Fintech isn’t just a budgeting tool—it’s becoming a partner in Gen Z’s resilience, according to Plaid’s “The Fintech Effect” report. We knew that fintech use was on the rise and that Gen Zers even prefer these digital competitors to traditional banks. And these findings reinforce why financial institutions must either work with fintechs to deliver more complete suites of financial products, or prioritize developing them in-house. They also underscore the importance of viewing fintechs as potential partners, rather than competitors. This raises the question of whether charging fintechs fees for customer data access could backfire and drive fintechs—and customers—to competitors.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how Google’s cookie choices affect targeting with insights on alternative identifiers, data privacy, and strategies for 2025. Tune in to the discussion with our Principal Analyst and host Yory Wurmser, Chief Brand Officer of CP Skin Health Group Echo Sandburg and Senior Director First Party Data Strategy of the Eli Lilly & Company Moitree Rahman.

Spotify could break away from Google and Apple’s payment duopoly: Google’s alternative payments pilot program might only serve higher-profile apps, leaving smaller developers in the lurch.

Digital and alternative advertising lift overall ad spending in 2021: As spending returns to pre-pandemic levels, it’s become clear advertisers find emerging channels more appealing than traditional ones.