Fintech Takes

Welcome to Fintech Takes, the podcast breaking down the latest in fintech news and trends. I'm Alex Johnson, your self-proclaimed Fintech nerd and creator of the Fintech Takes newsletter. We’re shaking up our regular schedule with a special solo episode of my 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀. What’s that, you ask? It’s my monthly hangout with fellow fintech nerds where we unpack the latest industry news, field audience questions, and have a candid chat. If you haven’t joined one yet, mark your calendar for December! Now, let’s dive in. First up: The Election. While I’m staying out of politics, I’m exploring what Trump’s reelection could mean for fintech. Deregulation is on the horizon, and early shifts in financial services are already happening. But will this “Amish rumspringer” in finance trigger another speculative frenzy? Is deregulation the right answer, or could it lead to long-term consumer challenges? Next: Marqeta. The card issuer processor’s stock plummeted 30% after Q3 earnings. Big clients are bringing program management in-house, signaling a major shift. As regulatory scrutiny rises, the old model where Visa and Mastercard acted as quasi-regulators may crumble. For intermediaries like Marqeta, it’s adapt or lose key revenue. Then, FDIC’s new report on financial inclusion: progress is being made, but many Americans are still left out of traditional banking. Can fintech close the gap, or is the system too rigid to change? Finally, crypto remains a paradox. New FDIC data shows it’s mostly for wealthy, young, banked investors—not the empowerment tool many promised, contrary to what Coinbase et al would have us believe. Is crypto reshaping financial services, or actually deepening divides?  Tune in to find out. 00:02:32 - The “Amish Rumspringa” of finance begins 00:29:13 - Marqeta and the canary in the coal mine 00:36:20 - The unbanked and underbanked  00:48:17 - Crypto’s paradox 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 Alex:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson

Welcome to another special Fintech Takes episode.  I’m Alex Johnson, just back from four intense days at Money20/20 in Las Vegas, and here to unpack it all with me is my friend Jason Henrichs, CEO of Alloy Labs and co-host of the Breaking Banks podcast.  In this crossover, we’re breaking down the major topics of Money20/20, 2024 edition. This year, it was all about major topics: bank-fintech partnerships, banking as a service, open banking (1033, anyone?), and, of course, AI. First up, open banking stole the show. Just last week, the CFPB finalized the 1033 rule, igniting some serious debates. I even interviewed Director of the CFPB, Rohit Chopra, on stage, where he tackled the ongoing lawsuit from big banks trying to block the Personal Financial Data Rights Rule (AKA open banking 👋). Meanwhile, the conversations around bank-fintech partnerships, third-party risk management, and BaaS were less dramatic and more…solutions-oriented, circling around setting standards and ensuring that smaller fintech companies have access to bank partnerships. As for AI? Even OpenAI admitted that AI might be overhyped heading into 2025, and the industry is ready for real talk on its utility.  Innovation may headline Money20/20, but this year’s main act? Regulators. Gone are the days when crypto and disruption headlined; in 2024, it’s all about regulatory stakes grounding the industry in today’s…reality—fancy that. Raising the standard of quality for embedded finance infrastructure, Newline™ by Fifth Third is an API platform that enables enterprises to launch and scale payment, card and deposit products directly with Fifth Third Bank.   Learn more at newline53.com 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 Alex:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson Follow Jason: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonhenrichs/ Breaking Banks podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-banks/id641357669

Welcome to a special edition of Fintech Takes, recorded live from MX's Money Experience Summit in beautiful Park City, Utah.  Big shout-out to MX for letting me squeeze in some live podcasting–my favorite thing to do! First up, I chat with Ashwin Vasan, senior advisor at FS Vector, and Kelvin Chen, head of policy at the Consumer Bankers Association—two ex-CFPB experts who help untangle the knots of financial services regulation. We dive into policy talk (recorded before the CFPB's open banking rule dropped), and the messy middle ground of banking and fintech. Plus, we explore how banks are scrambling to stay relevant as embedded finance and BaaS dominate, and why seamless customer experience is the new battleground. Next, I sit down with Jesse Mecham, founder of YNAB, to unpack his philosophy of mindful money management. We chat about how YNAB encourages users to think intentionally about managing their money, challenging the usual fintech rush for speed and convenience that leaves users out of the loop on their own financial decisions. And last but not least, MX founder and freshly returned CEO, Ryan Caldwell, joins to chat about MX’s real secret sauce: its culture. And his passion for culture is contagious. Ryan highlights how leadership, values, and intentional culture is the driver for team dynamics *and* customer outcomes: culture drives results, leadership makes the difference, and in fintech, both are non-negotiable. 00:01:34: Ashwin Vasan, FS Vector + Kelvin Chen, Consumer Bankers Association 00:28:01 Jesse Mecham, YNAB 00:53:45 Ryan Caldwell, MX  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 Alex:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson Companies featured: https://fsvector.com/ https://consumerbankers.com/ https://www.ynab.com/ https://www.mx.com/

