Kabbage and other firms are extending credit to fund higher salaries at the small merchants that are struggling to hire new employees.

The fintech, which provides crypto custody services to financial institutions and recently obtained a national trust bank charter, will use its Series D funding to increase the size of its team and strengthen its infrastructure.

The issuer will help Skipify develop technology that recognizes returning customers at e-commerce sites, pre-fill payment details and provide access to loyalty programs.

Now that JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Capital One and others offer the alternative credit option, the startups that created this market are adding products to cement their hold on consumers and merchants.

The financial technology firm Chime said customers can now deposit cash at more than 8,500 Walgreens Boots Alliance locations, another example of nonbanks pushing deeper into consumer finance.

Banks in Mastercard's True Name program, which allows transgender and nonbinary customers to get cards bearing their preferred name, often use those customers' legal names elsewhere. Three challenger banks have made adaptations to achieve greater consistency across all communication channels.

Banco Bradesco, Brazil’s second-biggest bank by market value, is partnering with the Miami-based fintech BCP Global to offer digital investments to upper-middle-class and rich Brazilians.

Immigrants from Brazil, Nigeria and Kenya will be able to get scores based on their home country credit histories under a partnership between American Express and Nova Credit.

By acquiring First Sound Bank in Seattle, the fintech would control the strategic direction of the combined company and won't have to share revenue, CEO Luvleen Sidhu says.