CFPB’s Flip, Crypto’s Endgame, and The Erebor Backdoor

Bank Nerd Corner is back with Kiah Haslett returning … not just as co-host, but as an official member of Fintech Takes! 

That’s right, big news: Bank Nerd Corner will soon be its own podcast feed, with Kiah hosting (and Alex dropping in monthly as a guest). 

Kiah’s podcast launches this September alongside her new weekly newsletter, Fintech Takes Banking! If you’re listening to this episode, you basically asked for it (sign up at fintechtakes.com/banking/newsletter-subscription).

Now, onto Bank Nerding! 

First up,  the topic that's going to end up on my tombstone when I die: open banking. 

We dig into the CFPB’s sudden flip on open banking. JPMorgan Chase tried charging for data access, the Bureau hit pause on litigation, and now an accelerated rulemaking process is underway. Will banks get the green light to price data, or did Chase just overplay its hand? Is this the beginning of monopoly pricing in disguise?

Next, Kiah schools Alex (and the rest of us) on why crypto firms are suddenly obsessed with national trust charters (what they are, why they matter, and how they could function as narrow banks in disguise). Stablecoin reserves, custody rules, and OCC oversight are all on the table.

And finally, the Palmer Luckey-backed digital bank Erebor enters the chat, promising to be the new Silicon Valley Bank for startups, crypto, and defense companies. Their pitch: political connections will fast-track their national bank charter with the OCC. But can political connections really expedite a de novo charter without wrecking regulators’ credibility?

Sign up for Alex’s Fintech Takes newsletter for the latest insightful analysis on fintech trends, along with a heaping pile of pop culture references and copious footnotes. Every Monday and Thursday: https://workweek.com/brand/fintech-takes/

 

Follow Kiah:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaslett/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/khaslett

 

Follow Alex: 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson