James Wester, co-head of payments research at Javelin Strategy & Research and former PayPal strategist, dives into the world of stablecoins. He discusses their potential to disrupt traditional payment systems, like cards and ACH, and how companies like Stripe are driving innovation. The conversation highlights exciting applications in ecosystems like Starbucks and Disney, while addressing usability challenges that must be overcome. The need for familiar user experiences and real-world incentives is stressed, pointing to a future where stablecoins enhance retail transactions.

Welcome back to Not Fintech Investment Advice! I’m Alex Johnson, creator of Fintech Takes, recording live (!) at Fintech Meetup with my co-host, Simon Taylor—the genius behind Fintech Brain Food—sitting right across from me. How lucky are we?! Wait... how lucky are you?!?First up, Payman AI’s agentic payments API lets AI initiate transactions under human oversight in a monitored, auditable environment. Backed by Visa, Coinbase, and Circle, they’re blending wallet control with agent intelligence in stablecoins. Can we hold AI accountable without a chatbot fiasco (looking at you, Air Canada)? AI can go rogue, but so can humans—card controls and approvals manage it. So, how much autonomy are we willing to give AI agents?Next, staying on theme, Shiboleth is taking a fresh spin on BaaS with continuous, AI-driven verification. Gone are the days of “trust but verify”—now it’s all about constant verification. Shiboleth scans everything from customer complaints to service calls, helping banks detect red flags in real-time. With fraud losses at an all-time high, can Shiboleth’s solution scale? And can AI really spot subtle compliance risks without getting bogged down?Now, let’s talk about Stablecore (i.e. stablecoins, but with a twist). This hybrid platform helps financial institutions use stablecoins alongside legacy systems.The short-term play is integrating with orchestration partners like Zero Hash. But as for long-term vision, are we ready for a world where deposits flow through stablecoins?Next, Estrada unbundles corporate cards, letting any Visa or MasterCard plug into spend management, ERPs, and even consumers’ wallets—without needing to issue their own cards. It’s “Bring Your Own Card” as a service; Estrada lets businesses tap into corporate card data without reinventing the wheel.Finally, we explore fintech "franchising" to help distribute products through banks and credit unions. Innovation’s ahead of customer acquisition, but what if we could rethink distribution?00:02:15 - Payman00:17:13 - Shibboleth00:30:22 - Stablecore00:43:51 - Astrada00:52:20 - Manifesting Fintech Ideas 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 Simon:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sytaylor/Substack: https://sytaylor.substack.com Follow Alex: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videosLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnsonTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_JohnsonCompanies featured:https://www.paymanai.com/https://shiboleth.ai/https://stablecore.com/https://astrada.co/

Michael Hsu, former Acting Comptroller of the Currency, joins the discussion, blending his regulatory expertise with a playful 'Would You Rather' game. They tackle key questions like the trade-offs between high-risk bank formations versus Banking as a Service. The conversation also delves into the necessity of either robust industry standards or direct oversight for consumer protection. Lastly, they explore the potential impact of stablecoins and the relevance of the Community Reinvestment Act in today's banking landscape. Tune in for a fun yet informative ride through fintech regulation!

Tune in for a dive into the latest regulatory upheavals affecting fintech and the potential consolidation of banking supervision. Varo's struggles as a once-promising bank underscore the challenges of balancing responsibility with competition. The dark side of Buy Now, Pay Later comes to light, revealing its impact on subprime borrowers. Also, hear insights on the skepticism surrounding cryptocurrency and the humorous critiques of lawmakers during congressional hearings. It's a whirlwind tour through the complexities of the modern financial landscape!

Rob Blackwell, Chief Content Officer at Intrafy and former American Banker editor, shares insights on the turbulent world of banking regulation. He discusses the potential weakening of the CFPB amidst political pressures and the importance of regulatory oversight for fintech partnerships. The conversation highlights the FDIC's push for tailored supervision without sacrificing scrutiny, and the OCC's new leadership fostering cooperation. Blackwell underscores the crucial role of community banks in local economies and the challenges posed by evolving regulations.

Dive into the tension surrounding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and its impact on consumer safety. Learn why de novo banks are facing immense challenges and how fintechs are pushing for change. The podcast also highlights the role of reputation in bank evaluations and questions around crypto regulation's transparency. Plus, discover the emergence of fraud consortiums in tackling identity theft amid the evolving landscape of financial crime. This enlightening discussion sheds light on the future of banking and innovation.

