Connect with us

Technology

Fresha Capital Emerges as a Powerful Go-To Growth Engine for the Global Beauty and Wellness Professionals

Published

on

LONDON, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fresha, the world’s leading AI-powered booking platform for beauty and wellness, has reported strong performance from Fresha Capital, its embedded business financing programme developed in partnership with global financial technology platform Adyen. Since launching in early 2026, the programme has surpassed $20 million in loans issued to beauty and wellness businesses, with over 80% of borrowers returning for additional financing and renewal amounts increasing by approximately 50% on average. With more than $200 million in financing available to eligible partners, Fresha Capital is becoming an increasingly important part of the company’s global financial services offering, helping businesses access the capital they need to invest, expand and manage their operations.

The programme’s performance reflects growing demand for accessible financing within the beauty and wellness industry, where businesses often face challenges securing traditional loans despite maintaining established customer bases and consistent trading activity. Out of 135,000 businesses, from single-chair to large enterprises, more than 10,000 businesses are currently eligible for financing through Fresha Capital, which is fully embedded within Fresha’s all-in-one business management platform. Beauty merchants can access financing directly through their Fresha account and monitor incoming and outgoing transactions through Fresha Wallet, bringing financial services into the same system they already use to manage appointments, payments, marketing, clients and daily operations.

Using advanced machine learning and artificial intelligence, Fresha Capital analyses existing business performance and payment data to help determine financing eligibility and generate pre-approved offers, removing much of the complexity traditionally associated with business lending. Eligible businesses can access financing directly through their Fresha account without lengthy applications, extensive paperwork or the need to approach a bank. Once an offer is accepted and approved, funding can be made available in seconds, giving businesses immediate access to capital when opportunities or unexpected financial pressures arise. This technology-driven approach enables Fresha to provide financing based on real trading activity, rather than relying solely on conventional, long-winded lending assessments.

Fresha Capital is available across established markets including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands. The company is continuing to expand its financial services offering across the European Union, most recently introducing Fresha Capital in France and Spain in September 2026. This international expansion comes as Fresha strengthens its position as the leading all-in-one software platform for the global beauty and wellness industry, extending its capabilities beyond traditional booking and business management to provide integrated financial services designed specifically for the sector.

Alongside its international expansion, Fresha is strengthening its financing capabilities to serve enterprise and multi-location beauty and wellness businesses. The company is developing financing options of up to $500,000, with longer repayment terms and greater flexibility to meet larger capital requirements. This will enable established salon groups and major brands to invest in new locations, equipment and infrastructure, positioning Fresha Capital as a powerful growth engine for the global beauty and wellness industry.

Unlike traditional business lending, Fresha Capital uses advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze existing payment and business performance data, enabling financing offers tailored to the individual needs and trading activity of each business. On average, financing offered through the programme represents approximately 65% of a business’s monthly takings, providing access to capital proportionate to its existing operations. Analysis of more than $20 million in financing across 1,546 providers found that inventory purchases, day-to-day cash flow support, business renovations and equipment upgrades were among the most common reasons businesses accessed capital. Renovations and premises improvements alone accounted for approximately $1.94 million, highlighting the importance of accessible funding in an industry where continued investment in physical spaces, equipment and staff is essential.

The programme’s impact is already evident among businesses using Fresha, including London-based barbershop SliderCuts, founded by internationally recognized barber and Fresha ambassador Mark Maciver. Known for working with high-profile clients including Stormzy, LeBron James and Anthony Joshua, Maciver faced significant financial pressure after renovation costs at his Hoxton barbershop escalated far beyond the original budget. With mounting expenses threatening the future of the business, he received a financing offer through Fresha Capital, providing the funding needed to keep SliderCuts operating. Speaking to The Times about receiving the offer, Mark Maciver, Founder of SliderCuts, said: “When that loan came through, it was like a miracle because I didn’t even ask them. I was also calling them to say, ‘Yo, is this real?'”

Maciver’s experience demonstrates the importance of accessible financing when businesses face unexpected financial pressures or opportunities for investment. Beyond immediate funding requirements, research conducted through Fresha’s Capital Feedback Project found that 75% of surveyed partners with sufficient cash flow would consider accessing Fresha Capital should the need arise. Combined with the programme’s strong repeat borrowing rates, these findings indicate significant potential for continued adoption as Fresha expands its financial services offering internationally.

William Zeqiri, Founder and CEO of Fresha, said: “Fresha is building the most comprehensive operating system for the global beauty and wellness industry, and financial services are fundamental to that ambition. Seeing 80% of borrowers return for additional financing demonstrates the demand for this programme and the opportunity ahead of us. Through our partnership with Adyen, we’re bringing sophisticated financial infrastructure directly into the hands of the businesses that need it, from independent professionals to major enterprise operators. Our ambition is to make Fresha the platform businesses turn to for everything they need to operate, invest and grow.”

