Podcasts about fintech business weekly

Today's podcast features the second part of a recent webinar produced on September 24, 2025, titled: "A New Era for Banking: What President Trump's Debanking Executive Order and Related State Laws Mean for Financial Institutions, Government, and Banking Customers." In Part 2, we discuss the following topics: 1.               What are the areas of uncertainty with respect to the Executive Order, including:  ·                 Defining an "unlawful business" or "religion and why those definitions are important.   ·                 What regulator or regulators will issue regulations or other guidance? 2.               What is the role of the Small Business Administration ("SBA") 3.               Intersection with AML/BSA 4.               Intersection with state debanking statutes and experience of the states 5.               Pending Federal legislation 6.               What should financial institutions be doing now to prepare for regulator review? 7.               Is the Executive Order good or bad policy? 8.               Is there a proven need for the Executive Order?  Is there any empirical evidence of need based on complaints submitted to states with debanking statutes, SBA or other federal banking prudential regulators or is it all anecdotal? Our presenters, who hold diverse views on the wisdom of the Executive Order, are: ·        Jason Mikula Founder and Publisher, Fintech Business Weekly Jason Mikula is an independent fintech and banking advisor, consultant, and investor. He also publishes Fintech Business Weekly, a newsletter analyzing trends in banking and fintech. He opposes the Executive Order. ·        Brian Knight Senior Counsel, Corporate Engagement, Alliance Defending Freedom Brian Knight serves as Senior Counsel on the Corporate Engagement Team at Alliance Defending Freedom. His work focuses on issues of financial access, debanking, and preventing the politicization of financial services. He opposes the Executive Order. ·        Todd Phillips Assistant Professor of Law, J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University Todd Phillips is an assistant professor of law at Georgia State University. His areas of expertise include bank capital and prudential regulation, deposit insurance, and the laws governing federal regulators. He opposes the Executive Order. ·        Will Hild Executive Director, Consumers' Research Will Hild is the Executive Director of Consumers' Research, the nation's oldest consumer protection organization. He has led efforts to combat ESG and what he considers "woke capitalism," including launching the Consumers First campaign. He supports the Executive Order. ·        Graham Steele Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions, U.S. Department of the Treasury Graham Steele serves as the Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. He is an expert on financial regulation and financial institutions, with over a decade of experience working at the highest levels of law and policy in Washington, D.C. He opposes the Executive Order. Alan Kaplinsky, the founder and first practice group leader and now Senior Counsel of the Consumer Financial Services Group at our firm, moderated the webinar. We released Part 1of this webinar on October 30, 2025

Alex Johnson, creator of the Fintech Takes newsletter, and I are happy to bring you the latest episode of our monthly podcast, Fintech Recap, where we unpack some of the biggest stories in fintech, banking, and crypto.This episode is brought to you by Cross River Bank, the bank behind the bold.In this abbreviated episode, Alex and I had the chance to discuss:* The 14,000 or so comments on the CFPB's open banking do over* Erebor's conditional charter approval* And, as always, what we just can't let go of Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts | SpotifyHey all, Jason here.In this episode recorded live in Las Vegas this Tuesday during Money20/20, I had the chance to talk with Oscilar cofounder and CEO Neha Narkhede. We had the chance to discuss:* Neha's background as co-creator of Apache Kafka and cofounder of Confluent, which eventually scaled to a $10 billion IPO* How Oscilar is helping both fintechs and banks — including household names like Sofi — to power real-time risk stacks* Thinking about risk as a data and AI problem* Why organizations need to move beyond point solutions and data silos to manage risk effectively* The importance of real-time decisioning across the customer lifecycle, from onboarding/KYC to fraud, credit risk, and transaction monitoring* And more! Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

