SMB Finance Boost: Square Financial Services launched a 3.5% APY high-yield savings tier for Square sellers with $10,000+ balances, aiming to help merchants build cash reserves. Brand Scaling: Coffee Dose says it’s scaled from an 88-square-foot pop-up to an eight-figure hospitality brand, using Square across four Southern California locations and adding new concepts. Fintech Push for SMEs: Italy’s Trade Agency made its case at Money20/20 Europe, arguing the country’s fintech ecosystem is ready for more investment and SME-focused growth. Tourism Protection: New York’s consumer agency will run multilingual outreach to curb World Cup tourist scams, after new city legislation. Local Policy That Hits Small Business: A North Carolina parking reform bill would limit minimum parking-space rules tied to development, with supporters citing direct harm to small shops. SME Lending Access Tightens: The U.S. SBA stopped approving loans for some non-citizens, leaving at least one immigrant entrepreneur unable to qualify for the program that helped her open a business. Workplace Tech Tradeoff: Workday research finds AI can cut stress and raise productivity, but may worsen social connection—especially for Gen Z. SME Confidence Watch: South Africa’s latest SME Confidence Index links better electricity supply to improved operations, while Black Friday-style demand remains uneven. Small Business Marketing How-To: A guide lays out practical steps for email marketing for small businesses, from permission-based lists to segmentation and automation.