Crypto payments for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) provide the infrastructure that enables merchants to accept cryptocurrency payments and make payouts in crypto, either online or in person.

Want the full expert post? Become a CB Insights customer.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post Market Trend Report: Crypto payments for SMB leaders appeared first on CB Insights Research.

Crypto asset management companies provide passive crypto investment strategies to institutional clients. Examples include single- and multi-asset crypto index funds, trusts, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and separately managed accounts.

Want the full expert post? Become a CB Insights customer.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post Market Trend Report: Crypto asset management for institutional investors & traders appeared first on CB Insights Research.

Institutional staking companies in this market offer yield generation for institutional investors through staking, where crypto assets are allocated to process transactions and secure protocols (e.g., Ethereum) in exchange for rewards.

Staking providers run nodes (a requirement to stake) as a service for clients, eliminating the technical overhead that institutional investors face when setting up and managing their own nodes.

Want the full expert post? Become a CB Insights customer.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post Market Trend Report: Institutional staking for institutional investors & traders appeared first on CB Insights Research.

Crypto-as-a-service companies in the market provide the backend infrastructure enabling businesses to offer end users crypto products. Crypto-as-service powers crypto wallets, trading, payments, rewards, and debit and credit cards.

The different types of crypto-as-a-service providers include crypto custodians, exchanges, and middleman application programming interface (API) providers.

Want the full expert post? Become a CB Insights customer.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post Market Trend Report: Crypto-as-a-service for payment leaders appeared first on CB Insights Research.

Blockchain cross-border payments and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) companies leverage blockchain and distributed ledger technology to help banks, financial institutions, and businesses move funds across multiple entities and countries in real time.

Want the full expert post? Become a CB Insights customer.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post Market Trend Report: Blockchain cross-border payments & CBDCs for payment leaders appeared first on CB Insights Research.

Fiat-backed stablecoin companies in this market issue stablecoins collateralized by fiat currency. Fiat-backed stablecoins are backed at a 1:1 ratio, meaning 1 stablecoin is equal to 1 unit of currency. For each stablecoin that exists, real fiat currency is held in a bank account.

Want the full expert post? Become a CB Insights customer.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post Market Trend Report: Fiat-backed stablecoins for payment leaders appeared first on CB Insights Research.

Crypto market data & intelligence companies provide blockchain data and analytics platforms for institutional investors and traders. Clients can track crypto portfolios, tokens, protocols, and exchanges to inform their strategies. They do this through real-time dashboards, application programming interfaces (APIs), research reports, and risk management tools.

Want the full expert post? Become a CB Insights customer.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post Market Trend Report: Crypto market data & intelligence for institutional investors & traders appeared first on CB Insights Research.

Institutional crypto trading & prime brokerage companies in this market provide cryptocurrency trading platforms tailored for institutional investors and hedge funds. They offer secure trade execution and access to liquidity.

Want the full expert post? Become a CB Insights customer.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post Market Trend Report: Institutional crypto trading & prime brokerage for institutional investors & traders appeared first on CB Insights Research.

Fintech was Sequoia Capital’s top investment category in 2022, representing nearly a quarter of the firm’s deals.

Using CB Insights data, we mapped how Sequoia Capital spread its 2022 fintech investments across categories like capital markets, personal finance, real estate, and more.

CB Insights clients can dig deeper into all 25 deals listed above as well as explore Sequoia Capital’s bets beyond fintech using this CB Insights platform search.

The post Analyzing Sequoia Capital’s investment strategy: How the VC is keeping its faith in fintech appeared first on CB Insights Research.

But as the year progressed, the crypto winter coupled with macroeconomic pressures caused 3 straight quarters of declines in funding and deals.

Below, take a look at a few highlights from our 162-page, data-driven State of Blockchain 2022 Report. For deeper insights and all the private market data, download the full report.

