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
The EU’s Digital Euro Is Just a Whisker Away From Becoming a Legal Reality
The European Parliament voted overwhelmingly to endorse two amendments to the ECB’s annual report, labeling the digital euro “essential” for monetary sovereignty, payment‑system resilience and universal acceptance. The first amendment passed with 438 votes, the second with 420, signalling political consensus to push the CBDC forward. The measures call for both online and offline versions that must be as widely accepted as cash, removing the Parliament as the final regulatory hurdle. Critics warn about reliance on US cloud providers, data privacy and potential exclusion risks.
Chinese Loan Data Out After Market - Lighter than Expected
The episode reviews China’s latest loan data released after market close, noting new yuan loans of CNY 4.71 trillion in January—significantly below the CNY 4.8 trillion forecast and far under expectations of around CNY 5 trillion. While total social financing surged to CNY...
ECB Publishes Consolidated Banking Data for End-September 2025
The European Central Bank released its consolidated banking data for end‑September 2025, covering 336 banking groups and 2,289 stand‑alone credit institutions across the EU‑27. Total assets rose 0.95 % to €33.44 trillion, while the non‑performing loan ratio edged up to 1.97 %. Return on...
38% of Clients Drive 75% of Capitec Revenue
𝟯𝟴% 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝟳𝟱% 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰’𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 Capitec’s interim results for the period ending August 2025 show a very clear picture of where the bank’s income is really coming from: 🔸Non-interest income = R13,358 bn 🔸Net interest income = R...
Fintechs Must Prioritize Financial Health Over Services
#FlashbackFriday | In 2020, I argued that fintechs should stop selling financial services and start selling financial health, this wasn’t a buzzword, but a different way of thinking about the financial sector itself: https://t.co/bL1ZTqv4Uf Yesterday’s future. Progress optional. https://t.co/s7x485LBB3
This Premium Credit Card Benefit Came Through For Me. Again.
The author recounts a three‑week overseas trip that unraveled into a 22‑hour ordeal, ending with a rushed return to Atlanta. Using two premium credit cards, the traveler filed insurance claims to recover $1,253.27 in non‑refundable expenses, receiving partial reimbursement from...
EU DLT Pilot Firms Demand Faster Regulations to Match US
EU DLT Pilot firms ask for urgent regulatory changes to keep up with US - Ledger Insights - blockchain for enterprise https://t.co/cYWCIYHmZg https://t.co/9rMftFnQUk
User‑centric Design Key to CBDC Resilience, Says IMF
"CBDCs... most significant resilience potential lies in user-centric design features, including offline functionality, flexible front-end solutions, and programmability for crisis response" Not my words. The IMF. https://t.co/aauwvtxTG8 https://t.co/O4sEWC2AN2
Exim Bank Offers B50bn Lifeline to Ailing Exporters
The Export‑Import Bank of Thailand unveiled a 50‑billion‑baht working‑capital facility to shore up exporters’ liquidity amid heightened global volatility. President Charat Rattanaboonniti said the bank will also provide export and foreign‑exchange insurance while urging firms to hedge currency risk with...
Zerohash Rejects $2B Mastercard Offer, Defends DEX Strategy
I think $2B is a big number to turn down 😅 Which is what Zerohash reportedly did when Mastercard came knocking Here's the CEO, @e_woodford, explaining the rationale on DEX in the City👇 https://t.co/whjL67HwGV
Grab to Buy Majority of Stash for $425M
🇸🇬🌏Singapore's Grab agrees to acquire Stash Financial for initial $425m: Grab will acquire a 50.1% equity stake in @Stash by Q3 2026, with plans to acquire remaining shares from existing shareholders over a three-year period. @TylerPathe, @FinTech_Futures: https://t.co/KqNQdcjgR4 #WealthTech #WealthManagement #ecosystems #SoutheastAsia
The Bank Charter Gold Rush: What’s Really Happening and What It Means for Banking
After a four‑year freeze under the Biden administration, the OCC is now granting preliminary approvals for over 30 fintech‑driven bank charter applications. Experts warn that these approvals are only the first step, with an 18‑month “in‑organization” phase required to build...
MBA: Mortgage Delinquencies Increased in Q4 2025
The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that mortgage delinquency rates rose to 4.26% in Q4 2025, up 27 basis points from the prior quarter and 28 basis points year‑over‑year. All major loan types—Conventional, FHA, and VA—saw higher delinquencies, with FHA loans...
How AI Is Rewriting 70 Years of Lending Rules
The article argues that traditional credit scores, unchanged for 70 years, are being supplanted by AI‑driven machine‑learning models that analyze the full breadth of credit‑bureau data. These models capture nuanced payment patterns, seasonal cash‑flow variations, and interaction effects that a...
Bitcoin Set to Power Next Wave of Mortgages
Enjoyed having Andrew Hohns as a first-time guest of the show. We talked about how Bitcoin is transforming the real estate industry and why we should see many more Bitcoin-backed mortgage and lending products very soon. TIMESTAMPS; 00:00 Andrew’s Bitcoin journey...
