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The news: British fintech Revolut is reportedly considering acquiring a US bank to rapidly obtain a US banking license, enabling faster expansion, per The Financial Times. It will likely target a low-cost, nationally chartered bank. Our take: Revolut鈥檚 potential acquisition of a US bank reflects a growing trend of successful fintechs becoming banks themselves through strategic acquisition rather than merely being disruptors. PYMNTS reported that multiple fintechs鈥攊ncluding Wise, Circle, and Ripple鈥攁lso recently applied for banking licenses with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. This means banks must lean into what differentiates them from the growing competition beyond charters and insured deposits, like long-standing reputations, excellent customer service, and customer-centric products and services.

Search ad spending will not be immune to the economic upheaval caused by the US tariff regime. But it will be less susceptible than other spending areas.

The news: U.S. Bancorp has restarted its digital asset custody services for institutional clients after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rolled back a rule requiring financial institutions (FIs) to hold capital for cryptocurrency-related activities, per Bloomberg. Our take: This development isn鈥檛 surprising given recent pro-crypto regulatory changes. A major FI like U.S. Bancorp diving back in shows there's a real business imperative too, driven by institutional demand. While crypto-native firms like Coinbase have dominated the custody space, the entry of banking giants will heighten competition in the market. While custodying is less risky than holding assets on the balance sheet, it still exposes banks to regulatory and reputational challenges. Even so, these offerings give banks a way to tap younger investors who have been eager for alternative products.

The situation: The so-called de minimis trade loophole, which lets foreign packages under $800 enter the US tariff-free, closes Friday, August 29. The White House already ended the exemption for shipments from China and Hong Kong on May 2. Companies have had little time to prepare since President Donald Trump signed the executive order in late July. Many are now scrambling to adjust. Our take: With no end to tariff-related instability in sight, companies must find ways to adapt to an uncertain trade landscape. It鈥檚 become a business imperative.

US social ad spend will grow YoY in 2025, even as platforms grapple with tariff-related budget cuts from industries that spend heavily on social channels, like CPG and retail.

The strategy: In 2023, U.S. Bank launched a nontraditional campaign to promote Asistente Inteligente, its bilingual Spanish voice assistant that debuted the prior year. The bank co-produced 鈥淭ranslators,鈥� a documentary highlighting the challenges faced by millions of children who act as translators for their immigrant families, particularly in financial matters, per Storyboard 18. Our take: This campaign was a masterclass in purpose-driven marketing that doubles as a long-term business strategy. Many financial institutions (FIs) often overlook or superficially address underbanked and immigrant populations. But the GDP of US Latinos is the second-fastest-growing in the world, next to that of consumers in China, per think tank Latino Donor Collaborative. And 25% of US consumers ages 18 and under are part of the Latino community鈥攐ffering smaller FIs an opportunity to combat their 鈥渁ge problem.鈥�

The results: The US toy industry returned to growth in the first half of 2025 after a flat 2024 and a sales decline in 2023, per a new report from Circana. Dollar sales rose 6% YoY, and unit sales increased 3%. The average selling price also climbed 3%, its first meaningful increase after three years of stagnation. Our take: The toy industry is at a crossroads. While Hasbro and Mattel have both raised their full-year outlooks, short-term risks鈥攆rom tariffs to economic anxiety鈥攁re building. If those pressures persist, the category鈥檚 recovery could quickly stall. To stay resilient, brands should double down on the strongest demand drivers: licensed IP and the fast-growing 鈥渒idult鈥� segment.

The news: Almost 6 in 10 physicians (58%) are skeptical that the US physician shortage will improve significantly in the next decade, per a Medscape report last week. While we expect the shortage鈥攁nd physicians鈥� skepticism鈥攖o persist, generative AI could help with both. AI-assisted administrative work can save physicians hours of work, while AI tools for clinical support and diagnostics can boost accuracy, improving job satisfaction and adding appeal for the next generation of medical students.

The trend: US consumers are losing faith in most components of the healthcare system, including federal health agencies and their leaders, drugmakers, insurers, and hospitals. Our take: Marketers at healthcare and pharma organizations (including providers, insurers, public health agencies, and drugmakers) must develop strategies to rebuild trust and guide patients to reliable information during a time of great uncertainty. Vaccine makers should partner with trusted medical groups, local physicians, and pharmacists to develop educational materials with clinical data that counter vaccine hesitancy among consumers. Pharma companies and insurers should address consumer frustrations through open public dialogue and provide transparent explanations for controversial pricing decisions. Drugmakers should additionally monitor condition-specific forums and social platforms like Reddit, where consumers share treatment experiences, and use these spaces to offer cost-saving tools for pricey medications.

Resale platform Depop launched its biggest US marketing campaign to date as it looks to expand its audience beyond its core Gen Z user base and capitalize on surging demand for secondhand goods. Growing global demand for resale presents challenges and opportunities鈥攂oth for marketplaces that trade in secondhand goods, like Depop and eBay, as well as for traditional retailers.