Breaking Banks

Rhett Roberts, CEO of LoanPro, lending tech leader focused on payments and product design, and Ron Shevlin, Cornerstone Advisors research chief and fintech critic, debate a proposed 10% interest cap. They explore credit evaporation and access shrinkage. They discuss stablecoins and new rails, BNPL and bespoke lending, regulatory arbitrage, and where innovation could reshape consumer credit.

The discussion dives into whether digital transformation has fully integrated into banking or remains a separate journey. Hosts reminisce about early digital banking pioneers and highlight the operational advantages of digital-only banks like Nubank and Chime. They explore the challenges posed by legacy systems, the evolution of stablecoins, and the potential impact of AI on banking structures. The need for banks to reimagine their services instead of just iterating is emphasized, alongside the importance of agile money movement in the future of financial services.

In this discussion, Leda Glyptis, a fintech strategist and author of "Beyond Resilience: Patterns of Success in Fintech," explores essential lessons from the chaotic world of digital transformation. She highlights the importance of navigating risks, understanding market fit, and adapting products to user behavior. Glyptis debates the pitfalls of the growth-at-all-costs mentality, the necessity of viable exit strategies, and the concentration risks posed by major AI providers. Her insights offer a candid look at the real challenges facing fintech innovators.

In This Episode What’s your favorite holiday movie? It’s a Wonderful Life? Miracle on 34th Street? Scrooged? Plot twist (literally): These are all banking movies. This week on Breaking Banks hosts Jason Henrichs and JP Nicols invite you to an Alloy Labs virtual holiday gathering. Joined by Amber Frye, Pam Kaur, and Samer Saab, they share favorite holiday movies with good cheer and a twist — the need to tie the cinematic selections back to banking and fintech. Tie back to banking and fintech, you say? Think fraud, legal contracts, loan workouts, wealth management, alternative investments, identity theft — you get the picture! It’s a lively and animated conversation. No spoiler alerts, so let’s get this party started … listen and watch now!! It’s not too late to check out some of the favorite recommendations and to let us know if you agree with their takes, or have suggestions of your own. We’re listening!!

In This Episode What if someone told you you’ve been underpaid by more than two million dollars across your career? In this episode, Jason Henrichs speaks with fintech entrepreneur Tom Sosnoff. You may know Tom from founding thinkorswim and tastytrade, two billion-dollar exits that transformed retail investing. His newest venture, Lossdog, launching this month, focuses onsalary transparency. Traditional compensation platforms rely on legacy salary benchmarks and anonymous, unverified self-reports that create wide ranges. Lossdog’s approach to compensation data is one that uses AI and verified data sources to deliver personalized valuations rather than vague, crowdsourced ranges. Think of it as whole-person valuation meets Machine Learning — a worth engine combined with AI onboarding surfacing overlooked value in resumes, including skills, certifications, pivots, and even career gaps. It’s all about fair value and knowing your worth! Lossdog aims to give individuals institutional-grade tools to negotiate salary on equal footing with employers by generating accurate compensation valuations. Listen, share, and subscribe for more weekly fintech insights from Breaking Banks.

Arwa Damon, a former CNN reporter and founder of INARA, shares her profound insights from the conflict zones she's covered, particularly Gaza. She discusses the immense challenges in communicating the humanitarian crisis to global audiences. Arwa highlights the resilience of Gazans, showcasing their everyday courage and generosity amidst adversity. She also delves into the struggles of accessing financial services and the complexities of digital payments in a resource-strapped environment. Her mission with INARA focuses on providing essential medical support to children affected by war.

Explore the transformative effects of AI and technology on banking. Discover the promise and challenges of stablecoins and smart contracts. The hosts debate how AI reshapes business banking and its implications for institutions. Learn the importance of data readiness and cultural agility in the evolving landscape. They discuss how rapid AI adoption could impact financial inclusion and societal inequality. Tune in for practical insights on preparing banks for this dynamic shift in the financial ecosystem.

In a celebration of six years of impactful conversations, guest Serena Torrelli, CEO of WealthHype and expert in fintech, discusses Revolut's explosive growth in Italy, now boasting 4 million clients. She emphasizes the trust and features driving Revolut's move into private banking. The dialogue spans the intriguing battle between Bitcoin and gold as portfolio hedges, the transformative power of AI in wealth management, and regulatory challenges. Serena remains optimistic about innovation in AI, energy, and biotech, heralding a thrilling financial future.

Sandra Yao, Ecobank's Group Head for Cross-Border Remittance and Payments, shares her 20 years of fintech expertise. She discusses the critical need for interoperability across Africa's payments landscape and how Ecobank tackles challenges in reaching underserved users. Sandra highlights their innovative API-first platform and strategic tech partnerships, including with Google, to empower local talent and support fintech growth. With a focus on embracing startup agility within a bank, she sheds light on the future of Africa's digital finance.

The conversation dives into how AI is evolving from hype to profit, reshaping finance. The hosts explore deposit mobility's critical role and the future of digital banking amidst economic uncertainty. They highlight the energy demands of automation and the need for banks to adopt AI to stay relevant. A generational shift in choosing financial services by app functionality signals a new era of customer expectation. Personalization, practical tech initiatives, and adaptive strategies are essential for banks to thrive in the rapidly changing landscape.