For QSRs, secret menus turn that intrigue into action, gamifying loyalty, testing new flavors, and tapping into cultural trends—all without disrupting operations. By inviting fans to co-create, brands get viral traction and fresh product ideas, often using ingredients already in stock. It’s a low-lift, scalable strategy to boost visits and stay relevant in a crowded, fast-moving category.
In this podcast episode, we discuss the difference between a real miss vs. sparking conversation, if there is such a thing as bad press, and what brands should do once a campaign doesn’t land. Listen to the discussion with Vice President of Content and guest host, Suzy Davidkhanian, Principal Analyst, Sky Canaves, and Analyst, Arielle Feger.
Retailers are stretching traditional holiday shopping periods into longer seasons and creating new shopping moments throughout the year, as consumers become more strategic about their spending and retailers seek to drive consistent traffic.
Roughly two-thirds (64%) of Gen Z consumers have cut spending in the past year due to higher living costs, according to an April Ipsos survey for Bank of America.Uncertainty is beginning to shape Gen Z’s purchasing decisions. Brands will need to work harder to earn their dollars—possibly by appealing to the generation’s tendency to shop for emotional relief.
Amazon is expanding same-day delivery for fresh groceries to over 1,000 US cities, with plans to reach 2,300 by late 2025. The rollout integrates perishables into its core app for single-cart checkout alongside other goods, offering Prime members free delivery on orders over $25. Early pilots saw strong adoption, especially from first-time grocery buyers who shopped more frequently after trying fresh food. The move pressures rivals like Walmart, Instacart, and Kroger in a slowing but sizable $271 billion online grocery market. If Amazon can convert trial users into loyal customers, it could reshape expectations for grocery delivery speed and convenience.
Brinker International and Cava Group posted diverging quarterly results, showing the split fortunes in the restaurant industry as consumers eat at home more often and become pickier about where they spend. In the current environment of economic pressure and home-shifted dining, restaurants can stand out from the crowd by making their value clear to cost-conscious consumers. Here’s how underperforming dining chains can improve: Offer value, not just lower prices. Deals like Chili’s “3 for Me” are easy to understand and come across as a genuine bargain. Try limited-time promotions for new items, or lean on nostalgia by resurrecting discontinued items. Invest in operational excellence. Well-trained staff and hospitality can encourage deal seekers to return.
The news: OpenAI’s GPT-5 could be the start of ChatGPT becoming a transaction-driven super app that monetizes user intent, not attention. GPT-5’s router—which analyzes queries and decides how hard to “think” based on complexity—lets OpenAI invest more resources during high-intent moments like “compare hiking boots under $200” or “best smart TVs for co-op gaming.” Prioritizing queries with high commercial value could help OpenAI monetize users not through ads but via affiliate or take-rate revenues, per SemiAnalysis. Partnerships with Shopify and others suggest that monetization stack is already on the way. Our take: A full-service ChatGPT that’s intuitive enough to guide full shopping journeys inside a chatbot while keeping backend costs minimal could rewrite the AI platform’s business model. Brands should be working to optimize for AI-native commerce and integrate with agentic tools.
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.