Tagged: research

February 26, 2026 @ 4:30 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

US consumer debt continued its upward climb through the end of 2025, with growth gaining momentum in the final months of the year, according to Equifax’s (NYSE: EFX) National Market Pulse report released February 24, 2026. The credit analytics firm’s proprietary data shows total consumer… Read More

February 26, 2026 @ 3:28 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

PitchBook’s latest analysis, the VC Emerging Opportunities report, has provided a quantitative framework for evaluating key technology verticals. Authored by Andrew Akers, CFA, and Susan Hu, the study combines bottom-up machine-learning predictions from the firm’s VC Exit Predictor model with top-down macroeconomic indicators to help… Read More

February 25, 2026 @ 11:38 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Businesses in Europe, the MENA Region, and Asia-Pacific regions are confronting a sharp escalation in fraud, with losses mounting faster than protective measures can respond, according to a study released by Experian. The research, conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of the global data and… Read More

February 25, 2026 @ 10:51 am By Omar Faridi  |  

UK Finance pointed out that the latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) from Transparency International delivers a sobering message for the United Kingdom: progress against graft has stalled, and decisive action is now essential. Released in early 2026, the 2025 CPI shows the UK’s score slipping… Read More

February 25, 2026 @ 8:40 am By Omar Faridi  |  

As artificial intelligence continues its expansion, a new wave of early-stage startups is emerging not to build more powerful models, but to fix the growing pains that come with them. According to CB Insights’ latest Early-Stage Trends Report, released recently, the most promising young companies… Read More

February 24, 2026 @ 7:30 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Enterprises are accelerating AI agent deployments at an unprecedented pace, yet many struggle to quantify the value they deliver. A late-2025 survey of 59 executives by CB Insights revealed that 80% consider AI agent adoption a strategic priority. Strikingly, however, 40% admit they cannot track… Read More

February 23, 2026 @ 4:33 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In February 2026, the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond released a detailed examination of the “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) sector, focusing on its rapid evolution and broader economic effects. Authored by economist Zhu Wang, the research report highlights how these short-term financing options have… Read More

February 23, 2026 @ 12:55 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Cornell Law School Professor Dan Awrey has just released a timely new working paper that delves into one of the most pressing challenges facing modern finance: the disruptive power of technology on traditional banking. Titled Banking, Technology, and Instability, the paper examines how rapid technological… Read More

February 22, 2026 @ 2:29 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis has released fresh data highlighting the enduring strength of cryptocurrency-fueled drug trade on darknet platforms. In its latest insights from the Crypto Crime Report, the firm reports that total cryptocurrency flows tied to darknet marketplaces and drug vendors reached slightly more… Read More

February 20, 2026 @ 12:00 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Mexican drug cartels, long reliant on bulky cash piles from fentanyl and other narcotics sales, are rapidly pivoting to digital assets for cleaning their illicit profits. A Bloomberg Businessweek investigation reveals how a decentralized, gig-economy-powered network has emerged to handle these transactions, leaving US and… Read More

February 20, 2026 @ 1:08 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) has mapped the latest patterns of artificial intelligence being turned against organizations and individuals. The report, part of an ongoing series tracking adversarial AI use, examines how threat actors are stealing model capabilities, enhancing conventional attacks, and embedding generative… Read More

February 19, 2026 @ 7:39 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The year 2025 stands out as a pivotal moment in the enforcement of sanctions within the cryptocurrency sector, according to insights from blockchain analytics firm Elliptic. This period witnessed unprecedented actions by authorities, underscoring the growing intersection of digital assets with global security concerns. From… Read More

February 19, 2026 @ 12:06 pm By JD Alois  |  

Tokenized money, either stablecoins or central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), are on the forefront of the digital asset sector. Stablecoins were initially the go-to digital asset for crypto traders seeking to exit a holding and hold value in something safe. Today, stablecoins are growing rapidly,… Read More

February 18, 2026 @ 9:54 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In a departure from historical patterns, consumer interest in shopping for insurance remained fairly steady throughout the final quarter of 2025, according to TransUnion’s (NYSE: TRU) latest Insurance Personal Lines Trends and Perspectives Report. Rather than tapering off as the year wound down—a trend long… Read More

February 18, 2026 @ 1:06 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Traditional Know Your Customer (KYC) and Know Your Business (KYB) processes are no longer sufficient. Juniper Research’s recent whitepaper  explores how identity verification is advancing beyond initial customer and merchant onboarding to encompass continuous, agent-level governance. Authored by Research Analyst Shane O’Sullivan, the report analyzes… Read More

February 18, 2026 @ 12:33 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In an environment that is increasingly being dominated by artificial intelligence advancements, key perspectives from financial institutions and professional services reveal that energy is quietly emerging as the defining force in the global economy, while AI itself drives considerable changes in how services are delivered…. Read More

February 18, 2026 @ 10:16 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Recent economic research and forecasts paint an insightful and detailed picture of the Eurozone’s recovery, distinguishing between lasting and short-lived inflationary pressures while projecting modest expansion ahead. A new Bank of England staff working paper, released on 13 February 2026, offers fresh analysis of post-pandemic… Read More

February 18, 2026 @ 1:19 am By Omar Faridi  |  

KPMG has indicated that the global fintech sector experienced a notable recovery in 2025, with total investments climbing to $116 billion across approximately 4,700 deals, marking an increase from the previous year’s $95.5 billion. Research from KPMG  and other pointed out that this uptick, driven… Read More

February 17, 2026 @ 8:12 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The CB Insights State of Insurtech report indicated that the sector staged a clear rebound last year — not through a flood of speculative early bets, but through a decisive shift toward companies that have proved they can deliver scale, traction, and durable business models…. Read More

February 16, 2026 @ 6:56 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Crypto.com has noted that there’s been a significant surge for the digital asset space, the number of people worldwide holding cryptocurrencies climbed to 741 million by the end of 2025. Crypto.com insights have revealed that this represents a solid 12.4% jump from the previous year’s… Read More