Mastercard and S&P Global offer investors two different bets: consumer spending and capital markets. A Motley Fool columnist argues Mastercard is the more attractive stock for 2027. In fiscal 2025, Mastercard's revenue rose about 16.4% to nearly $32.8 billion, with net income near $15 billion and a net margin of roughly 45.6%. S&P Global's revenue grew about 7.9% to nearly $15.3 billion, with net income of $4.5 billion and a margin of roughly 29.2%. S&P Global carries less debt, with a debt-to-equity ratio of about 0.5 against nearly 2.5 for Mastercard. It also trades at a lower forward P/E. The author says Mastercard's higher valuation is justified. Over the past decade, it has outperformed S&P Global by more than 200 percentage points.

MediConCen joins forces with Mastercard to power a landmark, seamless, instant, medical expenses direct billing journey for Prudential Hong Kong. November 4, 2026 SINGAPORE - Media OutReach Newswire - 4 November 2026 - MediConCen today announced that its technology powers a new fully integrated, frictionless digital journey for Prudential Hong Kong Limited customers, connecting doctor appointment booking, expense pre-authorisation and B2B payment by Mastercard virtual card into one seamless experience. Approved medical expenses are settled cashlessly, with no upfront payment from customers and no claims paperwork afterwards. In the initial phase, Chiron Medical Group serves as the inaugural provider partner, deploying the capability across its network. The platform will expand gradually to more clinics, hospitals and medical networks across Hong Kong in the coming months. Eligible Prudential customers benefit from three enhancements to the Medical Expenses Direct Billing Service. Join the european business briefing. New subscribers this quarter are entered into a draw to win a Rolex Submariner. Join 40,000+ founders, investors and executives who read EBM every day. Instant appointment booking, making it easier to access medical services when needed. Instant pre-authorisation, providing earlier confirmation of eligible coverage before treatment. Cashless settlement of approved medical expenses, reducing the need to pay upfront and submit claims for reimbursement afterwards. Once an eligible medical expense is approved by Prudential, MediConCen facilitates settlement with the provider partner through the Mastercard virtual card. Provider partners also have access to a dedicated portal for case handling and settlement, enabling prompt payment of approved claims with minimal paperwork. Prudential keeps full control of every coverage decision. "Nobody should have to worry about the bill when they are seeking treatment," said William Yeung, Co-founder and CEO, MediConCen. "We built the technology that makes the payment journey invisible. Booking, approval and settlement flow as one. The patient never pays upfront, the provider is paid securely, and Prudential Hong Kong keeps full control of every coverage decision. That is what cashless should feel like." Candy Au Yeung, Chief Customer Operations and Health Officer, Prudential Hong Kong Limited, said: "This collaboration goes beyond direct billing by extending the journey upstream to appointment booking and pre-authorisation. It is an example of guided care in action, connecting the different parts of the customer journey across healthcare, technology and payments to further enhance our services and deliver a simpler, more convenient experience. We are also pleased to support home-grown InsurTech innovation as we continue to explore new solutions that provide customers with better experiences and greater peace of mind." "At Mastercard, we are committed to helping businesses move money more efficiently, securely and seamlessly. Through our virtual card capabilities, this collaboration enables a secure and streamlined digital settlement flow between insurers and healthcare providers, delivering greater efficiency, visibility and control to the claims process," said Helena Chen, Senior Vice President, General Manager, Hong Kong & Macau, Mastercard. "Together with Prudential and MediConCen, we are demonstrating how commercial payments innovation can simplify complex B2B payment flows and support a more connected healthcare ecosystem." "We are extending the starting point of care even further - quality healthcare begins before patients even step into the clinic. From online appointment booking and consultation to claims settlement, the entire journey is seamlessly connected, allowing our teams to focus on clinical care," said Wallace Wong, Chief Executive Officer, Chiron Medical Group. The landmark collaboration brings together Prudential Hong Kong, MediConCen and Mastercard, combining healthcare, InsurTech and payment expertise to simplify a journey that has traditionally involved separate booking, approval and payment steps. Hashtag: #MediConCen #Mastercard #Prudential The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. About MediConCen. MediConCen is an AI-driven insurtech company modernizing global insurance claims infrastructure. By embedding agentic AI directly into the core systems of insurers, MediConCen delivers end-to-end automation for complex outpatient and inpatient medical claims, from submission to adjudication. To protect insurers against claims leakage, the platform combines patented generative AI and blockchain technologies for real-time document and image forensics, stopping fraud, waste, and abuse (FWA) before payout. Live in production with more than 25 leading insurers, MediConCen operates across Hong Kong, mainland China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia. Backed by USD 14.5 million in Series A funding, the company is a member of the Linux Foundation's LF Decentralized Trust and the Mastercard Start Path program.

Mastercard launches free cybersecurity training platform for small businesses. Mastercard has just launched its SME Academy: Cybersecurity tool, a free digital learning platform designed to help the UK's 5.6 million small businesses build cyber confidence and take practical steps to protect themselves against cyber threats. The launch comes as Mastercard's Dreamonomics report shows that, while 65% of small businesses in the UK say protecting their business from cyber threats is a high priority, fewer than two in five (39%) use cybersecurity tools such as antivirus software and firewalls. The need for better cyber defences is clear: two in five micro businesses (42%) and almost half of small firms (46%) have been targeted by cyber criminals in the past year, according to the Government's latest cyber security report. Lord Leong CBE, minister for Small Business and Enterprise, said: "We have so many innovative small businesses in this country, yet cybercrime remains one of the biggest threats to their success. "Mastercard's SME Academy is a very welcome initiative that will help businesses stay well ahead of criminals, working with industry leaders to help equip them with the tools and support they need to thrive and grow our economy." Simon Forbes, division president, UK & Ireland at Mastercard, said: "Every small business starts with a dream, but cybersecurity risks can quickly turn it into a nightmare. Nearly 20% of small businesses don't survive a cyber-attack. Keeping pace with constantly evolving technology and threats is difficult, particularly when time and resources are stretched. Our SME Academy offers clear, practical advice to help business owners take steps today to protect the dream they've worked so hard to build." Practical learning designed around small businesses. Small business owners juggle multiple roles and responsibilities, leaving limited time to build expertise in areas such as cybersecurity. Designed with those realities in mind, Mastercard SME Academy: Cybersecurity offers short, interactive learning modules which help small business owners better understand common cyber threats and take simple steps to strengthen their defences. The platform is free of charge. Modules cover how to recognise increasingly sophisticated phishing attempts and how data breaches happen; strengthening passwords and using multi-factor authentication; managing employee and third-party access; checking links, downloads and attachments; protecting business devices; recognising and responding to malware; reducing the risk of identity theft and impersonation; and securing critical business accounts. Dreamonomics: Growth built on resilience and loyalty. Across the UK, Mastercard provides the infrastructure to help propel small business growth, protect against risk and power their payments, so they can navigate the digital economy through insights, tools and initiatives designed to build resilience, strengthen digital confidence and support sustainable growth. Recent findings from Mastercard's Dreamonomics research highlight how the UK's SMEs favour a steady path with nearly seven in ten (69%) SMEs prioritising predictability and stability over rapid growth and the risk and uncertainty that come with it. As small businesses adopt more digital tools and payment options, they also want simpler, more connected solutions. Two in three (65%) say integrated tools that bring their systems onto one platform are critical, with many seeking clearer visibility of their finances and operations. UK SMEs also use cloud-based services, AI and machine learning, and accounting software more than those in the other European countries surveyed, making cybersecurity a vital foundation for business continuity, customer trust and long-term resilience. To find out more, visit www.mysmeacademy.com/mastercard