Payments

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.

As Visa and Mastercard weigh raising rates and retail heavyweights like Amazon push back, the fintech sees an opening for a lower-cost payments alternative that banks and credit unions can offer merchants.

More financial companies across the Continent are joining a cross-border payment system designed to fight the rising threat from Visa and Mastercard.

The company, which will keep the Square brand for its card readers, also supports music, cash transfers, Bitcoin trading and other financial services.

The video-sharing site has rolled out a new feature that allows viewers to tip creators, adding to Stripe's network of clients in the crowdsourced entertainment industry.

Policymakers contend the fast-growing crypto sector poses many risks for consumers, but disagreements within the blockchain industry and Congress are expected to prevent the establishment of clear rules anytime soon.

The former PayPal president was hired to bring an entrepreneurial spirit to the social network, and he helmed major projects such as the Diem stablecoin. His exit raises questions about the direction of the businesses he oversaw.

Marcus, who joined Facebook in 2014 from PayPal, ran the Messenger service for years before moving over to form the company’s blockchain division in 2018.