Fintech Confidential

Tedd Huff, CEO of fintech advisory firm Voalyre and host of Fintech Confidential, sits down with Fintech Confidential CI, Robert Musiala, Partner at Baker Hostetler and co-leader of their Web3 and Digital Assets team, to break down what made 2025 the most consequential year in crypto regulation. The SEC reversed course, the Genius Act passed at lightning speed, and stablecoins exploded from $205 billion to $308 billion in market cap. This is the month-by-month breakdown of how regulatory clarity supercharged the entire industry.The SEC declared most crypto assets are not securities, dismantling years of legal uncertainty. Banks got the green light to offer crypto custody and exchange services. Circle's IPO validated stablecoins as core financial infrastructure. The Genius Act created the first federal stablecoin framework while banning yield payments and imposing strict reserve requirements. NFTs gained legal clarity, DeFi got legitimized, and crypto-native firms started filing for bank charters. If you're building in crypto, investing in blockchain, or trying to understand where regulation is headed in 2026, this breaks down the exact moves that matter.TAKEAWAYS:1️⃣ Genius Act created federal stablecoin operating rules2️⃣ Stables finally legal under federal framework3️⃣ IRS solves crypto tax confusion overnight4️⃣ Stablecoin yield payments now completely banned5️⃣ SEC stops lawsuits, issues guidance insteadLINKS:Guest: Robert MusialaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-musiala/Baker Hostetler: https://www.bakerlaw.com/people/robert-musialaBlockchain Monitor: https://www.blockchainmonitor.com/Company: Baker HostetlerWebsite: https://www.bakerlaw.com/Web3 & Digital Assets: https://www.bakerlaw.com/practices/web3-digital-assetsFintech ConfidentialPodcast: https://fintechconfidential.com/listenNotifications: https://fintechconfidential.com/accessLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintechconfidentialX: https://x.com/FTconfidentialSUPPORTERS:DFNS: Wallets as a service, API first, multi-chain, secured with MPC across 50+ blockchains - fintechconfidential.com/dfnsSkyflow: Zero trust data privacy vault for PCI, CCPA, GDPR, SOC 2 compliance - skyflowsecure.comHawk: AI tools for real-time payment screening and fraud prevention - gethawkai.comABOUT:Robert Musiala is Partner and co-leader of Baker Hostetler's Web3 and Digital Assets team, providing weekly analysis on the Blockchain Monitor blog. Baker Hostetler is a leading U.S. law firm with over 900 attorneys serving blockchain clients from startups to Fortune 500 companies.Tedd Huff is the Founder of Voalyre and Diamond D3, professional services consulting firms focused on global payments and marketing. He is also video podcast host and executive producer on the Fintech Confidential network. Over the past 25+ years, he has contributed to FinTech startups as an Advisory Board Member, Co-Founder, and Chief Experience Officer, providing strategic and tactical direction for global companies, focusing on growth while delivering process improvements and user experience-driven value to simplify the complexity of payments.CHAPTERS:00:00 Episode Highlights02:08 Dfns: Wallets as a Service (sponsor)04:01 2025 Regulatory Changes and Market Impact04:43 January: SEC's Tone Shift and Market Reactions06:11 February: The Genius Act Gains Momentum07:02 March: OCC and SEC Updates08:27 April: Stablecoins Get the Green Light09:18 May: OCC and SEC Further Clarifications10:53 June: Circle's IPO and Market Growth12:33 July: The Genius Act Becomes Law14:39 August: SEC's Groundbreaking Statement16:35 September: Stablecoins and Staking Products18:55 October: NFT Rulings and Market Reactions20:50 November: OCC Trust Bank Charters22:47 December: CFTC and Stablecoin Developments31:01 Sky Flow: Building Fast and Secure (sponsor)32:28 Stablecoin Reserve Regulations34:20 Impact of the Genius Act on DeFi35:14 Issuer Interest Prohibition and Revenue38:09 OCC Charters and Crypto Native Firms39:58 Stablecoin Issuer Strategies45:14 SEC's 180 Degree Pivot51:23 OCC Interpretive Letters and Bank Charters54:24 Key Takeaways for 202557:13 Looking Ahead to 202601:00:53 Closing Remarks and Fraud Prevention01:01:25 Hawk AI (sponsor)01:02:11 Disclaimer

Tedd Huff, CEO of fintech advisory firm Voalyre, sits down with Geetha Panchapakesan, Founder and CEO of Tesser, to explore how stablecoins are changing cross-border payments for enterprises tired of slow, expensive banking methods. Recorded live at Money 2020, this conversation cuts through the noise to address real pain points that treasury managers and CFOs face when moving money across borders.Traditional payment systems force companies to pre-fund accounts in multiple countries, tying up capital that earns nothing while transactions crawl through correspondent banks over days or weeks. Stablecoins offer instant settlement without pre-funding requirements, giving businesses real-time visibility into every transaction. The conversation covers practical adoption strategies, including how to test one payment corridor before scaling, and addresses regulatory clarity emerging from frameworks like the Genius Act. Geetha shares why remittance firms and cross-border payment companies are seeing immediate efficiency gains, and delivers actionable advice on calculating idle capital costs, measuring time savings, and leveraging blockchain traceability for compliance.TAKEAWAYS:1️⃣ Companies handling money transfers across challenging payment corridors are seeing the biggest wins right now with instant payouts.2️⃣ Stablecoin transactions can be checked in real time so you always know exactly where your payment stands.3️⃣ Calculate all the money sitting in foreign accounts earning zero interest; that capital could be deployed elsewhere.4️⃣ Track exact time savings and cost reductions from your test corridor before expanding to broader implementation.5️⃣ Every blockchain transaction creates a permanent record showing exactly where