Our Scans · (ZY.4.02) Business Studies · Weekly Summary

• [New] Mastercard is focusing on AI and tokenization for seamless embedded finance in retail vending, with partnerships in IoT potentially capturing 20% of new transaction volume by 2030. Persistence Market Research
• [New] Afreximbank said it will prioritize financing for local battery minerals processing, medical research and industrial development, moving beyond traditional trade finance as part of its Growth, Resilience and Optimization strategy to increase value-added manufacturing across Africa. More News From NowHere
• [New] Finance & Markets - Ukraine requested the EU allocate the remaining €6.6 billion ($7.5 billion) from the European Peace Facility for military aid, citing a temporary battlefield opportunity. More News From NowHere
• [New] Throughout 2026, RWAs have been heating up and are looking to become one of the four major crypto trends defining how money moves, how institutions will access the DeFi ecosystem, and what the future of finance will look like. Ideally Square Global
• [New] The new LNG carriers will support ADNOC's recently launched global LNG marketing and trading platform, which targets 47 million tonnes per annum of combined marketable LNG by 2035. MarineLink
• [New] In the U.S. spending on influencer marketing is expected to grow 15.7% in 2026, ultimately reaching $13.7 billion by 2027. Digiday
• [New] The distributors treating AEO as core commerce infrastructure now, not a marketing afterthought later, will be the ones whose catalogs AI procurement agents are actually citing in 2027. McFadyen Digital
• [New] By 2026, 9 out of 10 finance teams will use at least one AI tool. PrometAI
• [New] Standard Chartered's broader projection, including trade finance and bonds, reaches $30 trillion by 2034. Forbes
• [New] The crowdfunding with decentralized finance (DeFi) and blockchain technology presents a groundbreaking opportunity to enhance transparency, reduce intermediation, and expand global participation. Market Data Forecast
• [New] The global influencer marketing industry was valued at approximately $24 billion in 2024 and is projected to exceed $40 billion by 2026, representing growth of more than 14 times in under a decade. California Management Review
• [New] A separate Gartner poll of 402 senior marketing leaders found that 65% of CMOs believe AI will dramatically transform their role within two years. California Management Review
• [New] The banking and finance sector is the fastest-growing end user CAGR) of 28.3% from 2026 to 2034. Market Data Forecast
• [New] Over the next three years, 60,000 professionals in accounting and finance will learn to use artificial intelligence tools to do everything from automating fraud detection to pulling insights from raw financial data for audits. ST
• [New] By 2026, expect decision intelligence to be embedded across CX, marketing, and operations, offering real-time insights to proactively tackle churn risks and identify revenue opportunities. CustomerContactMindXchange
• [New] Middle East and Africa is expected to grow at the fastest pace, driven by rising digital finance adoption. GlobeNewswire
• U.S. creator ad spend is expected to reach USD 44 billion in 2026, while three in four brands are already using or planning to use AI for creator marketing-related tasks. Globe Market Research
• The Future of Finance Institute will build on existing MAS-led initiatives in AI and tokenization, including the MindForge AI Risk Management Toolkit, PathFin. Fintech Singapore
• The world could target $25 trillion in possible sustainable finance investment, but needs to dismantle current barriers. Bruegel | The Brussels-based economic think tank
• The sustainable finance framework is rooted in the 2020 European Green Deal plan for climate neutrality by 2050, meaning preferred policy outcomes are baked into the disclosure process on top of information that investors want. Bruegel | The Brussels-based economic think tank

Last updated: 17 July 2026