2022 highlights across the blockchain ecosystem include:

• Blockchain venture funding grew 4% year-over-year (YoY) to reach $26.8B in 2022 thanks to a strong H1. ​
• The average deal size to blockchain startups fell 24% YoY to $16.2M in 2022, driven by a sharp drop in $100M+ mega-rounds throughout the year.
• The blockchain unicorn count stalled out at 79 at the end of 2022, with just 2 new unicorns in Q4’22.
• Web3 startups accounted for 56% of blockchain venture funding in 2022, up from 39% last year.
• Blockchain infrastructure & development had a record year for funding ($7.8B) and deals (235) in 2022, signaling investor confidence in blockchain’s future irrespective of cryptocurrency volatility.
• Venture funding to crypto exchanges & wallets fell 48% YoY in 2022, revealing a clear shift in investor sentiment away from centralized exchanges.

Download our 2022 State of Blockchain Report to dive into all these trends and more.

The post State of Blockchain 2022 Report appeared first on CB Insights Research.

However, some top investors like Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) remained active in the space across various deal stages, valuations, geographies, and sub-industries. 

Fintech is central to a16z’s investment strategy. In recent years, the firm has not only shored up its presence in more familiar sectors like banking, but also reached deeper into newer territory like blockchain. 

Of the 206 deals a16z participated in last year, almost a quarter went to fintech companies — more than any other industry. Sixty percent of these fintech investments closed in H1’22, and the remaining 40% closed in H2’22.

Using CB Insights data, we mapped how a16z spread these fintech investments across categories like payments, blockchain, digital lending, and more. 

Below, we dig into a16z’s top 3 fintech targets in 2022, including key deals in each category.

Payments 

More than a quarter (28%) of a16z’s fintech investments in 2022 went to the payments category. Notable investments include:

• SpotOn ($300M Series F): SpotOn offers a cloud-based platform that provides payment solutions for restaurants and small retailers. 
• Jeeves ($180M Series C): Jeeves offers corporate cards and other expense management tools for businesses, with a focus on credit and payments rails across countries and currencies.
• Tally Technologies ($80M Series C): Tally’s app helps consumers pay off credit card debt more quickly by automating payments.

Blockchain

a16z has actively invested in companies developing blockchain platforms for years. In 2022, 22% of its fintech deal volume went to blockchain companies — although most of these deals closed between January and June, before the year-end turmoil that rocked the cryptocurrency markets. Notable investments include: 

• Matter Labs ($200M Series C): Matter Labs is an Ethereum development company building a rollup layer 2 network designed to lower fees and speed up transactions. 
• Lightspark ($175M Series A): Lightspark, launched in May 2022, is building a Bitcoin payments tool.
• NEAR Protocol ($150M Series B): NEAR Protocol is developing a platform for blockchain-based decentralized applications, with a heavy focus on Web3.
  

Digital lending

a16z’s third-most popular fintech category in 2022 was digital lending, accounting for 12% of the firm’s fintech deal flow. Notable investments include: 

• Point Digital Finance ($115M Series C): Point provides a lending marketplace that allows homeowners to borrow against a percentage of the future value of their property.
• Valon ($60M Series B): Valon offers residential mortgage loan servicing technology through a cloud-native platform. 
• Vesta ($30M Series A): Vesta provides a platform for mortgage origination and underwriting that is designed to streamline processes, reduce risk, and help lenders improve their book of business. 

The post Analyzing a16z’s fintech investment strategy: Where did the VC place its biggest bets in 2022? appeared first on CB Insights Research.

In December 2021, Square changed its corporate name to Block, separating the corporate entity from its subsidiary businesses that it calls its “building blocks.” Those include Square, Cash App, Spiral, Tidal, and TBD.

Over the last 2 years, Block’s expansion activity through acquisitions, investments, and partnerships point to 2 clear goals for the evolution of the company and its subsidiaries: 

Want the full post? Become a CB Insights customer.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post Analyzing Block’s growth strategy: How the fintech giant formerly known as Square is evolving beyond payments appeared first on CB Insights Research.

Given the turmoil of 2022, institutional investors in crypto have two major priorities: quality and trust. Quality involves compliance, security, and levels of return on investment. Trust involves transparency that a provider’s assets cover their liabilities, and that customer funds are safe and can be withdrawn. 

