Speed Transforms From Convenience to Competitive Edge
If I walk into a traditional branch, it’s days for an application, days for adjudication, days for approval. Speed is no longer convenience. Speed is competitive advantage. And today, the advantage is shifting. https://t.co/qZdm6aFQq4
Legacy Bank Servers Can't Match Cloud‑first Finance
Traditional banks running core systems in basement servers cannot compete in a world built for autonomous, cloud-first finance. https://t.co/ygYrjWtotP
Chinese Banks Pivot From US Treasuries to Diversified Reserves
Last week, we published a report titled “How Is China Rewiring Its Trillion-Dollar Surplus?” in response to media reports that Chinese authorities have urged banks to curb their exposure to the US Treasury market. This regulatory signal is highly investment-relevant,...
BlackRock Silently Powers Governments, Markets, and Wall Street
The U.S. Government can’t operate without it. Global economy can’t function without it. And Wall Street can’t trade without it. Yet most people have no idea what BlackRock actually does. Here’s how BlackRock built a $10 trillion empire that quietly controls everything:
Widening Spreads Signal Potential Prolonged Market Shakeout
Truth: “If spreads keep widening and banks keep lagging, this is more than a one day shakeout. If they stabilize, this was the market resetting positioning and rotating and not the start of a whole new regime.”
AI Ambition Outpaces Governance, Threatening Shareholder Value
74% of firms will deploy agentic AI by 2028. Only 21% have mature governance. A 53-point gap between ambition and readiness. That is a ticking time bomb for shareholder value. https://t.co/TsiQpfm0tL
JPM Beats NII Forecast, Anticipates Deposit Growth in 2026
$JPM just raised NII to $104.5B vs $102.9B expectation. Expenses in line. Expects retail deposit growth to resume in 2026 from underlying customer growth and a reduction in yield seeking behavior.
Box Spreads: Low‑cost Synthetic Loans Explained
In recent years, a new form of 'synthetic' lending has emerged as a potential alternative to margin loans or SBLOCs for short- and medium-term borrowing: The "box spread". https://t.co/xmNXcFkoUQ Kitces Nerd Ben Henry-Moreland shares the mechanics of box spreads, why the...
Stablecoin Rewards Undermine Community Bank Growth
Our savings yield for @bankonroger is 3.61 APY. I’m not worried about competition with stablecoin yields, I’m concerned how it robs community growth. Stablecoin funds gov’t debt while community banks fund community growth.
Agents Likely Use Any API, Not Specific Rails
I sometimes get asked whether I expect agents paying each other to use stablecoins. I certainly expect them to call a remote API backed by a database, but wonder why they would have strong preferences on which payment rail to use.
Global Imbalances Drive International Payments Problems
A bit more on section 122 -- Adam Tooze noted that the simplest read of "international payments problems" is a problem of global imbalances manifest by large surpluses and large (U.S.) deficits 1/ https://t.co/86nmn36jP7
Fast, Cheap Blockchain Payments Threaten Traditional Financial Trust
The blockchain provides lightning fast, nearly free, payment exchanges w/ abundant opportunities to build a new payments system. It also opens the door to undoing the trust the U.S. financial system is known for. 👇
Clarity Act Helps Banks, Blocks Stablecoin Interest
The Clarity Act, promoted as good for crypto, is actually a win for banks. It allows them to enter the crypto space while keeping any interest earned, effectively regulating stablecoin companies and preventing them from offering interest. #CryptoRegulation #ClarityAct #IvanClips...
Predicting PM Reaction to AI News Gives Edge
i should have realized a widely shared article on social media that mentioned credit card AI disruption would cause $AXP & $V to sell off today. PMs are shooting first and asking questions later. figuring out how PMs will react...
Mortgage Rates Dip Below 6%, Lowest Since 2022
#Mortgage rates just dropped below 6%, matching lowest level since 2022 https://t.co/MSs7B1Npgs @mortgagenewsmnd @MG_MBS #realestate #realestateinvesting
From Blocking Bots to Trusting Agents: Visa‑Akamai Solution
AI agent traffic nearly tripled in a year. 25Billion bot requests in 2 months. The question is no longer how to block bots — it's how to trust them. Visa + Akamai are building the answer. "What it takes to secure...