Fresha Capital is delivered in partnership with Adyen, combining Fresha’s global network of beauty and wellness businesses with Adyen’s financial technology infrastructure. The collaboration reflects the growing role of embedded finance in business software, where financial products are integrated directly into the platforms businesses already rely on rather than accessed through separate banking and lending providers. By bringing financing into its wider operating platform, Fresha is creating a more connected approach to business management, combining scheduling, payments, marketing, client relationships and financial services within a single system.

Dane Carmody, Head of Product at Fresha, said: “Fresha Capital was built to make business financing more accessible, using payment and performance data to provide funding that reflects how beauty and wellness businesses actually operate. The programme’s strong adoption demonstrates the demand for financing that is built directly into the tools businesses already use. As we expand into new markets and develop larger financing options for enterprise partners, we’re creating even more opportunities for businesses to access capital when they need it.”

With continued international expansion, strong repeat borrowing rates and plans to introduce larger financing options for enterprise businesses, Fresha Capital is entering its next phase of growth. The programme is becoming a central part of Fresha’s global financial services strategy, reinforcing the company’s ambition to build the first truly all-in-one, 360-degree operating system for the global beauty and wellness industry.

About Fresha

Fresha is the world’s leading AI-powered booking platform for beauty and wellness, trusted by over 140,000 partner businesses across more than 120 countries. Its fully integrated ecosystem spans scheduling, payments, marketing, team management and a global consumer marketplace, giving beauty and wellness businesses everything they need to operate, grow and scale. The Fresha Marketplace connects millions of consumers with salons, spas, barbershops and wellness studios worldwide, with over one million monthly downloads and more than $1.4 billion in monthly transaction value. To learn more, visit fresha.com.

Press enquiries

press@fresha.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/fresha-capital-emerges-as-a-powerful-go-to-growth-engine-for-the-global-beauty-and-wellness-professionals-302915555.html

Continue Reading

Technology

Club Offers for Travel Enthusiasts in Canada

Published

on

By

TORONTO, Oct 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Travelzoo® (NASDAQ: TZOO), the club for travel enthusiasts, announces three of many new Club Offers for Club Members in Canada.

Rigorously vetted and negotiated for us travel enthusiasts:

$799—COSTA RICA WEEK WITH FLIGHTS & CAR
We think fall is an ideal time to visit Costa Rica; the scenery is lush and the crowds are gone. Drive between volcanic Arenal and the idyllic beaches of Tamarindo on this seven-night trip. Since it’s not as busy, we were able to negotiate a price that saves members up to $648 on departures through mid-December.

$899—BARCELONA: 5 NIGHTS WITH FLIGHTS
Explore Barcelona’s world-class museums and architectural masterpieces in the quieter winter months to pack more into your trip. You won’t waste hours in lines and can access top restaurants that are fully booked in summer. We save $300 on travel this January and February, when temperatures are still spring-like. Roundtrip flights from Toronto, hotel and daily breakfast are included.

$999—ST. KITTS GETAWAY FOR 2, REG. $2083
Most visitors to St. Kitts book months in advance, but when we pointed out that travel enthusiasts are more spontaneous, this resort gave us a terrific rate for stays this November and December. Spend four nights in Frigate Bay and get an upgraded Oceanview room, too.

Are you a travel enthusiast? Join the club today: https://travelzoo.com

Who are we?
We, Travelzoo®, are the club for travel enthusiasts. We reach 30 million travellers. Club Members receive Club Offers negotiated and rigorously vetted by our deal experts around the globe. Our relationships with thousands of top travel companies give us access to irresistible deals. Our club and its benefits are built around the lifestyle of a modern travel enthusiast.

Media Contact: 
Amanda Ieraci – Toronto
+1 437 866 8540
aieraci@travelzoo.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/club-offers-for-travel-enthusiasts-in-canada-302918543.html

SOURCE Travelzoo

Continue Reading

Technology

Howard Hughes Holdings Set to Join S&P SmallCap 600

Published

on

By

NEW YORK, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Howard Hughes Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HHH) will replace Arcosa Inc. (NYSE: ACA) in the S&P SmallCap 600 effective prior to the opening of trading on Wednesday, October 28. S&P 500 constituent CRH plc (NYSE: CRH) has acquired Arcosa in a deal that closed today, October 23.

Following is a summary of the changes that will take place prior to the open of trading on the effective date:

Effective Date

Index Name  

Action

Company Name

Ticker

GICS Sector

October 28, 2026

S&P SmallCap 600

Addition

Howard Hughes Holdings

HHH

Real Estate

October 28, 2026

S&P SmallCap 600

Deletion

Arcosa

ACA

Industrials

ABOUT S&P DOW JONES INDICES

S&P Dow Jones Indices is the largest global resource for essential index-based concepts, data and research, and home to iconic financial market indicators, such as the S&P 500® and the Dow Jones Industrial Average®. More assets are invested in products based on our indices than products based on indices from any other provider in the world. Since Charles Dow invented the first index in 1884, S&P DJI has been innovating and developing indices across the spectrum of asset classes helping to define the way investors measure and trade the markets.

