The Fintech Brief | Finance that fits the new entrepreneur

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Editor’s Pick 📌

Finance That Fits the New Entrepreneur

Small business doesn’t look like it used to.

Today’s entrepreneurs are creators, resellers, side hustlers, and niche community builders. They’re running shops from bedrooms and building audiences on TikTok.

And while the business models have changed, access to capital hasn’t kept up.

In Part 4 of The Next Frontier of Small Business Finance, Liberis dives into the Passion Economy—and how embedded, pre-approved finance is helping a new generation of digital-first entrepreneurs go from side hustle to full-time business.

What’s different this time?

🎯 No credit history? No problem. Real-time platform data replaces paperwork
⚡️ Cash when it counts. Embedded finance gives instant access to working capital
🤝 Trusted platforms. Offers come from partners they already use

Because if the economy is personal now, finance has to be too.

📖 Catch up on Part 4: The Passion Economy & Side Hustles: The New Face of Small Business

Industry Trends & Innovation 💡

EMBEDDED FINANCE

Banks and Merchants Must Embrace Embedded Finance to Meet Customer Expectations

Embedded finance, crucial for banks and merchants, is reshaping customer interactions and revenue streams. Emphasising flexible, secure solutions, it allows banks to blend trust with modern tech, crucial amid evolving regulations. Those embracing it can enhance customer loyalty and efficiency.

CRYPTO INTEGRATION

WhiteBIT's CEO Explains How Crypto-as-a-Service is Shaping the Future of Finance

Volodymyr Nosov discusses how financial institutions can integrate crypto through Crypto-as-a-Service (CaaS) without major infrastructure changes. As over 1 billion people are expected to hold digital assets by 2028, institutions risk losing customers if they fail to offer seamless crypto experiences. CaaS allows banks and fintechs to provide secure, regulated crypto services, addressing gaps such as compliance and liquidity by leveraging embedded solutions.

REAL-TIME PAYMENTS

Real-Time Payments Redefining Cross-Border Finance Through Speed and Accessibility

Real-time payments (RTPs) are rapidly becoming central in modern finance by enhancing transparency and reducing costs, predicted to handle 27.1% of global electronic payments by 2028. These systems aid cross-border financial inclusion by cutting settlement friction and offering rapid, secure transfers essential for small businesses and emerging economies. Additionally, as new digital rails like stablecoins emerge, integrating RTPs with such technologies can offer even more efficient financial services.

BUSINESS EXPANSION

Capital One's Strategic Integration of Discover Financial

Capital One's $35.3 billion acquisition of Discover Financial is reshaping U.S. consumer banking by combining credit card issuance and processing, presenting investors with a significant opportunity. By bypassing debit fee restrictions, the merger opens a vast market potential, targeting mid-tier consumers via Discover's cashback debit product. However, integrating subprime credit models poses potential risks against execution gains reliant on cost synergies and regulatory challenges.