Welcome to a special edition of the Fintech Takes podcast. I'm Alex Johnson, here with Colton Pond, Chief Marketing Officer at LoanPro. We’re recording live from the Salt Flats outside of Salt Lake City during LoanPro's customer advisory board meeting. I’m excited to dive into one of my favorite topics—loan servicing—and co-interview a few attendees with Colton. In this episode, we’ll consider what happens after a customer says “yes.” First up, we speak to Jeff Yim, CFO at Borrowell, one of Canada’s largest fintechs, helping 3.5M members navigate credit. In a landscape shaped by rising mortgage rates, Jeff speaks to how stellar onboarding and customer service are essential for a competitive edge. Next, we chat with Jared Jones from Moov, a payment platform that’s evolved into both an acquiring and issuing processor. As ACH payments decline, they offer competitive fixed interchange rates for debt repayment, focusing on user-first innovations. Then Nick Pesce from Happy Money, dedicated to unsecured personal loans in partnership with credit unions, shares how they’re scaling to meet demand for flexible loans, leveraging personalized approaches and credit union partnerships as credit card debt hits record highs. That’s followed by Kamal Rajan and Anthony Navarro, who are building business banking at Golden 1 Credit Union, one of the largest credit unions in the U.S. They reveal how they’re overcoming legacy challenges as they prep to launch ten new products. Raising the standard of quality for embedded finance infrastructure, Newline™ by Fifth Third is an API platform that enables enterprises to launch and scale payment, card and deposit products directly with Fifth Third Bank.   Learn more at newline53.com 00:10:34 - Jeff Yim, Borrowell 00:24:42 - Jared Jones, Moov 00:41:43 - Nick Pesce, Happy Money 01:00:00 - Kamal Rajan and Anthony Navarro, Golden 1 Credit Union 01:15:54 - Greg [undisclosed] 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 Colton Pond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colton-pond-469b11ba/   Follow Alex:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson Companies featured: https://www.loanpro.io/ https://borrowell.com/ https://moov.io/ https://www.golden1.com/

Alex catches up with fintech storyteller Mary Wisniewski, Editor-at-Large at Cornerstone Advisors and host of the podcast Money Isn't Everything. In this episode, they dive into Mary’s latest research on Gen Z's financial habits—spoiler alert: Gen Z is more anxious and open about money than any generation before.  From spilling the tea on student loans to salaries on TikTok, Gen Z is reshaping how we talk about money while grappling with social media pressures and major gaps in basic financial knowledge. The conversation also dives into a hot topic at the other end of the spectrum: the rising focus on fintech for the elderly. Fintechs like Charlie are stepping up with products to protect older adults from fraud and financial insecurity. Will this shift be a game-changer? And what can both young and old teach us about the future of money?  Plus, they tackle Synapse’s impact on trust in fintech. Are consumers becoming more cautious, or is the lure of instant access still too tempting to pass up?  Tune in for a fun, frank discussion on fintech’s future, emphasizing the need for greater empathy, understanding, and innovative solutions to better serve all gens. 00:01:51 - Are the Kids Alright? 00:08:07 - The Gen Z Psyche 00:23:01 - The “Boom” Moment 00:37:16 - Synapse’s Impact on Consumer Trust 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 Mary: Listen to the Money Isn't Everything Podcast HERE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-wisniewski-3a7578b/ Follow Alex:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson

In this episode of Not Fintech Investment Advice, Alex and Simon spotlight the latest up and comers solving cool problems in fintech. First up is Revenir, which helps travelers and businesses recover sales tax on their purchases, making rebates happen "automagically" through its API. As a prime "found money" use case for AI, what's Revenir’s long-term strategy? Could a neo-bank leverage this feature as an exclusive advantage? Then, it’s Summer (the product, not the season) which helps grads manage student debt—combining loan repayment and forgiveness into an HR-friendly package. Selling to HR is tough, but is Summer’s recent acquisition the key to dominating this space? Or would a DTC approach be more effective? Next, Jeff (the product, not the person) is expanding credit access for the underbanked in the Asia-Pacific with non-traditional data for detailed credit profiles and scores. With its "FICO 2.0" approach, could Jeff set a new standard in credit evaluation? Plus, Axle automates compliance workflows with AI agents, handling tasks like sanction screening and KYC. Axle offers a clear value prop to firms overwhelmed by regulatory processes, but can their specialized AI scale across different fintech sectors? Finally, Alex and Simon try to manifest their fintech dreams: interoperable payment rails and unified AnnualCreditReport.com but not terrible. 00:02:20 - Revenir 00:15:15 - Summer 00:27:42 - Jeff 00:40:53 - Axle 00:58:03 - Manifesting Fintech Ideas  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 Simon: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sytaylor/ Substack: https://sytaylor.substack.com   Follow Alex:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson Companies featured: https://www.revenir.ai/ https://www.meetsummer.com/ https://www.jeff-app.com/ https://www.axleruns.com/

