News

eCommerce
Google Goes Global With Free Retail Ad Initiative
September 30, 2020

Retailers across Europe, the Middle East and Africa will be able to post ads for free on Google’s Shopping tab starting in mid-October. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no...

Investments
Baidu’s Smart Living Group Valued At Nearly $3B
September 30, 2020

Chinese search engine and artificial intelligence (AI) giant Baidu is accelerating its push into the booming voice assistant sector that has spawned AI celebrities like Alexa. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS...

Partnerships / Acquisitions
36 M&A Deals Worth At Least $5B Announced In Q3
September 30, 2020

As business leaders reworked firms to contend with COVID-19’s effects and private equity firms sprang on targets, a revitalization in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) brought about the most active summer for large deals in 30 years, the Financial Times reported. Get the Full Story Complete...

Partnerships / Acquisitions
Report: Google Makes Concessions To Close Fitbit Deal In Europe
September 30, 2020

Google’s wait for approval by the European Union (EU) of its $2.1 billion purchase of fitness tracker maker Fitbit is almost over. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional...

Security & Fraud
Singapore Banking Regulator Shuts Wirecard
September 30, 2020

Singapore’s financial regulatory authority announced Wednesday (Sept. 30) it has directed Wirecard AG to end its payment services in the Southeast Asian country and return customers’ funds by Oct. 14. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free...

Retail
CDC’s New Guidance Will Do Little To Boost Brick-and-Mortar Holiday Shopping
September 30, 2020

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines when it comes to celebrating and preparing for the COVID era’s holiday shopping season can be summed up in a single sentence: Keep away from crowds. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this...

Investments
FinTech Capify Nets $10M Funding, Continued Goldman Backing
September 30, 2020

The FinTech Capify has pulled in an additional $10 million in an equity round of funding and is banking on continued support from the Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division for its lending platform, which is geared to small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Get the Full...

Retail
Spiceology Shakes Up The D2C Status Quo
September 30, 2020

It’s said that variety is the spice of life. At Spiceology, they want spices to have variety. The seven-year-old D2C hybrid brand has just received $4.7 million in funding and is on a mission to get chefs and consumers to experiment with flavor, as home...

Retail
SMBs Face Urgent Choices As Prime Day Looms
September 30, 2020

There is no Black Friday. There is now Black Tuesday. That’s one way to look at Oct. 13 and 14 in this year of unpredictable and unprecedented retail happenings. Just one week after Amazon officially announced its Prime Day would start Tuesday, Oct. 13, Target...