Brand safety gets costlier in EU: Scam ads near legit buys risk reputational damage—and CMOs may demand tougher controls.

New agreements give the digital euro clearance for tap to pay and app-based P2P transactions.

CSAM scanning halts as the ePrivacy Directive expires, complicating child safety as Greece and others eye youth social bans.

Visa nets majority visibility but could consider more experience-forward exposure.

We look at how buying Brex fits into Capital One’s long-term payments strategy.

European users can now send money in-app as Klarna pushes into core banking territory.

The EU’s regulatory environment will hinder investment in AI-generated ads and agentic commerce in 2026. But TikTok Shop’s expansion will be a catalyst for live commerce.

The Omnicom-IPG merger has cleared its last obstacle after the European Commission—the last market whose approval was needed—officially granted greenlit the acquisition. Omnicom and IPG overcoming the final barrier to merge offers the potential for more comprehensive and efficient services—but also introduces new risks related to talent retention and creative diversity.

Google offered remedies to settle an antitrust case in the European Union following a nearly €3 billion ($3.5 billion) fine arguing that Google abuses its dominance in digital advertising. The EU’s tough stance signals that the global regulatory environment is intensifying.

Online marketplaces are a crucial channel for growth in Europe. But brands need a nuanced strategy to navigate the complex, fragmented landscape.

A consortium of international banks are exploring whether to create a stablecoin-esque digital currency to facilitate payments on-chain across G7 countries, per a press release. Engineering a stablecoin-like digital currency that’s pegged to multiple currencies is a big task for the global banks logistically. These efforts also demonstrate that banks are taking the risk of payment disintermediation seriously—and, in the process, legitimizing stablecoin’s place in the payments ecosystem.

Meta is planning on offering UK users paid, ad-free versions of Instagram and Facebook in the coming weeks. Privacy transforming into a priced option implies a growing consumer awareness of data use. Advertisers who make privacy a positive part of their brand messaging will better match emerging consumer mindsets.

The news: Microsoft will avoid a major EU antitrust fine by agreeing to sell its Teams app separately from Office 365 and Microsoft 365. Brussels is set to approve the deal after a positive market test, with no strong objections from rivals or customers, per Bloomberg. As part of the settlement, Microsoft must not only unbundle Teams but also lower prices on Office packages without it and improve interoperability with rival apps such as Zoom, Slack, and similar productivity tools. Our take: Microsoft sidesteps a fine but loses its bundling edge. The move levels the playing field for Slack, Zoom, and others—while showing the EU’s playbook is evolving from punishing fines to behavioral change.

The news: The trade deal between the US and EU will include a 15% tariff on pharmaceuticals imported from Europe, the White House said. The final word: Pharma companies and industry trade groups had been holding out hope that their medicines imported to the US would be exempt from tariffs. Not getting that reprieve is a setback—but the 15% rate on its own could be seen as a decent outcome, particularly considering that 200% tariffs were threatened and the Section 232 investigation could lead to a higher levy in other countries.

The news: Pharma companies can earn a speedier path to approvals for new drugs if they agree to lower US prices to global levels. The takeaway: Pharma companies are on board with faster drug approvals and higher global prices, but they still make the bulk of their profits on US sales. By adopting good faith balanced stances—advocating for fairer pricing, but highlighting innovation—pharma can notch wins with the administration and consumers.

Apple’s appeal against DMA rules frames interoperability as a privacy risk, testing how far regulators can go in dismantling its tightly guarded ecosystem.

The EU proposed a fee on small shipments: The new tax would add to the growing challenges facing Shein and Temu.

US-UK trade deal eases barriers across key sectors: Our FAQ explains how the pact may benefit exporters and affect economic growth.

A trade war between two of the world’s largest consumer markets would cause significant disruption for consumers, retailers, and brands in Europe.

Meta and Apple receive first fines for DMA violation: The landmark decision marks the biggest effort to date to curb the market power of Big Tech.