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Tesla vehicle deliveries drop sharply as Musk backlash affects demand

Tesla vehicle deliveries drop sharply as Musk backlash affects demand

The Guardian3 days ago
Tesla posted another big drop in quarterly deliveries on Wednesday, putting it on course for its second straight annual sales decline as demand falters due to backlash over CEO Elon Musk's political stance and an aging vehicle lineup.
Tesla said it delivered 384,122 vehicles in the second quarter, down 13.5% from 443,956 units a year ago. Analysts had expected it to report deliveries of about 394,378 vehicles, according to an average of 23 estimates from financial research firm Visible Alpha, though projections went to as low as 360,080 units based on estimates from 10 analysts over the past month. Analysts use the number of vehicles delivered to customers as a metric of success to evaluate both automotive sales and production.
'The market is reacting to the deliveries not being as bad as potentially thought with multiple analysts cutting their forecasts over the past week,' said Seth Goldstein, senior equity analyst at Morningstar.
The stock has lost 25% of its value so far this year as investors feared brand damage in Europe, where sales have slumped most sharply, and in the US from Musk's embrace of rightwing politics and his role in spearheading the Trump administration's cost-cutting effort. The day Trump and Musk split publicly in early June, Tesla lost some $150bn in market value. Its share price has somewhat recovered in the ensuing month, but Trump and Musk have likewise reignited their feud as they spar over Trump's sweeping tax bill.
Tesla's plummeting deliveries in a steadily growing global EV market come despite Musk saying in April that sales had turned around.
The company refreshed its top-selling Model Y crossover earlier this year to boost demand, but the redesign forced a production halt and prompted some buyers to delay purchases in anticipation of the updated version.
Most of Tesla's revenue and profit come from its core EV business, and much of its trillion-dollar valuation hangs on Musk's big bet on converting its vehicles into robotaxis.
Tesla last month rolled out a robotaxi service in limited parts of Austin, Texas, for a select group of invitees and with several restrictions, including having a safety monitor in the front passenger seat. The pilot was limited, though, with only about a dozen Robotaxis on the road. The US National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration opened an investigation into the launch of the autonomous ride service.
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The automaker had said it would start producing a cheaper vehicle, expected to be pared-down Model Y, by June's end.
While a cheaper model might help bolster sales, Wall Street expects a second consecutive annual sales decline this year. To achieve Musk's target of returning to growth this year, Tesla would need to hand over more than a million units in the second half - a record and a tough challenge, according to analysts, despite typically stronger sales in the second half.
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Deep Dive: Stripe vs. Adyen – Comparing Product Stacks and Pricing: By Sam Boboev
Deep Dive: Stripe vs. Adyen – Comparing Product Stacks and Pricing: By Sam Boboev

Finextra

timean hour ago

  • Finextra

Deep Dive: Stripe vs. Adyen – Comparing Product Stacks and Pricing: By Sam Boboev