Want the full expert post? Become a CB Insights customer.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post Prioritizing 6 crypto solutions for institutional investors as the industry resets from the FTX collapse appeared first on CB Insights Research.

Want the full post? Become a CB Insights customer.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post How Amazon, Microsoft, and Google are supporting Web3 and blockchain development appeared first on CB Insights Research.

Want the full post? Become a CB Insights customer.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post How blockchain is impacting trade finance in 2022 appeared first on CB Insights Research.

Embracing Web3, which involves tech such as the NFTs and the metaverse (collective virtual worlds), isn’t just hype: it’s a matter of brand relevance and revenue opportunities. To date, leading retail brands have cumulatively earned more than $250M in revenue from non-fungible tokens (NFTs), according to data from Dune Analytics.

Web3 concepts are driving a shift in how brands and retailers interact with and sell to consumers, creating new opportunities when it comes to revenue streams, marketing channels, community building, and loyalty plays. 

The importance of digital identity and self-expression presents unique opportunities specifically for fashion and beauty players. According to the 2022 Fashion Metaverse Trends report from gaming giant Roblox, nearly half of Gen Z users say they dress their avatars as a way to express themselves.

Source: Roblox

There is a sense of urgency for these players to figure out how to leverage Web3, especially after many companies, particularly luxury brands, missed the initial shift to e-commerce and were left playing catch up. Now, brands are eager to avoid making the same mistake again.

As Web3 tech takes hold, engaging with users’ digital selves — from selling digital goods to using virtual worlds as new marketing channels — presents huge branding and monetization opportunities for brands and retailers across the beauty and fashion spaces.

How are L’Oréal, Nike, and LVMH approaching Web3?

There is no uniform approach to how the leading fashion and beauty companies are embracing Web3, though most are primarily experimenting through partnerships to discover the best strategies for their brand, as partnerships offer a low-cost way to test and learn.  

L’Oréal is focused on reaching new audiences in digital environments, through moves like offering digital assets on metaverse platforms and exclusive NFT drops. The company has heavily focused on working with startups that create interoperable virtual goods, digital assets used across different virtual worlds. 

Meanwhile Nike has been one of the first movers among large retailers to explore virtual goods as a new revenue stream and to establish its stake in the metaverse. The company acquired virtual sneaker startup RTFKT in December 2021, positioning the sportswear giant as a leader in adopting Web3 tech. 

Finally, one of Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) ‘s main priorities is using blockchain to authenticate luxury goods, tracing product journeys from raw materials to distribution.

L’ORÉAL

L’Oréal has been a forerunner in adopting digital beauty trends since it first announced its intentions to become a beauty tech leader in 2018.

Now, the beauty conglomerate is embracing Web3 and the next digital frontier. The company coined the term “on-chain beauty” to describe the emerging platforms where beauty brands, creators, and consumers will interact, shop, and engage.

L’Oréal has partnered with several Web3 and metaverse startups to reach new consumers and create new beauty experiences. These moves align with the areas the company identified as potential opportunities in the metaverse, including virtual collectibles, avatars, influence, and products.

L’Oréal further solidified its commitment to exploring these areas by forming a Web3-focused accelerator program in partnership with tech giant Meta and Incubateur HEC Paris in October 2022.

Ready Player Me 

Relationship: Partnership

In November 2022, L’Oréal partnered with Ready Player Me, releasing 3D hair and makeup looks that users can use to customize their avatars as they explore different virtual worlds. 

Source: L’Oréal

Estonia-based Ready Player Me allows users to transform selfies into highly customizable cartoon-like avatars. The company aims for users to use its avatars across different virtual worlds and experiences, allowing them to maintain a singular identity as they move across various digital platforms. 

According to the company, Ready Player Me currently has over 3,000 customers, including fashion brands (Adidas), virtual worlds (VRChat), and digital collectible platforms (Nike-owned RTFKT). The avatar startup most recently raised a $55M Series B round in August 2022 from investors including A16z Crypto and Roblox CEO David Baszucki. With the recently raised funds, it plans to improve its creation tools. 

By partnering with Ready Player Me, which focuses on interoperability, L’Oréal is maximizing the opportunities for consumers to use its virtual assets across platforms. The company has stated that it plans to add more of its brands to the Ready Player Me platform in the future.