Today's podcast features the first part of a recent webinar produced on September 24, 2025, titled: "A New Era for Banking: What President Trump's Debanking Executive Order and Related State Laws Mean for Financial Institutions, Government, and Banking Customers." In Part 1, we discuss the following topics: 1.     History of Debanking, including: o   Operation Chokepoint: An initiative by federal prudential banking regulators during the Obama administration aimed at discouraging banks supervised by them from providing services to companies engaged in payday lending. o   OCC Final Regulation on Debanking: Issued by Acting Comptroller Brian Brooks toward the end of President Trump's first term, this regulation applied only to the largest banks in the country. It was sent to the Federal Register but never published and, therefore, never became effective. 2.     Elements and Scope of the Debanking Executive Order 3.     Statutory Authority (or Lack Thereof) of the Executive Order, which was largely based on the unfairness prongs of UDAAP and UDAP, even though a federal district court in Alabama held a few years ago that such unfairness prongs do not cover discrimination. Our presenters, who hold diverse views on the wisdom of the Executive Order, are: ·        Jason Mikula Founder and Publisher, Fintech Business Weekly Jason Mikula is an independent fintech and banking advisor, consultant, and investor. He also publishes Fintech Business Weekly, a newsletter analyzing trends in banking and fintech. He opposes the Executive Order. ·        Brian Knight Senior Counsel, Corporate Engagement, Alliance Defending Freedom Brian Knight serves as Senior Counsel on the Corporate Engagement Team at Alliance Defending Freedom. His work focuses on issues of financial access, debanking, and preventing the politicization of financial services. He opposes the Executive Order. ·        Todd Phillips Assistant Professor of Law, J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University Todd Phillips is an assistant professor of law at Georgia State University. His areas of expertise include bank capital and prudential regulation, deposit insurance, and the laws governing federal regulators. He opposes the Executive Order. ·        Will Hild Executive Director, Consumers' Research Will Hild is the Executive Director of Consumers' Research, the nation's oldest consumer protection organization. He has led efforts to combat ESG and what he considers "woke capitalism," including launching the Consumers First campaign. He supports the Executive Order. ·        Graham Steele Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions, U.S. Department of the Treasury Graham Steele serves as the Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. He is an expert on financial regulation and financial institutions, with over a decade of experience working at the highest levels of law and policy in Washington, D.C. He opposes the Executive Order. Alan Kaplinsky, the founder and first practice group leader and now Senior Counsel of the Consumer Financial Services Group at our firm, moderated the webinar. We will be releasing Part 2 of this webinar on November 6, 2025.

Hey all, Jason here.In this episode, I had the chance to talk with Brian Reshefsky, founder and CEO of cashflow analytics platform EDGE, Timothy Li, cofounder and CEO of orchestration platform LendAPI, and Vincent Zhang, chief growth and strategy officer at Braviant Holdings. We had the chance to discuss:* How different stakeholders across the lending value chain are driving change* What goes into transforming raw transaction data into something that is usable in the underwriting process* How cashflow data can be used to help underwrite borrowers across the credit spectrum* How leveraging cashflow data can improve lenders' bottom line* And more! Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, I had the chance to talk with Unit21's head of product Kunal Datta. Kunal and I had the chance to discuss:-The recent guest post Kunal published in Fintech Business Weekly-The new fintech playbook: eliminating work instead of just streamlining it.-How fintechs use AI to differentiate by solving for frequency instead of friction.-How fintechs, banks, and credit unions are using AI to automate financial crime operations.-How to think about AI automating manual work in financial services.-And more! Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, I was joined by Charles Calomiris, Henry Kaufman Professor Emeritus of Financial Institutions in the Faculty of Business and Professor Emeritus of International and Public Affairs at Columbia Business School, Stephen Haber, A.A. and Jeanne Welch Milligan Professor, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, Professor of History and, by courtesy, of Economics at Stanford University, and Kiah Haslett, bank reporting veteran and creator of the Fintech Takes Banking newsletter.Charles and Stephen are the authors of 2014's excellent comparative analysis of banking and political systems, Fragile by Design, which informed our discussion and I highly recommend anyone involved in financial services read if they haven't already.Charles, Stephen, Kiah, and I had the chance to discuss:* The nature of the “Game of Bank Bargains”* Why Canadians love their banks* Some of the underlying reasons behind the growth of the shadow banking system in the US* Charles' argument that Biden-era regulators were staunchly opposed to innovation in the banking system and why he thinks that former acting Comptroller Michael Hsu was “a complete hack”* Why young people should pay more attention to the fiscal decisions coming out of Washington* The risks of “progressive ideology” and why more government may not be the answer* And much, much moreYou can find more of Charles' work here and and Stephens' here. More information on the Hoover Institution, including the ability to sign up for its newsletter, here. Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

This episode was recorded live during last week's MX Money Experience Summit in Park City, Utah. During the event, I had the chance to sit down with Brian Reshefsky, founder and CEO of cashflow analytics platform EDGE, and Matt West, chief revenue officer of open banking infrastructure company MX. We had the chance to discuss:* What makes EDGE unique among cashflow analytics platforms, including its ability to help lenders make better use of their first-party data* How EDGE works with open banking data companies like MX to power a variety of use cases across the borrower lifecycle, from customer marketing to underwriting and servicing* How cashflow data helps lenders better understand risk across the credit spectrum* Why EDGE decided to structure itself as a credit reporting agency and what that means for lenders using its data* and more! Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify Hey all, Jason here.Alex Johnson, creator of the Fintech Takes newsletter, and I are happy to bring you the latest episode of our monthly podcast, Fintech Recap, where we unpack some of the biggest stories in fintech, banking, and crypto.This episode is brought to you by Fintech NerdCon, the fintech event by operators, for operators. Use promo code FBW20 to save 20% on your ticket!In this episode, Alex and I discussed:* If open banking is prisoners' dilemma, Plaid defected to JPMorgan Chase. What it means and what comes next.* The FBI is continuing to investigate embattled Evolve Bank & Trust and its bankrupt middleware partner Synapse over as much as $95 million in missing depositor funds.* FICO is an AI company now, I guess.* 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