Two fintech heavyweights are vying for dominance in global payments: Stripe and Adyen. Both power a substantial share of online commerce, yet they've taken different paths to the top. Stripe, the Silicon Valley darling, built its name with developers and startups; Adyen, the Dutch powerhouse, quietly became the backbone for many large global retailers. Product managers and fintech founders on both sides of the Atlantic (especially in the US and EU) often face a strategic choice between these platforms. This deep dive examines how Stripe and Adyen stack up – from their product offerings to pricing models – and why it matters. Spoiler: Both companies have overlapping product categories (payments, fraud prevention, in-person solutions, and more), but their strengths and weaknesses can make each a better fit for different customer profiles. Let's dig in. The Payments Giants at a Glance It helps to frame the comparison with scale and performance. In 2024, Stripe processed about $1.4 trillion in total payment volume (TPV), growing 38% year-over-year, while Adyen was close behind with €1.29 trillion (+33% YoY). These figures underscore that both companies handle enormous transaction flows (roughly on par with ~1–1.5% of global GDP each). Adyen has long been profitable – it sustained an impressive ~50% EBITDA margin in 2024 – whereas Stripe historically reinvested for growth but finally achieved full-year profitability in 2024. In other words, Adyen is the rare fintech operating at bank-like profit levels, while Stripe proved its business model can scale financially. Both are now plowing resources into R&D and expansion, setting the stage for an intense rivalry. Stripe launched in 2010, targeting developers and small online businesses with easy-to-use APIs. Its strategy was bottom-up: win the hearts of startups and SMBs, then gradually move upmarket. Adyen, founded in 2006, took almost the opposite approach – a top-down focus on large enterprises and global retailers. Adyen built a single unified platform for 'unified commerce' (online, in-app, and in-store payments all in one), directly connecting to card networks and local payment methods. This made Adyen the go-to for many big multichannel merchants (think Uber, Spotify, Microsoft, McDonald's, H&M and the like), while Stripe became synonymous with the startup economy and SaaS world. Today, however, their offerings overlap significantly. Stripe now serves 50% of the Fortune 100 companies in some capacity, and Adyen is expanding its reach to mid-sized clients and platforms. Both are truly global – Stripe is used in 195+ countries with support for 135+ currencies, and Adyen similarly supports transactions worldwide (150+ currencies and dozens of local methods). A quick external perspective sums it up well: 'Adyen is better for midsize or large companies with multiple sales channels, whereas Stripe is good for small, online businesses.' In practice, Stripe's flat-rate pricing and plug-and-play simplicity make it popular among SMBs and tech startups. Adyen's custom approach and interchange-plus pricing appeal to high-volume, omnichannel businesses that can integrate a more complex solution. But these lines are blurring. Stripe has been aggressively courting larger enterprises (even Amazon inked a deal in 2023 to have Stripe process a significant portion of its payments across the US, Europe, and Canada). Meanwhile, Adyen is indirectly serving many SMBs via platform partnerships (for example, when Etsy or eBay use Adyen as their payments engine, thousands of small sellers are on Adyen's rails). The competitive arena is set: both companies offer a broad payments platform, but how do their product stacks and pricing compare in detail? Core Payments Infrastructure At their heart, both Stripe and Adyen are payments processors – they enable businesses to accept a wide range of payment methods and get paid online (and offline). Let's compare their core payments capabilities: Stripe and Adyen each support an extensive array of payment methods: global credit/debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, etc.), digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc.), bank transfers, and region-specific options (from **SEPA Direct Debit in Europe to ACH in the US, Alipay and WeChat Pay in Asia, Klarna/Affirm for BNPL, and many more). Stripe advertises access to 100+ payment methods out-of-the-box with a single integration. Adyen similarly prides itself on being a one-stop solution to 'offer your customers all their preferred payment methods with a single integration'. For example, a merchant using either platform can easily offer local favorites like iDEAL in the Netherlands or Boleto in Brazil alongside global cards. One difference is how these methods are integrated. Adyen built direct connections to many local payment schemes and card networks through its own licenses. This 'single platform' approach can improve authorization rates and reduce hops in the transaction process. Indeed, Adyen highlights its direct acquiring connections to Visa/Mastercard and even domestic networks, claiming it can optimize