On a related note, L’Oréal has announced a partnership with avatar startup Animaze, which also focuses on interoperable avatars — underscoring this area as a priority for the company.  

Arianee

Relationship: Partnership

L’Oréal worked with Web3 startup Arianee to create digital wallets to allow Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) Beauté brand shoppers to collect NFTs. France-based Arianee helps luxury brands with creating NFTs and tokenized content for Web3 consumer experiences, such as making product digital twins.

In L’Oréal’s case, NFTs will be linked to real-life and online experiences — such as product drops and exclusive events — when consumers connect their digital wallets to the brand’s online Web3 hub.

Source: YSL

Beyond engagement, L’Oréal is using NFTs to pursue loyalty plays. NFT loyalty programs allow brands to provide a differentiated value proposition by offering unique rewards and experiences, virtual or otherwise.

The Sandbox and People of Crypto

Relationship: Partnership

In June 2022, L’Oréal-owned makeup brand NYX Cosmetics partnered with The Sandbox and blockchain company People of Crypto, which focuses on diversity in Web3 spaces. 

The Sandbox is one of the most well-known decentralized virtual worlds. Through the partnership, L’Oréal revealed a collection of non-binary NFT avatars designed with virtual makeup looks.

The NFT drop of over 8,000 avatars coincided with the creation of The Sandbox’s Valley of Belonging, which was designed as the first metaverse hub focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Source: NYX

Partnerships with metaverse platforms such as The Sandbox point to L’Oréal’s goals to reach consumers in new landscapes and rethink the consumer journey.

OpenSea

Relationship: Partnership

L’Oréal partnered with the NFT platform OpenSea in December 2021 to release a collection of 5 NFTs. The NFT collection themes were shades of red and female empowerment, inspired by the L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche “reds of worth” lipstick collection. The starting price for each collectible was $1,500.

By cultivating its presence on new and emerging platforms, L’Oréal is actively developing new marketing channels and engaging new audiences, including Web3 enthusiasts. To date, L’Oréal has previously stated that targeting gamers is an emerging marketing channel for the company, which is underscored by its partnerships with other startups such as Ready Player Me.

Modiface

Relationship: Acquisition

Since purchasing augmented reality (AR) tech provider ModiFace in 2018, L’Oréal has become a leader in integrating AR into the beauty shopping experience.

Beyond pursuing virtual try-on tech, L’Oréal has also acquired technology to power virtual products and looks that are gaining prominence in immersive environments like virtual worlds.

The company is already making virtual makeup looks for fully digital interactions a higher priority, blurring the lines between physical and digital environments. It has also rolled out virtual looks that players can use while gaming (similar to a social media filter), as well as virtual looks users can style on their in-game avatars.

Source: L’Oréal

NIKE

Nike was one of the first major retailers to signal interest in virtual spaces and goods. In 2021, it filed several trademark applications outlining its intent to make and sell virtual branded sneakers and apparel. It also established Nike Virtual Studios to focus on blockchain, Web3, and the metaverse in January 2022.

The sportswear giant is already seeing top-line impact from its Web3 efforts. According to crypto market data startup Dune Analytics, Nike has earned over $185M in revenue and royalties from NFTs. This is more than 7X the amount of income earned by the next closest brand, Dolce & Gabbana ($24M).

Nike’s subsequent partnership activity points to the company’s intention to bring its existing community into new digital spaces while also reaching new shoppers. Overall, Nike aims to make digital assets and economies a more significant part of its business model going forward. 

Qartium

Relationship: Partnership

In November 2022, Nike partnered with startup Qartium, a decentralized commerce platform, to sell its NFTs. 

A decentralized commerce model allows consumers to transact directly with sellers. In this way, the two transacting parties bypass centralized e-commerce platforms that traditionally take a cut by transacting on the blockchain, lowering transaction costs and tightening transaction security. This balances authentication, visibility, and community to enable reliable and consistent commerce experiences. 

