(12/23) MrBeast, the YouTube star known for his jaw-dropping giveaways, debuted “Beast Games” on Prime Video—a massive reality competition where 1,000 contestants vie for a $5 million prize. Partnering with fintech app MoneyLion, the show also promotes a $4.2 million sweepstakes with critics raising eyebrows over the app's loan features, which one watchdog called a “debt trap” that “sets people back in their financial goals.” The splashy series has already given away $2 million in its first episode amid MrBeast’s efforts to rebuild trust following controversies surrounding his channel's content and workplace culture. [AP]

You can learn more about the partnership here: MoneyLion and MrBeast Launch a $4.2 Million At-Home Giveaway for New ‘Beast Games’ Competition Show

Before the release, MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson) faced misconduct allegations, with contestants claiming basic needs like meals, rest breaks, and hygiene were neglected during filming.

And this isn’t Mr. Beast’s first foray with fintech. Back in 2021, he announced a partnership with Current.

(12/18) Citi unveiled mortgage.com, a consumer-focused platform with an ambitious goal: to be the No. 1 spot in organic home-buying search within six months. Built with SEO powerhouse Razorfish, the site leverages 1,000 high-demand keywords to attract mortgage and refinance applications. Citi’s previous use of the URL was to redirect to learning center content within the home lending pages on the Citi domain, according to Head of Mortgage Marketing Chip Burgard. The company owned the domain for several years but didn’t have a direct purpose until Q4 2023. Positioned as a trusted educational resource, the platform features tools like real-time rate comparisons and calculators to guide borrowers through homeownership. With a 50-person team driving the effort, Citi hopes to expand its mortgage market share while outpacing competitors like Zillow and NerdWallet. [HousingWire]

(12/19): Chime Financial, the fintech redefining banking with its fee-free, mobile-first services, has confidentially filed for an IPO planned for 2025. Valued at $25 billion in 2021, Chime offers bank-like services through its app, including checking and high-yield savings accounts. Earlier this year, it introduced a feature allowing users to access up to $500 of their paychecks in advance. Additionally, Chime partnered with the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, with its logo featured on the team’s jerseys. Backed by investors like Sequoia Capital and Coatue Management, the San Francisco-based company aims to capitalize on a resurgent IPO market. [Bloomberg]

(12/18) Arta Finance, the fintech democratizing private banking, is leveraging AI to bring services once exclusive to the ultra-wealthy to high-income earners. Recently promoted CMO Melissa-Ann Chan, one of eight Google alumni who founded Arta in 2021, is spearheading a marketing push across the U.S. and Singapore. By automating portfolio creation and reducing costs, Arta targets "millennial millionaires" and dual-income households with six-figure net worths. As it grows globally, Chan’s 2025 focus includes financial literacy campaigns and mainstreaming wealth management, aiming to crack barriers in a traditionally elite industry. [Ad Age]

(12/18) Sezzle, the BNPL lender, saw its stock dive over 23% after Hindenburg Research accused the company of risky lending practices and a declining customer base. Sezzle, which offers installment payment plans for high-risk consumers, slammed the claims as "misleading," defending its financial health post-Q3 results. While the stock had soared over 1,000% this year, Hindenburg’s allegations—and a borrowing rate of 12.65%—have sparked market jitters. BNPL remains popular, but critics highlight murky credit practices and lack of reporting transparency. [Reuters] [Report from Hindenburg]

(12/17): The state of the AI Agents ecosystem reveals an evolving tech landscape, with enterprises exploring everything from single-task Agents to complex multi-agent systems for workflows like tax planning, customer support, and supply chain optimization. Builders face challenges like integrating LLMs with robust architectures and balancing user trust with technical performance, while enterprises wrestle with scaling, ROI measurement, and cultural adoption hurdles. Emerging pricing models—platform fees, outcome-based pricing, or hybrids—reflect a shift toward aligning costs with measurable results. The ecosystem is thriving, but scaling these game-changing systems will be challenging. [Insight Partners]

(12/19): Jack Henry’s CTO Ben Metz is driving a quiet revolution to modernize banking infrastructure, targeting outdated, pre-internet systems still used by many financial institutions. In an interview with a16z’s Angela Strange, Metz discusses how Jack Henry helps community banks overcome historical tech and regulatory challenges by integrating AI and cloud computing. He also offers advice for fintech founders, emphasizing collaboration with smaller banks to reshape the industry. The conversation explores the hurdles and opportunities in transforming core banking systems for a digital future. [a16z]

Principal Media Strategist at Chime

This role is crucial in shaping our full funnel media strategy internally and externally with senior leadership and external partners. This role requires ongoing executive communication and will require influencing teams and leaders across the organization. With a base salary that begins at $146,610 and up to $207,700, in this role, you will:

• Work cross-functionally to support growth initiatives across the marketing funnel and keep teams informed of the overall campaign strategy.

• Drive media strategy for all full-funnel media campaigns.

• Work with media, creative, insights, and program teams to plan, execute, and measure effective media campaigns that drive growth.

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