approval rates via intelligent routing (their RevenueAccelerate tools). Stripe, on the other hand, initially partnered with banks for acquiring in various regions, but over time it also obtained regulatory licenses and built out global infrastructure (Stripe has regulatory licenses in multiple jurisdictions and data centers worldwide, ensuring transactions are processed locally where possible for speed and better success rates). Both companies now can offer very high uptime (Stripe boasts 99.999% historical uptime, and Adyen is known for reliability as well) and the ability to settle funds in a currency of the merchant's choosing. Adyen explicitly lets merchants 'choose when and in which currency' to receive payouts, a flexibility important for international businesses. Stripe is almost universally lauded for its developer-friendly APIs and documentation. It provides client libraries in every popular programming language and famously simple code snippets. For a small business or product team, Stripe's developer tools can shorten integration time dramatically. (As an example, Stripe's drop-in checkout or pre-built UI components – Stripe Elements and Checkout – let you start accepting cards with minimal coding.) Adyen's platform is also robust, but the common refrain is that Adyen is not as 'plug-and-play' for small merchants. Adyen often requires a bit more initial setup and understanding of payment flows. That said, Adyen offers comprehensive APIs and SDKs too, along with client-side components (its Drop-in UI and Components for web/mobile) to handle payment method selection and encryption. The gap in ease has narrowed over time, but Stripe's polish in developer experience and documentation remains a strong differentiator. For a startup with a lean engineering team, Stripe's 'it just works' approach can be very attractive – everything from the initial integration to handling webhooks for events is well-supported. Adyen tends to shine for merchants that need fine-grained control and are willing to invest in a more bespoke integration. Transaction Performance: Both Stripe and Adyen invest heavily in optimizing payment success rates. Adyen's advantage of direct network connections means it can sometimes get slightly better authorization rates, especially in regions where local processing matters (for instance, processing European cards with a European acquiring license to avoid cross-border inefficiencies). Stripe has countered by developing its own smart routing and 'adaptive acceptance' algorithms, and by working with card issuers. Stripe even formed an Enhanced Issuer Network program to share data with card issuers, reportedly reducing fraud and boosting authorizations by 1–2% on eligible volume. In practice, both processors are top-tier in transaction quality; large merchants often run A/B tests between providers and find both Stripe and Adyen to be high performers, with differences depending on specific geographies or banks. It's not unusual for an enterprise to use multiple PSPs in active-active mode and route traffic between Stripe, Adyen, and others to optimize costs and uptime. Both companies understand this and continually roll out improvements (for example, Stripe has machine learning to retry failed payments at optimal times and auto-update saved card details, while Adyen recently introduced an AI-powered tool called Adyen Uplift to improve payment conversion by an average 6%). On core payment processing capabilities, both Stripe and Adyen offer a full-spectrum, global solution. Stripe wins praise for ease and developer tooling; Adyen wins praise for technical robustness and global unified infrastructure. For most standard online payments use cases (accepting card payments on a website or app), either will get the job done with high standards. The differences emerge more clearly when we expand into other aspects: in-person payments, platform payments, and value-added services. Source: Stripe vs. Adyen 2024 performance and strategy highlights NerdWallet on ideal customer profiles for Adyen vs Stripe Stripe Newsroom: Amazon expanding use of Stripe (enterprise win) Stripe Enterprise documentation (custom pricing options) Adyen official pricing page (interchange++ transparency) Codelevate 2025 PSP comparison (product features & pricing details) Fintech Wrap Up deep dive (TPV and product developments in 2024) Adyen website ('One platform' omnichannel messaging) Codelevate on strengths/drawbacks of each platform FXCintel analysis on Adyen's 2023 results (North America focus) Disclaimer: Fintech Wrap Up aggregates publicly available information for informational purposes only. Portions of the content may be reproduced verbatim from the original source, and full credit is provided with a "Source: [Name]" attribution. All copyrights and trademarks remain the property of their respective owners. Fintech Wrap Up does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the aggregated content; these are the responsibility of the original source providers. Links to the original sources may not always be included. For questions or concerns, please contact us at

