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FinTech IPO Index Up 1.7% as Circle Gets Ant Group Support

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Finance Teams Use AI to Enhance Visibility Amid Rising Tariff Pressures

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Tariffs Drive Smartphone Manufacturers to Boost US Inventory, Shift Sourcing to India

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Apple Reportedly Mulling Price Hike for Fall iPhone Releases

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FinTech IPO Index Up 1.7% as Circle Gets Ant Group Support

Earnings season is kicking off next week, and the flood of quarterly reports will move FinTech IPO Index names.

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    But in the meantime, as the past five trading days notched a 1.7% gain, platform expansions and digital wallet introductions were the key movers of the stock prices in the group.

    Opendoor shares surged more than 54%.

    The shares continued a rally in the wake of late-June news that it had expanded its agent platform, Opendoor Key Agent, with the launch of Key Connections.

    The company said that Key Connections represents a new offering that directly connects a network of select partner agents with high-intent sellers in their market.

    “This evolution positions Opendoor to reach and support more sellers, increase flexibility in its go-to-market strategy, and create new revenue streams,” the company said in its announcement. Partner agents would meet with sellers in-person at their homes to present all selling options, and Opendoor stated that the rollout will increase conversion and drive incremental revenue by reaching more sellers and earning revenue from any sale path, “not just cash offers.”

    Circle got a 14% bump. As PYMNTS reported Thursday (July 10), Chinese FinTech Ant Group plans to add Circle’s USDC stablecoin to its blockchain platform after the coin becomes compliant in the United States. The timeline for the move has not been determined.

    The partnership also comes at a time when Ant Group’s global unit, Ant International, is adding more regulated cryptocurrencies to its blockchain to support services like treasury management and cross-border payments.

    Robinhood Under Scrutiny

    As PYMNTS reported Monday (July 7), Robinhood is under scrutiny in the EU for offering tokenized equities of OpenAI after the artificial intelligence startup disavowed any ties to these assets.

    The central bank of Lithuania, which is Robinhood’s main regulator in the EU, has reportedly asked the brokerage to clarify the structure of OpenAI and SpaceX tokens to “assess the legality and compliance of these specific instruments.”

    Launched on June 30, Robinhood’s Stock Tokens are derivatives recorded on the blockchain that follow the prices of publicly traded stocks and ETFs to give investors exposure to the U.S. market.

    Robinhood’s stock inched up by 0.7%.

    Paysafe said Wednesday (July 9) that it has debuted PagoEfectivo wallet, which expands payment options in Peru. The digital wallet will offer instant payouts, code payments and P2P transfers. The wallet will also enable users to instantly load funds, make online purchases, receive immediate payouts from participating merchants, transfer money to others and pay using a code. Paysafe shares were 4.3% higher.

    Lemonade announced the launch of Lemonade Car, an auto insurance offering, in Indiana, marking the latest step in the company’s expanding U.S. footprint.

    With the addition of Indiana, Lemonade Car is now available in states representing approximately 42% of the U.S. car insurance market, the company said. Lemonade’s stock lost 5.3%.

    FinTech IPO Index

    Finance Teams Use AI to Enhance Visibility Amid Rising Tariff Pressures

    American enterprises are under pressure. Between renewed tariff hikes, global supply chain instability and rising operational costs, many firms face decision points that could shape their futures.

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      And that can put the finance team in the hot seat, or command center, depending on the business.

      Yet the response from large enterprises to today’s ongoing macro uncertainty and supply-chain challenges, according to new research from PYMNTS Intelligence’s June 2025 CAIO Report, “The Enterprise Reset: Tariffs, Uncertainty and the Limits of Operational Response,” is not one of sweeping transformation but of strategic hesitation.

      The report found that a minority of companies, fewer than 6%, are taking bold steps like reshoring manufacturing or redesigning products in light of tariff and trade turbulence. Instead, most are opting for temporary cost-cutting, incremental pricing changes and cautious contract renegotiations.

      The backdrop to this cautious recalibration is a volatile trade environment. From semiconductor restrictions to energy tariffs, the global business landscape is being reshaped not by market forces but by regulatory chess matches.

      Enterprises now confront a set of “known unknowns”: rising tariff threats, supply bottlenecks and sudden price spikes. It’s at this nexus where operational discipline, financial data and focused resilience are shaping a smarter, more deliberate transformation.

      Tariffs, Tension and Tactical Thinking

      The PYMNTS Intelligence report data found that nearly all firms (96%) say tariffs have negatively impacted their operations, and 84% cite persistent shortages as an ongoing challenge. Yet, fewer than 1 in 4 (23%) plan to make long-term operational changes in the next year.

      At first glance, it may seem irrational for companies to not reconfigure their supply chains or rethink their cost structures in the face of prolonged uncertainty. But the truth is more nuanced. Moving a major supplier or changing a production site, for example, isn’t like flipping a switch. It involves compliance reviews, customer approvals and major capital expenditure.

      At the same time, any executives are betting that tariffs are temporary. There’s a belief — hope, even — that cooler heads will prevail and mitigate aggressive trade stances. Additionally, despite years of digitization talk, many companies may still lack the real-time visibility needed to confidently make cross-border structural decisions.

      So, what are companies doing? A majority of firms (60%) surveyed report they are addressing these challenges through tighter partner coordination, smarter sourcing contract terms, more dynamic price modeling and greater alignment between finance and procurement functions.