In this episode, I had the chance to talk with Hummingbird cofounder and CEO Joe Robinson about the AI-powered compliance platform's latest product news. Joe and I had the chance to discuss:* The launch of Hummingbird's new customer screening and transaction monitoring capabilities* How financial institutions can move beyond disparate platforms and siloed data to more effectively mitigate financial crime risk* The explosion of “AI” everything, how Hummingbird actually uses artificial intelligence, and what Hummingbird's AI-powered capabilities empower its customers to do* The importance of being able to adapt quickly in today's ever-changing regulatory and threat environment* And more! Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Alex and I discussed:* Open banking's do over: parsing the advanced notice of proposed rulemaking* Rescue ships head for BaaS Island, but what precedent does the first-ever fintech bail out set?* The GENIUS Act, legislation to regulate and license permitted payment stablecoin issuers, is already the law of the land. Why are bank trade groups pushing back now?* 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

Glen connects with the founders of three early stage startups- Lulo, PromptWrx and Thryft Ship- who pitched for the $25,000 Innovation Challenge prize at Fintech South last week, each addressing a quite different pain point. Also- Visa gives up on US open banking, Wyoming (kind of) launches the first state-issued stablecoin, and our own audience vote for best startup.         Links related to this episode:   Click here to vote for your favorite of the three Innovation Challenge Finalists. Lulo: https://www.hellolulo.com/ PromptWrx: https://promptwrx.com/ Thryft Ship: https://thryftship.com/  Reuters on Visa's shuttering of its US open banking unit: https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/visa-closes-us-open-banking-unit-data-fight-heats-up-source-says-2025-08-22/  CoinTelegraph's reporting on Wyoming's stablecoin launch: https://cointelegraph.com/news/wyoming-frnt-stablecoin-visa-support-7-blockchains  Fintech Business Weekly's assessment of Wyoming's FRNT stablecoin: https://fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/p/who-is-wyomings-stablecoin-for    Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday September 17 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- for a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. The Town Hall is free to attend, but advance registration is required:  https://www.cutownhall.com/   Follow us on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/   https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/

Glen connects with Early Warning's Chief Partnerships Officer Eric Hoffman about the latest progress of Paze's digital wallet, and Payfinia GM Keith Riddle on his firm's deal to bring Paze to credit unions. Also- yet another twist in the open banking road, and hints of momentum for de novo institutions.     Links related to this episode:   Paze:  https://www.paze.com/ Payfinia: https://tyfone.com/payfinia/  Our interview with Paze's Head of Operations Catherine Murchie at Money 20/20 last October: https://www.big-fintech.com/onboarding-and-offboarding-at-money-20-20/  Planet Money's episode on Fortuna Bank's de novo journey: https://www.npr.org/2025/03/07/1236538076/new-bank-startup-regulations-entrepreneur  Our recent conversation with the CU De Novo Collective's Denise Wymore: https://www.big-fintech.com/starting-simple-small-and-with-purpose/  Payments Dive on the CFPB's plan to “substantially rework” its Open Banking rule: https://www.paymentsdive.com/news/open-banking-consumer-financial-protection-bureau-financial-payments-data-fintechs-Trump/756212/  Fintech Business Weekly on Chase's plan to charge for open banking data: https://fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/p/chase-strikes-first-with-open-banking  Fintech South August 19-20 in Atlanta: https://www.fintechsouth.com/ USE CODE BIGCAST25 FOR A REGISTRATION DISCOUNT   A special time for our next CU Town Hall: Mark your calendars for our next Town Hall session- Monday, August 18 at 3:30pm ET/12:30pm PT- streaming live from America's Credit Unions' Strategic Growth Conference. It's free to attend, but advance registration is required. Visit https://www.cutownhall.com/ to request an invitation.    Follow us on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/   https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/

In this episode, Alex Johnson and I discussed:* The revelation that JPMorgan Chase intends to begin charging third-parties, including aggregators like Plaid and MX, to access consumers' data rocked the U.S. fintech landscape last week. Alex and I unpacked what it could mean.* Since we recorded this last week, a group trade associations, including the Financial Technology Association and the American Fintech Council, sent a letter to President Trump, essentially asking him to reconsider the CFPB's position to abandon defense of the rule (I covered this on Sunday here.)* In a surprising turn of events, the CFPB filed a motion in the challenge brought against the rule by a small Kentucky bank, the Kentucky Bankers Association, and the Bank Policy Institute, asking the court to pause the proceedings.* The CFPB said it will undertake a new open banking rulemaking and expects to release an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking within the next three weeks, kicking off an “accelerated” rulemaking process. Stay tuned for Sunday, where I'll unpack the latest developments and what they mean for open banking.* GENIUS is law: what's next for stablecoin issuers, banks, custodians, and consumers?* 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

