Latest news with #Block
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Jack Dorsey's Block Tests Square Terminal Bitcoin Payments At Bitcoin 2025 Plans Full Rollout In H2
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Block is set to allow businesses to receive Bitcoin payments via its Square point-of-sale terminals. The new feature builds on its Bitcoin Conversions feature, which launched in 2024. It is not the first time Block has introduced a feature that allows merchants to accept Bitcoin payments. Twitter co-founder and Block (NYSE:XYZ) CEO Jack Dorsey said that Bitcoin fails if it is not used in everyday payments. Fast forward a month later, the Bitcoin proponent is putting his money where his mouth is. Block saidTuesday that it is set to allow businesses to receive Bitcoin payments via its Square point-of-sale terminals. The firm said the feature was currently being demonstrated at Bitcoin 2025 in Las Vegas at the BTC Inc. merchandise store. A full rollout of the feature will commence in the second half of the year and be completed for all eligible merchants by 2026, subject to relevant regulatory approvals, Block said. Don't Miss: — no wallets, just price speculation and free paper trading to practice different strategies. Grow your IRA or 401(k) with Crypto – . Block said the new feature builds on its Bitcoin Conversions feature, which launched in 2024, which allows merchants to convert a part of their sales to Bitcoin. The feature leverages the Lightning Network for near-instant settlement and will allow customers to make Bitcoin payments by simply scanning a QR code at checkout, Block said. Meanwhile, merchants will be able to choose whether to hold the received Bitcoin or have it automatically converted to fiat currency in real time, according to the firm. 'Block has long been a champion of bitcoin, focused on making it more accessible and usable in our everyday lives,' Block Bitcoin Product Lead Miles Suter said in the company's announcement. 'Rolling out a native bitcoin experience to millions of sellers brings us one step closer to that goal.' According to Suter, the feature would enable businesses to receive payment faster and retain a greater portion of their revenue. Trending: New to crypto? on Coinbase. It is not the first time Block has introduced a feature that allows merchants to accept Bitcoin payments. The firm first enabled direct Bitcoin payments for its online sellers in 2014. Dorsey said last month, however, 'zero buyers used it.' Going into the recent reintroduction of the feature, he said he is also not overly optimistic about significant adoption. 'I don't think this time around usage will be much. I hope I'm wrong,' Dorsey said. 'We're building something for people that *may* want to spend their bitcoin, in a cycle where people may not actually want to spend their bitcoin because it's going up so much.' Dorsey noted that for him, unlocking Bitcoin payments was a matter of principle. 'We're going to try again on principle and see what happens. i want bitcoin to become the native currency of the internet above all else,' he said. Dorsey's obsession with Bitcoin payments stems from the title of the cryptocurrency's white paper, which describes Bitcoin as 'a peer-to-peer electronic cash system.' He has also said Bitcoin becomes irrelevant if it fails to become more than just a store of value. Read Next: A must-have for all crypto enthusiasts: . Image: Shutterstock Send To MSN: 0 This article Jack Dorsey's Block Tests Square Terminal Bitcoin Payments At Bitcoin 2025 Plans Full Rollout In H2 originally appeared on
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Dunnes Stores fans set to love new wide leg trousers with matching top – and it makes perfect airport outfit
SUMMER is officially here and many fashion fans are on the hunt for that perfect airport outfit. Dunnes Stores designers have come to the rescue with their latest wide leg trousers that are perfect for 6 Dunnes Stores have released a gorgeous pair of wide leg trousers Credit: 6 There's also a top to match Credit: 6 The trousers are perfect for travel Credit: The Colour Block Wide Leg Trousers have landed in The wide-leg trousers have a thick stripe down the side and a small slit on the leg. Dunnes Stores chiefs said the pants have an elasticated waist for comfort. They said: 'These wide-leg trousers are designed for everyday wear. READ MORE ON FASHION 'Featuring an elasticated waistband for a flexible fit and practical side pockets, they are designed with a standout colour block detailing along the edges for a sporty twist.' The striking pants, costing €25, come in sizes XS to XXL. Shoppers can also pick up a pair of the trousers in black or khaki. Most read in Fabulous Meanwhile, fashion fans are scrambling to get their hands on a satin look Julie