Stripe

The banks will aim to attract new small-business customers by targeting the merchants that use Stripe's payment processing platform.

Stripe’s technology, which enables millions of merchants to easily accept payments online, also provides a window into the broader money-management pain points of the businesses it serves — and it is through this window that Stripe sees a path for growth.

Stripe Inc. is in talks to raise a new funding round valuing it higher than its last private valuation of $36 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.

Embedded finance isn’t an intentional attempt to overthrow banking; most companies are just trying to meet customers where they’re at when it comes to payments, says Kunai's Sandeep Sood.

Stripe is expanding its digital payment technology into new industries, and is also welcoming a series of notable executives with backgrounds that are mostly outside merchant technology. But they also have experience with much larger companies, a necessary skill as Stripe tries to grow out of its status as fintech upstart.

Home-service providers using Jobber software to manage their businesses now have access to Stripe Capital to obtain funds.

The strength of the post-coronavirus recovery will determine if that's enough for the digitally focused challenger to battle well-capitalized banks.

Payments unicorn Stripe contends it has the financial power to apply its technology to coronavirus medical care, remote telework, business funding, and easier onboarding for companies that have been suddenly thrust into an internet existence.

Payments technology is a relative bright spot as coronavirus’ economic fears hit venture capital, since an emergency can be a catalyst for early-stage innovation designed to ease digital commerce.

Fintech companies only think they want to be banks. Banking may seem like a natural evolution, but that doesn’t mean fintech firms should become banks, says nbkc bank's Zach Anderson Pettet.