Fintech Takes

Auteur(s): Alex Johnson
  • Résumé

  • Fintech moves fast. But here at Fintech Takes, Alex Johnson and his rotating panel of guests move faster so that you can stay on top of the latest and greatest news in the industry without breaking a sweat. Welcome to Fintech Takes—the place where fintech’s biggest nerds come to sit back, relax, and completely geek out. Join Alex and a lineup of fintech’s brightest minds as they dissect what’s happening in fintech and banking. Each week, Alex and his guests recap the most interesting developments in fintech and explore the industry’s most pressing questions, diving headfirst into the intricate workings of some of the industry’s most ground-breaking business models and unpacking the emerging players that promise to shape fintech’s future. From riveting conversations with fintech’s most relevant operators to comprehensive recaps of the month's most compelling news stories and in-depth analyses of the latest regulatory developments, Fintech Takes is your one-stop-shop for navigating the fintech universe. Subscribe now to join fintech’s nerdiest podcast around!
    Copyright 2023 Alex Johnson
    Voir plus Voir moins
Épisodes
  • Bank Nerd Corner: The "Would You Rather?" of Fintech Regulation
    Mar 12 2025
    This week on Bank Nerd Corner, Kiah and Alex welcome a special guest (arguably the MOST special?), former Acting Comptroller of the Currency, Michael Hsu. Together, they explore the fascinating crossroads where financial tradition, innovation, and regulation collide. From the challenges of de novo bank formation post-Great Recession to the rise of Banking as a Service (BaaS), we unpack the risks and rewards of each path. And we’re turning it into a fun, “Would You Rather” game, tackling burning questions like: Would you rather see a banking system with higher risk tolerance for new bank formations OR fintechs operating through BaaS? Would you prefer robust fintech industry standards OR direct regulatory oversight of fintechs? Can fintech thrive without bank charters? Plus, we tackle the core issue of fintech regulation: should we lean on industry standards, or is direct regulatory oversight the only way to protect consumers and avoid future crises? Tune in for a thought-provoking “Would you Rather?” roulette and a super fun dive into the future of financial services—straight from one of the industry's key players. Roll the dice, hit the gas, and let’s see where the game takes us! 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. Read more about Michael here: https://www.occ.gov/about/who-we-are/history/previous-comptrollers/previous-acting-comptrollers/bio-michael-hsu.html Follow Kiah: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaslett/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/khaslett Follow Alex: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson
    Voir plus Voir moins
    1 h et 27 min
  • Fintech Recap: Regulator Shuffle, Varo's Struggles, and BNPL's Dark Side
    Mar 5 2025
    Welcome back to the Fintech Takes podcast. I’m Alex Johnson, and as always, I’m joined by my partner-in-crime, Jason Mikula. Today, we’re unpacking the chaos around regulatory shifts, fintech's shifting landscape, and the not-so-rosy reality of BNPL. First up, we're diving into the latest news coming from D.C. The Trump administration is considering consolidating bank supervision under the OCC, with reports of employee transfers from the FDIC and CFPB in the works. The possible gutting of agencies and the shifting regulatory approach isn’t exactly a surprise, but we’re seeing this transition go from theoretical to action. What’s at stake for banks and fintechs? Next, we dive into Varo’s challenges as the first fintech to snag a de novo bank charter during fintech 1.0’s big promises. Once a leader, Varo is now facing financial losses and a shrinking customer base, while rivals like Chime scale quickly. Varo’s struggles highlight the tension between building responsible products for underserved communities and navigating complex regulatory oversight. Its de novo charter has tied its hands, making it harder to compete in a fast-moving market where flexibility is key. The January CFPB report on Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) brings eye-opening insights. Despite its claim to help those without credit, 45% of BNPL loans go to deep subprime borrowers, not credit newbies. The data also shows users stacking loans across providers, with rising credit card default rates. The takeaway: BNPL’s shiny promises don't align with its impact. Plus, we’re keeping the BNPL convo going with a rapid-fire round of updates. Finally, we wrap up with a few rants you won’t want to miss—like the transparency crisis in financial services and crypto. Powell’s vague responses to Synapse’s failures highlight a deeper issue: accountability. Meanwhile, crypto’s obsession with meme coins is sinking to new lows. Where have all serious players gone? We're diving in. 00:04:50 - Washingtonian Recap 00:26:41 - Varo’s Charter Conundrum 00:40:59 - BNPL News, Grab Bag Style 01:07:45 - 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
    Voir plus Voir moins
    1 h et 13 min
  • Fintech Takes: Regulatory Roulette on Capital Hill
    Feb 26 2025
    Welcome to Fintech Takes! I’m Alex Johnson, and today we’re heading straight into the belly of the beast—Washington, D.C.—where regulators, banks, and fintechs are jockeying for position. Joining me is Rob Blackwell, a 20-year American Banker veteran, Intrafi’s Chief Content Officer, and host of the Banking with Interest pod. Today, we're diving into the big four: CFPB, OCC, FDIC, and the Fed. Regulatory shifts are moving fast, so by the time this airs, this could all be outdated—but hey, c’est la vie! First up, the push to gut the CFPB is gaining ground in some circles, but even banks and credit unions see value in maintaining a referee. Will the CFPB be sidelined (to, ahem, crypto’s benefit) or bounce back with a vengeance? Rob’s take is that it’ll be weakened, not wiped out—it’s too useful politically. Next, the FDIC's tailored supervision shouldn’t mean loosening oversight, especially where fintech partnerships are involved. Small banks aren’t JPMorgan, but they still need scrutiny. Same goes for the OCC, where new leadership is prioritizing collaboration with banks while pushing for targeted regulation to keep things fair. No wild cards here; Trump’s picks are pragmatic, not radical. Finally, the FDIC and Fed are pushing for clearer rules and more transparency, aiming to rein in overreach without forcing banks into unwanted partnerships. The challenge: giving banks discretion while preventing regulators from nudging them into silent exclusions. Bottom line? The rules are changing, but power plays never do. 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 Rob: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-blackwell-63884826/ X: https://x.com/robblackwellab Follow Alex: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson X: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson
    Voir plus Voir moins
    1 h et 10 min

Ce que les auditeurs disent de Fintech Takes

Moyenne des évaluations de clients

Évaluations – Cliquez sur les onglets pour changer la source des évaluations.