Adyen’s Personalized Checkout Tweaks Payment Options
Adyen has launched Personalize, a new service within its Uplift suite that tailors payment options on e‑commerce checkout pages in real time based on each shopper’s past behavior. The tool uses the company’s Dynamic Identification model, built from trillions of...
Bill Weighs the Best Path to Profits
Bill Holdings, a San Jose‑based business‑payments software firm, is weighing a sale after activist investors demanded higher profitability. The company reported a $2.6 million loss for Q4 2025, a sharp reversal from a $33.5 million profit a year earlier, while revenue rose...
Steepening Yield Curve Could Shift QE Benefits to Main Street
How might the Fed/Treasury do that? One possibility is to cut short rates to steepen the yield curve, and deregulate the banks into buying the long end so that the Fed’s balance sheet can be “privatized.” If those QE assets...
New Nacha Rules, New Risks: Key Takeaways for Controllers Focused on Supplier Bank Verification
Recent Nacha rule updates now require repeatable, provable verification of supplier bank accounts, shifting the focus from intent to defensibility. Controllers relying on email confirmations, phone callbacks, and ad‑hoc checks face heightened exposure as fraudsters employ AI‑generated communications. The webinar...
The ‘Discovery’ Problem in Embedded Finance – and How OMB Bank Found the Right Fintech Partner
Community bank OMB Bank struggled with a slow, manual process to locate fintech partners, relying on static PDFs and endless email threads. The bank’s breakthrough came when it discovered Backpack, a university‑payments fintech listed on Treasury Prime’s AI Marketplace, which...
EU Parliament Backs Digital Euro to Curb US Payment Dominance
Post-Trump assault on Greenland, the EU parliament delivers a big win for the digital euro as it wins 420-158 backing in EU Parliament straw poll The digital euro couldn't have better timing as the EU looks to the digital euro...
Global Real Estate Set to Be Rewired by Digital Dollars
Digital stablecoins are being positioned as an operating system for global real‑estate finance. Projects like TransactionCOIN aim to replace wire transfers with instant, blockchain‑settled payments for deposits, closings, and rent. By compressing settlement cycles from weeks to minutes, stablecoins could...
UAE's First Dirham‑Backed Stablecoin Unlocks Trillion‑Dollar On‑Chain Potential
The UAE just launched its first regulated stablecoin. DDSC --> backed 1:1 by UAE Dirham, initiated by IHC ($240B cap) and First Abu Dhabi Bank ($330B assets). That's a great step forward and that's why this chart has continuously been doing well....
Consultation: The Appointed Representatives Regime
The UK government has opened a consultation to amend the Appointed Representatives (AR) regime, which lets non‑financial firms provide financial services without full authorisation. The move follows an August 2025 policy statement that flagged weak oversight of certain ARs and the...
The First Banking Disruptor?
The episode examines Midland Bank's 1984 decision to eliminate fees for cheques, statements, and standing orders, effectively making personal banking free in the UK. It explores how this bold move reshaped the competitive landscape, prompting other banks to adopt similar...
Treasury’s Cash Boost Saves Debt, Costs SARB
The state accessed funds held in the Gold and Foreign Exchange Contingency Reserve Account (GFECRA). When Treasury spent the funds, liquidity surged through the banking system, forcing the SARB to manage (“sterilize”) the excess cash, so short-term rates didn’t fall below...
After Talking to 300 Fintech CxO’s, Here’s What We Missed
A recent Finextra survey of 300 fintech leaders shows AI has moved from experimental pilots to core operations, with 85% of institutions now using it and the AI‑in‑fintech market projected at $30 billion by 2025. Predictive analytics are evolving into an...
D.R. Horton Offers 3.99% Mortgage, $15K Closing Aid
Housing affordability is so strained that America's largest homebuilder D.R. Horton is advertising 3.99% mortgage rate buydown + $15,000 toward closing costs in Northeast Florida right now
Unify Systems, Consolidate Vendors, Make AI Measurable
The next phase of growth requires unifying systems, consolidating vendors, and finally making AI deliver measurable results. We explore how with Benjamin Conant, Chief Product Officer at @alkamitech and Co-Founder of @Mantl_tech. Watch the full episode: https://t.co/Jamreeb077 https://t.co/pwP81bugEI
Cash App Adds Payment Links so You Can Get Paid in a DM
Cash App, the Block‑owned peer‑to‑peer platform, rolled out a new payment‑link feature that lets users generate a URL to request money. The link can be pasted into texts, emails, or direct messages, pre‑loading the requested amount for the recipient. Cash...
Venezuelan Crypto App Kontigo Secures License From Top Official
It appears Y Combinator-backed Venezuelan crypto app Kontigo received a new license from SUNACRIP. License is signed by Anabel Pereira Fernández, who also holds roles as Venezuela’s economy minister, vice president of the central bank, and on the board of...