In this episode, Alex Johnson and I discussed:* The revelation that JPMorgan Chase intends to begin charging third-parties, including aggregators like Plaid and MX, to access consumers' data rocked the U.S. fintech landscape last week. Alex and I unpacked what it could mean.* Since we recorded this last week, a group trade associations, including the Financial Technology Association and the American Fintech Council, sent a letter to President Trump, essentially asking him to reconsider the CFPB's position to abandon defense of the rule (I covered this on Sunday here.)* In a surprising turn of events, the CFPB filed a motion in the challenge brought against the rule by a small Kentucky bank, the Kentucky Bankers Association, and the Bank Policy Institute, asking the court to pause the proceedings.* The CFPB said it will undertake a new open banking rulemaking and expects to release an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking within the next three weeks, kicking off an “accelerated” rulemaking process. Stay tuned for Sunday, where I'll unpack the latest developments and what they mean for open banking.* GENIUS is law: what's next for stablecoin issuers, banks, custodians, and consumers?* 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

In this episode, Alex Johnson of Fintech Takes and I discuss:* FICO launches new scores that incorporate pay-in-four buy now, pay later data. But will it make a difference?* The CFPB files a statement of interest in the Synapse bankruptcy, potentially setting up a backdoor bailout to make out-of-pocket depositors whole. Does it set a bad precedent?* A brief word on crypto mortgages.* 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

In this episode, Alex Johnson of Fintech Takes and I discuss:* FICO launches new scores that incorporate pay-in-four buy now, pay later data. But will it make a difference?* The CFPB files a statement of interest in the Synapse bankruptcy, potentially setting up a backdoor bailout to make out-of-pocket depositors whole. Does it set a bad precedent?* A brief word on crypto mortgages.* 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

Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple PodcastsHey all, Jason here.In this episode, I had the chance to talk with Executive Vice President and General Manager of Payments and Financial Services at BILL's Mary Kay Bowman. Mary Kay's career has spanned roles at Amazon, Square, Visa, and now financial operations platform BILL. We had a chance to discuss:* BILL's evolution from accounts payable and receivable tools, to cashflow insights and forecasting, to the wide breadth of capabilities it offers today* Why so many businesses still use checks (really)* Balancing the needs and preferences of payor and payee* The persist challenges of fraud in the payments space* The opportunities presented by AI and “agentic” payments* And more!Enjoying this podcast? Follow, rate it, and leave a review on your favorite podcast app — it really helps others find the show.

In this episode, I had the chance to talk with Luke Voiles, CEO of embedded financing platform Pipe. Luke and I had the chance to discuss:* How Pipe has evolved over time* The kinds of platforms Pipe partners with* Pipe's embedded card capabilities* Pipe's relationship with its bank partner* And more! Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, I had the chance to talk with Trent Sorbe, Chief Payments Officer at First International Bank & Trust. Trent and I had the chance to discuss:* The different waves of bank-fintech partnerships and the popping of the BaaS bubble* What some investors and bankers got wrong about the first wave of BaaS* What's different about First International Bank & Trust's payments platform, Kotapay, and banking-as-a-service platform, Kavinu* Kavinu's first customer: online savings marketplace Raisin* And more! Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Alex and I discussed:* Unpacking Chime's IPO plans* What the hell is going with 1033?* The GENIUS bill advances in the Senate* 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

In this episode, Alex and I discussed:* Unpacking Chime's IPO plans* What the hell is going with 1033?* The GENIUS bill advances in the Senate* 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

In this episode, I had the chance to talk with Arad Levertov, cofounder and CEO of buy now, pay later lender Sunbit. Arad started Sunbit 10 years ago — long before BNPL as we know it today exploded in popularity during the early days of the COVID pandemic. Arad and I had a chance to discuss:* What differentiates Sunbit from other BNPL providers in a crowded market* Why distribution is key in lending, particularly in BNPL* Sunbit's unique approach to underwriting borrowers that allows it to approve 9 out of 10 applicants* How Sunbit stays ahead of emerging macroeconomic shifts* And more! Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode Alex Johnson, of Fintech Takes, and Jesse Silverman, of Troutman Pepper, joined me to talk about:* Recent developments in the bankruptcy case (spoiler: Jesse isn't a bankruptcy lawyer!)* Who's to blame for the Synapse disaster* Reflections on some of the regulatory response, including former FDIC Chair Gruenberg's effort to roll back the 2020 brokered deposit rule and the “Synapse” ledgering and reconciliation rule* What lessons stakeholders — banks, fintechs, regulators, VCs — can and should take from this situation* And more! Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Alex and I discussed:* Alex's trip to BaaS Island: the founder/CEO of Increase seeking approval to acquire a controlling stake in a bank & the Hatch Bank's consent order with the California DFPI* Ryan Breslow's return to one-click checkout / “super app” Bolt* Crypto firms seeking bank charters* And, as always, what Alex and Jason just can't let go of Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Alex and I discussed:* Alex's trip to BaaS Island: the founder/CEO of Increase seeking approval to acquire a controlling stake in a bank & the Hatch Bank's consent order with the California DFPI* Ryan Breslow's return to one-click checkout / “super app” Bolt* Crypto firms seeking bank charters* And, as always, what Alex and Jason just can't let go of Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, I had the chance to talk with Michele Alt, cofounder and managing director of Klaros Group and a 22-year veteran of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Michele and I had the chance to discuss:* What the opening of the “charter window” means and how fintechs should think about the opportunity* The de novo process vs. acquiring an existing bank* Michele and Klaro's recent work on SmartBiz's acquisition of United Community Bancshares and its subsidiary, Centrust Bank* Thinking through when becoming or buying a bank makes sense vs. when it might not* The open letter Michele coauthored alongside many other industry experts advocating for changes the federal bank regulators can make to streamline de novo bank formation* What Michele is keeping her eye on in DC at the moment* And much more! Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, we discussed:* Alex and I recorded this before “Liberation Day” and thus before Klarna chose to delay its IPO; that said, our analysis of Klarna's F-1 registration statement stands!* A return to BaaS Island: a first-hand account of Mercury and Evolve's abrupt public parting of ways; what other banks, fintechs, and regulators can learn from the chaotic split.* It's charter time: a brief discussion of SmartBiz, OakNorth, and OneMain's progress on charters; prescient, given the news this week that Stripe has applied for Georgia's merchant acquirer limit purpose bank (MALPB) charter (more on Stripe's news from me here, including a copy of the public portion of its application.)* 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

