Stripe Acquires AI Prompt Router OpenRouter; Monzo Suffers Outage

Payments giant Stripe has acquired OpenRouter, a startup specializing in routing prompts between different AI models. While Stripe cited "the singularity" as a reason for the acquisition, the move is seen as a strategic play for more tangible and powerful applications within the AI landscape.

In separate payment news, digital bank Monzo experienced a significant outage, preventing users from making card payments and transfers. The bank confirmed the issue was resolved, restoring all services after a period of disruption. Meanwhile, Venmo has expanded its services to include college tuition payments, and TikTok is reportedly exploring peer-to-peer payment functionalities within its direct messaging feature.