Elon Musk Announces BAAS Beta Test for X Money
Elon Musk confirms the BAAS setup for X money as beta testing has shyly started https://t.co/2l00gddeOG
Restricting Bank Foreclosure Threatens New‑Build Lending
I understand the principle of precluding large firms from buying existing homes. They do “compete” with young families and raise prices. But the ROAD to Housing needs to be **clearly** re-written. Preventing "investors" from owning homes they built not only affects...
Crypto's Long-Term Outlook Better Than Ever, Says Hadick
War in the Middle East. Rate confusion. A stablecoin bill stuck between banks and crypto. And yet: Rob Hadick says the long-term setup for crypto is "as good as it's ever been." Institutional flows, tokenization momentum, DeFi finally showing product-market...
Revolut Seeks U.S. Banking Charter After Securing UK License
Revolut, which struggled but eventually obtained its U.K. bank charter, has applied for one in the U.S., the company announced this morning: https://t.co/rNHcC6IgWC
Five Unexpected Companies That Could Acquire PayPal
Who Should Acquire PayPal? 5 Potential Acquirers Nobody’s Talking About PayPal is now considered to be a prime acquisition target. Who besides Stripe would be a good acquirer? Here are 5 potential candidates. Try to keep an open mind. https://t.co/rrD4BdDrG8
Beyond Features: Redefine Value in an AI-Driven Market
Your products are no longer differentiators. Digital is expected. Rates are aligned. AI compares features instantly. Competing on what you offer is a losing game. We discuss a different path with Allison Netzer, founder and CEO of BrandThnk. Watch the...
Paperclip Enables Fully Autonomous, Zero‑Human Companies
We are nearing economic liftoff and financial singularity And banks are still trying to automate away document ingestion
Robinhood's Exit Fee Demands 4× Referral Revenue
Interesting highlight in this article about the new Robinhood Advisor Network (custodial referral program via TradePMR that pays a 25%-of-fees rev-share for the referral): "For an RIA that ends participation in the program, they will also pay a one-time fee...
Agentic AI Turns Data Into Real‑World Life Insights
Traditional analytics looks at balances and transactions. Agentic AI looks at life. Economic shifts, rate changes, career moves, spending patterns, risk signals. That’s where true intelligence begins. https://t.co/bh34uYoOev
PayPal Tops AI Talent Rankings Despite Business Slump
HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY: While Paypal`s business is suffering, it ranks No.1 in the latest PAYTECH EVIDENT AI Rankings of AI talent. Due to the breadth and depth of AI specialization within its diverse product portfolio. Evident AI Index | Payments...
Regulators, Banks, and AI Reshape Crypto Landscape
Crypto things you might have missed: -Trump urges passage of the Clarity Act -TD Cowen says banks likely to lose stablecoin yield fight -ECB warns stablecoins may shrink bank deposits -Ripple expands stablecoin infrastructure -Binance launches its first batch of AI Agent Skills
EU Still Half Dependent on Visa, Mastercard
How close is the EU to break free from Visa and Mastercard's grip? https://t.co/S2cCelErDw 47% of the eurozone’s card payment value passed through Visa & Mastercard in 2025! This is not only financial, it is strategic.
Three‑quarters of Leaders Report Network Cyber Fraud Surge
Nearly 75% of global leaders saw someone in their network hit by cyber fraud last year. Phishingn & smishing lead. With ransomware up 4x since 2021, organizations must manage third-party risk and treat cybersecurity as strategic. https://t.co/UZFhgJpvny https://t.co/RZ38Isc4tZ
Short‑Term Cash: Treasury MM or HYSA, Not Stocks
"I need to park $50k of cash for 12 months. What are my options?" > $VUSXX (Vanguard Treasury MM Fund) or any Treasury equivalent. State/local tax exempt, 3.63% yield > HYSA (FDIC insured, ~3%) Don’t invest it, unless 12 months turns into 12...
Liquidity Buffers Intended for Crises Are Being Hoarded
Great point in @SecScottBessent speech: Post-2008 liquidity buffers were designed to be spent in a crisis. Instead, they are treated as untouchable minimums and so banks hoard liquid assets rather than deploy them, making stress worse. (1/3) @vtg2 @BrendanPedersen @amacker...
Product Parity Rendering Banks Invisible, Says Netzer
[New Episode] Product Parity Has Made Banks Invisible. Interview with Allison Netzer, Founder & CEO of https://t.co/QJ33Z67WGS. Watch the latest episode: https://t.co/vlOtQ9OtTq https://t.co/LzWIqjgLSS
Mortgage Demand Jumps 11% as Rates Near Four‑year Low
Weekly #Mortgage demand surged 11% higher last week, as rates sat near 4-year low https://t.co/2HClawHnMz @MBAMortgage
Kraken Secures First Fed Master Account, Reviving Narrow Banking
This is bigger news than people realize: @krakenfx just became the first crypo exchange to receive a "Master Account" from the @FederalReserve. Narrow banking is back. 👉 A Fed master account provides direct access to the central bank’s core payment systems — including...
