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Venmo’s biggest makeover in years comes at a very interesting time
Venmo is rolling out a significant redesign over the coming months that aims to make the app more useful, social, and easier to navigate. This is the peer-to-peer payments app’s biggest refresh since 2021.
The timing is notable. PayPal, which owns Venmo, is restructuring to spin Venmo off as a standalone business unit — a move widely seen as laying the groundwork for a potential sale. Stripe has reportedly expressed interest in buying PayPal outright. In that context, a splashy redesign looks less like a routine update and more like a window-dressing job ahead of a transaction.
The rollout will begin this week, followed by additional features over the next few months. By the time fall arrives, the entire redesign is expected to be available to all users.
One of the first changes users will notice starting this week is the revamped feed. Where it once showed a simple list of who paid whom — with GIFs, a heart button, and comments — the new feed will feature a wider variety of visuals and larger images, along with more ways to respond to payments, such as reactions and quick action buttons like “Pay Again” and “Say Thanks.” It’ll also be more personalized, surfacing tailored cashback offers from brands you shop from and product suggestions based on previous purchases.
Another addition is the ability for users to endorse their favorite local businesses directly through the app. A new “Give a Shoutout” button will be available under payments in the feed.
As Alexis Sowa, Venmo’s senior vice president and general manager, explained to TechCrunch, “One of the things that we hear a lot, especially from Gen Z and younger audiences, is a real desire to support and endorse local businesses or merchants that they like. With this feed redesign, we’re giving an opportunity for them to share what we call social proofing. In the future, you will be able to kind of endorse that business — give a thumbs up, almost to say, ‘I go to you.’”
Two new tabs, “Send” and “Money,” will also launch in the next few months. In the Send feed, your most frequent contacts now appear as a row of profile icons front and center, instead of requiring you to dig through past contacts or user names. The bill-splitting “Groups” feature” is now easier to access, too, letting users split expenses with up to 30 people. You can also send gifts to friends and schedule payments in the Send section.
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The Money tab, meanwhile, is where you can manage your expenses as well as access Teen Accounts and Crypto.
There will also be a new Rewards tab that pulls all limited time offers in one place. This is also where Venmo’s Stash program will live. Launched last November, this gives users up to 5% cash back when they shop with their favorite brands in the app, money that’s deposited directly to their Venmo Mastercard Debit Card.
Sowa said the redesign came out of a year of user research, and that one of the biggest findings was how many features people didn’t know existed. “One of the biggest insights is how many features and functionalities we have that [customers] just have no idea exist in the app,” she said.
The update reflects a broader trend in what younger users expect from payment apps — less utility tool, more social platform. For instance, apps like Verse and Daylight offer features that let users keep up with their friends’ spending behavior, and the European fintech app Revolut offers features like group bill splitting and in-app chat.
Venmo’s core audience increasingly wants to see and share financial activity the way they would on any other feed, and the app is clearly trying to meet that expectation before a potential new owner comes knocking.
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The Plateau State Government has reviewed the curfew imposed on Jos North Local Government Area following a satisfactory security assessment carried out in the affected area.
This was disclosed on Wednesday by Joyce Ramnap, the commissioner for information and communication.
According to her, the decision followed a satisfactory assessment of the security situation in the area.
“Curfew earlier imposed on the area is hereby further relaxed. Effective Wednesday, May 13, 2026, the curfew will now run from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. daily,” Ms Ramnap said.
“Residents are advised to continue to comply strictly with the directive and cooperate with security agencies,” she added.
She urged residents to remain law-abiding, vigilant, and report suspicious activities to security agencies, while appreciating their cooperation and understanding.
Ms Rambap also advised residents to report suspicious activities to security agencies.
The curfew was imposed following a deadly attack in Angwan Rukuba community where more than 30 persons were killed in the attack.
Cornerstone Insurance Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening climate resilience and expanding financial protection for vulnerable communities through its participation in the Lagos Flood Risk Transfer Scheme, an innovative flood insurance initiative expected to benefit approximately four million residents across Lagos State.
Flooding remains one of the most significant environmental and economic challenges confronting Lagos State, with poor and vulnerable communities disproportionately affected by recurring incidents during the state’s annual rainy seasons. As a low-lying coastal city with an average elevation of approximately 1.5 metres above sea level, Lagos faces increasing flood risks driven by rising sea levels, land subsidence, rapid urbanisation, and drainage systems frequently obstructed by waste.
Over the years, the state has experienced increasingly severe flooding, particularly between April and July, resulting in widespread disruption to infrastructure, livelihoods, businesses, and economic productivity. Estimates place the annual economic impact of flooding in Lagos at nearly $4 billion.
To address these growing risks and strengthen the financial resilience of affected communities, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Insurance Development Forum (IDF), with funding support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), developed the Lagos Flood Risk Transfer Scheme in collaboration with the Lagos State Government.
The initiative is designed to provide rapid financial support to vulnerable residents through an innovative parametric insurance solution that enables faster response and recovery following major flooding events.
Following extensive modelling and technical assessments, a flood footprint-based index was selected as the most suitable insurance model for Lagos State, taking into consideration the city’s exposure to pluvial, fluvial, and coastal flooding risks. Under the scheme, payouts are triggered when flood depths reach 50 centimetres.
After regulatory approval by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), the scheme is being underwritten by Cornerstone Insurance Plc alongside three other leading insurance companies, with Africa Re providing reinsurance support.
Speaking on the initiative, the Managing Director of Cornerstone Insurance Plc, Stephen Alangbo, said: “at Cornerstone Insurance, we understand that climate-related risks such as flooding continues to threaten livelihoods, businesses, and vulnerable communities across Lagos State. Our participation in the Lagos Flood Risk Transfer Scheme reflects our commitment to providing innovative insurance solutions that strengthen resilience, support rapid recovery, and deliver meaningful financial protection to those most affected by environmental challenges.”
The sustainability of the initiative is further strengthened by the Lagos State Government’s commitment to incremental premium payments over the next three years. The scheme has also been integrated into the state’s broader disaster management framework, reinforcing coordinated efforts to improve preparedness, response, and recovery for flood-prone communities across Lagos State.
About Cornerstone Insurance
Cornerstone Insurance Plc is licensed and re-certified by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) to provide both general and life insurance services. As the first insurance company in Nigeria to offer customers an online platform for insurance transactions, its services are driven by cutting-edge technology, making them easily accessible via internet and mobile platforms.
At Cornerstone Insurance Plc, we remain committed to our core values of integrity, empathy, professionalism, innovation, and team spirit. Our mission is to deliver value beyond expectations through need-based products and exceptional service delivery.
The post Cornerstone Insurance Backs Lagos Flood Insurance Scheme for Four Million Residents appeared first on Business Today NG.
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