funds moved and when.LINKS:Guest - Geetha Panchapakesan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geethapanchapakesanCompany - Tesser: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tesser | https://x.com/tesser_xyzFintech Confidential:Youtube: https://youtube.com/@fintechconfidentialPodcast: https://fintechconfidential.com/listenNewsletter: https://fintechconfidential.com/accessLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintechconfidentialX: https://x.com/FTconfidentialSUPPORTERS:Dfns: Wallets as a service with API-first, multi-chain design secured with MPC; powers crypto payments across 50+ networks. https://dfns.coSkyflow: Zero-trust data privacy vaults as an API to collect, secure, and tokenize personal information while keeping compliance and usability. https://skyflow.comHawk AI: Real-time screening, ML monitoring, and dynamic customer risk ratings to strengthen fraud and financial-crime prevention. https://hawk.aiABOUT:Geetha Panchapakesan is Founder and CEO of Tesser, a payments platform enabling banks, MSBs, and PSPs to make and receive stablecoin payments with the same ease as traditional payment rails. She brings 18+ years of experience leading product and strategy at MoneyGram, Visa Direct, and Circle.Tesser is a New York-based fintech company building stablecoin-based payments infrastructure that enables licensed financial institutions to move money across borders instantly and compliantly. The platform integrates stablecoin payment rails into existing financial systems in under a month, reducing cross-border settlement times from weeks to hours and cutting costs by up to 95%.Tedd Huff is Founder of Voalyre, a professional services and advisory firm focused on global payments and banking. He is also a video podcast host and executive producer on the Fintech Confidential network. Over the past 25+ years, he has contributed to fintech startups as an Advisory Board Member, Co-Founder, and Chief Experience Officer, providing strategic and tactical direction for Global Payments OpenEdge, Heartland Payments, Nuvei, and TSYS, among others, focusing on growth while delivering process improvements and user experience-driven value to simplify the complexity of payments.DD3 Media: A media creation, management, & production company delivering engaging content globally.CHAPTERS:00:00 Intro01:04 Dfns: Wallets as a Service02:12 Live from Money 202003:27 Pain Points of Traditional Payments03:59 Stablecoins Change Everything05:05 Real-World Applications05:51 Enterprise Adoption06:35 Educating the Market07:44 Hype vs Reality08:19 Proof of Value12:34 Regulatory Uncertainty14:05 Experimenting with Stablecoins15:12 Skyflow: Building Fast and Secure16:37 Lightning Round20:25 Visa and MasterCard Expansion22:01 Choosing the Right Stablecoin24:17 Future of Stablecoins28:56 Final Thoughts30:55 Hawk AI

This inaugural Inside the Vault session was recorded live on the Money Pot stage at Money20/20 USA 2025. Tedd sits down with confidential informant Stephen, AnaLiza from First Bank of the Lake, and Rodrigo from Piedmont Bank to talk bluntly about Banking as a Service, embedded finance, and what happens when programs break under real pressure. The tone is direct, practical, and focused on what operators and sponsor banks actually care about when they decide who to work with. You hear why some BaaS programs never should have launched, how banks now review fintech partners with investor-style discipline, and what recent failures may signal about the next phase of sponsor bank risk. The group walks through real lessons from collapsed programs, missing funds, and weak unit economics, then ties those lessons to concrete steps you can take around funding, oversight, and unwind planning. If you care about BaaS, sponsor banks, or building a fintech that can survive a tougher market, this session is likely to shift how you prepare for your next partner meeting. 1️⃣ Pressure-test your BaaS idea Treat your concept like a risk team would, validate the use case, revenue model, and account growth with realistic numbers before you pitch a bank. 2️⃣ Use funding to build trust Show committed capital, sane burn, and a path beyond launch so a sponsor bank can see you are prepared to support customers for the long haul. 3️⃣ Plan for clean exits early Write reserves, unwind steps, and customer communication into your structure so a program failure does not turn into an emergency for the bank. 4️⃣ Align with bank operations Bring people, controls, and routines that fit how banks work so you feel like a responsible partner instead of another exception they must manage. 5️⃣ Budget past MVP to real scale Secure enough runway for product, compliance, and go-to-market through early scale, not just the first release, so you are less likely to stall when costs rise. Links: Fintech Confidential Youtube: https://youtube.com/@fintechconfidential Podcast: https://fintechconfidential.com/listen Newsletter: https://fintechconfidential.com/access LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintechconfidential X: https://x.com/FTconfidential Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fintechconfidential Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fintechconfidential SUPPORTERS ABOUT AnaLiza Grandner is Executive Vice President and Chief Payments Officer at First Bank of the Lake, an internationally recognized leader in fintech banking with more than 17 years of experience. She leads the bank’s payments strategy and private-label banking efforts and has helped brands like Google Wallet, Chime, Varo, Simple, Seed, Walgreens, and Bento design and refine their products. Rodrigo Suarez is Chief Banking Officer at Piermont Bank, where he leads the bank’s high-growth client and payments businesses. He is responsible for product strategy, technology platforms, and channel delivery that support fast-moving entrepreneurial clients and keep the bank’s offering aligned with real market needs. Stephen Bishop is President of