Qartium token is a fairly new blockchain project that is purportedly able to sell a wide variety of items, including both digital and physical goods. Partnerships with well-known companies like Nike and Amazon may bring legitimacy and critical masses of shoppers to decentralized commerce platforms. 

RTFKT

Relationship: Acquisition

Nike acquired RTFKT, a creator of virtual sneakers and collectibles, for an undisclosed amount in December 2021. The NFTs created by RTFKT are blockchain-based, which allows users to prove ownership of their digital assets.

Since buying RTFKT, Nike has continued to come up with new ways to monetize its brand in the digital realm and engage its customers. 

In November 2022, the company announced its new Web3 platform, dotSwoosh, where consumers can buy, design, and trade virtual assets. The platform is designed to make NFTs more accessible, allowing those who aren’t as familiar with Web3 to still interact with and purchase digital goods.

The platform will also allow fans and creators to participate in design contests for different virtual assets and potentially split a portion of the money earned on the sales of their designs with Nike. 

Nike has stated that all its virtual creations, from jerseys to sneakers, will be able to be worn across different games and immersive experiences.

Roblox

Relationship: Partnership

While gaming platform Roblox isn’t currently considered a Web3 platform, it serves as a bellwether for a successful Web3 metaverse, with an active user base and a thriving virtual economy that brands seek to tap into. The company states over 11M creators designed virtual fashion items on its platform in 2022 — a number that it estimates is more than 200X the number of fashion designers in the US creating real-world clothing.

Nike partnered with Roblox to build “Nikeland,” a world where users can buy Nike outfits for their avatars, in 2021. The 2-month experience saw over 21M visitors in its duration.

Nikeland also featured mini-games and digital experiences that corresponded with real-life events, such as a Roblox version of Lebron James making a guest appearance in the virtual world during NBA All-Star Week.

Source: Nike

Nike constantly introduced new experiences within the virtual world to satisfy consumer demands for dynamic virtual experiences and fresh content.

Roblox has become a popular marketing channel for brands and retailers who see it as a testing ground for brand activations to reach younger audiences (two-thirds of its users are under 16 years old). To this point, Roblox has partnered with the likes of Burberry, Tommy Hilfiger, Walmart, and Gucci this year alone.

The gaming platform is also enhancing its capabilities for fashion and beauty digital assets. In 2022, it introduced a Layered Clothing system, which allows in-game avatars to wear digital apparel, layering up to 6 items at once. In 2022, over 62M virtual fashion items and accessories were created on the Roblox platform. 

Source: Roblox

LVMH

LVMH — the world’s largest luxury group by revenue, with over $68B in 2021 — has been defining luxury and supplying luxury goods to consumers globally for decades. 

Now the company is entering virtual worlds and exploring Web3 technology.

While its approach to the metaverse and Web3 is slightly more cautious, LVMH has stated that it sees itself playing in the future of Web3 in key areas like traceability, immersive experiences, and digital twins. In the future, the company also plans to allow consumers to pay with cryptocurrency and build a virtual world for its jewelry brand Bulgari.     

RTFKT

Relationship: Partnership

In November 2022, Nike-owned RTFKT and LVMH launched an NFT collection based on the latter’s luggage brand RIMOWA.

The collaboration was interactive, requiring consumers to solve challenges to mint their NFTs. 

The partnership also connected the physical and digital worlds: alongside the NFTs, the company also released a limited-edition suitcase.

Altava Group

Relationship: Partnership

Singapore-based Altava, which raised $9M in seed VC funding in March 2022, develops customized digital environments for brands. LVMH created its first metaverse ambassador, Livi, with Altava in May 2022.

Livi co-hosted the company’s awards ceremony at the Paris technology conference VivaTech the following month.

Source: LVMH 

Virtual influencers are becoming increasingly popular, particularly in Asia. These computer-generated personas can offer the appeal of a human influencer, often with fewer risks and limitations. 

With the rise of metaverses, virtual influencers like LVMH’s Livi could become prominent figures in these virtual worlds, as they serve as new platforms to interact with fans, followers, and consumers.