Was Zelle a stupid way of introducing real-time payments? Is OpenAI’s CEO going all in on making Minority Report a reality? And has Alex secretly been a Swifty this whole time? On this month’s Fintech Recap, Alex and cohost Jason Mikula, dissect the right way to add monetization and value to real-time money movements and debate if Zelle missed a valuable opportunity to drive revenue. Should instantaneous money movement be a basic human right?  Then, the guys discuss the battle of credit card interchange fees, debit card processing for marijuana dispensaries, and Sam Altman’s vaguely dystopian vision of the future. Do we really need crypto incentives for a retinal-based global form of identification to separate us from artificial intelligence when we’re living off universal basic income? Can we just agree we’re not there yet, Sam?  And stay tuned for this week’s “Can’t Let it Go” segment!   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/   Follow Jason: Substack: https://substack.com/profile/4867166-jason-mikula Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikulaja?s=20 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jasonmikula   Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson

The number of independent workers in Brazil is surging, but still, full employment benefits elude most contract workers. How can this problem be fixed?  In this week’s pod, Alex is taking a deep dive into the world of Brazilian fintech to unpack the state of embedded insurtech with Isaac Matzner, co-founder of Teddy.   They discuss the differences between employment benefits in America versus Brazil, dissect the reasons why both Brazilian and Western insurance companies need to find value beyond pricing, and envision what a sustainable model should look like for the future of embedded finance. Then, the two spend a few minutes chatting about the joys of fatherhood.    0:00 Intro and Explaining Teddy 8:35 Fintech in Brazil 15:32 Adding Value to Insurance 24:16 Embedded Insurance 34:26 Believing in an Embedded Finance Future 42:40 Lessons From a Startup 42:40 Parenting and Outro   Check Out Teddy:  https://www.teddy.com.vc Follow Isaac:   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaac-matzner-78b9633/   Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson   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/

In this month’s “Not Fintech Investment Advice” with Simon Taylor, where Alex and Simon dissect the latest and greatest fintech companies on the market, the guys dissect Noodle.shop’s ploy to be the premier mobile-first solopreneur super app. While it’s reminiscent of the early days of Square, can it develop its own set of creator incentives and create a unique experience? Then, Alex and Simon discuss whether Crux’s plan to transact and manage tax credits for clean energy developers will prove to be an effective wedge before diving into whether or not Vesta will help lenders build a better mortgage journey and why Tint’s embedded insurance system is building new value for its customers.  And, as always, don’t miss out on Alex and Simon’s future manifestations for fintech at the end!   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/   Follow Simon: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sytaylor/   Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson

It’s time for another round of Bank Nerd Corner with Alex and special guest host Kiah Haslett, and thankfully, only one bank has collapsed since its return. Kiah and Alex are geeking out on all the latest news, like MOVEit’s massive data breach, which highlights the relevance of third and fourth-party risks. With over 140 organizations hacked and 15.5 million people’s data compromised, exactly how many disclosures should be released relative to the victims?  Plus, they tackle why there’s about to be an explosion of bank M&A deals happening in the near future, debate if FedNow’s instant money transfers will make banking more fragile than ever, and answer whether or not fintech is actually winning the deposits war.   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/   Follow Kiah: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaslett/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/khaslett   Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson

Our favorite fintech obsessive is back from parental leave, and he’s ready to tackle all of the latest fintech news you might have missed from the last couple of weeks with fellow obsessive and fintech newsletter writer, Jason Mikula.  Alex and Jason break down the latest announcement from Goldman that they’re in talks to offload their partnership with Apple to American Express. What’s the reasoning for this abrupt reversal in an otherwise successful launch of the Apple Savings Feature? And is it the final straw in the unraveling of Goldman’s consumer ambitions, or is Apple just a hard partner to work with?   Then, Alex and Jason cover the surging interest in data fraud consortiums, the leaky funnel surrounding middleware BaaS platforms, and one of the worst FDIC false claims situations Jason has ever seen.  Plus, is crypto finally cannibalizing itself with the latest launch of Justice tokens?    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/   Follow Jason: Newsletter: https://fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmikula/   Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson

What happens when $270 billion of commercial mortgages expire and mature?  In this week’s Bank Nerd Corner, Alex chats with Managing Editor at Bank Director, Kiah Haslett, about the latest in fintech news, and today they’re tackling what might happen to small banks now that commercial real estate companies are faced with refinancing at significantly higher interest rates.  Plus, what’s the outcome for banks like First Republic Bank, who aren’t in the immediate throes of a liquidity crisis but aren’t really profitable either? Can they simply ride it out as they limp along?  Then, stay tuned as Kiah and Alex discuss the reasons why bank regulators aren’t always on the same page and whether or not Apple can actively pull in deposits and compete with banks.   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/   Follow Kiah: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaslett/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/khaslett   Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson

On this week’s podcast, Alex is joined by the wise and powerful Simon Taylor, who’s taking a break from the dreary UK weather to break down a few of the most promising fintech startups and banking as a service platforms. How does Zamp’s outsourced treasury and finance team have a structural advantage in the marketplace? Can ProductFi deliver on its promises to reach underserved communities and still manage to scale? Will Playbook make good on its promise to democratize access to tax advantages for the rest of the 99%?  And how is a Brazilian fintech company utilizing chatbot technology to help 25 million plus self-employed citizens?  Tune in to discover how these innovative companies are disrupting the financial industry and changing the way we think about banking and finance!   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/   Follow Simon: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sytaylor/   Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson

In this special, four-part series, Fintech Takes’ Alex Johnson explores payroll connectivity from a variety of perspectives.    In this episode, Argyle GM Justin Stolzenberg and Column Tax co-founder Gavin Nachbar sit down to chat about the next generation of income tax products and how payroll APIs pave the way for a myriad of innovative use cases.   They discuss how tax products like Column Tax are changing the root function of financial advisors by dispensing real-time, integrated tax advice to consumers and bringing large amounts of data together in a user-centric, problem-centric way.   What other new use cases will these products continue to unlock? And, how are embedded tax solutions addressing consumer market trends such as increasing sources of income and continuous access to payroll data?      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/   Follow Alex:    LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson   Follow Gavin:    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavinnachbar/   Follow Justin    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-stolzenberg-128231112/   Do more for less with Argyle.   Power the digital experiences that drive performance across the customer journey with industry-leading payroll coverage. Automate income verifications, seamlessly fund bank assets, and leverage real-time work to enhance products.    Sign up today and start building your business.   Go to https://argyle.com for more information. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 2:20 Strategic Verticals at Argyle 7:57 Mapping Out Column Tax 11:04 Unlocking New Use Cases 13:10 Continuous Access to Data 16:52 The Issues with Multiple Jobs 18:57 Consumer Market Trends 21:21 B2B & B2C Embedded Model 24:00 Thinking About Balance 28:10 Looking into the Future

In this special, four-part series, Fintech Takes’ Alex Johnson explores payroll connectivity from a variety of perspectives.   In today’s episode, John Hardesty and Kyle Green talk with Alex about how payroll connectivity streamlines the mortgage lending process, making it more straightforward than ever before for borrowers and lenders alike.    As a GM of Mortgage at Argyle, John gives his insights into the cost structure of mortgage lending, the obstacles facing the employment verification process, and how regulators benefit through increased access to payroll data.   Meanwhile, Kyle, a Senior Product Manager for Simple Nexus, shares his unique opinions about the user experience of mortgage lending technology and the common pain points along the employment verification process.   Plus, what do both envision for the future of mortgage lending technology?   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/     Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson   Follow Kyle:  LinkedIn: Hardesty   Follow John: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-hardesty-5aa34672/   Do more for less with Argyle.   Power the digital experiences that drive performance across the customer journey with industry-leading payroll coverage. Automate income verifications, seamlessly fund bank assets, and leverage real-time work to enhance products.    Sign up today and start building your business.   Go to https://argyle.com for more information. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 3:32 Mortgage as an Industry 10:31 Cost Structure of Mortgage Lending 14:44 Verification 18:32 Historical Background of Verification 24:50 Consumer Permission/Payroll Access 32:12 The Changing Nature of Employment 39:35 Regulators and Technology 44:45 The Future of Mortgage Lending