2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E vs Ford Mustang: Electric Crossover vs Muscle Car
2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E vs Ford Mustang: Electric Crossover vs Muscle Car

Auto Blog

time2 hours ago

  • Auto Blog

2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E vs Ford Mustang: Electric Crossover vs Muscle Car

American muscle turned electric crossover The Ford Mustang is an icon of the automotive industry, with more than 60 years of continuous production and 10 million models sold. The American muscle car is Ford's longest-running nameplate and wields a level of name recognition few other vehicles can match. That made it a prime choice for Ford's electric crossover, and so the Mustang Mach-E was born. While the two models may share a nameplate, that's where their similarities end. Performance at the ready, regardless of powertrain The Mustang nameplate has been synonymous with performance for as long as it's been around. No matter the body style or type of powertrain, you can bet any vehicle wearing the pony car's name comes packed with power. While the Ford Mustang muscle car's performance is a given, the electrified Mustang Mach-E manages to match it. The American muscle car comes with turbocharged four-cylinder and V8 engine options. The base Mustang EcoBoost Fastback's 2.3-liter turbo comes paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, producing 315 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. If your heart doesn't desire higher performance, the Mustang starts at $31,920. For some, the Mustang just isn't itself without a V8 under the hood. The Mustang GT Fastback answers that call with a 5.0-liter V8 engine that puts out up to 486 horsepower and 418 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual transmission comes standard. The GT Fastback starts at $46,560, which means upgrading to a V8 engine will cost you nearly $15,000. At the top of the range is the Mustang Dark Horse, which features a modified version of the V8 engine, producing 500 horsepower and 418 lb-ft of torque. A trim-exclusive version of the six-speed manual transmission sends power to the rear wheels. The Dark Horse will cost you $64,380, but it isn't the most expensive – or exclusive – Mustang on the market. While it's more of an honorable mention, the Ford Mustang GTD is a rocket of a muscle car. Featuring a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 engine paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, the Mustang GTD boasts more than 800 horsepower. A limited production model, the upcoming Ford Mustang GTD is expected to cost around $325,000. The Ford Mustang Mach-E features a similarly complex electrified powertrain, with performance varying according to drivetrain and battery size. When equipped with rear-wheel drive and 73 kWh standard-range battery, the base Mustang Mach-E Select produces 264 horsepower and 387 lb-ft of torque. Adding a second electric motor increases performance to 325 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque. Upgrading to the 88 kWh extended-range battery pushes the Mustang Mach-E to 370 horsepower. While the price will vary according to the powertrain setup, the Select model starts at $37,995. Most of the base model's performance metrics carry over to the Premium trim, with one new combination making its first appearance. Combining single-motor rear-wheel drive with the standard-range battery brings 272 horsepower and 387 lb-ft of torque to the road. Notably, that combination gives the Mustang Mach-E its peak range of 320 miles on a single charge. The top-tier trim levels are where the Mustang Mach-E's performance truly shines. The GT model comes with a 91 kWh battery and standard all-wheel drive, producing 480 horsepower and 600 lb-ft of torque. Upgrading to the Mustang Mach-E Rally bumps performance to 700 lb-ft of torque. As far as pricing goes, the GT and Rally are available for $54,495 and $58,490, respectively. Power-packed trim for every driver The 2025 Ford Mustang comes in nine trim levels, with three switching out the hard roof for a convertible top. Notably, the Premium trim levels add more luxury and tech amenities to the otherwise standard variants. The EcoBoost Fastback is available from $31,920 and wears a sporty aesthetic, with dual exhaust with rolled tips, LED lighting, and aggressive 18-inch wheels. Inside, the base model is about what you'd expect, with the exception of 13.2-inch touchscreen and 12.4-inch digital cluster displays. The convertible model starts at $40,120 and includes active noise cancellation and the security package. 2024 Ford Mustang — Source: Ford The EcoBoost Premium Fastback, priced from $37,545, puts an emphasis on comfort, with heated and cooled front seats joining the list of standard equipment. The convertible variant, from $43,045, comes with approach detection with welcome and farewell exterior lighting and pony projection lamps. The Mustang GT is the first trim on the range to come powered by a 5.0-liter V8 engine paired with a six-speed manual. A dual 3.5-inch exhaust, '5.0' badging, and hood vent add to the aggressive demeanor. Inside, the V8-powered muscle car gets a more upscale interior, with a leather-wrapped shift knob and flat-bottom steering wheel. That V8 engine upgrade will cost you, though, with the GT Fastback starting at $46,560. The GT Premium Fastback pushes the envelope, priced from $51,080, with a more luxurious set of amenities, including leather-trimmed seats, illuminated door sill plates, and aluminum pedals. The convertible sees its price jump by $5,500 to $56,580. 2025 Ford Mustang — Source: Ford The Mustang Dark Horse marks the top of the range. Starting at $64,380, the modified 500-horsepower V8 engine comes mated to a six-speed manual transmission. A MagneRide damping system comes standard, as does a drift brake. Exclusive Dark Horse badging, a hood accent stripe, and unique front and rear fascias make the high-powered model stand out on the road. The Premium version combines that high performance with a touch of luxury. Available from $69,375, the range-topping trim includes a titanium anodized blue shift knob, heated steering wheel, and 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium sound system. Switching gears, the Ford Mustang Mach-E boasts a plethora of tech across the range, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, wireless charging, phone as a key functionality, driver-assist systems, and Ford's connectivity package. BlueCruise hands-free driving also comes standard, but drivers need an active subscription to make use of it. A 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster and 15.5-inch touchscreen display make the list of standard equipment as well. All Mustang Mach-E models also include a drainable frunk, which the automaker advertised by filling it with chicken wings a while back. 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E — Source: Ford Available from $37,995, the Mustang Mach-E Select rides on athletic 19-inch wheels complemented by LED lighting. Pony badging on the grille and liftgate nod to the nameplate's heritage. Inside, the base model includes a plethora of storage options, including an adjustable load floor with additional space underneath. A vinyl-wrapped steering wheel and black ActiveX upholstery add an upscale aesthetic to the electrified crossover. Stepping up to the Premium model will cost you $41,995, but it brings a whole host of high-end features, including a power liftgate, power-folding memory side mirrors, and power-adjustable front seats. A 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium sound system creates a pristine listening experience. Climate-controlled front seats and a heated steering wheel help make the Mustang Mach-E feel more like a luxury model. 2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E — Source: Ford The Mustang Mach-E GT, priced from $54,495, brings the heat, with a 0-to-60 mph time that's on par with that of the Mustang Dark Horse and a standard equipment list to match. Athletic 20-inch aluminum wheels, red Brembo brake calipers, and a GT front fascia with illuminated pony badging give the EV an intimidating demeanor. Inside lies a performance gray interior complemented by silver stitching. Performance front seats and a GT logo on the center console lid complete the powerful interior. The top-spec Mustang Mach-E Rally boasts a unique grille shield with integrated fog lamps, trim-exclusive graphics, and 19-inch white wheels. A unique raised rear spoiler calls back to the Ford Focus RS performance model. The Mach-E Rally's interior matches the wheels with white interior accents. Sport pedals and an exclusive Rally logo mesh well with the RallySport drive mode. When all is said and done, the Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally starts at $58,490. Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally — Source: Ford Final thoughts Whereas the Ford Mustang muscle car comes in trims with varying levels of luxury, the Mustang Mach-E electrified crossover has a simpler lineup. The American pony car may have evolved over the years, but it still maintains the visceral spirit the original muscle car brought to the road. The Ford Mustang Mach-E marks the beginning of a new generation, with an electrified powertrain and upscale tech and amenities across the board. While neither model appeals to the same type of consumer, they both offer performance that the original pony car would be proud of. About the Author Joseph Pudlewski View Profile