amBaaSsador, an education and advisory platform focused on embedded finance and Banking as a Service for banks and service providers. He previously held senior roles at OMB Bank building OMBX, as well as leadership positions at Jack Henry & Associates, Citi, and AT&T. Tedd Huff is the Founder and CEO of Voalyre and the creator and host of Fintech Confidential, with more than 26 years in fintech and payments advising startups and public companies on strategy, growth, and user experience. Fintech Confidential is a media platform of shows and newsletters that shares real operator stories about how money, risk, and technology products are built and scaled.Links: GuestAnaLiza Grandner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/algrandner/First Bank of the Lake: https://www.fblake.bankLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/first-bank-of-the-lakeRodrigo Suarez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodrigosuarezu/Piermont Bank: https://www.piermontbank.comLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/piermontbankHostsTedd Huff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teddhuff/Fintech Confidential: https://fintechconfidential.comLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintechconfidentialStephen Bishop: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenbishop1/amBaaSsador: https://ambaassador.comLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bankingambaassador Fintech ConfidentialYoutube: https://youtube.com/@fintechconfidential Podcast: https://fintechconfidential.com/listenNewsletter: https://fintechconfidential.com/accessLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintechconfidentialX: https://x.com/FTconfidentialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/fintechconfidentialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/fintechconfidentialSupportersSkyflow: Data privacy vault that helps keep payment and personal data off your core systems and reduces PCI scope for your teams https://skyflowsecure.com Under: A Tool that turns static PDF applications into fast, sign-ready flows for underwriting, onboarding, and internal approvals https://under.io/ftc Hawk AI: Real-time transaction monitoring and payment screening that uses machine learning to reduce false positives and strengthen financial crime defenses https://gethawkai.com Guests AnaLiza GrandnerAnaLiza Grandner is the Chief Payments Officer at First Bank of the Lake and a widely recognized leader in fintech-focused banking with more than 17 years of experience. She leads the bank’s payments strategy and its private-label banking business, drawing on a career that spans both banks and high-growth fintechs. Her work has helped major brands such as Google Wallet, Chime, Varo, Simple, Seed, Walgreens, and Bento design, launch, and refine payments programs. Before joining First Bank of the Lake, she led Banking-as-a-Service efforts at Cross River Bank and has been a featured keynote speaker at multiple global industry events.First Bank of the LakeFirst Bank of the Lake is a nationally active SBA lender with deep expertise in government-backed small business financing. From its roots in Osage Beach, Missouri, it has grown into one of the top SBA 7(a) and 504 lenders in the country, funding thousands of loans and more than a billion dollars in capital for businesses across the United States. The bank focuses on tailored SBA solutions, strong customer relationships, and a high-touch approach that helps business owners secure the funding they need to grow.Rodrigo SuarezRodrigo Suarez is the Chief Banking Officer at Piermont Bank, where he is responsible for keeping the bank ahead in modern product delivery and client service. He oversees the innovation-focused banking and payments lines of business and leads strategies that support fast-growing, entrepreneurial clients. Rodrigo also manages product development, technology applications, and channel delivery so that the bank’s offerings stay aligned with the needs of scale-ups and high-growth companies.Piermont BankPiermont Bank is a tech-forward commercial bank built for startups, scale-ups, and modern mid-market businesses. The bank focuses on fast decisions, flexible structures, and banking solutions designed around the pace of high-growth companies. It combines experienced bankers with modern technology to offer tailored lending, payments, and treasury services that help clients move from early growth to larger scale without getting stuck in rigid legacy processes.Confidential InformantStephen BishopStephen “Steve” Bishop is the President of amBaaSsador, an education and advisory platform focused on embedded finance and Banking-as-a-Service for both financial institutions and service providers. He previously led strategic growth and new initiatives at OMB Bank as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Innovation Officer, where he also helped create and build OMBX, the bank’s embedded finance brand. His background includes senior roles at Jack Henry & Associates, Citi, and AT&T, and he holds graduate degrees in operations, finance, strategy, and information management from Washington University in St. Louis.amBaaSsadoramBaaSsador is a strategic advisory and ecosystem platform dedicated to helping banks, fintechs, and service providers succeed in embedded finance and Banking-as-a-Service. The firm focuses on clear education, practical strategy, and curated connections, giving clients a neutral place to understand market shifts and choose a path that fits their goals. Its work spans consulting, community programs, training, events, and research, all designed to turn complex BaaS questions into practical, workable plans.HostTedd Huff: Tedd Huff is the Co-Founder of Voalyre, and the President & Founder of Diamond D3, a professional services consulting firm focused on global payments and marketing. He is also a video podcast host and producer of Fintech Confidential.Over the past 24 years, he has contributed to FinTech startups as an Advisory Board Member, Co-Founder, and Chief Experience Officer, providing strategic and tactical direction for Global Payments OpenEdge, Heartland Payments, Nuvei, and TSYS, among others, focusing on growth while delivering innovation, process improvements and user experience-driven value to simplify the complexity of payments.Diamond D3, Media: A media creation, management, and production company delivering engaging content globally

