

Banking with Interest
IntraFi
Banking with Interest, a podcast by IntraFi, features in-depth analysis and insight into the policy changes reshaping the banking industry. With insightful interviews and previews of pending policy challenges, the podcast is an essential listen for anyone connected to the financial services industry.
Banking with Interest is hosted by Rob Blackwell, an award-winning former journalist with more than two decades of experience as an expert on financial services policy. He is now Chief Content Officer and Head of External Affairs with IntraFi.
The show is produced by Sam Navarro, senior principal writer at IntraFi. The podcast theme song was written and produced by Stellar Tracks. The information, views, and opinions expressed during Banking With Interest belong solely to Rob Blackwell and his guests and do not represent those of IntraFi LLC, its directors, management, or employees. Any ideas and strategies contained within the podcast are for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal or investment advice.
Banking with Interest is hosted by Rob Blackwell, an award-winning former journalist with more than two decades of experience as an expert on financial services policy. He is now Chief Content Officer and Head of External Affairs with IntraFi.
The show is produced by Sam Navarro, senior principal writer at IntraFi. The podcast theme song was written and produced by Stellar Tracks. The information, views, and opinions expressed during Banking With Interest belong solely to Rob Blackwell and his guests and do not represent those of IntraFi LLC, its directors, management, or employees. Any ideas and strategies contained within the podcast are for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal or investment advice.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 28, 2023 • 43min
How FHLB Reform Can Help Banks, Housing
Cornelius Hurley, professor at Boston University School of Law, breaks down the recent FHFA report calling for sweeping changes to the Home Loan Bank system. He discusses why it’s important to refocus the banks on mission and how the debates over the report’s finding will play out in future rulemakings and legislation.

Nov 14, 2023 • 56min
Quarles on Capital Plan, SVB Criticism, Interest Rates & Fed Power Dynamics
Randal Quarles, the former Fed vice chair, details how the new Basel III capital proposal could hurt the economy, casts doubt on the legality of the Fed’s stress tests, and pushes back on criticism that his actions helped cause the failure of three regional banks earlier this spring. He also talks about his biggest concerns in the financial system right now, where interest rates are likely to go from here and his fears about the current power dynamics at the Fed.

Nov 7, 2023 • 41min
Inside the Conviction of SBF – And What It Means for Crypto, Banks
Zeke Faux, an investigative reporter for Bloomberg and the author of “Number Go Up: Inside Crypto’s Wild Rise and Staggering Fall,” goes behind the scenes on Sam Bankman Fried’s conviction last week, including his interviews with the former FTX leader and what it means for the industry at large.

Oct 31, 2023 • 42min
The Case Against a U.S. Retail CBDC
Christina Skinner, assistant professor at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, talks about why a potential U.S. central bank digital currency “opens a Pandora’s Box” of questions about the role of the Fed and could pose a grave threat to banks.

Oct 25, 2023 • 23min
Everything Banks Need to Know about the Final CRA Rule
Ebrima Sanneh, who covers the federal banking agencies for the American Banker, breaks down the final rule setting out new standards under the Community Reinvestment Act. He tackles how the rule changed from the proposal, the new standards for community banks, and how the industry is likely to react.

Oct 17, 2023 • 33min
The CFPB Is Here to Stay, So What's Next?
Now that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau appears likely to survive a Supreme Court challenge, will the agency be emboldened to push its powers further? Or will it be reined in by other forces? Evan Weinberger, who covers the CFPB for Bloomberg Law, analyzes the latest intel.

Oct 3, 2023 • 34min
Community Bankers Are Tired of Being Jerked Around
Steve Scurlock, the head of government relations at the Independent Bankers Association of Texas, talks about the “whipsaw” effect on community banks of regulatory changes that rapidly shift with the change of administrations and regulators—and his biggest fears for the future.

Sep 26, 2023 • 42min
End of an Era: Deposit Gathering Near Rate Cycle Peak
Matt Pieniazek, president of Darling Consulting, and Dave Koch, managing director of advisory services with Abrigo, discuss strategies for banks to navigate the challenging deposit market as the Fed nears the end of its rate hike cycle. Will the Fed raise rates again, how long will rates stay high and how best can banks prepare?

Sep 19, 2023 • 44min
Are Bank Regulators Overstepping Their Legal Authority?
Jonathan Gould, partner with Jones Day and a former general counsel of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, makes a case that the federal banking agencies are increasingly pushing the envelope even as courts become more skeptical of their powers. He also discusses the dangers of focusing too much on the safety of individual institutions at the expense of the overall risk to the system.

Sep 12, 2023 • 36min
The Case Against Higher Bank Capital Requirements
Kevin Fromer, president and CEO of the Financial Services Forum, details why the big banks are pushing back vigorously against a new proposal to raise capital at the largest institutions by 20%, arguing it is unnecessary and could cost the U.S. economy at a critical time.