Today In Payments Around The World: Klarna Widget Watches Prices For Best Promotions; Commerce Dept Won’t Seek TikTok Shutdown

In today’s top payments news around the world, global payments solution Klarna is launching a new iOS widget to monitor deals, while the Commerce Department won’t be enforcing the order that would have, in effect, shut down video-sharing app TikTok. Plus, Indonesian startup GoJek is reportedly moving nearer to eventual profitability.

New Klarna iOS Widget Monitors Prices For Best Deals

Klarna is rolling out a new iOS widget that allows people to watch prices for the best deals, promotions and sales. The price drop widget is being launched alongside new curated holiday gift lists. Live alerts tell shoppers when price changes occur for saved items. A recent Klarna study found that 73 percent of American shoppers polled are trying to shop smarter since the pandemic began.

Commerce Department Won’t Pursue TikTok Shutdown

The Commerce Department won’t be enforcing the order that would have effectively shut down TikTok, the video-sharing mobile program. Potential regulation from the Trump administration would have prohibited American firms from providing TikTok in their app stores and would have banned Alphabet and Amazon from providing web hosting services. Those restrictions would have effectively left the app unable to be used in the country.

Gojek Curbs Losses As Indonesia’s Largest Startup Ramps Up Grocery Delivery

Gojek is progressing nearer toward ultimate profitability after staunching a wave of losses on core services such as ridesharing and delivery. The platform saw annualized gross transactions cross the $12 billion threshold at the conclusion of September, a 10 percent increase over 2019, Co-CEOs Kevin Aluwi and Andre Soelistyo told one outlet.

India’s Diwali Festival To Boost Economy, But Stokes COVID Fears

Shoppers are visiting commerce districts in India’s large cities and towns in droves ahead of Diwali, increasing optimism among business owners while also stoking worries about the possibility of an increase in COVID-19 cases. The country’s 70 million business owners anticipate bringing in $8 million in sales during the holiday season.