News

Security & Fraud
DOJ: Las Vegas Man Charged in $45 Million CoinDeal Scheme
May 19, 2023

Another person has been charged for allegedly participating in the multimillion-dollar CoinDeal investment fraud scheme that was announced in January. Bryan Lee, 57, of Las Vegas, allegedly conspired with others in the scheme that defrauded more than 10,000 victims of $45 million, the U.S. Department of...

B2B Payments
Expensify Adds Chat Feature for Accountants to Payments App
May 19, 2023

Expensify has added a chat feature for accountants to its payments app. The new Expensify Chat feature enables accountants to chat with clients and keep those conversations within the app, the company said in a Friday (May 19) press release. “The outdated model of using separate apps for tracking...

Retail
Walmart and Target Earnings Offer Up a Tale of Two eCommerce Platforms 
May 19, 2023

At first glance, the numbers are startling in their contrast. In their latest earnings reports, Walmart posted comparable eCommerce sales gains of 27% in its most recent quarter. Target posted a 3.4% drop in comparable digital sales. “We continue to gain market share in the grocery category, including...

Banking
Yellen Reportedly Says Banking Industry May Need More Mergers
May 19, 2023

There may be more bank mergers on the way. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told bank executives Thursday (May 18) that the industry may need more mergers, CNN reported Friday (May 19), citing unnamed sources. The report noted that the Treasury Department’s readout of the meeting, which included board members of...

Investments
Sabi Raises $38 Million for B2B Marketplace Serving African Retailers
May 19, 2023

Nigeria-based B2B eCommerce firm Sabi has raised $38 million in Series B funding. This funding round values the company at $300 million, TechCrunch reported Friday (May 19). Sabi acknowledged the report by retweeting a tweet by Lexi Novitske, general partner at growth-stage investor Norrsken22, that said, “Well, I guess the news is out.” Well,...

Retail
Five Below Expands Retail Footprint With Simon
May 19, 2023

Specialty discount retailer Five Below has unveiled plans to expand through Simon’s retail portfolio, including its Premium Outlets. The expansion with Simon will encompass a range of products geared toward tweens, teens and beyond, according to a Thursday (May 18) press release. Five Below aims to...

Retail
Lululemon Adds Textile Recycling to Its Circularity Initiatives
May 19, 2023

Lululemon has made a minority investment in Australian recycling company Samsara Eco. The companies will collaborate to make recycled nylon and polyester from the apparel waste generated while producing Lululemon’s athletic apparel and use it to create brand-new apparel, Lululemon said in a Thursday (May 18) press release. “Nylon...

Retail
Even Discount Retail CEOs Say Shoppers Are Pulling Back   
May 19, 2023

Amid inflation, shoppers are actively seeking out affordable options. This trend has prompted consumers to search for merchants whose prices are in line with their budget. This has proven advantageous for retailers like Ross Stores, which strive to offer the “best branded bargains possible at...

Fintech Investments
FinTech IPO Index Gains 2.4% as Upstart Soars on Consumer Loan Sale
May 19, 2023

The FinTech IPO gathered 2.4% in a week that saw the last few remnants of earnings reports trickle in. And of course, beyond the revenues and various customer metrics detailed in those quarterly reports, there were firms that had non-earnings headlines of their own.   Upstart...