Today's Banking Pulse
Mortgage refinance demand plunges 18% as rates climb to 6.65%
Refinance applications fell 18% week‑over‑week, dropping to 38% of total mortgage filings—the lowest share since June 2025. The average 30‑year fixed rate rose to 6.65%, while purchase‑loan volume edged down 0.4% and the average loan size hit $473,600.
Also developing:
By the numbers: OakNorth acquires Monite to boost business banking
Banker Calls for Peak Banker
National Australia Bank CEO Andrew Irvine warned that Australia has hit "peak Australia," signalling that without a productivity boost the economy will stagnate. Real wages fell for the first time in two years, underscoring the pressure on living standards. Irvine delivered this warning alongside a near one‑third surge in NAB’s quarterly profit. He highlighted that productivity has been flat for a decade, making structural reform essential.
Klarna Group PLC (KLAR) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Klarna Group reported a 28% jump in active consumers to 180 million and a 42% increase in merchants to 966,000 in Q4 2025. Gross merchandise volume hit $38.7 billion and revenue topped $1 billion, both surpassing guidance. Transaction margin dollars after provisions rose 17%...
Trump Card Cap Adds to Clouds over US Consumer at Big Banks
U.S. banks posted robust Q4 consumer‑loan growth, but all warned that a proposed 10% credit‑card rate cap could restrict credit access and hurt borrowers. JPMorgan’s credit‑card revenue fell short of forecasts by 7.6% and the bank now expects card‑loan growth...
Olympics Boost Spending in Italy; UK Banks Push Visa, Mastercard Rival
U.K. banks, led by Barclays, are convening to fund a home‑grown payment network aimed at reducing reliance on Visa and Mastercard, which dominate 95% of the non‑cash market. Visa data shows the Milano‑Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics sparked a sharp surge...
French Ministry Confirms Data Access to 1.2 Million Bank Accounts
The French Economy Ministry disclosed that a hacker used stolen government credentials to view data from 1.2 million bank accounts across the country. The breach, detected in late January, exposed personal details such as names, addresses, account numbers and, in some...
Activist Jana Builds Stake in Payments Business Fiserv
Activist investor Jana Partners has taken an undisclosed stake in payments processor Fiserv, aiming to improve its underperforming stock. Fiserv, valued at about $32 billion, saw shares plunge nearly 70% in 2023 and are down more than 11% year‑to‑date. Jana is...
Raj Parekh (Monad Foundation) on Stablecoins and The Next Era of Fintech (EP.702)
In this episode, Raj Parekh, Head of Stablecoins and Payments at Monad Foundation, discusses how enterprises can integrate stablecoins into their operations, weighing the prospects of building private corporate blockchains versus using existing networks. He explores whether the market will...
Fed Minutes Suggest Willingness To Hike If Inflation Not Tamed
The Federal Reserve’s February 2026 FOMC minutes reveal that most participants remain uneasy about inflation, which is still above the central bank’s 2% target. The minutes signal a willingness to raise rates again if price pressures are not curbed, underscoring...
Bank of America Rewards: Higher Balance Requirements for Credit Card Boosts + New Monthly Credits (Effective May 2026)
Bank of America is rebranding its Preferred Rewards program as BofA Rewards on May 27, 2026, introducing new tier names and higher balance thresholds. The Premier tier now requires a $1 million combined balance to earn the top 75% credit‑card rewards...
SEC Proposes Amendments to Reduce Burdens in Reporting of Fund Portfolio Holdings
The SEC has proposed amendments to Form N‑PORT that give investment companies an extra 15 days to file their monthly portfolio reports and shift public disclosure from a monthly to a quarterly cadence. The changes also eliminate the “Names Rule”...
Marketing Meets Product: Designing Banking that Customers Feel
In this episode of *Branching Out*, host Bill Dworsky talks with Erin Pryor of First Horizon and Deloitte’s Lauren Holohan about how modern banking is shifting from product‑centric to experience‑centric design. They discuss First Horizon’s “Big Bank Muscle, Small Bank Hustle” strategy, which leverages scale...
