蘑菇AV

US commerce media ad spending is projected to hit $118.4 billion by 2029, growing at a 15.3% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), per a May 蘑菇AV forecast.

The news: Stablecoin issuer Circle has applied for a US trust bank license, less than a month after its IPO launch. It had planned to make this move before the launch. Our take: We鈥檝e recently covered multiple fintechs launching IPOs, and moving toward traditional banking鈥攊ncluding acquiring licenses. Its decision which aligns with both of these trends signals how stablecoins become more mainstream in the banking world. Plus, Circle鈥檚 status as a national trust bank could enhance trust among customers who are still on the fence about investing.

The news: The Trump administration recently met with leading retailers, including Amazon and Walmart, to explore ways in which more US consumers can get their prescription medications directly from pharma manufacturers, according to a Bloomberg report. Our take: It鈥檚 unrealistic to expect pharma鈥檚 middlemen to be cut out anytime soon, as they are so deeply rooted in the US healthcare infrastructure.

US financial media network ad spend will soar to $1.22 billion in 2026, nearly doubling from $640 million in 2025鈥攁 66.8% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), per our May 2025 forecast.

The news: Consumers increasingly trust shopping suggestions from AI, even more than product suggestions from content creators, positioning the technology as a trusted and personalized guide rather than a back-end tool. 27% of US consumers trust AI shopping recommendations, per Walmart鈥檚 Retail Rewired Report, compared with 24% who trust suggestions from social media influencers. Our take: AI retail tools are most likely to succeed if they offer both speed and a sense of user control. Retailers should let users set spending caps and offer options to pause or customize recommendations to help AI agents feel more like a trusted assistant than a pushy salesperson.

The trend: Few consumers use AI tools for the health and wellness activities they participate in, according to a recent survey from Menlo Ventures and Morning Consult of 5,031 U.S. adults in April 2025. The big takeaway: Consumers are right on the cusp of using AI as a health information tool. AI tools are getting smarter, but can still be unreliable鈥攐ne faulty response to a query about a person鈥檚 symptoms or health condition can turn a user off for good. AI platforms must train their models on credible medical sources and collaborate with clinicians to review outputs for accuracy.

The news: Nearly half of US and UK consumers admit to abusing retailers鈥� returns policies in the past 12 months, according to a survey conducted by The Harris Poll. Our take: Retailers face a Catch-22 when it comes to returns. Being too generous opens the door for fraud and can result in retailers being overburdened by reverse logistics costs. But being too restrictive can deter shoppers from opening their wallets.

The milestone: Amazon recently deployed its 1 millionth robot in its fulfillment centers鈥攁 figure approaching the number of human workers at those facilities. Our take: Automation is a central element within Amazon鈥檚 relentless push to narrow the gap between click and doorstep. Fast delivery isn鈥檛 just about convenience; it transforms how consumers shop. The faster Amazon gets everyday essentials like toothpaste into customers鈥� hands鈥攅specially with free delivery for Prime members鈥攖he harder it becomes for other retailers to compete. That gives Amazon a durable edge as it looks to expand its share of US ecommerce sales.

The news: US shopper interest in generative AI (genAI) assistants has spiked 223% between 2023 and 2025, per Chain Store Age. 69% of US consumers surveyed by CouponFollow have used AI assistants for shopping. Our take: Retail AI strategies must match their audiences. Those geared toward younger consumers should highlight AI use and innovation and even let AI guide purchases. For older consumers, focus on AI to inform, not take control.

The news: Klarna will be the default payment option for Bolt鈥檚 CheckoutOS merchants, per a press release. Our take: Klarna faces multiple challenges. It has to increase its availability to US consumers while also rivaling credit cards that offer both installment plans and cash back or points that likely exceed the value of Klarna鈥檚 gift-based rewards system through Nift

The trend: Walmart has begun rolling out 鈥淪ummer Frights鈥� Halloween displays in about 1,000 stores across the US, featuring quirky early-season items like watermelon jack-o鈥�-lanterns and ghost plushies in Hawaiian shirts. Our take: Walmart is smart to embrace offbeat retail moments like Summerween. While consumers are cutting back on discretionary spending, they continue to splurge on seasonal celebrations like Halloween and the holidays. Halloween alone has become a major retail event, with spending hitting $11.6 billion last year鈥攁 31.8% increase from pre-pandemic 2019. Summerween pulls some of that spending forward and gives budget-conscious shoppers a playful reason to open their wallets鈥攅ven if they鈥檙e feeling spooked by the economy.

The only certain thing about TikTok鈥檚 sale is more uncertainty: Washington keeps kicking the can on a US sale, leaving TikTok to convince advertisers not to panic.

The news: Discount furniture retailers are stepping up their expansion as much of the industry contracts. Our take: Consumers are focusing more on value, and that push could change US perceptions about shopping for furniture鈥攅mphasizing value and simplicity over stylish but costly designs

US advertisers will spend $25.9 billion on AI search ads in 2029鈥�13.6% of all search ad spending, up from just 0.7% in 2025, according to 蘑菇AV's May forecast.