Our success in the competitive environment in which we operate requires consistent investment of capital and human resources in innovation, particularly in light of the current “FinTech” environment, in which the financial services industry is undergoing rapid technological changes and financial institutions are investing significantly in evaluating new technologies, such as AI, machine learning, blockchain and other distributed ledger technologies, and developing potentially industry-changing new products, services and industry standards. Widespread adoption and rapid evolution of emerging technologies, including with respect to digital assets, such as stablecoins, as well as developments in the regulatory landscape relating to emerging technologies, such as the enactment and implementation of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act of 2025 (GENIUS ACT) and potential enactment of the Digital Asst Market Clarity Act of 2025 (CLARITY Act) or similar market structure legislation, may affect our clients’ needs and expectations for products and services. Our investment is directed at generating new products and services, and adapting existing products and services to the evolving standards and demands of the marketplace. Among other things, investing in innovation helps us maintain a mix of products and services that keeps pace with our competitors and achieve acceptable margins. Our investment also focuses on enhancing the delivery of our products and services in order to compete successfully for new clients or gain additional business from existing clients. Further, our competitors or other third parties may incorporate AI into their products more quickly or more successfully than us, which could impair our ability to compete effectively. Effectively identifying gaps or weaknesses in our product offerings is important to our success. Failure to keep pace with our competition in any of these areas could affect our business opportunities, growth and earnings adversely. There are substantial risks and uncertainties associated with innovation efforts, including an increased risk that new and emerging technologies may expose us to increased data privacy and security and other information technology threats. We must invest significant time and resources in developing and marketing new products and services, and expected timetables for the introduction and development of new products or services may not be achieved and price and profitability targets may not be met. Further, our revenues and costs may fluctuate because new products and services generally require start-up costs while corresponding revenues take time to develop or may not develop at all.