News

Artificial Intelligence
Amazon Eyes $50 Billion OpenAI Stake
January 29, 2026

Amazon is discussing investing as much as $50 billion in OpenAI, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday (Jan. 29), citing unnamed sources. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional...

Retail
Allbirds and the Reality Check Facing Direct-to-Consumer Brands
January 29, 2026

At a high level, the direct-to-consumer (D2C) model arrived with the promise to eliminate intermediaries, speak directly to customers, and use digital channels to deliver lower prices, tighter feedback loops and cleaner brand narratives. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article...

Loyalty & Rewards
Starbucks Brings Back Tiered Rewards Program
January 29, 2026

Starbucks is preparing to launch an updated version of its loyalty rewards program. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required. yesSubscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today. By...

Retail
Walmart Bets on Healthcare as Amazon Swings Hard at Grocery
January 29, 2026

Amazon and Walmart are battling on two of the largest, most habitual spending categories in the U.S. economy: grocery and healthcare. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins...

Artificial Intelligence
Sumsub Adds AI Agent Verification to Know Your Agent Framework
January 29, 2026

Verification and fraud prevention firm Sumsub debuted its AI Agent Verification tool. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required. yesSubscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today. By...

Cross-border Payments
The Cross-Border CFO Playbook: Using Local Collections for Growth
January 29, 2026

Two growth stories have traditionally defined cross-border commerce in the 21st century. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required. yesSubscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today. By...

Artificial Intelligence
OpenAI Courts Tech Giants for $100 Billion Funding Round
January 29, 2026

Amazon, Microsoft and Nvidia are among OpenAI’s largest providers of infrastructure. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required. yesSubscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today. By completing...

B2B Payments
ACH B2B Volume Hits 8.1 Billion Payments
January 29, 2026

ACH continued to replace checks in B2B payments in 2025, Nacha said Thursday (Jan. 29). Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required. yesSubscribe to our daily newsletter,...

IPO
Brazil’s PicPay Reaches $2.5 Billion Valuation in US IPO
January 29, 2026

Brazilian FinTech PicPay has raised $434 million in its U.S. initial public offering. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required. yesSubscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today....