Just because Alex is finally leaving Las Vegas, doesn’t mean he’s escaping the banking desert back in Montana. And for that matter, neither are the vast majority of Americans. This week, he and Bank Director Editor Kiah Haslett discuss the growing impact that closing bank branches have had on rural communities— what are these “banking deserts”? And what really happens when online banks are all that’s left in a town?

Also… Did you forget whose anniversary it is today? Happy 1st SVB collapsiversary! Alex and Kiah reflect upon the landmark news story that brought “Fintech Takes” into the limelight. How have things in banking changed since SVB first announced its failure? More importantly—have they changed since its collapse?

Plus, with BaaS regulators cracking down, what happens when people with new ideas can’t meet the minimum barriers to entry in BaaS anymore? Are we witnessing the death of BaaS innovation? Alex and Kiah discuss what tighter regulations could mean for the future of the BaaS market.

And stay tuned as later Kiah and Alex tackle the convenience store in North Dakota who claims the Durbin Amendment is harming them and Kiah unleashes some harsh truths that Congressional leaders need to hear.

Don’t forget to download Kiah’s report on Generative AI here!

00:04:35 - Kiah’s Bank Director Report on Generative AI

00:06:52 - Happy SVB Failure Day!

00:21:51 - BaaS’s Evolution

00:39:20 - Capital One vs. Discover Quick Take

00:41:00 - Corner Post vs. the Federal Reserve Board

00:45:41 - An Unanswerable Question

01:14:44 - Go Off Kiah!

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/

And for more exclusive insider content, don’t forget to check out my YouTube page.

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

139 ROD SERLING AND THE TWILIGHT ZONE