Today in the Connected Economy: India, EU Strengthen Trade Connection

Today in the connected economy, India and the European Union embark on a project to boost trade, while Meta invites shoppers to visit the virtual world through its physical store. Also, Nuvei and Novibet expand their partnership, while Cross River Bank forms a new partnership with Sardine.

India, EU Look to Strengthen Trading Ties

India and the EU are hoping to forge stronger ties with the launch of a joint trade and technology council. The agreement is part of a larger plan by the EU to step up trade talks with India to give that country an alternative to trading with Russia.

Meta Store Will Be IRL ‘Gateway to the Metaverse’ With Ray-Ban Stories and More

Meta is opening the Meta Store, giving visitors the opportunity to experience the limitless virtual reality (VR) of the metaverse in a 1,550-square-foot physical store location in California. Plans for the Meta Store — set to open May 9 in the town of Burlingame — surfaced late last year as CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled the name change and new market positioning strategy. The inaugural Meta Store is launching around a series of VR partnerships and experiences in a setting that wants consumers to touch everything.

Nuvei Expands Partnership With Casino Company Novibet

Payments platform Nuvei is expanding its platform with European betting and online casino company Novibet to accept payments as it begins its global expansion. Novibet is expanding its customer base in Europe and is also expected to launch in other markets, including in the U.S., Mexico and Canada, later this year.

Cross River Bank Teams With Sardine on Crypto Payments Infrastructure

Financial services organization Cross River Bank has joined forces with compliance platform Sardine to make sure Sardine’s customers have a reliable way to access funds with Cross River’s infrastructure platform. Sardine provides fraud prevention and compliance infrastructure for digital wallets and neobanks through a platform created by veterans of companies such as Coinbase, Revolut, Google Pay, Bolt and PayPal.