A glimpse into what you can get from the first episode of Inside the Vault the new Fintech Confidential Series. Inside The Vault is a Fintech Confidential series for people who actually work in banking, fintech, and payments every day. It speaks to bank executives, fintech founders, product leaders, credit union leaders, sponsor banks, and the operators who sit between business, risk, and technology. The goal is simple: give you access to fintech banking moves that matter, in plain English, with enough detail that you can plug the lessons into your own work.Each episode breaks down how banks, neo-banks, and credit unions work with fintechs to grow, stay compliant, and serve customers in real markets. You hear specific stories about product launches, pricing decisions, partnership structures, risk calls, compliance pushback, and board-level debates from people who were actually in the room. Guests walk through what got approved, what died in a committee meeting, where partnerships made real money, and where they came apart. You hear the good, the bad, the ugly, and the unfortunate, with takeaways that are likely to sharpen your next move.The conversations go deep into core banking, embedded finance, payments, risk and compliance, and fintech partnerships without sliding into vague talking points or soft marketing. You get straight talk as operators explain what they tried, what worked, what failed, and what they would do differently if they had another shot. Some stories may suggest a fresh way to look at your roadmap, and to be fair, a few may sting a bit if you recognize your own playbook. The aim is to keep it practical and specific so you walk away with actions, not just nice phrases.Episodes are recorded around real industry moments, including sessions at Money20/20 and conversations on stages like the Money Pot, so the content stays tied to what is actually happening in the market right now. For what it is worth, if you care about modern banking, want clear views into banks, neo-banks, credit unions, and fintech partnerships, and need candid conversations that usually stay off the record, this series is likely to be well worth your time.Subscribe NowIf you care about modern banking, detailed breakdowns of how financial institutions work with fintechs, and partnerships that actually perform, and you want access to candid conversations that usually stay inside the vault, this series is built for you.Subscribe now to get the first episodes as soon as they drop and stay ahead of the next wave of bank-fintech moves.Listen on your favorite podcast platform: http://Listen.frominsidethevault.comWatch full conversations and clips: http://watch.frominsidethevault.comGet email recaps and future drops: http://subscribe.frominsidethevault.com

October 2025 shook the crypto world. Bitcoin crashed harder than any October since 2015, someone accidentally minted $300 trillion in stablecoins, and traditional banks started an all-out war against crypto companies trying to get federal charters. Tedd Huff, founder of Fintech Confidential and CEO of fintech advisory firm Voalyre, sits down with Rob Musiala, partner at Baker Hostetler who co-leads The Blockchain Monitor, to break down what moved Web3 when it mattered most. They walk through why stablecoins just crushed major card networks with $2.6 trillion in annual volume, how Western Union suddenly decided blockchain payments make sense, and what the Genius Act really means for everyone trying to operate in this space. This isn't theory. Banks are fighting to protect their turf while crypto infrastructure gets bought up for billions. The conversation covers enforcement crackdowns, court rulings that actually matter, regulatory battles over OCC charters, and why sitting this one out stopped being an option months ago. KEY TAKEAWAYS 1️⃣ Financial institutions must evaluate make-or-buy decisions on stablecoin infrastructure before competitors capture market share as platforms offering blockchain-based payments already process volumes exceeding major card networks. 2️⃣ Developers building on Ethereum layer-2 solutions can expect 30-60% lower transaction fees after Fusaka activates December 3rd, allowing projects to adjust pricing models or capture improved margins. 3️⃣ Stablecoin issuers, custodians, payment facilitators, and exchanges face different compliance requirements based on their specific business models under the Genius Act framework. 4️⃣ Retail investors and traders experienced 60-80% losses across major meme coins during October, while newcomers like Mini U and MemeCore surged during the same downturn. 5️⃣ Businesses operating cross-border payments between Japan and international markets gain new infrastructure as institutions push toward 10 trillion yen stablecoin circulation targets. LINKS Host:Tedd Huff (LinkedIn) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/teddhuff/Voalyre - https://voalyre.com CI (Confidential Informant):Rob Musiala (LinkedIn) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertmusiala/The Blockchain Monitor - https://www.theblockchainmonitor.com Company:Baker Hostetler - https://www.bakerlaw.com Fintech Confidential:YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@FintechConfidentialWebsite - https://fintechconfidential.comNewsletter - https://fintechconfidential.com/newsletterLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintech-confidential SUPPORTERS Dfns - Secure wallets built right. API-first, multi-chain MPC wallet infrastructure for payments platforms, custodians, and exchanges. Request