AI‑Powered Stablecoin Cards Operate Within User‑Set Budgets
AI agents won't run off with your money. Wirex Agents just changed the game. It’s Non-Custodial, meaning you never "give" your money to the AI. You simply set a strict budget (e.g., $50 for groceries), and the AI uses its...
Oil Crisis Drives Crypto Survival; AI Rules Written in Blood
@sandy_carter `s POV `Iran War, An Oil Crisis, A Crypto Stress Test, And An AI Reckoning` Oil. Crypto. AI. Most coverage is missing the "Big 3" takeaways: 1️⃣ Crypto’s Dual Identity: It’s a "risk asset" for Western traders but a "survival tool"...
Seeking AI GRC Founder Connections After Impressive Vendor Meet
Looking to talk to more AI GRC platforms: 2 clients met with a vendor recently and were really impressed with the companies and space. Would love to meet some dope founders if anyone has recs
Full Fee Disclosure Drives Client to Switch Banks
A client moved to me after 6 years with a private bank. He didn't leave because of poor performance. He left because he finally saw the full fee statement. His relationship manager had never shown him the total annual cost in dollars.
Crypto Exchanges Outshine Banks in Compliance and Transparency
DISGUSTING JP MORGAN CEO “If you want to be a bank become a bank” Yeah Jamie, crypto exchanges are already more compliant and transparent with banks. I have no idea how much cash you have on hand because it’s not public unlike...
Credit Unions Deliver the Worst CRE Underwriting in Market
The worst commercial real estate underwriting in our market isn’t private credit (and that’s pretty bad)…it’s credit unions.
Eight of Top Ten US Banks Now Embrace Bitcoin
8 out of top 10 US banks have flipped their stance on Bitcoin in the last 6 months, and you're still bearish? 😂 https://t.co/lOTFbe1ZgX
Don't Default to Lower L
When your DSCR doesn't hit the bank’s threshold (usually a ~1.25x DSCR), most people think banks don't give you any option but to lower the LTV But in reality, if you negotiate, you have 3 options: Option 1: Lower LTV Option 2: Schedule...
AI Doom Loop Triggers 4,000 Layoffs, 24% Stock Plunge
New piece from me The AI Doom Loop has started Block fired 4,000 people. Stock ripped 24%, Was AI the Excuse or Reason or Both? https://t.co/cgZ6m2HSv7
Innovate Payments or Fade: Big Tech Leads Experience
Real-time payments are table stakes. Big Tech is owning the experience while banks process transactions in the background. If you do not innovate payments, you become invisible. Watch the full episode here: https://t.co/BQNDlxuwMR https://t.co/YiBUQo0kvm
South Africa Leads African Valuations, Nigeria Trails Closely
South Africa Dominates Africa 🇿🇦 🇳🇬 Nigeria also dominates the list, a close second when it comes to valuations.
France’s Economy Stands Strong, ECB Should Stay Hands‑Off
France has low exposure to Middle East shock, low inflation and resilient growth. ECB should not react to energy swings. Risk: energy volatility. Trade: overweight French banks. — Viktor Kopylov, PhD, CFA. More insights: t.me/si14Kopylov
UAE Banks Replace SMS OTPs with Biometrics, AI Security
UAE banks ditch SMS OTPs: biometrics, in-app approvals, and tighter AI governance become the new security baseline UAE banks must stop using SMS and email OTPs by end-March 2026 More UAE banks now tighten security with biometrics logins, AI fraud checks -...
Counting Down to MPE2026: Join Us in Berlin
14 sleeps until #MPE2026 with my @chyppings hat on! Join me in Berlin: https://t.co/9CufQZHi6S Move payments forward, #MPE2026 is your place. @mpecosystem #Payments #Fintech #MPEBerlin #ILoveMPE https://t.co/RUvU7kFcyZ
European Wealth Management Must Master Five Execution Priorities
European #WealthManagement has a execution problem: The wealth industry has moved past the era of pilots and proof-of-concepts. Five execution priorities now define who wins and who falls behind: 1) Cloud resilience; 2) Asset #tokenization; 3) Direct indexing; 4) Advisor-ready wealth aggregation; 5) #AI at scale. 🆕#WealthTech...