In this episode, we discussed:* Alex and I recorded this before “Liberation Day” and thus before Klarna chose to delay its IPO; that said, our analysis of Klarna's F-1 registration statement stands!* A return to BaaS Island: a first-hand account of Mercury and Evolve's abrupt public parting of ways; what other banks, fintechs, and regulators can learn from the chaotic split.* It's charter time: a brief discussion of SmartBiz, OakNorth, and OneMain's progress on charters; prescient, given the news this week that Stripe has applied for Georgia's merchant acquirer limit purpose bank (MALPB) charter (more on Stripe's news from me here, including a copy of the public portion of its application.)* 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

In this episode, I had the chance to talk with Matthew Goldman, a true expert in the card space. Matthew has done stints at Green Dot, AT&T, Bankrate, and Apto Payments, as well as starting multiple of his own ventures. Matthew currently published the CardsFTW newsletter and is the founder and managing member of boutique fintech consultancy Totavi.We had a chance to discuss:* Matthew's thoughts on where fintech debit & credit card businesses stand in 2025, including if interchange alone is a sustainability business model (hint: it's not)* Whether or not there's room for another big consumer fintech out there* The changing infrastructure space, including the difference between issuer processors and program managers* Crypto & stablecoins* and more! Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, I had the chance to speak with ledgering, reconciliation, and compliance startup NAYA's CEO Sherif Kozman. We had a chance to discuss:* Why ledgering and reconciliation, especially in fintech-bank partnerships, is so dang difficult (hint: legacy cores, batch payment files & more)* The consequences of poor ledgering and reconciliation* Advice for banks and fintechs struggling to manage manual processes* And more Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, I had the chance to speak Current's cofounder and CTO, Trevor Marshall, and Cross River Bank's Head of Strategy and Development, Hillel Olivestone. We had the chance to talk about:* Why Current decided to build its own tech stack & what it's enabled the company to do* How Current and Cross River think about the “buy vs. build” debate* The “jobs to be done” addressed by Current's Build Card* Current's latest Datos Insight case study* The beauty and resiliency of ACH flat files (yes, really)* And more! Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

In the last year I don't think there is any area of fintech that has received more attention than the Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) space. And it is not just the Synapse debacle, it is all the consent orders that have come out of the bank regulators. We have a banking system that pretty much demands that fintech companies partner with banks and we are still yet to figure out what the optimal business model is here.My next guest on the Fintech One-on-One podcast is Jason Mikula, the publisher of Fintech Business Weekly and the Head of Industry, Strategy, Banking and Fintech at the risk decisioning platform Taktile. He has become one of the leading authorities on BaaS and has recently authored a book on this topic. It is the most comprehensive look at BaaS and the many challenges it has faced and we delve into these challenges in this episode.In this podcast you will learn:How Jason ended up living in the Netherlands.His impetus for starting the Fintech Business Weekly newsletter.What attracted Jason to focus so much on Banking-as-a-Service.Why he decided to write a book on BaaS.How he frames the difference between BaaS and embedded finance.Why fintech companies have been attracted to omnibus or FBO accounts at banks.The interview that Jason did with founder and former CEO of Synapse, Sankaet Pathak.Where we are with the Synapse saga (as of mid-February, 2025).What Jason thinks the likelihood the impacted consumers will get their funds back.Whether we will ever learn what happened to missing 90-odd million dollars.His thoughts on the middleware model that was core to the development of BaaS.How he views the BaaS model evolving long term in the U.S.Connect with Fintech One-on-One: Tweet me @PeterRenton Connect with me on LinkedIn Find previous Fintech One-on-One episodes

