Fintech Takes

Welcome back to Bank Nerd Corner, featuring yours truly and—plot twist—not Kiah Haslett. Today we’re flying without our usual co-pilot, but in her place we’ve got Jason Henrichs: CEO of Alloy Labs, Breaking Banks host, and longtime Fintech Takes favorite, first time BNC co-host.Jason knows he can’t out-nerd Kiah (who among us can?), so instead we’re flying full black-box mode: no segments, just rants. First rant: VCs have no business chasing board seats if they’re not ready to govern! We still don’t know what the Synapse board discussed, if anything, as customers lost access to their funds. Then there’s Frank, the fintech that sold a fantasy to JPMorgan. The founder’s taking the heat (rightfully so), but not a word from the investors who stood to benefit most. Shouldn’t they share the blame? How do we build governance into the capital stack…before the next meltdown makes it everyone’s problem?Second rant: Financial infrastructure isn’t a policy tool, so stop treating it like one! Credit bureaus are built to assess risk, not engineer outcomes. But during the pandemic, we paused student loan delinquencies, wiped medical debt, and blocked BNPL data to improve scores, which sounds (and is!) very compassionate…but also encouraged lenders to stop trusting the data. It gets worse! The SSA quietly added living immigrants to the Death Master File used to prevent fraud, flagging them as “dead” and freezing them out of the financial system. You want to change immigration law, fine, but weaponizing infrastructure is sabotage! So, how do we restore trust in the rails before we lose it all?Third rant: Everyone cheered deregulation, but no one told the examiners! Banks are facing some of the harshest exams in years, and it’s because the regulators with institutional knowledge are gone. What's left are thinly staffed teams defaulting to “no” because they don’t understand “yes.” And fintechs that pursued charters expecting clarity? They’re running into delays, confusion, and examiners who just don’t understand the model. But for most, the charter hasn’t reduced risk…it’s just introduced new kinds. Fourth and final rant: This isn’t deregulation; it’s deregulation theater! The CFPB says it won’t enforce parts of the payday lending rule…but doesn’t repeal it. FHFA reverses housing initiatives by tweet. Executive orders bypass public comment with a shrug: “because I said so.” The result is total ambiguity (good actors stay quiet; bad actors run wild). Uncertainty is the new policy…and it’s expensive! Not just for banks and fintechs, but for the trust that holds the whole system together.  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 Jason:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonhenrichs/Twitter: https://x.com/jasonhenrichsBreaking Banks podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-banks/id641357669 Follow Alex: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videosLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnsonTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson

Dive into the world of fintech as the hosts discuss Ubyx's ambitious vision for stablecoins, aiming for mass adoption like Visa. Codex is making waves with its specialized blockchain for stablecoin payments, promising to streamline liquidity. Meanwhile, Agent AV emerges as a game changer in e-commerce, allowing AI bots to shop for us, raising questions about good versus bad bots. Finally, insights on Experian's innovative cash flow score reveal shifts in credit scoring and financial inclusion, paving the way for a new era in finance.

Klarna has officially gone public, raising questions about its profitability and looming credit losses. The hosts debate the project's impact on the BNPL landscape and its strategic moves, including a partnership with Walmart. Meanwhile, tensions between Mercury and Evolv highlight issues in fintech partnerships. The conversation also tackles the often painful lessons learned in lending, illustrating the risks involved. Lastly, the growing concern over gamified investments reflects on the industry's responsibility towards consumer well-being.

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/