Gold’s Gleam: Caution Amid The Rally

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

February 26, 2025

Gold prices are surging, with the SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) fund up about 11% in 2025 and returns climbing roughly 42% over the past year. Gold futures, too, are on the rise—up around 10% year-to-date and 36% higher than last year. By contrast, the S&P 500 has barely moved in 2025, gaining only 1.5%, and has risen 17% over the past year.

Yet, as the allure of the precious metal intensifies, seasoned investors are urging restraint. Certified financial planner Lee Baker of Claris Financial Advisors recalls, “I didn’t get any calls from clients about gold a year ago. Now, I get them regularly.” He cites Warren Buffett’s timeless advice: “Be cautious when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.” Baker warns that while the current fervor is tempting, the typical investor should limit gold allocation to no more than 3% of a diversified portfolio—lest they fall into the classic trap of buying high and selling low.

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Why are gold prices on the rise? The answer lies in its enduring reputation as a safe haven during turbulent times. Investors flock to gold amid uncertainty, with recent US sanctions against Russia acting as a turbocharger for returns. These sanctions have spurred central banks, particularly in China, to boost their gold purchases instead of U.S. Treasury bonds, aiming to safeguard their reserves from potential geopolitical strife. Moreover, many see gold as a hedge against inflation, even though the data supporting that view remains mixed.

Samir Samana, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, notes, “In times of real crisis, bonds have shone brighter than gold.” His perspective underscores that while gold may shine during periods of high uncertainty, its rally might be unsustainable without a prolonged crisis.

For investors, the takeaway is clear: while gold’s current surge offers attractive returns, caution is paramount. As the market faces potential headwinds, following Buffett’s contrarian wisdom may help avoid the pitfalls of an overheated market. In the world of investing, where timing is everything, it’s not just about chasing returns—it’s about staying disciplined when the herd runs wild.

The Future Forbes Realty Global Properties

payabl. Launches Click To Pay With Visa To Help Merchants Improve Checkout Conversion And Reduce Fraud

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

April 17, 2026

payabl. has launched Click to Pay with Visa, a new card payment experience designed to help merchants reduce checkout friction, improve authorisation rates, and deliver a faster, more secure online payment journey.

Click to Pay replaces manual card number entry with a token-based checkout experience. Once a customer’s card is enrolled, they can complete purchases in just a few clicks, without re-entering card details. The result is a faster checkout that mirrors the ease of contactless payments in-store, while maintaining strong security standards.

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For merchants, the impact is measurable. According to Visa, Click to Pay can deliver up to a 11% uplift in authorisation rates compared to manual card entry, alongside significant fraud reduction through network tokenisation. Faster checkout also helps reduce cart abandonment, particularly on mobile, where typing card details remains a major source of friction.

“With online checkout, every extra step costs conversion,” said Breno Oliveira, Chief Product Officer at payabl. “Visa Click to Pay removes one of the biggest points of friction at the moment of purchase. It helps merchants approve more legitimate transactions, reduce fraud exposure, and give customers the experience they already expect.”

Visa Click to Pay is available through payabl. checkout, enabling merchants to activate the service without additional integration complexity. The solution works across devices and supports existing security flows, including 3D Secure where required.

“Consumers have come to expect a highly personalised, intuitive, and seamless payment experience, whether they’re buying a coffee, shopping online, or applying for a loan. Visa Click to Pay aims to meet these expectations by removing the need to manually enter card details, thus enhancing both security and the consumer experience in online card payments. With the support of network tokens, Visa Click to Pay enabled a more secure and smoother transaction process, available in many countries around the world. According to European VisaNet data, Visa Click to Pay may allow a 4.5% uplift in merchant sales, meaning a possible annual increase of €51 bn in SMB eCommerce sales in the UK and EU,” said Michael Ioannides, Country Manager, Visa Cyprus.

The launch forms part of payabl.’s broader focus on checkout optimisation, helping merchants improve conversion, approvals, and payment reliability at scale. Click to Pay with Visa is now live for eligible merchants across Europe.

Checkout expectations are rising across Europe

Insights from payabl.’s State of European Checkouts report underline why frictionless checkout experiences are becoming a commercial priority. The research found that consumers cite speed (46%), convenience (44%), and security (41%) as the top reasons for choosing a payment method. More than half of consumers (53%) are open to switching to newer payment methods and nearly half (48%) are open to one-click checkouts, provided the solution is backed by a trusted brand such as Visa.

“Checkout is no longer just the final step of a transaction,” said Oliveira. “It is a critical part of the overall customer experience. Our research shows that 43% of European consumers will not return to a site after a poor checkout experience. For merchants across the UK and Europe, that translates directly into lost customers and lost revenue.”