demo: fintechconfidential.com/dfns Skyflow - Build fast without breaking privacy. Zero trust data privacy vault delivered as an API for PCI, GDPR, and SOC 2 compliance. Learn more: skyflowsecure.com Hawk AI - Fight fraud and financial crime with real-time payment screening, AML transaction monitoring, and dynamic customer risk rating. Sign up for demo: GetHawkAI.comAbout:GuestConfidential Informant - Robert Musiala - Partner - BakerHostetlerRobert Musiala has been working in the blockchain and digital assets market since 2012 and has led multiple digital asset investigations, including as the court appointed receiver over cryptocurrency investment funds used in a major fraud. Robert also advises on a variety of regulatory compliance issues involving digital assets and has drafted/negotiated agreements for a wide range of transactions in the fintech, digital assets, Web3 and NFT markets. The inventor of two blockchain patents, he works directly with tech teams to build solutions that are compliant by design. Robert is co-leader of the Web3 and Digital Assets team at BakerHostetler.BakerHostetler: A U.S. law firm with comprehensive blockchain practices serving clients from startups to Fortune 500 companies entering the asset class. Host:Tedd Huff:Tedd Huff is the Founder of Voalyre a professional services and Advisory firm focused on global payments and banking. He is also a video podcast host and executive producer on the Fintech Confidential network. Over the past 25+ years, he has contributed to FinTech startups as an Advisory Board Member, Co-Founder, and Chief Experience Officer, providing strategic and tactical direction for Global Payments OpenEdge, Heartland Payments, Nuvei, and TSYS, among others, focusing on growth while delivering innovation, process improvements and user experience-driven value to simplify the complexity of payments. DD3, Media:DD3 Media is a media creation, management, and production company delivering engaging content globally

Small businesses are owed over one trillion dollars in unpaid invoices. Host Tedd Huff the CEO of Voalyre a Fintech advisory firm and Founder of Fintech Confidential sits down with Prashant Fuloria, CEO of Fundbox, to discuss how embedded finance transforms working capital access for business owners managing teams of one or two while juggling payroll, invoicing, and growth decisions. Prashant left senior roles at Google, Facebook, and Yahoo to help solve this massive cash flow crisis affecting hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs. This conversation covers how Fundbox embeds financing directly into platforms like QuickBooks and Stripe, eliminating lengthy applications and delivering instant capital when business owners need it most. Prashant explains why leadership culture drives sustainable growth, how daily team huddles prevent executive isolation, and why transparent partnerships built on trust outperform traditional direct marketing. The episode reveals practical strategies for scaling fintech platforms while serving underserved small businesses with flexible, responsible lending.1️⃣ Use continuous platform integrations that monitor business health in real time and automatically adjust credit offers as revenue grows.2️⃣ Remove lengthy forms by using existing platform data from accounting software or payment processors to complete underwriting instantly.3️⃣ Access immediate capital when trucks break down or equipment fails without waiting for traditional loan approval timelines.4️⃣ Structure financing to align with actual cash flow patterns rather than rigid monthly schedules that ignore seasonal business cycles.5️⃣ Embed financing into industry-specific software platforms to create a one-stop experience where owners never juggle multiple logins.Get more at Fintech Confidential.com GuestPrashant FuloriaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prashant-fuloria/CompanyFundboxWebsite: https://fundbox.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fundbox/X: https://x.com/FundboxYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FundboxcomFintech ConfidentialYoutube: https://youtube.com/@fintechconfidentialPodcast: https://fintechconfidential.com/listenNewsletter: https://fintechconfidential.com/accessLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintechconfidentialX: https://x.com/FTconfidentialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/fintechconfidentialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/fintechconfidentialSupportersUnder: Streamlines application and underwriting with digital form processing. https://under.io/ftcSkyflow: Zero-trust data privacy vaults as an API to secure and tokenize personal information. https://skyflowsecure.comDfns: Wallets as a service secured with MPC; powers crypto payments across 50+ networks. https://fintechconfidential.com/dfnsHawk AI: Real-time screening and ML monitoring to strengthen fraud and financial-crime prevention. https://gethawkai.comAboutPrashant Fuloria is CEO of Fundbox, a product and technology leader with 25+ years of experience building platforms at Google, Facebook, and Yahoo. At Fundbox he has supported more than 500,000 SMBs and unlocked over $5 billion in working capital.Fundbox is an embedded working capital platform built for SMBs using accounting, payments, and vertical SaaS tools. By integrating with QuickBooks, FreshBooks, and other platforms, Fundbox provides fast, flexible credit using AI-powered underwriting and real-time data.Tedd Huff is Founder of Voalyre, a fintech advisory firm, and host of Fintech Confidential. Over 25+ years, he has contributed to FinTech startups as an Advisory Board Member, Co-Founder, and Chief Experience Officer at Global Payments, Heartland, Nuvei, and TSYS.Chapters00:00 Highlights00:17 Challenges Faced by Small Businesses00:31 Customer Segmentation Struggles01:35 Under - Sponsor02:05 Welcome to Leaders One-on-One02:32 Prashant's Background05:54 Connection to Fundbox Mission06:33 Technology Levels Playing Field07:55 Misunderstandings About SMBs09:13 Trillion Dollar Opportunity11:06 Leadership and Culture14:29 Skyflow - Sponsor17:55 Daily Leadership Huddles18:53 Creating Psychological Safety19:25 Intellectual Curiosity21:03 Customer Segmentation22:13 Ideal Fundbox Customer23:34 Common Capital Use Cases25:41 Unique Capital Uses27:47 Embedding Financing Solutions28:04 Cash Efficient Acquisition30:48 Great Partners32:10 Customer Data Decisions34:41 Direct vs Partnership37:45 Dfns - Sponsor39:58 Future of Embedded Finance42:05 Alignment of Incentives44:35 Education and Transparency46:58 Advice for Founders47:55 Closing Thoughts50:22 Hawk AI - Sponsor51:06 Disclaimer

