What Big Tech’s stock surge means for smaller fintechs

What Big Tech’s stock surge means for smaller fintechs

Since the beginning of July, Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, and Tesla have added $1.3T to their combined market value. This has helped the Nasdaq Composite rise by 14.8% over that same time period.

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How inequality may worsen stagflation

How inequality may worsen stagflation

Although job growth accelerated in July, the Census Bureau reported that 12% of households were facing food insecurity, up from 10% at the beginning of 2022. The wealthiest 40% of households represent 60% of economic spending, while the poorest 40% represent 22% of spending.

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Can Wall Street resolve its showdown in West Virginia?

Can Wall Street resolve its showdown in West Virginia?

In late July, West Virginia State Treasurer Riley Moore announced that BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, and Wells Fargo were no longer eligible to receive state banking contracts because they “engaged in boycotts of fossil fuel companies” through their ESG policies. The measure does not ban the banks from operating in West Virginia.

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Crypto companies are still dumping cash into sports sponsorships

Crypto companies are still dumping cash into sports sponsorships

Over the past 18 months, crypto companies have spent more than $2.4B on sports marketing, namely ads and sponsorships. Though crypto’s push into sports sponsorships has slowed down since the onset of the crypto winter, some crypto firms are still doubling down on big-budget deals.

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A Coinbase–BlackRock alliance may not be good for everyone

A Coinbase–BlackRock alliance may not be good for everyone

BlackRock announced that its customers also using Coinbase will have access to the crypto exchange’s Prime program, a crypto trading platform for institutional investors. Shares in Coinbase were up 31% in early trading today.

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Did SoFi’s scattered acquisition strategy pay off?

Did SoFi’s scattered acquisition strategy pay off?

Shares in SoFi surged 8% on Tuesday after the personal-finance giant shared news of “durable growth and profitability.” Revenue rose from $231M to $362M, while analysts had expected $344M.

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Overhauling mortgage-backed securities with Infima

Overhauling mortgage-backed securities with Infima

In an interview with The Financial Revolutionist, Infima CEO Hendrik Bartel outlines his path to Infima, shares details of the company’s Seed round, peeks at the startup’s roadmap, and encourages a modest approach to startup leadership.

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PayPal eyes Venmo as path to profitability

PayPal eyes Venmo as path to profitability

During the company’s earnings call, PayPal CEO Dan Schulman told analysts that the company might combine its rewards program with Venmo’s, and may link Venmo and PayPal peer-to-peer (P2P) payments capabilities to boost interoperability. PayPal’s revenue rose 9% in Q2 compared to last year.

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SoftBank is hemorrhaging money. Again.

SoftBank is hemorrhaging money. Again.

SoftBank is expected to announce additional losses of billions of dollars from its two funds. The Japan-based investment conglomerate lost $27B in the previous fiscal year.

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How Big Tech layoffs may help small businesses

How Big Tech layoffs may help small businesses

Over 30,000 tech workers have lost their jobs in the latest round of tech layoffs. Across industries, unemployment claims have reached an eight-month high.

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Why hasn’t the crypto winter affected the larger economy?

Why hasn’t the crypto winter affected the larger economy?

In an interview with CoinDesk, Antonio Garcia Pascual, Deputy Chief of the Global Market Analysis Division at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), said crypto’s nosedive hasn’t caused a similar downturn in the “real economy.” The crypto sector’s market cap has slid from $3T to $873B since November 2021.

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How diversified lending can buoy Black-owned banks

How diversified lending can buoy Black-owned banks

According to a June 30 filing, three Black-owned US banks—Industrial Bank, First Independence Bank, and Mechanics and Farmers Bank—joined eighteen other banks, including Citigroup, in a $1.23B syndicated corporate loan. The loan was provided to Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC), which offers IT services to the US government.

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Hedge fund eyeing PayPal after stock plummets

Hedge fund eyeing PayPal after stock plummets

According to the Wall Street Journal, Elliott Management, a $50B hedge fund, is considering an activist-investor takeover of PayPal. PayPal’s valuation has slid from $350B to $89B over the past year.

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Banking platform aims to close racial gaps in business

Banking platform aims to close racial gaps in business

Guava, a banking platform for Black business owners, announced a $2.4M pre-seed round led by Heron Rock. Guava will officially launch in 2023.

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Balancing globalization and compliance with Episode Six

Balancing globalization and compliance with Episode Six

After interviewing the Episode Six founding team in 2020, The Financial Revolutionist sat down with CEO John Mitchell, revisiting Episode Six’s strategies and predictions for the future. Mitchell outlines the company’s steady course, shares the vision behind their business model, and hints at the future of hybridized, digital payments ecosystems.

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