Bank Sector Yields Surge Above 5%, Top Three Near 6%
Bank stocks annual div yield (as at 2 March) post-4Q2025 earnings. All except Alliance, AM will pay interim div in March 2026. Top 3 highest (2026 estimates): •Bank Islam: 6.22% •*CIMB: 5.92% •RHB: 5.91% =Average Sector DY: 5.10% (10 banks) [*incl Special Div 7sen]
Cliza Lab Launches – Join the Crew Chat Now
My Cliza lab is live. Join my crew in Crew Chat. https://t.co/9jrActgM9q Super new project from @ClizaSystems @basedfk
Earn Fixed Income on Payroll with Rise
Excited for the @Rise_Pay team and especially excited for their customers. Now if you get payroll paid via Rise, you automatically start earning a fixed income % on that balance, putting your money to work for you better.
Crypto Gives Everyone Global Access to Financial Tools
You have zero control over where you're born, yet billions of people in the world are shut out of accessing financial tools because of it. Finally, this is changing with crypto. Getting access to sound money, loans, stocks, etc from your...
Mercury's Paid Personal Account Signals Fintech’s Subscription Shift
Mercury charges for a bank account while others give it away. Immad Akhund explains why Mercury Personal targets the mass affluent—and what that says about fintech’s next fight. (0:00) Why Charge for a Bank Account Now? (0:23) Akhund: Who’s the “Mass Affluent”? (0:56)...
Polygon Stablecoins Now Spendable at 150M+ Visa Merchants
Stablecoins on Polygon are now spendable at 150M+ merchants worldwide via @Visa courtesy : @oobit
Admin Bundles Crypto Charters with Tailored Regulation
A reminder that this admin is a package deal. Regulatory "tailoring," but also a bunch of new crypto, stablecoin, and ILC charters
Legacy Infrastructure Slows Decisions, Innovation, and Integration
Legacy infrastructure isn’t just a technology problem. It’s a speed problem. It slows decisioning, innovation, and the ability to connect modern solutions across the enterprise. https://t.co/f6tGEUmM7Q
Scale Agentic AI Fast or Lose Banking Edge
McKinsey says agentic AI could fundamentally reshape global banking. But it warns banks not to get trapped in endless pilots and proofs of concept. The competitive edge won’t go to those experimenting the longest, but to those scaling fastest. https://t.co/rrt7ROCCBl @DigWatchWorld @mckinsey
Pix Set to Dominate Brazil E‑commerce, Eclipsing Credit Cards
🇧🇷Brazil’s Pix payment system now processes >224 million transactions daily: Long a stronghold of credit cards, #Brazil's e-commerce market saw #Pix account for 42% of online purchases in 2025, edging past #creditcards cards at 41%. Pix is poised to capture half...
Citizens Should Lead New Community Bank Formation
I don’t think this is what community banks had in mind when we advocated for new bank formations. Hope to see more groups of normal citizens, pooling capital to serve their community’s needs.
Sacks and Garlinghouse Urge Banks to Match Stablecoin Yield
LATEST: David Sacks praised Patrick Witt for a stablecoin yield compromise in crypto market structure talks and urged banks to reciprocate, while Brad Garlinghouse said the deal is open if banks act in good faith. https://t.co/BJqVPjBY1H
Middle East Tensions Likely Push Rand Lower, Fuel Costs Up
Prolonged tension in the Middle East. Rising oil prices, if sustained, and a weaker Rand. Add the increased fuel levies announced in the budget speech on top of macro concerns, and taking the governor’s conservative nature and the new 3% inflation...
Balancing Human and AI Work Is Banking’s Next Challenge
AI remakes the org chart | Banking Brief | Evident Insights https://t.co/ukJBBM4aRA “The future of AI-first enterprises is ultimately an organization problem,” JPMC’s Waldron wrote on LinkedIn this week. “Work and intelligence needs to be optimally split across humans and AI.”...
Human‑less Companies Inevitable; Regulation Will Always Lag Behind
Zero human companies aren't science fiction They're inevitable We already have: • Autonomous trading bots making millions • AI writing and deploying smart contracts • Agents managing DeFi protocols The infrastructure exists The capability exists The capital exists What's missing is the regulatory framework But regulation always lags innovation By the...
Banking Revolution Explored: New Episode with Jason Henrichs
Folks who enjoyed today’s newsletter on the rapidly changing banking ecosystem should listen to this ep of @Breakingbanks1 (as seen on HBO, IYKYK) with @jasonhenrichs — https://t.co/MuzhnOMJtq
CBA Flags AI‑generated Loan Fraud, Alerts Authorities
Leaving this here “It comes as CBA..grapples w/the onset of AI technologies. The bank in the midst of rolling out AI systems across its business banking, communications & fraud-detection operations. In March 2025, CBA invested in AI firm Anthropicto drive...