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The news: Fiserv will acquire the remaining 49.9% stake in AIB Merchant Services, one of Ireland鈥檚 largest payment solutions providers and Europe鈥檚 largest ecommerce acquirers. Our take: Fiserv has to find innovative ways to grow among a competitive POS landscape, rising softPOS adoption, and pervasive economic uncertainty.

Social media users in select countries (US, UK, Australia, France, and Saudi Arabia) trust brands over influencers when it comes to finance, apparel, and skincare, per an October study from Snap Inc. and IPG Magna. Finance is where this trend is most pronounced.

Starting today, online marketplace Etsy Inc. will suspend its shipping label service for national mail carriers in Australia, Canada, and the UK for packages headed to the US. The company urged sellers to use carriers that allow duties to be paid upfront, such as UPS and FedEx, noting it expects postal carriers and other providers to roll out Delivered Duty Paid options in the coming months.

Chinese ecommerce platforms seek new paths for growth: Temu expands into South Korea amid challenges in Western markets.

59% of US shoppers are most influenced by honest creator reviews that showcase the pros and cons of a product, according to a September 2024 survey by Bazaarvoice and Savanta.

The company also acquired payfac Pinch Payments, which serves merchants in Australia and New Zealand. And Fiserv will acquire Brazilian fintech Money Money to grow its cash flow and financing solutions for merchants in the market. Our take: Fiserv, along with the rest of the payments industry, faces uncertainty in the wake of tariffs and other macroeconomic concerns.

Amid escalating geopolitical tensions and regulatory scrutiny in the US and Western Europe, Chinese ecommerce giants are increasingly turning their focus to Asia-Pacific.

TJX鈥檚 value proposition won over shoppers of all ages and incomes in Q3: That momentum has carried over into Q4, putting the off-price retailer in pole position to benefit this holiday season.

Amid growing concerns over trade tensions and economic volatility, many global brands are reallocating budgets geographically鈥攕hifting spend away from vulnerable regions and toward more stable markets like Canada, Europe, and Australia. Marketers are trading guesswork for guarantees鈥攑rioritizing retail media and CTV for their measurability, accountability, and performance clarity.

Why Australia? Australia is one of the most digitally advanced payments markets, making it an excellent opportunity for Apple to grow Tap to Pay. 蘑菇AV 83% of consumers in Australia used a mobile wallet in the last year, per Marqeta鈥檚 2022 State of Consumer Money Movement report鈥攃ompared with 71% of US respondents.

Strong results, including increases in both traffic and drink sales, prompted Yum to expand the pilot to Australia, where it quickly exceeded expectations and drove incremental visits. Meanwhile, Yum-owned Taco Bell is building momentum with beverages. It recently launched fruity Refresca drinks and plans to expand its beverage-forward concept, Live M谩s Caf茅, to more than 30 locations later this year.