Surcharges and Discounts Can’t Overcome Payment Inertia
The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s new report shows that merchants’ attempts to shift consumer payment behavior with cash discounts or credit‑card surcharges have little impact because shoppers stick to their preferred method out of habit. Discounts only influence cash‑oriented...
Scope Ratings Seeks Distinction by Incorporating Europe's Differences
Scope Ratings became the first European rating agency approved under the ECB's Eurosystem Credit Assessment Framework, allowing its ratings to be used as collateral in monetary‑policy operations. The firm differentiates itself by embedding the EU’s fragmented legal and market environments...
Past Success Can Sabotage Future Bank Performance
How past success can doom banks to weak performance in the future. New in @AmerBanker @BankThink https://t.co/pa0WB3Dh6V
Krungsri Eyes Extra B100bn in SME Loans
Bank of Ayudhya (Krungsri) announced a plan to add 100 billion baht in SME loans over the next four years, lifting its total SME portfolio to 350 billion baht. The initiative pairs soft‑loan financing with ESG education and advisory, targeting high‑growth sectors...
Chase Offers: Spend $600 Through Chase Travel, Get $100 Credit
Chase has rolled out a new Chase Offer for Sapphire, Freedom, Ink and J.P. Morgan Reserve cardholders that grants a $100 statement credit when a single transaction of $600 or more is booked through Chase Travel. The promotion must be activated...
Warren Targets Dimon for Help on Interest Rate Caps
Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote to JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon urging his public support for the Empowering States’ Rights to Protect Consumers Act, which would let states re‑impose credit‑card interest‑rate caps on national banks. The legislation seeks to restore the...
Choosing the Right Payment Processing Partner: A Checklist for Software Platforms
Integrated software vendors (ISVs) must treat payment processing as a core product component, not a peripheral add‑on. A robust checklist—covering technical integration, revenue‑share models, security compliance, onboarding experience, value‑added features, and long‑term partnership—helps avoid costly friction. Seamless APIs, white‑label experiences,...
Zip Launches a Branding Campaign Aimed at Winning Consumers’ Trust
Buy‑now‑pay‑later firm Zip Co. launched a new branding campaign centered on trust, positioning its users as responsible borrowers. The "In You We Trust" message is built on real customer stories and features social‑media strategist Destiny Modeste. The ads run on...
🎙️ Ep 19: Why Building a Global Venmo with Stablecoins Is Still Hard W/ Mike Hudack (Sling)
The Money Code episode with Sling’s Mike Hudack explains why building a global Venmo‑style app with stablecoins remains challenging. While stablecoins provide a unified ledger that eases cross‑border transfers, the real work lies in local on‑ramps, identity verification, fraud prevention,...
Global Payments Builds Salesforce
Global Payments announced a 300‑agent salesforce expansion in 2026, following its recent acquisition of Worldpay. The company will invest $1 billion this year to accelerate growth of its Genius processing brand and AI capabilities. Adjusted net revenue rose 1% to $2.32 billion...
Global Payments Looks Forward to a Post-Issuing Era
Global Payments completed a $24.25 billion acquisition of Worldpay and sold its card‑issuing unit for $12 billion, positioning the company as a pure‑play merchant acquirer. The firm highlighted strong early performance of its Genius point‑of‑sale platform, now covering restaurants, retail, drive‑throughs and...
Finpace Introduces Halcyon AI Layer to Its Core Banking Stack
Finpace unveiled Halcyon, an AI‑driven layer integrated with its core banking platform, aimed at accelerating change management for African financial institutions. The solution interprets business intent, orchestrates actions across data and workflow systems, and embeds governance to ensure compliant, auditable...
Successfully Implementing AI in Banking: Insights From Allica Bank CEO Richard Davies
Allica Bank CEO Richard Davies outlined how the UK fintech is scaling AI across its organization, emphasizing company‑wide adoption, engineering productivity, and cultural change. He highlighted that AI tools have delivered productivity improvements of two to ten times for engineers...