Bitcoin hit $116K before $3.45 billion in liquidations while stablecoins transferred a record $15.6 trillion with bots executing 70% of that volume. Host Tedd Huff, CEO of Voalyre, and BakerHostetler Partner Robert Musiala break down what happened in crypto this month and why it matters to your business now. The SEC issued two major no action letters creating roadmaps for DePIN networks and state bank custody while Treasury opened a 58 question comment period closing October 20th on Genius Act implementation. The Wolfsburg Group published global AML guidance requiring banks to know their customer’s customer when serving stablecoin issuers as nine European banks formed a consortium to launch a MICA compliant Euro stablecoin by 2026. Market fragmentation accelerates as purpose built stablecoins target specific communities while USDT and USDC slip to 84% combined share despite growing absolute volumes. Security threats remain the biggest adoption risk even as regulatory clarity emerges. Learn the five moves compliance and product teams should make today: display fees before sends, segment use cases by ecosystem, publish clear redemption rules, run cross chain incident drills, and build a one page control map that speeds both sales cycles and audits. If you manage risk, product, or finance in payments or crypto, this episode gives you the regulatory context and practical steps to act without waiting for Congress.LINKSConfidential Informant:Robert A. Musiala Jr., LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-a-musiala-jr-esq-cfcs-b6534bb/Firm Profile: https://www.bakerlaw.com/professionals/robert-a-musiala-jr/The Blockchain Monitor: https://www.theblockchainmonitor.com/BakerHostetler: https://www.bakerlaw.com/Fintech ConfidentialYouTube: https://fintechconfidential.com/watchPodcast: https://fintechconfidential.com/listenNotifications: https://fintechconfidential.com/accessLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintechconfidentialX: https://X.com/FTconfidentialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/fintechconfidentialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/fintechconfidentialSUPPORTERSDfns: Wallets as a service with API-first, multi-chain design secured with MPC; powers crypto payments across 50+ networks. Request demo: https://fintechconfidential.com/dfnsSkyflow: Zero-trust data privacy vaults as an API to collect, secure, and tokenize personal information while keeping compliance and usability. Learn more: https://skyflowsecure.comHawk AI: Real-time screening, ML monitoring, and dynamic customer risk ratings to strengthen fraud and financial-crime prevention. Sign up for demo: https://gethawkai.comABOUTConfidential Informant: Robert Musiala has worked in the crypto assets market since 2012. He has led major investigations, advised on compliance and product agreements across Web3 and NFTs, and co-leads BakerHostetler’s Web3 and assets team. He also authors The Blockchain Monitor with weekly legal insights.BakerHostetler: A U.S. law firm advising clients from startups to Fortune 500 on blockchain-related matters, policy, compliance, and risk.Host: Tedd Huff is Founder & CEO of Voalyre and DD3 Media and hosts Fintech Confidential, bringing clear, practical conversations on how money moves.DD3 Media: A media creation, management, and production company delivering engaging fintech and Web3 content.Chapters00:00 Highlights01:17 Dfns - Wallets as a Service (sponsor)02:38 Kickoff03:48 Lightning Round: Bitcoin and majors05:15 Lightning Round: XRP, memecoins, staking pressure06:28 Layer1 - Layer2 top News07:29 Stable Coin Top News09:02 Regulatory Landscape11:38 Secuity Threats and Compliance19:12 Bots = ~70% of the $15.6T stable coin transfers20:37 Skyflow - Provacy Vault API (sponsor)23:30 SEC pace and “rules of the road” setup26:01 SEC rulemaking agenda explained27:11 No-action letter: programmatic transfers and the Howey lens (DEPIN)30:31 More no-action letters plus Treasury request for comments (ANPRM)32:42 Wolfsberg guidance: bank risks and controls for stablecoin issuers36:02 September summary: regulatory momentum and market impact39:58 Rob's Top Three Take Aways40:47 Tedd's Top Three Take Aways43:22 Hawk Ai (sponsor)44:08 Disclaimer

Building a successful fintech consulting firm without venture capital requires more than industry knowledge. It demands a willingness to sacrifice, a clear understanding of what customers need, and the ability to treat compliance as a commercial function rather than a cost center.Tedd Huff founder & CEO of Voalyre a fintech advisory firm sits down with Jas Randhawa, founder and CEO of Strategybrix, a compliance consulting firm that serves high-growth fintechs, exchanges, and partner banks. The discussion covers the hard lessons learned from bootstrapping, the common mistakes fintech founders make, and why approaching compliance strategically can unlock growth rather than block it. Jas spent over 20 years working with major banks like Citibank, JP Morgan, Deutsche Bank, and HSBC. His background as a computer science engineer gave him an inside view of how compliance systems work, from KYC and onboarding to transaction monitoring and fraud detection.Takeaways:1️⃣ Prepare budget negotiations with specific numbers and risk examples so you walk in ready to win.2️⃣ Replace compliance roadblocks with conditions for approval that define the guardrails needed to say yes safely.3️⃣ Audit your onboarding flow against competitors to remove unnecessary friction that causes customer drop-off.4️⃣ Create a one-page explainer showing how your AI compliance tools process data and produce outputs for regulators.5️⃣ Build a trusted advisor network and schedule calls this week to validate major hiring and spending decisions.Links:Jas Randhawa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randhawajasStrategybrix: https://www.strategybrix.