In this episode, Alex Johnson and I discuss:* The chaos in DC. What might in mean for banking, fintech & consumers?* Varo Bank struggles on, with a new CEO and some additional capital.* A grab bag of BNPL topics.* And, as always, what Alex and Jason just can't let go of. Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Alex Johnson and I discuss:* The chaos in DC. What might in mean for banking, fintech & consumers?* Varo Bank struggles on, with a new CEO and some additional capital.* A grab bag of BNPL topics.* And, as always, what Alex and Jason just can't let go of. Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

In This Episode This week, we bring you Part III of exclusive insights from Fintech Xchange '25 at the Stena Center for Financial Technology and the University of Utah, powered by U.S. Bank. Host Jason Henrichs engages in a dynamic discussion with Jason Mikula of Fintech Business Weekly and Chris Black, CEO & President of Thread Bank. Their conversation spans topics from Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) and regulatory shifts under the new administration to the dual-edged nature of innovation in today's financial landscape. Chris delves into Thread Bank's unique transformation as it evolved from the historic Civis Bank—established in 1906—into a fintech-enabled community bank. In 2021, new leadership recapitalized and revitalized the institution by adopting an industrial approach to BaaS and launching Thread. Thread's goal is to deliver the unparalleled value of a community bank to individuals and businesses, leveraging intuitive technology to meet customers where they are. Maintaining two local branches, Thread is delivering on its mission of embedded banking -- deposits, loans, and payments, and exemplifies the integration of traditional banking services with modern embedded banking solutions. By transcending geographical limitations and focusing on scalable, durable models, Thread collaborates with partners to manage risks and capitalize on the strengths of partnership banking. In the second segment, University of Utah alumnus Rhett Roberts, CEO & Co-founder of LoanPro, joins "the Jasons" to discuss the evolving fintech ecosystem and APIs. Are they coming of age? Naturally they talk about cores, and how banks are in the process of conscious decoupling to build resilient infrastructures in order to weather future disruptions. Rhett shares LoanPro's journey from inception to powering some of the biggest lenders in fintech. LoanPro offers a scalable, API-first lending and credit platform that fosters innovation by streamlining origination, servicing, collections, and payments across various loan types, lines of credit, and credit cards. This narrative underscores the transformative impact of fintech solutions in modernizing financial services. Listen and watch to explore these compelling stories!

Our podcast show today features Jason Mikula, publisher of Fintech Business Weekly; a newsletter going beyond the headlines to analyze the technology, regulatory and business model trends, driving the rapidly evolving financial services ecosystem at the intersection of traditional banking, payments, FinTech and crypto. We discuss his recently released book, titled “Banking as a Service: Opportunities, Challenges, and Risks of New Banking Business Models” (Kogan Page 2024). The publisher describes the book as follows: “This book provides a comprehensive look at banking-as-a-service (BaaS), equipping readers with an understanding of the origins, evolution, future and applications of BaaS and the key differences across global markets.” BaaS is a game changer in the financial services sector, radically transforming both how consumers experience financial products and the business models delivering them. “Banking as a Service” cuts through the hype to provide a measured overview of BaaS, helping readers to demystify a complex evolving field, and understand its key opportunities, challenges, and risks. It provides a framework for understanding where BaaS came from, how BaaS changes the economics and business models of banking products and services, its impact on key stakeholders, and its key regulatory implications. “Banking as a Service” explains how business and operating models work, exploring different models such as interchange, deposit gathering, loan origination-to-distribute, legacy, API-first, own license, match-making and bank service providers, and offers a framework for thinking about whether or not they're sustainable. It explores how BaaS operating and business models compare in different global territories and is supported by real-world examples and cases profiling organizations such as Blue Ridge Bank, Unit, Synapse, Goldman Sachs, Railsr, Starling, Solaris, Cacao Paycard, QNB, OnePipe, Airwallex, Nium and Pomelo. It also explains the differences between BaaS, embedded finance and “open banking.” Alan and Jason discuss the answers to the following questions and topics: 1.              What do we mean when we say "banking as a service"? 2.              What are the different BaaS business models/operating models? 3.              What led to the explosion in banking-as-a-service? 4.              Why have bank/fintech partnerships had a rough go of it lately in the US and is that likely to change with a new administration? 5.              What is (or what should be) regulators' role in supervising non-bank entities in the BaaS value chain (eg, middleware, customer-facing fintechs)? 6.              What is an FBO and are FBOs the "original sin" of banking-as-a-service? 7.              What advice would you give to banks considering getting into the BaaS space? How do you see the market evolving from here - for banks, for technology providers, and for customer-facing companies? 8.              What advice would you give to fintechs that rely on a bank partner or are looking for one? Alan Kaplinsky, Senior Counsel and former chair for 25 years of the Consumer Financial Services Group, hosts the discussion.

