The International Criminal Court (ICC) is moving away from Microsoft Office and adopting a European software suite known as openDesk, signaling a growing push among European institutions to reduce dependence on U.S. technology providers.

The transition, confirmed by the ICC to The Register, will see the court migrate its productivity and collaboration tools to openDesk, an open-source platform developed by the Center for Digital Sovereignty (ZenDiS) under the authority of Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Interior.

Although ICC officials declined to elaborate on the decision, the timing coincides with deepening unease in Europe over the geopolitical implications of relying on American technology giants — particularly as tensions between Washington and international organizations have escalated under the Trump administration.

The concern was brought to the forefront in February when President Donald Trump signed an executive order sanctioning ICC officials over arrest warrants issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, connected to alleged war crimes in Gaza. The sanctions, which extended to asset freezes and travel restrictions, fueled fears that American companies might be compelled to restrict or suspend services to the court.

Following the sanctions, ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan reportedly lost access to his Microsoft email account, though Microsoft President Brad Smith publicly denied that the company had disabled the account.

“At no point did Microsoft cease or suspend its services to the ICC,” Smith said, emphasizing that the company remained committed to its contractual obligations.

Nonetheless, the incident amplified existing European concerns over data control and sovereignty. The U.S. Cloud Act, which allows Washington access to data stored by American companies even when the information is held in European jurisdictions, has long been viewed by EU officials as a threat to regional privacy laws and institutional independence.

The ICC’s decision to migrate away from Microsoft is widely seen as a precautionary move to ensure data autonomy and shield sensitive judicial operations from external influence.

But the move echoes broader European efforts to assert technological sovereignty. Germany has been at the forefront of these efforts, leading projects aimed at developing homegrown software ecosystems free from U.S. legal and surveillance exposure. The German city of Munich was an early pioneer, migrating its IT infrastructure to Linux and LibreOffice years ago, though it reverted to Microsoft systems in 2020. More recently, the German state of Schleswig-Holstein completed a full transition of 40,000 government accounts to open-source alternatives — including Linux and LibreOffice — as part of its digital independence drive.

ZenDiS, which developed openDesk, describes the platform as a “secure and sovereign digital workspace” tailored for government and international institutions seeking control over their data. The system offers email, document editing, video conferencing, and collaboration tools that mirror Microsoft’s suite, but operate within European data centers governed by EU privacy law.

Analysts believe the ICC’s migration could accelerate similar moves by other international organizations concerned about political exposure and data compliance. Institutions like the ICC are recognizing that control over their digital infrastructure is inseparable from their independence.

The decision also comes amid growing frustration over recent outages on Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS), which temporarily disrupted access to critical systems across Europe. Those incidents, coupled with Microsoft’s admission that it cannot fully guarantee European data sovereignty under U.S. law, have further bolstered the argument for open-source alternatives managed within the continent.

While the ICC’s partnership with ZenDiS marks a decisive step toward digital independence, Microsoft insists its relationship with the court remains intact.

“We value our relationship with the ICC as a customer and are convinced that nothing impedes our ability to continue providing services to the ICC in the future,” a Microsoft spokesperson told The Register.

However, it is believed that while the ICC’s migration may not trigger a mass exodus from U.S. software providers, it reinforces a trend toward regional tech autonomy. For institutions that deal with sensitive judicial or governmental data, the message is that digital sovereignty is becoming as vital as physical security.

Affirm is expanding its partnership with New York Life Insurance, marking another milestone in the growing alignment between traditional finance and fintech-driven consumer lending.

Under the new deal, New York Life will purchase up to $750 million worth of Affirm’s installment loans through 2026 — a move that strengthens Affirm’s funding pipeline and supports approximately $1.75 billion in annual loan originations.

The partnership, which began in 2023 when New York Life started investing in Affirm’s asset-backed securities and structured lending pools, has already funneled nearly $2 billion into the fintech’s collateral-backed assets. The expansion signals renewed institutional confidence in Affirm’s lending model at a time when fintech companies are under pressure to secure reliable, long-term funding amid volatile capital markets.

“We are proud to expand our relationship with such a trusted and forward-thinking partner in New York Life,” said Michael Linford, Chief Operating Officer, Affirm. “Through our collaboration, we will be even better positioned to responsibly increase access to our flexible and transparent payment options.”

Affirm has already financed more than $100 billion in transactions, with over 90% of its borrowers classified as repeat users — a metric the company touts as evidence of disciplined underwriting and strong customer retention.

The latest move comes amid a broader shift in institutional investment strategies, as insurers, private credit funds, and pension managers increasingly target consumer lending assets to capitalize on higher yields in a prolonged high-interest-rate environment. Insurers like New York Life see structured fintech loans as offering better risk-adjusted returns than traditional bonds or treasuries, especially given the predictable cash flows tied to installment loan repayments.

“As we continue to deploy capital to create lasting value for our policy owners, Affirm has distinguished itself by delivering superior credit outcomes that generate attractive returns,” said Brendan Feeney, Managing Director, New York Life. “We’re excited to take this next step in our relationship, which exemplifies how we collaborate with industry leaders to invest in growing, high-quality assets.”

The broader trend has seen several insurers and asset managers strike similar deals with leading fintechs. Affirm has established additional funding lines with Liberty Mutual Investments, PGIM, and Sixth Street Partners, securing billions in capacity to support its lending operations.

Rival Klarna has entered comparable loan-sale agreements with Nelnet and Pagaya, while PayPal’s $7 billion arrangement with Blue Owl Capital — followed by Blue Owl’s joint venture with Meta to finance the $27 billion Hyperion data center project in Louisiana — underscores the growing integration between fintechs and institutional finance.

These partnerships are becoming vital as consumer lenders navigate an uncertain macroeconomic environment. Although U.S. consumer spending has remained resilient, inflationary pressures and high borrowing costs have tightened credit conditions, prompting fintechs to rely increasingly on external investors for liquidity. Delinquency rates, while stabilizing, remain above pre-pandemic levels in some credit categories, leading to heightened investor scrutiny over underwriting quality and loan performance.

Affirm has managed to maintain strong credit metrics relative to industry peers, helped by its focus on prime and near-prime borrowers and its data-driven risk assessment tools. The company has also expanded partnerships with major retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, and Shopify, providing installment options to millions of consumers at checkout — a strategy that continues to drive transaction growth and steady revenue.

Analysts view the Affirm–New York Life partnership as part of a maturing BNPL sector where technology firms increasingly act as loan originators and distribution platforms, while established financial institutions supply capital and risk management expertise. The model allows fintechs like Affirm to scale responsibly without over-leveraging their balance sheets.

Financial analysts have noted that institutional partnerships are the next phase of fintech evolution — where growth becomes sustainable, not just fast. The collaboration, they said, demonstrates how legacy financial giants are adapting to the digital lending age by working alongside, rather than against, fintech disruptors.

For Affirm, the partnership represents both stability and validation. As the BNPL industry faces headwinds in the U.S. and abroad, aligning with a century-old insurer like New York Life provides credibility that could help reassure investors and regulators that fintech lending can operate safely within traditional finance frameworks.