Byrnes Hughes, who posts under @ I'm over 40 and tried stunning new summer trousers at Dunnes Stores, I tried so hard NOT to buy them Captioning the post, she said: "Dunnes Stores slaying the colour of the season!" She revealed the stunning Savida Bailey Statin Lemon Drawstring & Lace Suit set for just €50. The €20 top is designed in a fluid, silky fabric that catches the light and features a drawing hemline that lets you adjust the shape to suit your style. Dunnes Stores' chief said the top is "perfect for day-to-night dressing" during the summer season. The €30 wide-leg trousers are crafted from a high-shine, satin-like fabric and feature an elasticated waistband to ensure a relaxed yet flattering fit. And the side panels showcase fine pleating and delicate lace trim. Julie styled the beautiful co-ord set with golden jewellery, a golden style handbag and dark gold heels - the perfect look for formal occasions during the summer. The top is available in sizes XXS to XXL, while the trousers come in sizes 6 to 18. Both new items are now available to purchase online and in stores nationwide. 6 Shoppers can choose from three colours Credit: 6 They have an elasticated waist band Credit: 6 Shoppers will need to act fast Credit: Garrett White - Commissioned by The Sun Dublin THE HISTORY OF DUNNES STORES DUNNES Stores opened its first store on Patrick Street in Cork in 1944 - and it was an instant hit. Shoppers from all over the city rushed to the store to snap up quality clothing at pre-war prices in Ireland's first 'shopping frenzy'. During the excitement, a window was forced in and the police had to be called to help control the crowds hoping to bag founder Ben Dunne's 'Better Value' bargains. Dunnes later opened more stores in the 1950s and began to sell groceries in 1960 - starting with apples and oranges. The retailer said: "Fruit was expensive at the time and Ben Dunne yet again offered Better Value than anyone else in town. "Over time, our food selection has grown and that spirit of good value has remained strong. "Now we offer a wide range of carefully-sourced foods from both local Irish suppliers and overseas." The retailer's first Dublin store opened its doors in 1957 on Henry Street and a super store on South Great Georges Street was unveiled in 1960. They added: "In 1971, our first Northern Irish store opened, and many others soon followed. "Expansion continued in the 1980s in Spain, and later into Scotland and England." Dunnes now has 142 stores and employs 15,000 people.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Better Growth Stock: Block vs. SoFi Technologies
The advent of mobile internet connectivity has turned the banking business into self-serve. Cryptocurrencies' underlying blockchain technology, in the meantime, has been held up as a solution for a range of problems. Investors are underestimating the potential of one of these young businesses while overestimating the upside of the other. 10 stocks we like better than SoFi Technologies › Does your portfolio need a bit more exposure to the fintech space? There are plenty of great options out there, although payment technology platform Block (NYSE: XYZ) and online banking outfit SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ: SOFI) are a couple of investors' favorites right now. Either would likely work well enough for you. If you've only got room for one of these holdings at this time, however, choose SoFi. Here's why. Don't panic if you already happen to own a stake in Block. You're hardly doomed. While shares are still trading down more than 70% from their pandemic-inspired 2022 peak, analysts remain largely bullish, collectively rating the stock as a strong buy while supporting a consensus price target of $66.86 that is roughly 7% above this ticker's present price. Slow and steady long-term revenue and earnings growth are in the cards, even if that progress can run a little hot and cold. SoFi Technologies is still the better bet, though. On the off-chance you're reading this and aren't familiar with it, SoFi is an online bank offering all the services you'd expect from a more traditional brick-and-mortar banking company. Checking and savings accounts, loans, credit cards, investing services, and even insurance and travel planning are in its wheelhouse. Where SoFi Technologies differs is that it's only an online bank -- there are no physical branches to visit. That might initially seem a bit nutty to investors who remember a time when online banking didn't exist at all, simply because the internet itself had not yet been invented. When brick-and-mortar banks added online self-service as an option, it was a game-changing add-on. Now, this digital self-service choice isn't just the norm -- it's the preferred means of handling most banking matters. A 2024 survey commissioned