New York, Jan 21, 2026, 14:46 EST — Regular session
- Nu Holdings shares climbed roughly 2.6% in afternoon trading following news of a multi-year partnership with Mercedes F1
- Company pitches deal as a brand expansion into Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia, extending its footprint into the U.S.
- Attention now turns to Feb. 25 earnings for insights on growth, credit expenses, and consumer spending
Shares of Nu Holdings Ltd climbed 2.6% to $17.41 by 2:46 p.m. EST on Wednesday, following the Nubank parent’s reveal of a multi-year deal with the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One team set to kick off in 2026. The stock fluctuated between $16.93 and $17.52, with roughly 44 million shares changing hands.
The logo on a race car isn’t the main point here—it’s what the move signals about strategy. Investors have grown wary of fintech spending, particularly when customer gains seem purchased instead of genuinely earned.
Nu aims to expand beyond Brazil, all while controlling costs and credit tightly. Going global with sponsorships can boost visibility fast, but the question remains: how will it impact margins?
Nu plans to focus the deal on its main markets — Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia — while expanding its presence in the U.S. and beyond. Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer Cristina Junqueira described it as a “powerful opportunity” to reach “hundreds of millions of fans.” Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff emphasized that “innovation and disruption” are central to the partnership. The release noted Formula One’s fan base tops 827 million, with Nu serving over 127 million customers. The deal will also feature on-track and off-track branding, including activations with drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. Business Wire
Brazil-focused fintech stocks edged up, with StoneCo climbing roughly 3.2% and PagSeguro adding about 2.2%. MercadoLibre also gained around 2.0%. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF rose about 1.2%.
Nu withheld financial details. Without those numbers, shareholders face uncertainty about the immediate effects, shifting focus to operating costs rather than the headlines.
Marketing pushes can burn out quickly in consumer lending. What really counts is credit performance — the portion of new loans that end up as losses — and how low the cost of deposits and funding stays as interest rates shift.
Nu is gearing up to release its next key data point: fourth-quarter earnings on Feb. 25. The company’s investor relations calendar confirms the date for both the results and the conference call.
Traders will watch closely for updates on loan growth, funding costs, and provisions — the funds reserved for anticipated loan losses — as well as any remarks on spending amid the company’s expansion into new markets.
There’s also a risk to consider. Should credit conditions weaken or consumer sentiment in Brazil and Mexico turn more volatile, marketing gains won’t prevent earnings forecasts from falling.
Feb. 25 is the next big date to watch. Until then, NU shares will probably track shifts in fintech sentiment and Latin American risk appetite — plus how eager investors remain to pay up for growth.
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