In this episode, I had the chance to speak to Rafa Plantier, Head of Go-to-Market at Gigs, the world's first operating system for mobile services, enabling companies, including neobanks, HR and travel platforms, and device manufacturers, to seamlessly embed phone and data plans into their products within weeks. Gigs provides an end-to-end connectivity platform with everything brands need to launch and operate their own multi-market mobile service.We had the chance to discuss:* The opportunity banks and fintechs see in the mobile connectivity space* What geographies and customer segments may be more open to bundling mobile service with their financial provider* How Rafa's experience in banking and fintech has informed how he thinks about mobile phone service (and vice-versa)* And much more! Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

Hey all, Jason here.Alex Johnson, creator of the Fintech Takes newsletter, and I are happy to bring you the latest episode of our monthly podcast, Fintech Recap, where we unpack some of the biggest stories in fintech, banking, and crypto.We recorded this ~very special episode~ live during the Fintech XChange event in Salt Lake City, Utah, late last month — and were joined by Alloy Labs Alliance CEO Jason Henrichs (the more Jasons the merrier!). We had the chance to talk about:* Revelations that the Department of Justice is investigating the Synapse catastrophe* Patriot Bank's BaaS-related enforcement action* Ramp's launch of Ramp Treasury* Rohit Chopra's land stand at the CFPB* And, as always, what Alex and Jason just can't let go of…If 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

Hey all, Jason here.Alex Johnson, creator of the Fintech Takes newsletter, and I are happy to bring you the latest episode of our monthly podcast, Fintech Recap, where we unpack some of the biggest stories in fintech, banking, and crypto.We recorded this ~very special episode~ live during the Fintech XChange event in Salt Lake City, Utah, late last month — and were joined by Alloy Labs Alliance CEO Jason Henrichs (the more Jasons the merrier!). We had the chance to talk about:* Revelations that the Department of Justice is investigating the Synapse catastrophe* Patriot Bank's BaaS-related enforcement action* Ramp's launch of Ramp Treasury* Rohit Chopra's land stand at the CFPB* And, as always, what Alex and Jason just can't let go of…If 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

This month, Alex and I had the chance to talk about:* CBW Bank's fights a $20.5 million civil money penalty that could “imperil” the bank's existence* Will the IPO window open in 2025? Chime confidentially files to go public.* The CPFB's parting shots: the bureau files suit against Walmart & Branch (but not partner Evolve Bank & Trust)* And, as always, what Alex & Jason just can't let go of Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

This month, Alex and I had the chance to talk about:* CBW Bank's fights a $20.5 million civil money penalty that could “imperil” the bank's existence* Will the IPO window open in 2025? Chime confidentially files to go public.* The CPFB's parting shots: the bureau files suit against Walmart & Branch (but not partner Evolve Bank & Trust)* And, as always, what Alex & Jason just can't let go of Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to the first Fintech Recap of 2025. As always, I'm joined by Jason Mikula, publisher of Fintech Business Weekly and author of the shiny new book Banking as a Service (which I'm loving, by the way), as we catch up post-holiday to dive into the fintech buzz. First pit stop: BaaS Island and the CBW Bank saga. This small player with a big history—partnering with pioneers Moven and Ripple—just got slapped with a major $20M penalty from the FDIC. But CBW is fighting back, challenging the FDIC in court. As fintech blurs the line between community banks and fintech giants, can a community bank charter truly handle nationwide payments and high-stakes BaaS?  Next up, get ready for the IPO tidal wave in 2025. It's shaping up to be a big one for fintech, and Chime is at the forefront, gearing up for its big debut. While there's chatter about their customer count—anywhere from 7M to 38M—one thing's undeniable: Chime boasts a solid customer base with impressive direct deposit adoption. Things are about to get interesting. Moving on, Walmart and Branch are in hot water with the CFPB for allegedly opening accounts for Walmart Spark drivers without consent, forcing them to use Branch or risk termination. This raises huge questions about employers embedding financial services in their workers' lives. Not to mention, the urgent need for tighter oversight on employer-sponsored fintech in 2025. Plus, we rant about Vivek Ramaswamy's unhinged tweet blaming the 90s pop culture—like Boy Meets World and Friends reruns—for America's software engineer shortage. Yep, seriously.  It's  Whiplash reruns or nothing for the "Department of Government Efficiency.” Here's looking at you, 2025. 00:04:19 - Return to BaaS Island 00:23:59 - IPO Watch: Chime 00:40:59 - Walmart x Branch 00:56:35 - Can't Let It Go 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: Newsletter: https://fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmikula/   Follow Alex:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson

Alex Johnson, creator of the Fintech Takes newsletter, and I are happy to bring you the latest episode of our monthly podcast, Fintech Recap. This month we had the chance to talk about:* Our time in Washington, DC, to attend the American Fintech Council Policy Summit, FinRegLab's AI Symposium, and a variety of other meetings* What's been happening on “BaaS Island,” with the Synapse bankruptcy moving into its next phase as depositors are left wondering when — or if — they'll ever be made whole* The CFPB's rule defining larger participant in the digital wallet space* …and, as always, what Alex and Jason just can't let go of Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