Welcome back to Not Fintech Investment Advice, where instead of doling out investment advice (we’re not doing that), we spotlight interesting, new fintechs and share our perspectives. I’m Alex Johnson, creator of Fintech Takes, joined (as always) by my esteemed cohost Simon Taylor.First up: Rail, aka stablecoin APIs for B2B money movement across borders. Though not a new concept (hello, Bridge and BVNK), Rail has 12 partner banks across 12 countries. If you know anything about cross-border banking, you know that’s a big deal. With $11B in processed volume last year, Rail isn’t Stripe, but it’s not small potatoes either. So, can stablecoins finally knock out legacy systems in B2B payments?Next up is Anchor, an all-in-one platform for service-based small businesses that streamlines proposals, agreements, invoicing, and payments. Granted we’ve seen this model before, but Anchor integrates everything—plus, their $5 flat fee per transaction challenges subscription models as the pricing norm. Is this the future of financial automation?Over in the UK, Sencillo is helping parents unlock home equity to cover rising childcare and private school fees. With education costs now rivaling mortgage payments, fintech is stepping in where banks hesitate. But can this scale, especially as tax hikes loom? And what happens when borrowing against your house to afford tuition becomes the norm?Last and least (for this episode anyway!), ClosingLock tackles real estate wire fraud with a secure payments platform. Identity verification, document uploads, insured transactions—real estate needs this. But why hasn’t this level of security been the standard all along? And could this model expand to high-value sectors like luxury goods or auto sales?Plus, how do we change the center of gravity in lending, so pricing can be smarter, more personalized, and fairer to the consumer?00:02:34 - Rail00:13:57 - Anchor00:31:20 - Sencillo00:43:35 - ClosingLock00:54:16 - Manifesting Fintech Ideas 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 Simon:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sytaylor/Substack: https://sytaylor.substack.com Follow Alex: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videosLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnsonTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_JohnsonCompanies featured:https://rail.io/https://www.sayanchor.com/https://www.sencillo.finance/https://www.closinglock.com/

Join fintech experts Jason Mikula, creator of Fintech Business Weekly, and Jason Henrichs, CEO of Alloy Labs, as they discuss pressing issues in the industry. They dive into the ongoing Synapse saga, raising concerns over potential legal ramifications. The duo also explores regulatory challenges faced by Patriot Bank, stressing the risks of non-compliant fintech partnerships. On a brighter note, they highlight Ramp's innovative Treasury product aimed at small businesses, and ponder the ongoing influence of the CFPB in shaping financial regulations.

In this episode, Alex chats with Tim Bates, Principal at Efficient Frontier Risk Strategies, about his groundbreaking (forthcoming) report on cash flow underwriting—“Credit Risk Underwriting: A Practical Credit Risk Implementation Guide for Lenders”—which Alex is excited to announce is the first episode in a new Fintech Takes series featuring research reports by experts in the broader FT network. Here’s the big question: can traditional credit underwriting, built on static snapshots of income and assets, actually keep up with shifting cash flow today? Can a single point-in-time really predict someone’s ability to repay debt, or is it time for a rethink?Open banking and real-time cash flow data promises to transform lending by offering a more accurate, dynamic view of a borrower’s financial health. But what does that mean for risk management, financial inclusion, and the future of credit?And, will this innovation mark the dawn of a new era in lending…or get stuck in the “wait-and-see” limbo? Tune in for a lively chat about the future of lending and why cash flow underwriting might just be the stray puzzle piece we’ve been waiting for.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 Tim:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timbates2/Follow Alex: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videosLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnsonTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson

Welcome back to Not Fintech Investment Advice, where Simon Taylor and I bounce through fintech companies that have recently caught our eye.We’re kicking off with Dakota, a Brex-Wise hybrid for SMBs, offering 24/7 global payments with a stablecoin twist. Deposits, stored as stablecoins, earn up to 4% yield and are issued by Dakota, raising questions about custody, resolution, and well…what happens if Dakota goes belly up? Instant, global payments without banking hours are perfect for cross-border businesses, but proceed with curiosity and caution when it comes to deposit safety.Next up: ampersand, a post-SVB startup transforming deposit management. They optimize large cash deposits across banks for safety, rates, and values (focusing on FDIC insurance, top rates, and ethical alignment). Unlike, say, IntraFi, ampersand targets companies directly–not just banks–especially mid-sized ones lacking treasury teams. But post-SVB, why do uninsured deposits even exist? Banks may hesitate, but company demand is there; ampersand’s timing couldn’t be better.Then there’s Auquan, which automates deep work in financial services—think credit memos, deal screening, and investment committee prep—in minutes. They’re not just making flashy demos; they’re delivering real results as vouched for by clients like MetLife and UBS. While most Gen AI tools overpromise, it seems like Auquan actually delivers consistent and quality results. And in capital markets—where grunt work once built expertise—AI like Auquan could be a real disruptor.And finally, TymeBank is shaking things up for emerging-market neobanking. With 15M+ customers in South Africa and the Philippines, they’ve snagged a $250M Series D led by Nubank, securing a 10% stake. Think franchise neobanking—proven model, local twist. Nubank expands strategically, while TymeBank taps into its scaling expertise. This is modern fintech, not the old HSBC playbook.Plus, who’s stepping up to lead supervisory tech? Let’s fix government inefficiency—no need to cut agencies, just make them work smarter (not smaller) to break up our banking bottleneck.00:02:45 - Dakota00:18:11 - ampersand00:30:25 - Auquan00:41:34 - TymeBank00:52:21 - Manifesting Fintech Ideas 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 Simon:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sytaylor/Substack: https://sytaylor.substack.com Follow Alex: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videosLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnsonTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_JohnsonCompanies featured:https://dakota.xyz/https://trustampersand.com/https://www.auquan.com/https://www.tymebank.co.za/