Hash‑based Crypto: Blockchain’s Timeless Security Foundation
“One of the goals of blockchains is that they’re going to be securing hundreds of trillions of dollars over centuries. hash based cryptography is believed to stand the test of time and is the most minimal assumption that you could...
UK to Regulate BNPL in Transparency Push
The episode examines the UK’s new regulatory framework for buy‑now‑pay‑later (BNPL) services, which places providers under FCA oversight and mandates clear disclosure of terms, affordability checks, hardship support, and a route to the Financial Ombudsman. It highlights concerns about “phantom...
Unified Standards Prevent Cryptographic Disasters and Incompatibility
“It’s very good if the industry can all agree on one standard so that things are interoperable, you get many fewer cryptographic disasters or unexpected incompatibilities or security issues.” — @ChrisPeikert, Professor, CSE, University of Michigan https://t.co/bbNeyUmOCj
Quantum Computers Could Extract Private Keys From Public Keys
“With a cryptographically relevant quantum computer, you can take a public key and derive the private key from that.” — Justin Drake (@drakefjustin), Researcher at the Ethereum Foundation https://t.co/fCtfMcBykP
The Battle Between Apple and App Developers Reaches Japan
The episode examines how Apple’s new payment rules in Japan, introduced to comply with the Mobile Software Competition Act, are still imposing 15‑20% commissions even on external payment methods, prompting a coalition of over 600 companies to claim the fees...
Tech Stack and Agile Leadership Drive Banking Performance
A strong tech stack supported by change-ready leadership is essential for improved performance in today’s banking environment. Access the free report: https://t.co/0wah7wPuXN https://t.co/afm9zdd3tL
Europe Needs a True Safe Asset for Financial Sovereignty
Europe’s best bet for financial sovereignty is a true safe asset https://t.co/RSxLjLtB5u "A European safe asset would complete the long-overdue EU financial architecture: a savings and investment union... and a credible euro-denominated stablecoin market." https://t.co/LgAAIH6tb6
Lloyds Banking Group to Close Another 95 Branches
Lloyds Banking Group announced it will shut 95 more branches – 53 Lloyds, 31 Halifax and 11 Bank of Scotland locations – between May 2024 and March 2027. The closures will leave the group with about 610 branches after the...
Oracle Deploys Agentic AI for Retail Banking Operations
Oracle bets big on agentic AI for retail banking: pre-built agents for credit decisioning, collections, compliance—human-in-the-loop governance at the core. Hundreds more agents planned in 12 months. Oracle launches Agentic AI platform for retail banking https://t.co/Rdq57xCcOd https://t.co/UjiB7TV4tX
Philippine Digital Banks Target Profit Amid Regulatory Pressure
🇵🇭#Philippines’ digital banks chase profits as regulator ups the stakes: Both @GoTymeBank and Tonik have said they aim to become net profitable in the next year. @BusinessTimes: https://t.co/XS3dzotYJI #digitalbanking #neobanks https://t.co/DOf9RcD3GG
Best Trade Finance Bank In North America: BNY
BNY was named the Best Trade Finance Bank in North America, reflecting its robust portfolio and eight global trade centers. The bank leverages high credit ratings, competitive pricing, and a suite of digital tools to streamline trade processing, risk mitigation,...
MetaMask Adds Tokenized Stock Support via Ledger Insights
"Tokenized stocks" now available on MetaMask wallet - Ledger Insights - blockchain for enterprise https://t.co/Kk1B08C7Kl https://t.co/j5lNSMIdLf
Efficient Payments Must Exclude Terrorists and Criminals
It’s time for a more efficient payments system, but access to it has to ensure that bad actors like terrorists, traffickers, money launderers, and other criminals are kept out.
A Banner 2025 for Zelle With 20% Year-over-Year Growth
Zelle processed over $1.2 trillion in U.S. peer‑to‑peer payments in 2025, marking a 20% year‑over‑year increase and surpassing the $1 trillion milestone reached in 2024. Transaction volume rose to 4.2 billion, a 16% jump, with daily averages of $3.4 billion moving through the network....
Grab Buys Stash to Import US AI Wealth Regulator Moat
The Reverse Expansion: East Acquires West 🔄 Singapore's Grab is buying U.S. fintech Stash for $425M — not for the users, but for the AI Money Coach: an SEC-regulated, auditable AI wealth advisor with $5B+ AUM. Super-apps are now importing American regulatory...
Ripple Secures Full EU E‑Money License in Luxembourg
Ripple Granted Full EU Electronic Money License in Luxembourg - Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH https://t.co/qV8sL92Tof https://t.co/Cczo1Sx4QO
Stablecoins Reveal New Gresham’s Law: Good Money, Bad Payments
Noelle is _always_ worth reading, but today is especially good Stablecoins and the new Gresham’s Law https://t.co/OPJ4BdgNVj "So, the US ended up with a system of good money, bad payments." https://t.co/B0xMfEdzHl
Only 2% of Banks Claim No AI Usage
Supposedly only 2% of financial institutions now report no use of artificial intelligence 🤔 https://t.co/fJGLehjCf2