Employee benefit linked to financial stress takes aim at traditional 401(K)s as US debt skyrockets
Employee benefit linked to financial stress takes aim at traditional 401(K)s as US debt skyrockets

Daily Mail​

time2 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

Employee benefit linked to financial stress takes aim at traditional 401(K)s as US debt skyrockets

Americans are increasingly turning to services that are setting off alarm bells. Instead of waiting for a traditional payday, workers are increasingly using apps like DailyPay, FlexWage, and Tapcheck to get paid the same day they work — sometimes just hours after clocking out. It's called on-demand pay, and it's growing fast as millions of households face financial stress. The service lets users withdraw wages they've already earned before their scheduled payday. 'It helps a lot of employees, especially ones in school who need to pay a bill while check isn't scheduled for another week,' one Reddit user said about DailyPay. 'But don't make it a habit — when you get paid in full, your check is little.' These apps are marketed as an alternative to payday loans. There's no interest, but workers typically pay a flat fee of $2 to $5 for instant access. Next-day deposits are often free. The rise of on-demand pay comes as Americans face mounting financial pressure from nearly every direction. Total household debt surged by $167 billion in the first quarter of 2025, reaching a record $18.2 trillion, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Around $5 trillion of that debt is non-housing, consumer debt. While credit card balances dipped slightly — falling $29 billion from the previous quarter — student loan debt jumped by $16 billion. Delinquencies spiked after the end of a multi-year pause on repayment reporting. Overall, 4.3 percent of household debt is now delinquent in some way. That situation is especially dire for Americans living paycheck to paycheck. Roughly one in three consumers struggle to manage their debt, and 35 percent say they can't pay all their bills on time, according to new survey data from digital finance firm Achieve. America's labor market has shown surprising resilience - analysts were recently surprised with how many US employees got jobs last month 'When people are overwhelmed and about to miss bill payments, they often don't know what steps to take,' Brad Stroh, the firm's CEO said about the survey's findings. The agency suggested consumers should avoid quick fixes to their debt problems like cash advances, saying they 'can deepen long-term financial challenges.' 'One significant concern with on-demand pay is the potential for high associated costs,' Austin Kilgore, an analyst at the Achieve Center for Consumer Insights, told 'The real danger emerges when individuals fall into a cycle of repeatedly accessing their wages early rather than managing their existing funds. 'This can lead to a situation where a significant portion of their income is consumed by fees, essentially preventing them from having full access to their earned money.' But the problem doesn't seem to stem from American employment opportunities. Early Thursday, the Labor Department released it's June jobs report that showed shocking resilience in the jobs market. Last month, America added 147,000 jobs, up from 139,000 added in May. Hidden in today's numbers was good news for debt-burdened Americans: the average wage is still increasing. Last month, employers typically paid $36.30 an hour for work, an $0.08 hourly increase from the month before. The positive numbers were shocking to many analysts, especially given the news on Wednesday.

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