Fintech Takes
Alex Johnson
Fintech moves fast. But here at Fintech Takes, Alex Johnson and his rotating panel of guests move faster so that you can stay on top of the latest and greatest news in the industry without breaking a sweat. Welcome to Fintech Takes—the place where fintech’s biggest nerds come to sit back, relax, and completely geek out.Join Alex and a lineup of fintech’s brightest minds as they dissect what’s happening in fintech and banking. Each week, Alex and his guests recap the most interesting developments in fintech and explore the industry’s most pressing questions, diving headfirst into the intricate workings of some of the industry’s most ground-breaking business models and unpacking the emerging players that promise to shape fintech’s future.From riveting conversations with fintech’s most relevant operators to comprehensive recaps of the month's most compelling news stories and in-depth analyses of the latest regulatory developments, Fintech Takes is your one-stop-shop for navigating the fintech universe.Subscribe now to join fintech’s nerdiest podcast around!
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jul 29, 2025 • 50min
Fintech Takes x FairPlay Presents Model Citizens Ep 2: Credit Risk Analytics in the Age of AI
Kareem Saleh, founder of FairPlay, teams up with Kevin Moss, a former Chief Risk Officer, and Andrada Pacheco, Chief Data Scientist at VantageScore. They delve into the evolving landscape of credit risk analytics powered by AI. The trio discusses the balance between enhancing predictive accuracy and maintaining transparency in credit models. They highlight the importance of using traditional and AI methods, while stressing that existing language models aren't ready for credit decisions yet. Fairness remains pivotal as regulatory scrutiny grows.
8 snips
Jul 28, 2025 • 49min
Fintech Takes x FairPlay Presents Model Citizens: Into the CFPB Void: Regulatory Free-for-All in Financial Services
Join David Silberman, former CFPB Associate Director, Abby Hogan from FairPlay, and CEO Kareem Saleh as they dive into the challenges of the current financial regulatory landscape. They discuss the implications of a weakened CFPB and the rising influence of state regulators. Explore how a complex patchwork of compliance is developing, why 50-state rules can be a costly burden, and the potential for rebuilding the CFPB. The conversation highlights the critical need for fairness in lending amidst rapid AI integration in the industry.
Jul 23, 2025 • 58min
Fintech Takes: Chase Leads, the CFPB Retreats, and There’s Still No Throughline
Evan Weinberger, a Bloomberg Law reporter and bank regulation expert, discusses JPMorgan Chase's controversial decision to charge for access to their open banking APIs. He dives into the impact this move has on fintech, data aggregators, and regulators struggling to keep pace. The conversation touches on the CFPB's recent retreats and its dwindling authority, alongside insights on fair lending and the surprising alliances forming between crypto VCs and retailers. It's a lively exploration of the banking landscape's rapid evolution and regulatory challenges.
7 snips
Jul 16, 2025 • 56min
Fintech Takes: Cards, Rent, and Crypto
In this engaging discussion, Matthew Goldman, founder of Totavi and a seasoned fintech innovator, shares insights on the evolving landscape of premium credit cards. He highlights how services like Bilt are revolutionizing rent payments and loyalty rewards, positioning themselves strategically against traditional banks. The conversation also dives into the implications of Chase Sapphire Reserve's pricing changes and Coinbase’s innovative card, revealing deeper trends in financial ecosystems that blend crypto with consumer rewards. Perfect for finance enthusiasts!
Jul 9, 2025 • 60min
Not Fintech Investment Advice: Polar, Multiply Mortgage, OpenTrade, & Spinwheel
Join fintech expert Simon Taylor, a writer for the Fintech Brainfood newsletter and a team member at Sardine, as he explores groundbreaking innovations in the financial sector. Discover Polar's unique approach to metered billing for AI products, and how Multiply Mortgage aims to reshape employee benefits by offering discounted loans. Learn about OpenTrade's clever strategies for stablecoins, and Spinwheel's mission to enhance transparency in credit reporting. It's a playful yet insightful dive into the future of finance!
Jul 2, 2025 • 1h 3min
Fintech Recap: BNPL’s Black Box, Synapse’s Maybe-Bailout, and Crypto Dreams
FICO scores are now integrating BNPL data, but many companies hesitate to share, raising questions about their competitive edge. The CFPB's new move could create a lifeboat for depositors in the Synapse bankruptcy situation—a proposed way to make people whole without a traditional bailout. Also, the FHFA is considering crypto as mortgage collateral, despite low usage rates among households. Tune in for insights on the challenges facing the fintech scene and the quirky interactions of established banks with the digital world.
9 snips
Jun 25, 2025 • 54min
Fintech Takes: Credit Scores, Cash Flow, and the Coming Trust Collapse
Martin Kleinbard, an advisor at Granular and former CFPB official, shares his expertise on the pitfalls of traditional credit scoring. He traces the origins of FICO scores and discusses how well-intentioned legislation led to over-standardization and systemic risks in lending. The conversation highlights the inadequacies of relying solely on credit scores, especially in the digital age. As AI changes the landscape, Kleinbard warns of a looming trust collapse in credit assessments, advocating for cash flow data as a more reliable alternative.
9 snips
Jun 18, 2025 • 1h 1min
Fintech Takes: Are Stablecoins a Threat…or Just Better Infrastructure?
In this conversation, James Wester, co-head of payments research at Javelin Strategy & Research and former PayPal strategist, dives deep into the world of stablecoins. He discusses their potential impact on community banks, highlighting innovation hurdles they face. Wester explains how programmability sets stablecoins apart, making them appealing to treasurers and developers. The discussion also covers regulatory challenges, consumer risk communication, and the unique financial landscape stablecoins create, suggesting a necessity for supportive regulations to foster growth.
7 snips
Jun 11, 2025 • 1h 7min
Not Fintech Investment Advice: Nekuda, Vontive, Atticus, & Affiniti
Discover the intriguing future of payments with Nekuda's AI-driven agentic checkout, challenging traditional fraud models. Dive into Vontive's approach to embedded mortgage lending, linking proptech with private credit for real estate investments. Explore the mysterious Atticus, a stealthy neobank potentially reshaping the stablecoin landscape. Uncover discussions on the regulatory hurdles for stablecoins and innovations in embedded credit solutions. This conversation captivates with the balance of technological advancement and the evolving financial ecosystem.
9 snips
Jun 4, 2025 • 1h 22min
Fintech Recap: Chime’s Rorschach Test, Fintech vs. Sand, and Crypto’s Legislative Makeover
Jason Mikula, a fintech expert and co-host of Fintech Recap, dives into the complexities of Chime’s recent S-1 filing. They analyze whether Chime is a payments company or a bank in disguise, questioning its credit strategies despite hefty marketing spend. The conversation also covers the potential overhaul of the CFPB's open banking rules and its implications for the API economy. Lastly, they discuss the GENIUS Act's impact on stablecoin legislation and a chilling NYC crypto kidnapping story, blending finance with real-world drama.