Alex Johnson, creator of the Fintech Takes newsletter, and I are happy to bring you the latest episode of our monthly podcast, Fintech Recap. This month we had the chance to talk about:* Our time in Washington, DC, to attend the American Fintech Council Policy Summit, FinRegLab's AI Symposium, and a variety of other meetings* What's been happening on “BaaS Island,” with the Synapse bankruptcy moving into its next phase as depositors are left wondering when — or if — they'll ever be made whole* The CFPB's rule defining larger participant in the digital wallet space* …and, as always, what Alex and Jason just can't let go of Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe

Jason Mikula, publisher of Fintech Business Weekly, talks about the ongoing fallout from the failure of fintech Synapse, and banking regulators' efforts to ensure it can't happen again. Are regulators going too far? Is this the end of banking-as-a-service?

Alex Johnson, creator of the Fintech Takes newsletter, and I are happy to bring you the latest episode of our monthly podcast, Fintech Recap, where we unpack some of the biggest stories in fintech, banking, and crypto.This month we had the chance to talk about:* A return to BaaS Island: the FDIC's proposed “Synapse Rule,” Five Star Bank quits BaaS, and the evolving (ha) economics of partner banks* The CFPB accepts comments on FDX as standard-setting organization for 1033 open banking* Department of Justice sues Visa, alleging it has used anticompetitive business practices to maintain an illegal monopoly on the US debit processing market* …and, as always, what Alex and Jason just can't let go ofAre you attending Money2020? Alex and I will be joining Simon Taylor for an invite-only session on “How to Win At Embedded Finance,” sponsored by Sardine, Sonar, LoanPro, and Visa — more info here.If 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 Warning: Extra spice added -- new sauces and participants! The stream of consent orders against banks that offer BaaS continues. Fintech partner banks drew 1/3 of all formal enforcement orders by federal banking agencies in the 4th quarter of 2023, that's quite a bit when you consider that fintech partner banks only account for roughly 3% of all U.S. banks. BaaS is here to stay -- it's a great way for community banks to grow, big banks are already on board and will do more, and entrepreneurs will want to continue to create better banking experiences which means they'll need to partner with banks. Jason Henrichs brings you our latest Hot Takes with regulars Kiah Haslett, Bank Director; Alex Johnson, Fintech Takes; and Jason Mikula, Fintech Business Weekly, as they are joined by Barb MacLean, SVP, Head of Tech Operations & Implementation, Coastal Community Bank and Allen Denson, Partner, Litigation, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP.  The flaming hot panel discusses why BaaS is facing regulatory headwinds, what banks should do, and how the North Star needs to be a BaaS solution that provides the optimal blend of technology and compliance, all while having some fun. From the stage of FinovateFall we bring you this episode of Breaking Banks. https://youtu.be/Fk01H61HlJc

In this episode, we get an insider look into the financial technology landscape with Jason Mikula. Jason shares his journey, from his unexpected entry into financial services and digital marketing to launching the publication Fintech Business Weekly. He emphasizes the importance of understanding customer acquisition metrics and analyzes the evolution of fintech innovations like online lending, BNPL, Banking as a Service, etc. We delve into the mechanics of Banking as a Service (BaaS) and the complex relationships between fintechs, middleware platforms, and banks. Jason is currently in the middle of reporting on news as it breaks around Synapse, Evolve and several fintechs, as well as the thousands of customers caught in the middle of it. He highlights the regulatory challenges and the balancing act between risk and growth. Our discussion also addresses the current regulatory landscape and the future of partner banking, stressing the need for sustainable and economically sound practices. Tune in for a comprehensive conversation that explores the intricacies of fintech and digital banking services. CHAPTER MARKERS: 00:00 Preview 00:45 Intro 00:58 Sponsor 01:31 Meet Jason Mikula, Analyst and Writer of FinTech Business Weekly 03:23 Jason's Background in Financial Services 04:27 Joining Enova and Learning Subprime Lending 05:22 Marketing Metrics and Customer Acquisition 07:05 Challenges in Digital Financial Services 09:09 The Importance of Digital Marketing in FinTech 14:29 Starting FinTech Business Weekly 17:38 Analyzing the FinTech Landscape 20:10 Insights on BNPL and Market Valuations 23:32 Banking as a Service and Middleware Companies 31:49 Regulatory Challenges and Partner Banking 40:23 Regulatory Priorities and Market Impact 44:46 Systemic Risks and Community Banks 48:53 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In This Episode There's more to episode 543 -- Killing It: The Story Behind the Synapse Story -- right here! The Synapse saga continues but we make it easy to stay current and benefit from expert analysis as host Jason Henrichs unpacks the latest news with Jason Mikula, publisher of Fintech Business Weekly. The two are watching the topic closely, offering insight into what it all means, from a Chapter 11 Trustee, to new account and financial resilience concerns, FDIC insurance disclosure, challenges and regulation not to mention potential risks and implications for banking and fintech. A takeaway from it all, the importance of regulation in promoting responsible innovation.