ConsenSys

Relationship: Partnership

In 2019, LVMH joined with Microsoft and blockchain startup ConsenSys to create Aura, a platform to authenticate luxury goods through blockchain. Aura allows customers to trace their products from design to distribution, while providing LVMH additional protection from counterfeit goods and fraud.

In April 2021, other brands like Prada and Richemont’s Cartier joined LVMH to form the Aura Blockchain Consortium. The alliance effectively opens the Aura platform to any luxury brands that want to utilize its blockchain-based solution to track their goods.

Source: Aura Blockchain Consortium

Similarly, in November 2022, LVMH partnered with public company Security Matters to track its raw materials more closely and reduce waste using blockchain.

These partnerships show that LVMH is placing high importance on authenticating luxury goods, down to the raw material inputs. This focus should continue to gain traction across the industry as companies ramp up sustainability efforts. 

Looking ahead

Today, brands and retailers are competing with streaming giants, gaming platforms, and social media for consumers’ attention through digital content. This challenge will only grow as the rise of shared virtual spaces further transforms how consumers spend their time.

Embracing Web3 technologies can bring brands new opportunities across revenue streams, marketing, and brand relevancy as competition for consumer attention intensifies.

As more players enter virtual worlds, standing out from the pack to drive engagement and generate conversions will require increasingly creative and targeted audience approaches. Companies will need to understand the communities they’re trying to engage — or they risk alienating users instead of winning them over. 

Going forward, expect to see more companies experimenting in areas outside their traditional areas of expertise. For example, L’Oréal has stated that the company is exploring creating the first “decentralized record label for creators in Web3.”

As virtual goods continue to gain popularity, interoperability across virtual worlds — so consumers can take digital assets across platforms — will open up even more possibilities for Web3 and the metaverse. With the line between the digital and physical worlds blurring, digital twin products will gain traction. Shoppers will expect to be able to purchase virtual goods and receive a real-life copy or related experience they can take part in, or vice versa. 

Eventually, brands may work directly with users-turned-creators (like the ~1.3M developers on Roblox) who have the skills and gaming experience to develop these goods and installations, according to predictions by Meagan Loyst, Gen Z VCs founder and Lerer Hippeau investor. Gucci, for example, partnered with popular Roblox creators and designers cSapphire and Rook Vanguard to develop its virtual items. 

As the Web3 space evolves, investment and M&A activity beyond partnerships will signal more concrete roadmaps for how companies will incorporate this tech into their business models. Companies like Ulta Beauty, which formed Prisma Ventures in August 2022, will also test corporate venture capital and accelerator programs as a way to explore Web3 and the metaverse.

The post What L’Oréal, Nike, and LVMH are doing in Web3 appeared first on CB Insights Research.

The tech giant has other ideas.

Want the full post? Become a CB Insights customer.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post Analyzing Google’s blockchain strategy: How the search giant is prepping for Web3 appeared first on CB Insights Research.

Crypto compliance and transaction monitoring providers monitor blockchains and cryptocurrency transactions to ensure compliance, combat fraud, and reduce financial crime.

These companies serve crypto businesses, financial institutions, payment providers, digital wallet providers, and government agencies.

Want the full expert post? Become a CB Insights customer.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post Market Trend Report: Crypto compliance and transaction monitoring for payment leaders appeared first on CB Insights Research.

Want the full post? Become a CB Insights customer.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post State of Enterprise Blockchain 2022 appeared first on CB Insights Research.

A total of 134 affiliated companies were part of the filing, and there could be more than a million creditors involved. 

Want the full post? Become a CB Insights customer.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post In FTX’s bankruptcy, here are the top 10 investment and M&A holdings creditors should be looking at appeared first on CB Insights Research.

In the future, brands will reward their most loyal customers with NFT-based collectibles and experiences to attract younger customers. They will also collect insightful first-party data through resales and trades of NFTs.

This is one of the key technologies that will shape the future of the fast food experience. Below, we dive into this technology: how it works, who has an edge, and how it’s changing the future of fast food.

WHAT ARE NFT LOYALTY PROGRAMS?

Non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, are a blockchain-based way to prove ownership of digital assets — which can range from images to songs to videos to clothes for avatars. NFT loyalty programs can be integrated into an existing digital loyalty program and can allow new ways for brands to interact with customers. 