by the American Bankers Association and performed by Morning Consult found that 22% of bank customers in the United States now use their personal computers as their first choice for taking care of their banking business, while a whopping 55% of this crowd prefers a mobile app for handling banking matters. In-branch visits and phone calls, conversely, are only the first choice for 8% and 4% (respectively) of U.S. banks' customers. It also comes as no surprise that older consumers are less likely to use a mobile app or PC to do their banking, while digitally native younger customers are increasingly likely to do so. Connect the dots. Where SoFi Technologies already sits is where the world is going. That's what its results indicate, anyway. Its customer headcount has grown every quarter since the beginning of 2020, from just over 1 million members then to nearly 11 million members as of the end of this year's first quarter. It's expecting more of the same pace of growth this year as well, driving revenue and earnings higher in step with this ongoing expansion, thanks to a greater and more cost-effective scale. SoFi's full-year guidance is for top-line growth of around 25% and a near-doubling of per-share profits. Don't look for this growth to end then, however. An outlook from Precedence Research suggests the global online banking business is set to grow at an average annual pace of 40% through 2034. Although Europe is the biggest and apt to be the fastest-growing market, the North American market, where SoFi operates, isn't far behind by either measure. Just brace for the fact that you may not see big gains right away if you're going to dive in at this time. Shares are already priced near analysts' consensus one-year target of $13.70, and this crowd's collective rating on this ticker is a lukewarm hold. SoFi Technologies should only be viewed here as a long-term prospect. Still, SoFi is arguably a stronger growth investment than Block is at this time for a couple of key reasons. But first things first. You may be more familiar with this outfit than you realize. This is the company formerly known as Square, which, of course, offers card payment acceptance technology to small businesses and sole proprietors that weren't being served by more conventional payment solutions providers. It still manages this business, too, but in 2021, it dove headfirst into the then-red-hot cryptocurrency arena by building a whole new technology around Bitcoin. Later that same year, Square changed its name to Block to better represent the new prioritization of its blockchain-based business. It hasn't been a terrible decision; obviously, these markets are still around and are still producing at least some growth. However, the payment-acceptance space is now both mature and crowded by entrenched powerhouses like PayPal, while technology companies like Alphabet's Google and even IBM are creeping deeper into these same spaces. The barriers to entry into these markets are now quite low, taking a toll on Block's pace of forward progress. To this end, the company is only expected to produce sales growth of about 4% this year, dragging per-share earnings lower with that slowdown. Revenue growth should slightly accelerate next year -- but only slightly -- to a modest pace of about 10%. Analysts don't expect it to ever get much better than that again, either, even though profit margins are likely to continue widening at a measurably faster pace. That's the first reason investors might want to opt for something more promising from the fintech space. As for the second reason to steer clear of Block, while the blockchain hype was once palpable, it's not unfair to say it hasn't exactly lived up to expectations. That's not to say it won't. If and when it happens, Block is ready to serve its targeted sliver of the business. That's mostly by offering a secure digital Bitcoin wallet. As it stands right now, though, neither consumers nor corporations seem as interested in cryptocurrencies or their underlying blockchain technology as much as previously hoped. Their security (or lack thereof) remains a reasonable concern, while blockchain itself is proving to be a complicated and costly solution to problems that don't actually exist. In the meantime, although Bitcoin currently accounts for 40% of Block's revenue, it still only makes up about 3% of the company's gross profits. Perhaps Block hitched its wagon to the wrong star. Never say never, of course. Things could change. There's also an obvious opportunity ahead for Block's well-established Cash App and payment-processing businesses, even if the business is crowded, as the world continues to wean itself from cash and even conventional credit cards in favor of more payments being made directly to and from bank accounts. As it turns out, these direct transfers are often more secure and typically cheaper than card-based payments. It's a shift, however, that still works to SoFi's advantage far more than it does to Block's. Before you buy stock in SoFi Technologies, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and SoFi Technologies wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $638,985!