      Read the report: The Enterprise Reset: Tariffs, Uncertainty and the Limits of Operational Response

      The Emerging Strategic Model of Discipline as Growth Center

      In this vein, firms are leveraging internal data, including procurement and payment analytics, to monitor supplier performance and maintain operational continuity without upending established workflows. Many firms are prioritizing improvements to existing systems to avoid unnecessary complexity.

      More than half of surveyed enterprises are renegotiating supplier and logistics terms to gain pricing leverage and reduce exposure. The report found that technology investment is rising, particularly in systems that offer better visibility into cash flow, vendor risk and procurement performance.

      These adjustments reflect a deeper integration between finance, operations and procurement functions — something many organizations accelerated during the pandemic and are now institutionalizing.

      The findings from report suggest a broader shift underway: the emergence of a strategic model that prioritizes real-time insight, cross-functional alignment and controlled responsiveness. Rather than pursuing large, immediate transformation, organizations are building resilience through readiness — preparing the groundwork for change, but executing with discipline.

      Ultimately, today’s tactical posture is not a sign of delay, but preparation. Many enterprises are using this period of uncertainty to sharpen their internal capabilities and modernize systems, so they are better positioned for more transformative moves in the future.

      Tariffs Drive Smartphone Manufacturers to Boost US Inventory, Shift Sourcing to India

      United States smartphone shipments leaped 30% year over year in March as manufacturers raced to bring new inventory into the country ahead of the tariffs that were anticipated and then announced by the President Donald Trump administration April 2.

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        The increase in shipments boosted U.S. inventories by 51% compared to March 2024, Counterpoint Technology Market Research said in a Wednesday (May 14) press release.

        The new tariffs also drove a shift in the country of origin of these smartphone shipments, with India’s share of U.S.-bound shipments rising from 16% in the first quarter of 2024 to 26% in the first quarter of 2025, according to the release.

        Three major smartphone manufacturers — Apple, Samsung and Motorola — increased their shipments from India, per the release.

        “The increase in shipments in March and early April will help insulate Apple from potential immediate pricing impacts in the U.S. through mid- to late-summer,” Counterpoint Senior Research Analyst Gerrit Schneemann said in the release. “Should the tariff situation remain unresolved with China by the time the iPhone 17 ships, we expect India to become the primary provider for U.S.-bound iPhone 17 devices.”

        The shares of the two other major smartphone-exporting countries — China and Vietnam — declined. China’s share of U.S. smartphone shipments slid from 56% to 52% over the past year, while Vietnam’s share dropped from 27% to 21%, according to the release.

        “The initial Vietnam tariff actions came as a surprise to many, as the first Trump administration had focused its tariff policy exclusively on China,” the release said.

        Global technology market analyst firm Canalys said April 30 that the U.S. smartphone market’s growth in the first quarter was driven by Apple building up its inventory ahead of the new tariffs.

        While the global smartphone market grew 0.2% year over year in the first quarter, the U.S. smartphone market increased by 12%, Canalys said.

        The U.S. market is expected to experience “considerable volatility” over the next two or three quarters due to uncertainty around tariffs and weakening consumer confidence, according to Canalys.

        It was reported April 25 that in response to the new tariffs, Apple plans to get all its U.S.-bound iPhones from India by the end of 2026.

        Apple Reportedly Mulling Price Hike for Fall iPhone Releases

        Apple is reportedly considering price increases for its next iPhone models.

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          However, the tech giant is committed to avoiding the appearance of blaming that price hike on U.S. tariffs on products from China, where most iPhones are made, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Monday (May 12), citing sources familiar with the matter.

          The news came just as the U.S. and China announced a deal to suspend most of the tariffs they had placed on each other. Still, a 20% tariff that President Donald Trump imposed earlier this year on Chinese goods is still in place and applies to smartphones.

          As the report notes, the trade conflict between the U.S. and China has placed pressure on Apple’s supply chain, leading the company to look to India to handle smartphone manufacturing.

          However, sources told the WSJ that the most profitable, high-end iPhone models will continue to primarily be made in China, as India’s infrastructure and technical capabilities can’t yet support mass production at the scale China can offer.

          Of the 65 million or so iPhones sold in the U.S. last year, 36 to 39 million were the higher-end Pro or Pro Max models, the WSJ added, citing estimates from the investment bank Jefferies. PYMNTS has contacted Apple for comment but has not yet gotten a reply.

          Sources told the WSJ Apple would struggle offsetting tariff costs just by seeking savings from suppliers. That means it would likely see a hit to its profit margins unless it raised prices. But company officials are reluctant to blame tariffs for rising prices.

          As the WSJ notes, when Amazon appeared to be doing the same thing last month by listing the tariff-related cost of goods on its website, the White House lashed out. The tech giant quickly said this plan “was never approved and is not going to happen.”

          Not all businesses are as reluctant to blame the tariffs for their troubles. Close to 20% of American small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are pessimistic about their chances of remaining afloat over the next five years, according to the PYMNTS Intelligence report “Brewing Storm: Why 1 in 5 Smaller Businesses Without Financing Fear They May Not Survive Tariffs.”

          “For SMBs, tariffs aren’t just a line item; they’re an existential threat,” PYMNTS wrote last month. “Prices for goods and services climbed to their steepest rate in over a year this month, with tariffs fueling an especially sharp increase in prices of manufactured goods.”

          SMBs account for around one-third of total imports to the U.S., that report added, but don’t have the advantages of bigger firms, like the ability to diversify suppliers or negotiate bulk contracts.