Stripe’s Bridge Wins OCC Conditional Approval
Stripe’s Bridge subsidiary received conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for a national trust bank charter, filed in October and approved on Feb. 12. The charter would let Bridge issue stablecoins, custody digital assets, and manage...
EU Parliament Approves Digital Euro for All Transactions
EU Parliament Backs Digital Euro for Both Online and Offline Use - Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH https://t.co/mgf2DlIs9B
Gambling Addiction: The Top Financial Threat to Businesses
In my 2 decades in banking, the #1 financial villain is gambling addiction. It’s ruined companies, trusted relationships, marriages, credit, families, careers - talk w/ your people about their activities. Monitor your accounts for heavy ATM usage, online purchases.
OCC Conditionally Approves Stripe Subsidiary Bridge for Trust Charter
Stripe’s subsidiary Bridge received conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for a national trust bank charter. The license would allow Bridge to issue stablecoins, custody digital assets, and manage reserves under OCC oversight. The decision...
Legacy Banks' Failures Fuel $1.3T Debt Fintech Surge
$1.3 trillion in credit card debt. An all-time high. One unicorn CEO says his fintech wouldn’t even exist if traditional banks had served customers better. When legacy systems fail to manage risk, transparency and affordability, disruption isn’t optional. It’s inevitable. https://t.co/b072MMXcSy @fortunemagazine...
FinTechs Become Latin America’s SME Financial Operating System
Latin America’s small businesses don’t lack ambition. They lack liquidity. FinTechs are stepping in to close persistent cash flow gaps with smarter underwriting, real-time data and embedded finance solutions. The real opportunity isn’t just lending. It’s becoming the financial operating system for...
Tech-Powered Credit Reform Could Add £7bn to the UK’s GDP, Report Claims
ClearScore’s new white paper argues that modernising credit‑worthiness assessments with open‑banking data and AI could add up to £7 bn to the UK’s annual GDP. It highlights that 17 million adults face a £2 bn credit supply gap, with up to 60% of...
Milo Tops $100 Million in Crypto-Backed Mortgages, Closes Record $12 Million Deal
Milo, a U.S. crypto‑lending firm, has originated more than $100 million in crypto‑backed mortgages, highlighted by a record $12 million loan. The company operates in ten states and offers loans up to $25 million secured by Bitcoin or Ether, with interest starting at...
Businesses Move to Rein In AI in the Shift to Autonomous Finance
Enterprises are granting AI agents authority to initiate payments, approve refunds, and orchestrate cross‑functional workflows, shifting from assistance to autonomous action. Security researchers warn that more than 1.5 million deployed agents could be exposed to misuse, expanding the attack surface faster...
Wells Fargo Sees ‘YOLO’ Trade Driving $150B Into Bitcoin and Risk Assets
Wells Fargo analyst Ohsung Kwon predicts that a surge in U.S. tax refunds could channel up to $150 billion into risk‑on assets, notably equities and Bitcoin, by the end of March. The influx is tied to a revival of the retail “YOLO”...
David Ramsden: The Evolution of the Bank's Approach to Resolution
Sir David Ramsden, Deputy Governor for Markets and Banking at the Bank of England, outlined how the regulator’s resolution framework has changed since the 2023 failures of Silicon Valley Bank UK and Credit Suisse. He emphasized a shift toward greater...
EBA Issues Opinion to the European Commission on the Draft Amended European Sustainability Reporting Standards
The European Banking Authority (EBA) has issued an Opinion to the European Commission on the draft amended European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) prepared by EFRAG. While the EBA welcomes the simplifications that reduce reporting costs, it warns that permanent reliefs...
Credit One Bank Serves Those Who Others Won’t
In this episode of Banking Transformed, host Jim Marous talks with Credit One Bank executives about the bank’s strategy of serving customers that traditional banks often overlook. They discuss how Credit One leverages data‑driven underwriting, flexible credit products, and a...
Matic and nCino Embed Home Insurance Into Digital Mortgages
Matic and nCino have teamed up to embed a home‑insurance marketplace directly into nCino’s digital mortgage platform. The integration lets borrowers compare and purchase policies from more than 70 carriers without leaving the loan application flow. Lenders gain earlier access...