S&P Dow Jones Indices is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI), which provides essential intelligence for individuals, companies, and governments to make decisions with confidence. For more information, visit www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

S&P Dow Jones Indices
index_services@spglobal.com

Media Inquiries
spdji.comms@spglobal.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/howard-hughes-holdings-set-to-join-sp-smallcap-600-302918511.html

SOURCE S&P Dow Jones Indices

Continue Reading

Technology

Chelsea FC announces multi-year sleeve partnership with Sokin, the business payments and FX platform

Published

on

By

Chelsea FC name fast-growing fintech platform as Principal Partner

LONDON, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Chelsea Football Club has today announced a multi-year partnership with Sokin, the embedded finance and payments company used by businesses worldwide. Sokin will be named a Principal Partner and Official Business Payments and FX Partner of Chelsea FC and Chelsea FC Women.

As a Principal Partner, Sokin will be represented on the sleeves of the Chelsea FC men’s, women’s and academy home, away, and third kits from the 2026/27 season.

The partnership brings together two ambitious London-headquartered organisations with worldwide reach – a club with millions of fans across the world and a fintech platform through which businesses move more than $11 billion a year. A club of Chelsea’s scale works in many currencies every day, with partners, competitions and supporters around the world, and needs a financial partner built to handle that.

Sokin gives finance teams business payments, multi-currency accounts, foreign exchange, checkout and treasury in one place, so they spend less time juggling banks and providers and keep more of what they move.

As Official Business Payments and FX Partner, Sokin will simplify how Chelsea FC sends, receives and manages money in the currencies the club operates in.

The Sokin logo will feature on the sleeve of the Chelsea shirt for the first time [when the men’s team host Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on Saturday 24th October.]

Jason Gannon, President at Chelsea FC said:

“At Chelsea, we seek to partner with organisations that share our ambition and innovative mindset. Sokin’s expertise in business payments, and their focus on making both simpler for the businesses they serve, makes them a natural fit for the Club. We are pleased to welcome Sokin to the Chelsea family and look forward to working together in the years ahead.”

Vroon Modgill, CEO and founder at Sokin said:

“Chelsea plays on the biggest stage in world football, and its business runs in dozens of currencies. Sokin was built for that with regulated, multi-currency payments and foreign exchange for organisations that operate internationally. We’re proud to be the platform behind the business payments and FX of one of the most iconic teams in football. Sokin’s platform serves businesses in more than 170 countries. We’re thrilled to be partners for the season ahead. An organisation as sophisticated as Chelsea doesn’t leave its finances to chance.”

About Sokin

Sokin is the financial layer global business runs on. Businesses can transact, convert and hold money in 70+ currencies across 170+ countries. Some businesses use Sokin to manage global finance in-house. Others build it into their products to power financial experiences for their customers. Businesses move more than $9 billion a year on licenses Sokin holds in 36+ countries and infrastructure Sokin owns. Founded in 2019, Sokin has raised over $100 million from investors including Morgan Stanley Expansion Capital and Prysm Capital.

About Chelsea Football Club

Chelsea Football Club is one of the biggest, most successful football clubs globally and our men’s team are reigning world champions, having won the four-yearly FIFA Club World Cup in 2025. Our women’s team, Chelsea Women, are also multiple trophy winners.

Founded in 1905, Chelsea is London’s most central football club, based at the iconic 40,000-capacity Stamford Bridge stadium. Nicknamed the Blues, the club lifted the Champions League for the first time in 2012 and domestically has won the Premier League five times, the FA Cup eight times, the Football League Cup five times and the Football League Championship once, in 1955.

The Chelsea Women’s team have enjoyed a huge amount of success and in 2025 won the FA Women’s Super League for a sixth consecutive year and the eighth time overall. The Women’s FA Cup has been won on six occasions. We have also captured the FA Women’s League Cup four times as well as reaching the UEFA Women’s Champions League final in 2021. In two seasons, 2020/21 and 2024/25, a domestic treble of trophies was secured.

The Chelsea Foundation boasts one of the most extensive community initiatives in sport, helping to improve the lives of children and young people all over the world.

Media Contacts:

Taina Biggs
taina.biggs@sokin.com 

Nerissa Chesterfield
nerissa.chesterfield@chelseafc.com 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/chelsea-fc-announces-multi-year-sleeve-partnership-with-sokin-the-business-payments-and-fx-platform-302918466.html

Continue Reading

Trending