We mined Block’s acquisitions, investments, and partnerships to discern the company’s strategic priorities.
Square provides commerce solutions and business software for millions of brands and small businesses.
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:
- Block and its “building blocks” want to be trailblazers at the intersection of consumer tech and finance
- Square seeks to be a one-stop-shop for small business software needs
While these goals are focused on growing the company, they also align with its stated objective of “building blocks” that help more people around the world access the economy.
In this report, we use CB Insights data to unpack the goals listed above and the strategic areas that Block is prioritizing to achieve them.
Here are the 5 most important priorities highlighted by Block’s acquisitions, investments, and partnerships from 2020 to today:
- Blockchain & crypto
- Creator economy
- Mobile payments & cards
- Restaurant tech
- Small business payments & banking