In this special, four-part series, Fintech Takes’ Alex Johnson explores the wide-reaching implications of programmatic, consumer-permissioned access to payroll data.    In this episode, Alex chats with Matt Gomes, GM of Consumer Lending and Banking at Argyle, and Jonathan Katz, VP of Client Development at Amount, about how payroll data is transforming the lending process and unlocking innovative new product concepts.   They tackle why banks should use payroll data to drive higher levels of automation and provide a better customer experience, how credit reports are inherently flawed (and why change is necessary), and how payroll connectivity helps lenders make better decisions.   Plus, Jonathan and Matt offer their predictions for what consumer lending will look like in the near future.    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/     Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson   Follow Matt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewgomes/?originalSubdomain=uk   Follow Jonathan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathankatz4/   Do more for less with Argyle.   Power the digital experiences that drive performance across the customer journey with industry-leading payroll coverage. Automate income verifications, seamlessly fund bank assets, and leverage real-time work to enhance products.    Sign up today and start building your business.   Go to https://argyle.com for more information. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 2:23 Lending 10:21 Gaps in Credit Reports 20:36 Integrating Data with Lenders 26:30 The Compliance Aspect of New Data 33:39 The Nuances of Actual Income 36:28 Consumer Verification 41:52 Where Are We Going Next?

Fintech Business Weekly publisher Jason Mikula joins Alex to discuss the latest news in fintech and banking.   In this week’s episode, they dissect Apple’s high-yield savings account, discuss how the Netherland-based neobank Bunq will do in the U.S., and name their big takeaways are from Plaid’s newly launched real-time payment capability.   And Jason brags about windmills.   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/   Follow Jason: Substack: https://substack.com/profile/4867166-jason-mikula Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikulaja?s=20 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jasonmikula   Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson

In this special, four-part series, Fintech Takes’ Alex Johnson explores payroll connectivity from a lending, mortgage, and emerging technology perspective.    In part one, Alex sits down with Argyle founder and CEO Shmulik Fishman to dissect the evolution of the modern payroll and discover how payroll connectivity companies like Argyle are pushing the boundaries of data sharing between consumers and businesses.   They also chat about the role of data privacy in payroll systems, why businesses are slowly shifting away from the reliance on Equifax for information, and the importance of the consumer experience in payroll connectivity technology.    Plus, find out why Shmulik is all in favor of deleting the pay stub.    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/   Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson   Follow Shmulik: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shmulik/ Personal Website: https://shmulikfishman.com   Do more for less with Argyle.   Power the digital experiences that drive performance across the customer journey with industry-leading payroll coverage. Automate income verifications, seamlessly fund bank assets, and leverage real-time work to enhance products.    Sign up today and start building your business.   Go to https://argyle.com for more information. Timestamps:   0:00 Intro 2:40 Payroll Data Connectivity 6:15 What is Payroll Data? 9:44 Challenges of Collecting Payroll Data 12:30 Data Privacy in Payroll 17:51 Moving Away From Equifax 20:56 The Consumer Payroll Experience 26:27 The Lending Perspective 31:32 Friction and Self Selection 34:36 Building Coverage 38:59 Conversion Rates 40:50 Read and Write Access 45:36 Regulatory Support            48:09 Looking into the Future 50:45 Future Episode Tease

Co-founder of Bloom Money, Nina Mohanty, drops by the podcast to discuss just how many unsolved problems remain in fintech and financial services.   She and Alex talk about a few of the most notable unsolved problems including credit invisibility, the inaccessibility (and unsexiness) of home ownership, and why the Western banking system is largely unequipped to support migrants and refugees.   6:10 Unsolved Problems in Fintech & Credit Invisibility 17:40 Non-Consumer-Facing Credit Methods 20:33 Social Media, Money, and Happiness 29:00 Mortgages and Fintech 40:45 Immigration and Financial Services  52:17 Outro   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/   Follow Nina: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ninamohanty/   Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson

With the benefit of some hindsight (finally), what are the big takeaways from SVB?   Kiah Haslett, managing editor of Bank Director, is in the studio to chat with Alex about why the SVB collapse is redefining how we think about “safe” banking.    They explain how a herd mentality and poor time management culminated in SVB’s failure and dissect why a safe bank could actually contain so much risk.    Plus, Kiah and Alex discuss why the stigma surrounding the Federal Reserve Window is so great and debate whether or not banks can be good at both innovation and risk management.   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/   Follow Kiah:    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaslett/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/khaslett   Follow Alex:  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson  Twitter: twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson  0:00 Intro 6:29 SVB Failure 15:19 What Makes a Bank Safe? 19:36 Running Out of Time 24:12 Other Banks Facing Similar Issues to SVB 29:42 BaaS, Neobanks, and FinTech 34:50 Wait— what? (Federal Discount Window) 53:37 Choosing Between Innovation and Risk Management