Experience Economy Pushes Payments to $20B Super Bowl Test
The 2026 Super Bowl generated roughly $20.2 billion in experience‑economy spending, spanning tickets, merchandise, streaming and legal wagering. Paysafe’s CEO Bruce Lowthers highlighted the need for payment platforms that can process massive, real‑time transactions across multiple methods without friction. AI‑driven fraud...
As Tax Refunds Tackle Debt, Installment Payments Become a Budget Tool
Tax refunds rose 10.9% to an average $2,290, but tariffs on consumer goods have erased 70‑95% of their purchasing power for most households. The 2024 One Big Beautiful Bill Act expanded tax cuts, yet higher tariffs and price inflation offset...
Nearly Half of Digital Bank Customers Prefer Digital Wallets
A PYMNTS Intelligence survey of 2,071 U.S. bank customers finds that 44.6% of digital‑bank users prefer paying with digital wallets, outpacing other groups. When paired with discounts and clear buyer protection, 35.4% say they would shift account‑to‑account spending to pay‑by‑bank....
Piero Cipollone: Digital Euro
ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone outlined the digital euro roadmap, confirming that the current preparation phase began in November 2025 and a pilot is slated for mid‑2027. The ECB aims for a first issuance in 2029, contingent on EU legislators...
ECB and ONCE Foundation Launch Collaboration to Ensure Digital Euro Is Accessible for Everyone
The European Central Bank has signed a collaboration agreement with Spain’s ONCE Foundation to make the digital euro app universally accessible, especially for people with disabilities, older adults, and those with limited digital skills. The foundation will provide technical advice,...
Banks’ AI Strategies Miss the Mark, Says Expert
Join me in Zurich at the NextGen Payments & RegTech Forum next month. I'll explore why many financial institutions are missing the mark in my keynote 'Your Bank’s AI Strategy Is Wrong.' https://t.co/XIQySs0LfD @qubevents #RegTech #Qubevents #NextGenPayments #Zurich https://t.co/RqffMqTRZS
Britain’s Renewed Appetite for Credit Cards
The UK credit‑card market has rebounded, with net lending up 12.4% year‑on‑year in December 2025 and outstanding balances reaching a record £78 billion. Despite higher unemployment and elevated household debt, arrears sit at just 1.2%, and debt‑service ratios are roughly half...
Banco Itaú Teams Up with iCapital to Enhance Private Markets Offering with New Tech Solution
Banco Itaú International and Banco Itaú (Suisse) have expanded their partnership with fintech platform iCapital, embedding iCapital’s technology into the bank’s private‑markets offering. The integration delivers an end‑to‑end digital ecosystem covering marketing, onboarding, documentation, reporting and analytics, and introduces iCapital’s...
Standard Chartered Partners with B2C2 to Enhance Institutional Crypto Access
Standard Chartered has teamed up with digital‑asset liquidity provider B2C2 to create a seamless bridge between traditional banking infrastructure and crypto markets. The alliance will give institutional investors—such as asset managers, hedge funds, corporates and family offices—direct access to spot...
Stripe-Owned Bridge Clears OCC Hurdle for Federal Bank Charter
Stripe‑owned Bridge announced it has secured conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to organize a federally chartered national trust bank. The charter, once fully granted, will let Bridge offer digital‑asset custody, stablecoin issuance, and reserve‑management...
Release of Guidance for the Australian Clearing and Settlement Facility Resolution Regime
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has released its Guidance on the Australian Clearing and Settlement (CS) Facility Resolution Regime, accompanied by a Response to Consultation that outlines stakeholder feedback. The Guidance clarifies how the RBA may exercise its crisis‑resolution...
Medallion Financial Corp (MFIN) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Medallion Financial Corp reported a record $2.567 billion loan portfolio for Q4 2025, up 3% year‑over‑year, driven by strong recreation, home‑improvement and commercial originations. Net interest income climbed 8% to $56.4 million, pushing quarterly net income to $12.2 million ($0.50 per share). The company...