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/strategybrixFintech Confidential:Podcast: https://fintechconfidential.com/listenNewsletter: https://fintechconfidential.com/accessLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintechconfidentialX: https://x.com/FTconfidentialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/fintechconfidentialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/fintechconfidentialSupporters:Under: Streamlines application and underwriting with digital form processing. https://under.io/ftcSkyflow: Zero-trust data privacy vaults as an API to collect, secure, and tokenize personal information while keeping compliance and usability. https://skyflowsecure.comDfns: Wallets as a service with API-first, multi-chain design secured with MPC; powers crypto payments across 50+ networks. https://fintechconfidential.com/dfnsHawk AI: Real-time screening, ML monitoring, and dynamic customer risk ratings to strengthen fraud and financial-crime prevention. https://gethawkai.comAbout:Jas Randhawa is the Managing Partner at StrategyBRIX, a boutique Risk and Compliance Consulting firm. Before StrategyBRIX, Jas was the Head of Financial Crimes and Compliance at leading fintechs, including Stripe and Airwallex. In addition, at PwC, Jas built and led the firm's Financial Crimes practice across the US West Coast. He has over 18 years of experience building and managing programs in the Compliance space.StrategyBRIX is a boutique consulting firm specializing in risk and compliance management for fintechs, crypto platforms, and digital banks. Founded in 2021, the firm helps organizations build sustainable financial crime compliance programs that balance regulatory rigor with operational efficiency.Tedd Huff is the Founder of Voalyre, a professional services advisory firm focused on global payments. He is also a video podcast host and executive producer on the Fintech Confidential network. Over the past 25 years, he has contributed to FinTech startups as an Advisory Board Member, Co-Founder, and Chief Experience Officer.DD3 Media is a media creation, management, and production company delivering engaging content globally.Chapters:00:00 Highlights01:34 Under (Sponsor)02:03 Welcome Jas Randhawa03:26 Bootstrapping Strategybrix04:45 Challenges in the Banking Sector09:36 The Importance of Customer Focus17:29 Skyflow Privacy Vault (Sponsor)18:45 Scaling a Consulting Firm25:41 Building and Leading a Team32:48 Sustaining a Consulting Business33:50 Importance of Team Dynamics34:30 Curiosity and Learning in Team Members36:01 Common Compliance Mistakes38:35 Budgeting for Risk and Compliance40:34 Effective Compliance Negotiation43:54 Onboarding and Compliance Design49:18 Dfns Wallet as a Service (Sponsor)56:59 AI and Technology in Compliance01:03:32 Advice for FinTech Founder01:05:06 Conclusion and Final Thoughts01:06:40 Hawk AI (sponsor)01:07:27 Disclaimer

Duncan Barrigan left his high-profile Chief Growth Officer role at GoCardless, a $2.2 billion payments platform, to solve what he calls the biggest challenge in financial technology: broken B2B payments. This $70 trillion market is stuck, with 98% of B2B payments handled by outdated, manual processes. Rideshare giants deploy 50-person teams just to manage accounts receivable, exposing an enormous need for modern payment processing solutions.Manual tasks and communication breakdowns are costing companies millions in wasted time. The core issue isn’t just sending or receiving money—it’s the chaos and disputes that slow down invoice payments and paralyze AP teams. Duncan saw that true progress means automating the entire workflow. Using the power of AI and AP automation, Lunos builds agents that handle accounts receivable at scale. These AI-powered tools negotiate, track, and resolve payment disputes without errors, never missing a detail, and supporting efficient electronic payments for modern businesses.1️⃣ Start with monitor mode first to build trust and understand AR patterns before advancing to suggest or act modes.2️⃣ Prevent disputes through real-time records instead of tracking payment promises in weekly spreadsheet downloads.3️⃣ Let email handle customer communication rather than forcing customers onto new portals that create friction.4️⃣ Use relationship-specific data for forecasting instead of broad machine learning patterns across different companies.5️⃣ Integrate like a human worker by connecting with existing ERPs, CRMs, and communication tools without forcing massive changes.GUESTDuncan Barrigan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/duncanbarrigan/LUNOSWebsite: www.lunos.aiLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lunos-ai/FINTECH CONFIDENTIALPodcast: https://fintechconfidential.com/listenNewsletter: https://fintechconfidential.