Welcome back to the TWIF podcast! We've got a streak of great interviews for you this fall, heading to Mexico today for a conversation with the Baubap co-founders. Baubap is Latin America's first AI-powered, credit-focused bank. Baubap was ahead of the AI boom, developing an AI-driven credit underwriting model since 2019. This early adoption allowed them to build a scalable model that consistently improves with data. The company has issued over 8 million loans and served 2 million customers, while maintaining profitability (and 18% month-over-month growth over the past five years) and a $100 million+ revenue run-rate.

Explore the transformative power of fintech innovations like open banking, which enhance accessibility in finance. Delve into the tug of war between technological innovation and regulation, spotlighting companies like Plaid. Discover how financial services and cryptocurrency are seamlessly integrating into daily apps while presenting challenges for traditional banks. Ethical considerations come to the forefront, with discussions on accountability and transparency. Finally, navigate the dual nature of the fintech landscape, balancing exciting opportunities against inherent risks.

Welcome back – this week we're sitting down today with Leif Abraham, the cofounder and Co-CEO of investing platform Public.com! Public is an investing platform that lets members invest in stocks, ETFs, crypto, Treasury bills, and alternative assets – and recently launched fractional investing in corporate and Treasury bonds in response to the increasing demand for fixed-income products from the platform's 3 million+ active investors. On this episode, Leif sits down and talks with us about founding Public almost 6 years ago, how running an international company is different from the first two startups he founded, what keeps him coming back to fintech, whether retail investors are ready to 'take the plunge' on AI, working with Tony Hawk, and how they managed to snag that Public.com domain name.

Welcome to October's episode of This Month in Fintech, just ahead of Money2020. Our guest today is Davi Strazza, President of North America at Adyen. Adyen is a global financial technology platform helping the world’s leading businesses achieve their ambitions faster. Since its founding in 2006, Adyen has built one of the world's leading platforms to help enterprises accept payments, protect revenue, and control their finances. Adyen processed over $1Tn in transaction volume last year across for companies like Microsoft, McDonalds, Uber, Loreal, Spotify, eBay, Gap and more. Adyen is a global financial technology platform helping the world’s leading businesses achieve their ambitions faster. Since its founding in 2006, Adyen has built one of the world's leading platforms to help enterprises accept payments, protect revenue, and control their finances. Adyen processed ~$1Tn in transaction volume last year across for companies like Microsoft, McDonalds, Uber, Loreal, Spotify, eBay, Gap and more. Davi Strazza is the President of North America at Adyen, one of the world’s largest financial technology companies. He began his career at Adyen as a sales manager in Latin America and spent the following 10 years working across the Americas, including serving as President of Latin America, before assuming his current role in January 2023. Davi holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho. You can find him on LinkedIn and Twitter.  Ryan Zauk is the Host of the This Month in Fintech Podcast and SF Lead for the broader This Week in Fintech platform. In his day job, Ryan is an investor on the Ventures team at OMERS, the direct investing arm of one of the world’s largest pension plans with over $130Bn in net assets. Prior to OMERS, he worked in Morgan Stanley’s Tech Investment Banking team focused on M&A and capital markets. He is based in the Bay Area. You can find him on Linkedin or Twitter. Our Sponsor - Fifth Third Are you ready to scale your fintech product? Introducing Newline™ by Fifth Third! With Newline, you can launch payment, card, and deposit products directly with Fifth Third Bank. Newline combines the power of a top 20 bank with an API-first technology platform, unlocking the next generation of embedded finance solutions. Set your product up for success with a reputable bank partner and enjoy the best of both worlds: innovation and financial strength. It’s time to raise the standard of embedded financial solutions with a platform designed for the enterprise. Learn more at Newline53.com. Episode Summary 2:13 How Davi first found Adyen in Brazil in ~10 years ago 3:37 A birds-eye view of Adyen Overview - platform, scale, and services 5:53 The completely unique Adyen tech stack and how it builds enduring competitive advantage in a global market 8:54 How Adyen and Davi stay focused as a product team, sales team, and organization (plus why they'll never do M&A!) 12:53 How Adyen thinks about Go to Market and segmentation with such an enterprise motion 14:17 Crafting / maintaining Adyen's unique culture from interview process through employee retention 17:55 2 traits that contributed to Davi's success, 2 traits that he's needed to develop 21:09 The buzz and potential of Adyen's newest in– person payments solution, SFO1 24:10 His predictions for what in-person payments will look like in the coming decade 24:58 Pay by Bank - how, when, why it will be adopted 29:18 How Adyen is building with AI to help save their customers millions 32:50 Rapid Fire Round

Jesse Mecham, the founder of the popular personal finance app YNAB, shares his revolutionary approach to financial management, expressing his aversion to the term 'budgeting.' He discusses the importance of aligning spending with personal values and the unique challenges of managing finances while raising seven kids. The conversation also touches on the influence of technology on parenting and the critical evaluation of new financial tools. Mecham reveals YNAB's future vision for utilizing user data ethically while enhancing financial insight and support.

In an exclusive interview, MX's founder and returning CEO Ryan Caldwell opens up about 14 years as a fintech founder, why consumer-permissioned data is integral to MX's DNA, and the future of open banking.

In the podcast, Julie interviews Matt Austin and Ahmed Siddiqui. The conversation dives into their experiences in FinTech, how they got involved, and the lessons they learned along the way. Matt shares his journey from public accounting to FinTech, explaining how he entered the industry through a chance encounter with a VC. Ahmed talks about his accidental entry into FinTech via a connection at Marqeta, where he developed a deep understanding of payment systems. Both reflect on the industry's advancements, where FinTech has exceeded expectations, and where it's fallen short—especially in areas like real-time payments and overcoming traditional banking hurdles. The podcast wraps up with personal stories, touching on the importance of community in FinTech, key challenges they’ve faced, and excitement for the future of financial technology. Huge thanks to Public.com and Prism Data for sponsoring this week's episode! With interest rates falling, be sure to check out Public.com's Bond Account, which allows you to lock in a 6% or higher yield with a diversified portfolio of high-yield and investment-grade corporate bonds. If you're looking for a way to say ‘yes’ to more customers without taking on additional risk and lend more profitably without sacrificing growth, be sure to check out Prism Data. Cash flow underwriting is a game changer in consumer lending, and Prism Data is the modern analytics provider that makes it possible. 

Discover how Visa is diving into stablecoins while PayPal revamps international payments. Learn about Stripe's flexible solutions and Venmo's scheduling feature, all while ensuring consumer protection against scams. Explore the regulatory hot water TD Bank finds itself in and the tension between crypto firms and regulators. Plus, see how private credit is reshaping finance, moving away from traditional banking to enhance the payment experience for businesses and investors.

Jason Gardner, founder of Marqeta, and Ken Lin, creator of Credit Karma, share their entrepreneurial journeys and insights. They discuss the challenges of building their companies amidst regulatory hurdles and the vital role of unexpected partnerships. The duo expresses excitement for fintech's future, focusing on emerging markets and AI innovations. Personal anecdotes reveal the emotional landscape of entrepreneurship, touching on work-life balance and resilience strategies. Get ready for a candid, insightful dive into the world of fintech!

Zach Perret, Co-Founder and CEO of Plaid, dives into the transformative journey of his company in the fintech world. He discusses how consumer feedback has shaped innovative features, enhancing security and onboarding. Perret reveals Plaid's ambitious plans for 2026-2027, transitioning toward advanced offerings in credit scoring and fraud detection, all while tackling challenges in hiring top talent. The chat also highlights the importance of community-building in the early days of fintech, blending humor with industry insights.