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $853,108!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 978% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 171% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 19, 2025 Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. James Brumley has positions in Alphabet. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Bitcoin, Block, International Business Machines, and PayPal. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2027 $42.50 calls on PayPal and short June 2025 $77.50 calls on PayPal. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Better Growth Stock: Block vs. SoFi Technologies was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Jennifer Lopez rubbishes buzz about new romance after divorce from Ben Affleck: 'I'm not looking for any man'
Newly divorced Jennifer Lopez shared a relationship update with the world after her jaw-dropping AMAs performance. The actress and singer, in an interview, addressed her relationship status and if she is looking to find love again after the end of her marriage to Ben Affleck . Lopez in a candid chat with Access Hollywood, gave a 'relationship update' after she set tongues wagging for her lip locks on-stage with two of her dancers. In the interview, she was asked about this segment. In response, the singer reacted to Tiffany Haddish 's joke about wanting to go 'manhunting' with her. "I said, 'Girl, I'm not looking for any man. I'm happy right now. I'm not trying to ruin it, okay'?" JLo quipped. After the AMAs success, comedian and actress Tiffany joked about Lopez's performance, saying, 'How cool is it to have a total superstar like hosting the AMAs? Our host has just danced to 23 hits in six minutes. From that opening number alone, Jenny from the Block has got all her steps in for the day, and she got all her kisses in." Laughing about the comment, she continued by saying, 'Save a dancer for me, Damn! You aren't the only one out here single,' and then proceeded to announce the nominees and winner for the Favourite R&B Song category. Lopez also talked about her life post-divorce and how she wishes to proceed with it going forward. Lopez shared with People, "It seems like a perfect summer to celebrate being free and being happy. Just everything in my life right now just feels really healthy and good, and I'm ready to get out there and make people sing and dance and have a good time. That's always my goal.' She also talked about her next big performance in Washington. The star is all set to headline the WorldPride event, for which she is 'super excited'. Not only that, but Lopez confirmed that her kids may also be joining her during her time in Washington at Pride. She shared that "I think my kids are going to come to Pride because I'm doing more of a concert [at WorldPride], so I'm excited about that.' Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Mizuho Increases Block's (XYZ) Price Target, Keeps Outperform Rating
On Tuesday, May 27, Mizuho Securities increased the price target for Block, Inc. (NYSE:XYZ), previously known as Square, to $71 from $68 and kept an 'Outperform' rating. Mizuho made this decision after an analysis that shows a link between Bitcoin's price and user engagement on Block's (NYSE:XYZ) Cash App. People using the Cash App paying for goods and services, highlighting the impact the of the company's payment tools. The analysis showed that the recent surge in the price of Bitcoin has led to an increase in weekly active users of Cash App. The firm noticed that in late April and early May, there was a notable uptick in activity. Previously, in February and March, user growth was slower. These findings are in agreement with statements from Block, Inc.'s (NYSE:XYZ) management, which highlighted a rebound in Cash App usage in April. If Bitcoin can continue climbing, Cash App could experience increased user engagement in the coming months. Block, Inc. (NYSE:XYZ) is an American financial technology company that offers a wide range of products and services to consumers and merchants. While we acknowledge the potential of XYZ as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than XYZ and that has a 100x upside potential, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 11 Stocks That Will Bounce Back According To Analysts and 11 Best Stocks Under $15 to Buy According to Hedge Funds. Disclosure: None. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