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintechconfidentialX: https://x.com/FTconfidentialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/fintechconfidentialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/fintechconfidentialSUPPORTERSUnder - Streamlines application and underwriting with digital PDF processing - https://under.io/ftc Skyflow - Zero trust data privacy vault with simple API calls - https://skyflowsecure.com Hawk - AI tools for real-time fraud detection and transaction monitoring - https://gethawkai.comABOUTDuncan Barrigan is a technology entrepreneur and executive. He's the Founder and CEO of Lunos, the AI partner that manages receivables just like you would. Well, how you would if you worked on it 24/7, never forgot anything and read every message ever sent to you - you get the idea.He has spent more than a decade helping businesses get paid, previously as Chief Product Officer and Chief Growth Officer at GoCardless for eight years, playing a leading role in its rise from a UK-based direct debit provider to a global bank payments unicorn worth $2.2bn, with revenue growing for $1m to well over $100m ARR. Prior to that he worked as a consultant, leading projects advising PE & VC clients on fintech and financial services M&A and strategy at Oliver Wyman. He has an MA in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge.Lunos is an AI-powered accounts receivable platform that integrates with enterprise systems to automate tracking, communication, and resolution of unpaid invoices. The system operates like a human AR agent, managing customer interactions and adapting to responses in real time.Tedd Huff is the Founder of Voalyre a professional services and Advisory firm focused on global payments and banking. He is also a video podcast host and executive producer on the Fintech Confidential network.Over the past 25+ years, he has contributed to FinTech startups as an Advisory Board Member, Co-Founder, and Chief Experience Officer, providing strategic and tactical direction for Global Payments OpenEdge, Heartland Payments, Nuvei, and TSYS, among others, focusing on growth while delivering innovation, process improvements and user experience-driven value to simplify the complexity of payments.DD3, Media: DD3 Media is a media creation, management, and production company delivering engaging content globally*CHAPTERS*00:00 Highlights01:07 Under (sponsor)01:55 Meet Duncan Barrigan02:50 Communication Chaos in Business04:14 Duncan's Career Shift05:19 The Light Bulb Moment06:51 The Complexity of B2B Payments09:08 Building AI to Handle Real-World Chaos17:18 Skyflow (sponsor)19:13 The Importance of Accurate Records28:27 The Future of AI in B2B Payments31:57 Advice for FinTech Founders33:14 Conclusion and Final Thoughts34:53 Hawk Ai (sponsor)35:39 Disclaimer

The web3, cryptocurrency and blockchain markets moved fast in August 2025 and we’re covering Bitcoin’s rise, Wyoming’s state-backed coin, SoFi joining the Lightning Network, and Circle’s new Layer 1. Host Tedd Huff teams up with Confidential Informant: Robert Musiala to unpack the GENIUS Act, stablecoin rules, bank use of Lightning, market structure, compliance shifts, custody standards, and global licensing moves that shaped August. You get what changed, why it matters now, and how to apply it. You get a clear read on why Bitcoin strength ties to supply behavior, how monthly reserve disclosures affect stablecoin design, and why a bank’s Lightning rollout cuts payment friction. The episode also covers risk programs moving to dynamic monitoring, custody standards that require segregation and clean recovery plans, and how Hong Kong licensing impacts cross-border builds.TAKEAWAYS1️⃣ Document Developer Programming Decisions2️⃣ Monitor Wyoming’s FRNT Ten Billion Threshold3️⃣ Assess EVM Compatibility Standards:4️⃣ Prepare for Supervisory Examinations5️⃣ Leverage Custody Guidance Roadmaps LINKSConfidential Informant:Robert A. Musiala Jr., LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-a-musiala-jr-esq-cfcs-b6534bb/Firm Profile: https://www.bakerlaw.com/professionals/robert-a-musiala-jr/The Blockchain Monitor: https://www.theblockchainmonitor.com/BakerHostetler: https://www.bakerlaw.com/Fintech ConfidentialYouTube: https://fintechconfidential.com/watchPodcast: https://fintechconfidential.com/listenNotifications: https://fintechconfidential.com/accessLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintechconfidentialX: https://X.com/FTconfidentialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/fintechconfidentialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/fintechconfidentialSUPPORTERSDfns: Wallets as a service with API-first, multi-chain design secured with MPC; powers crypto payments across 50+ networks. Request demo: https://fintechconfidential.com/dfnsSkyflow: Zero-trust data privacy vaults as an API to collect, secure, and tokenize personal information while keeping compliance and usability. Learn more: https://skyflowsecure.comHawk AI: Real-time screening, ML monitoring, and dynamic customer risk ratings to strengthen fraud and financial-crime prevention. Sign up for demo: https://gethawkai.comABOUTConfidential Informant: Robert Musiala has worked in the crypto assets market since 2012. He has led major investigations, advised on compliance and product agreements across Web3 and NFTs, and co-leads BakerHostetler’s Web3 and assets team. He also authors The Blockchain Monitor with weekly legal insights.BakerHostetler: A U.S. law firm advising clients from startups to Fortune 500 on blockchain-related matters, policy, compliance, and risk.Host: Tedd Huff is Founder & CEO of Voalyre and DD3 Media and hosts Fintech Confidential, bringing clear, practical conversations on how money moves.DD3 Media: A media creation, management, and production company delivering engaging fintech and Web3 content.CHAPTERS 00:00 Highlights 01:15 Dfns - Wallets as a service (sponsor) 02:36 Intro 03:06 Regulatory Landscape and Institutional Adoption 03:39 Market Context 06:01 Technological Innovations in Blockchain and Finance 09:08 Stablecoins and Their Impact on Financial Systems 12:04 The Future of Banking and Digital Assets 14:52 Challenges and Opportunities in Crypto Regulation 17:51 The Evolution of Financial Institutions in the Crypto Space 29:57 Regulatory Landscape of Digital Assets 30:19 Skyflow - Privacy has an API (sponsor) 36:12 The Genius Act and Its Implications 43:48 Global Perspectives on Stablecoin Regulation 51:55 Innovation vs. Regulation in the EU 57:41 The Future of Digital Assets and Banking 59:16 Conclusion and Final Thoughts 01:00:26 Hawk AI (sponsor) 01:01:12 Disclaimer