Fintech Business Podcast

In this episode, I had the chance to sit down with Stuart Sopp, CEO and cofounder of Current. Stuart and I had the chance to talk about:* What’s change in fintech and banking since the last time we talked in 2023 (hint: a lot)* Current’s new products and features, including its credit builder card and an EWA-style offering* The challenges of state-by-state licensing and importance of compliance* Balancing the need for growth with profitable unit economics* What’s on the road map for Current* and more! Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

Nicolas Benady, CEO of Swan, a leading French embedded finance platform, shares insights from Money2020 Europe. He discusses the unique advantages of banking-as-a-service in Europe compared to the U.S. and the significance of being licensed as an e-money institution. Nicolas highlights how Swan effectively oversees its third-party partners and showcases diverse clients, ranging from neobanks to software companies integrating financial services. He emphasizes the importance of compliance and innovative partnerships in transforming the fintech landscape.

The podcast features John Stuart, GM at Apex Fintech Solutions, discussing the company's capabilities in custody, clearing, and execution worldwide. They explore Apex's evolution over 10+ years, novel use cases for their infrastructure, and how they scaled across 150 countries. Additionally, they touch on advancements in robo advising, stock rewards in fintech loyalty programs, and the impact of Apex's technology on the investment landscape.

Alex Johnson, creator of Fintech Takes newsletter, discusses Synapse's bankruptcy impact on BaaS & fintech, Visa's new 'crebit' credential, CFPB's buy now, pay later guidance, and ongoing finhealth topics with host.

Neepa Patel, CEO of Themis, discusses misconceptions fintech people have about regulators, selecting bank partners, and the role of tech in banking-as-a-service platforms. Themis offers a user-friendly compliance platform for financial institutions and fintechs, focusing on collaboration, risk management, and centralized workflows. The podcast explores challenges in communication, compliance, growth, early control implementation, BSA and AML issues, vendor management, and regulatory implications in the fintech landscape.

This month Alex and I had the chance to talk about:* “BaaS Island” is heating up: Synapse files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, with TabaPay slated to acquire its assets, and Solid settles its dispute with its former investors, FTV.* Is 2024 going to be the year of “pay by bank”? Alex and I aren’t entirely convinced.* A federal earned wage access bill is in the works (but unlikely to pass anytime soon).* VC darling BloomTech’s CFPB consent order.* and, as always, what Alex and I just can’t let go of. Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

BaaS drama with consent orders, Chime's impressive customer numbers, Trade groups vs. Colorado on loans' origin, Visa/Mastercard settlement analysis, and discussion on FDIC logo misuse and fintech trolls on Twitter

In this episode, I had the chance to sit down with Tommy Nicholas, CEO of identity risk solutions platform Alloy, a global, end-to-end identity risk solution for banks and fintechs. Tommy and I had the chance to talk about:* factors impacting fraud risk today, including the growth of real-time payments and the dawn of the genAI age* key take aways from Alloy’s 2024 State of Fraud Benchmark Report* the difference between “frictionless” and “seamless” in financial services UX* public and private efforts to create digital identity solutions* what’s on Tommy’s radar in the fraud space in 2024* and more! Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

This month, we were joined by Jon Zanoff of Empire Startups, and we had the chance to talk about:* The deal of the century: Capital One’s acquisition of Discover* Another trip to “BaaS Island,” to discuss Lineage’s consent order and other developments* A preview of New York Fintech Week & Jon’s Empire Fintech Conference* And what we just can’t let go ofIf you enjoy listening to this podcast and find value in it, please consider supporting me (and finhealth non-profits!) by signing up for a paid subscription. It wouldn’t be possible to do what I do without the support of listeners like you! Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, I spoke with Michal Cieplinski, founder and CEO at CapStack.CapStack is the first integrated operating system for banks enabling cooperation across banks and other financial services institutions in order to drive profitability and asset diversification. Michal and I had a chance to talk about:* The importance and challenges of asset/liability management for banks* The risks that come from asset, geographic, and sectoral concentration, especially with current concerns around commercial real estate* How CapStack can help banks mitigate these risks* Moving from manual, Excel-and-email-based processes to technology-powered, automated exchanges for buying and selling loan participation stakes* and more! Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe