🤖 Google Finance Gets AI Boost

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Hey Fintech Explorers—Welcome back to Money Explored, the essential Sunday newsletter to stay ahead in fintech!

This week, AI takes center stage again as one Big Tech giant rewires its finance arm, a trading favorite doubles its numbers, and a neobank proves digital banking’s growth story isn’t slowing down anytime soon. You’ll also want to keep reading for this week’s sponsor, Proton Mail, and why millions are switching for private, ad-free email that doesn’t sell their data.

Here’s what we’re diving into:

• Google revamps Finance with Gemini-powered AI tools. 🤖

• Robinhood posts record Q3 results as crypto trading booms. 🌟

• Chime lifts its 2025 outlook amid digital-banking momentum. 📈

Plus: A bank’s AI “buddy” lands in millions of pockets, a crypto heavyweight takes a nine-figure hit, and a payments titan plots its comeback with a €500 million play.

It’s all happening—and that’s just the start…

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Let’s dive in!

🌎 3 Major Stories

Dive into this week’s top Fintech developments.

Google Finance Gets AI Overhaul: Future-Ready? 🤖

The Big Story 📰: Google has rolled out exciting new AI features in Google Finance, enhanced by its Gemini models. Among these innovations is Deep Search, which allows users to ask open-ended financial questions and receive tailored AI-generated responses, complete with citations and supporting links. This feature not only aggregates multiple web sources but also outlines a "research plan" detailing how each answer was derived. Additionally, Google added advanced charting and prediction-market data, incorporating insights from Kalshi and Polymarket to gauge market sentiment for various economic indicators. While these updates promise profound benefits for users, concerns about the reliability of prediction markets linger.

Key Takeaway ⚡️: The integration of AI into Google Finance signifies a strong push towards making financial data more accessible and actionable for both retail and institutional investors. By facilitating a more intuitive way to gather insights, Deep Search and enhanced charting can enable better-informed decision-making. However, the potential shortcomings of AI in handling visual and numerical data emphasize the need for human oversight in financial analysis. This evolution reflects a broader trend in fintech, where companies increasingly utilize AI tools to streamline workflows and improve performance while ensuring due diligence in data verification.

Robinhood Hits New Highs: Record Q3 Revenue 🌟

The Big Story 📰: Robinhood Markets (NASDAQ:HOOD) has declared record-breaking financial results for Q3, with revenues soaring to $1.27 billion, which represents a 100% increase year-over-year and surpasses analyst expectations of $1.19 billion. The impressive numbers stem primarily from a sharp rise in transaction-based revenues, particularly in cryptocurrencies, which jumped over 300% to $268 million. The fintech giant also reported a 10% increase in funded customers, reaching 26.8 million. CEO Vlad Tenev announced ongoing innovations in Prediction Markets and banking services as key to future growth, while CFO Jason Warnick plans to transition out of the company, paving the way for new leadership.

Key Takeaway ⚡️: Robinhood's latest financial wins underscore the transformative potential of fintech in capitalizing on emerging trends like cryptocurrencies and prediction markets. With a growing user base and diversified revenue streams, this breakout performance positions Robinhood favorably against competitors. Investors and fintech enthusiasts should pay close attention, as ongoing innovations and product expansions suggest that Robinhood is not just surviving but thriving in the dynamic financial landscape. Market watchers should also be aware of the changes in leadership, as fresh perspectives in the CFO role could usher in new strategies that impact Robinhood’s future trajectory.

Chime Boosts 2025 Outlook as Digital Banking Soars 📈

The Big Story 📰: Chime, the digital banking pioneer, has raised its 2025 revenue outlook, now forecasting between $2.163 billion and $2.173 billion, surpassing Wall Street expectations. This surge is fueled by a growing demand for its user-friendly banking services, leading to a 15% year-over-year increase in purchase volume and a 21% rise in active members to 9.1 million. As legacy banks ramp up their digital offerings, Chime remains confident, asserting that it provides more value to consumers than traditional banks. The company also reported a 29% rise in quarterly revenue to $544 million, indicating strong consumer spending habits, particularly in essential purchases, while announcing a $200 million share repurchase program.

Key Takeaway ⚡️: Chime's upward revenue revision highlights the shifting landscape of banking, where consumers increasingly opt for digital solutions over traditional banking services. This trend signals a massive growth opportunity for fintech companies who focus on delivering convenience, transparency, and lower fees to underserved markets. Chime's resilience in consumer spending showcases an ongoing preference for debit over credit, even amidst economic uncertainty. Investors, particularly in the fintech sector, should keep a close eye on Chime's performance and strategies, as they could set the tone for future developments in the competitive digital banking space.