NFTs that provide customers with more use beyond the digital asset itself, such as access to exclusive events or physical products, are called utility NFTs. Utility NFTs help brands build communities with consumers post-purchase and better connect virtual and IRL experiences.

FIRST MOVERS

In Q3’22, Starbucks announced that it will be rolling out an NFT loyalty program called Starbucks Odyssey. The coffee giant, which generates over half its sales from rewards members, wants to use the program to build deeper emotional connections with customers by creating an immersive brand experience that rewards participants with NFTs. 

While Starbucks is one of the first quick-service restaurants to embed NFTs into their loyalty program, other national chains have experimented with the medium. In early 2021, Taco Bell sold 5 NFTs to raise money for its charity The Taco Bell Foundation. Similarly, Domino’s used the attention garnered from its NFT sales to sell merchandise for its nonprofit — Domino’s Partners Foundation.

Source: Rarible

IMPLICATIONS 

• As customers’ smartphones become increasingly crowded with apps dedicated to loyalty programs and a barrage of notifications, NFT loyalty programs give brands the opportunity to provide a differentiated value proposition by offering unique rewards and experiences, virtual or otherwise.
• Restaurants with customers that already value the brand’s digital assets (like Starbucks) will likely find more success with NFTs. Restaurants without this established digital presence need to consider how they can connect an NFT to substantive rewards, like award points or exclusive access, to make them meaningful for consumers.
• Restaurants can take advantage of the exclusivity and status that early adopters associate with NFTs. Because NFT owners derive value from the NFT’s scarcity, customers are more likely to display and share the branded token on a public platform like a social media account.
• Through NFTs, brands can also appeal to a younger demographic that is more likely to actively seek out and engage with these types of rewards. However, the size of the addressable audience could present a challenge as adoption among consumers remains low.

Read more in this report about how tech will shape the future of fast food, including:

• The metaverse, which will become an extension of the brand experience
• AI tongues and social listening to help brands quickly develop and test new menu items to meet changing consumer demands
• Conversational AI and AI recommendation engines will power online and in-store orders, allowing restaurants to upsell orders through personalized suggestions and prioritize labor for other customer service operations 
• Robotic food preparation will automate cooking to increase profitability and reduce food waste
• Autonomous delivery will help reduce reliance on gig workers

The post How restaurants can capture high-value customers using NFT loyalty programs appeared first on CB Insights Research.

For example, Mastercard and Visa are expanding their networks to incorporate crypto and stablecoins. Payment apps continue to launch their own crypto wallets. Banks are experimenting with blockchain cross-border payments.

Want the full expert post? Become a CB Insights customer.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post Prioritizing 6 blockchain & crypto technologies transforming payments appeared first on CB Insights Research.

Want the full post? Become a CB Insights customer.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post What is decentralized digital identity? appeared first on CB Insights Research.

• Alternative investing platforms that open access to non-traditional assets like private equity, real estate, art, and crypto for retail investors and their advisors
• ESG powered by AI that gives retail and institutional investors more complete and accurate assessments of investments’ environmental and social impacts
• Asset tokenization that converts financial or physical assets into digital tokens via blockchain technology, providing the infrastructure for companies and investors to more efficiently issue, track, and trade assets

In this report, we dive into how these 3 technologies are poised to have a transformative impact on both retail and institutional investing and the players that have an edge.

The post The Future of Investing: How technology is reshaping wealth and asset management appeared first on CB Insights Research.

But the firm is now looking to expand far beyond its traditional business lines, such as investment banking and asset management.

For example, it recently launched a digital consumer bank called Marcus and partnered with Apple to launch a credit card. Goldman is also building an embedded finance offering to allow its financial services — such as digital lending, escrow services, and payments processing — to be integrated with third-party platforms like e-commerce sites via APIs.

Want the full expert post? Become a CB Insights customer.

If you’re already a customer, log in here.

The post Analyzing Goldman Sachs’ growth strategy: How the 150-year-old global financial institution is reinventing itself appeared first on CB Insights Research.