Demand Risk Mitigation Details for Efficient Money Transfers
My unsolicited comms advice: if you're going to go on at length about making it more "efficient" to move money to places like Venezuela (sanctions risk) and Colombia (narcotrafficking/money laundering risk), also explain how (if?) you mitigate these risks. https://t.co/rN8g9ibBhf
Treasury Unveils AI Lexicon and Risk Framework for Finance
Risk says "model risk." Tech says "ML system." Compliance says "automated decision tool." Legal says "algorithm." US Treasury just fixed this: AI Lexicon + Risk Framework for financial services. 230 control objectives. NIST-adapted. "Treasury releases AI lexicon and sector-specific risk framework"...
2026 Identity Fraud Targets Precise, Not Broad Attacks
This Week in Fraud (2/17) https://t.co/DeKt9G8P3d "2026 identity fraud is more sniper than shotgun" Great stuff from Nick. https://t.co/eNakT4O4Fd
Bridge Cuts Support for High‑risk Jurisdictions, Including Russia
Stripe's stablecoin subsidiary Bridge has dropped support for ultra high-risk jurisdictions it supported as recently as Dec 2025, including Russia, Lebanon, Libya, Gaza, and South Sudan, new analysis of the company's documentation shows: https://t.co/zRVzXKZPsu
Invest in Tech, Data, AI to Outperform Banking
Playing catch up is not a strategy. The institutions that outperform are investing in tech skills, data infrastructure, and AI readiness. Get the roadmap in 2026 Retail Banking Trends and Priorities. Download here: https://t.co/oO8kYW1VHc https://t.co/p6BAG6Si63
Deutsche Börse's Allfunds Deal Fuels Tokenization Ecosystem
Deutsche Boerse's record deal for Allfunds sends shares higher https://t.co/CzVp47tiwL It is an ecosystem play for a Tokenized future. My analysis https://t.co/GcECatMsVJ https://t.co/V39EtHorCX
Rewards Drive AI Agents to Abandon Paper Checks
Ya'll realize people (and businesses) still use... paper checks, right? User payment preferences are rarely about fees. Will the AI agents get rewards for using a Colossuspay card? If not, why would their human switch from rewards CC? Bc it helps...
Nonbank Expansion Fuels Money Laundering, Breaches, Weak Oversight
As we see nonbanks getting more and more involved in lending, payments, holding funds, etc. you’re going to see a lot more money laundering, breaches, and data selling with very little regulatory authority to fine or discipline.
API‑first DeFi Tools Automate Portfolio Allocation and Rebalancing
Beyond stablecoins, DeFi orchestration is next. Companies like Glider offer API-first portfolio tools, allowing automated asset allocation and rebalancing. Set your split, fund it, and let it manage itself. https://t.co/eWaj7x6jbZ
Banks Embrace DeFi to Cut Lending Costs, Aave Leads
Every bank will move towards DeFi, it improves their lending cost structure. One of Aave’s goals is to connect Aave into as many banks as possible to serve as a lending network. DeFi will win.
Hosting Roundtable at CB Payments Conference, Istanbul March 2026
Excited to be hosting a roundtable discussion at The Central Bank Payments Conference in March with my @chyppings hat on. 🗓️ 23-25 March 2026 📍 Istanbul, Türkiye Save your spot 👉 https://t.co/ou7GKep6K1 @CurrencyResearc #CBPC @Chyppings @Fimenews https://t.co/eYUnBR6CQT
Uber Pro Driver Card Remains on Evolve via Branch
Uber Pro card/bank account for drivers is also still on Evolve (via Branch) -- https://t.co/YVTyf3zXvR
US Underwater Mortgages Climb to 2.1% Nationwide
100 major housing markets, one key question: How many homeowners are underwater? In total, 2.1% of outstanding U.S. homeowner mortgages are underwater—up from 1.3% a year ago. Here's where it's higher. ResiClub PRO report https://t.co/saZU0Ik4OD
Retail Investors Miss Institutional Asset-Liability Matching Due to Fee Incentives
As Adam notes, it's interesting that big pensions, banks and insurance companies meticulously manage their portfolios using asset-liability matching process. Meanwhile, retail investors get style and factor investing shoved down their throat in exchange for high fees. Why aren't asset-liability...
Mexico ATM Provides 3‑Hour Theft Insurance
ATM in Mexico offers a 3-hour insurance policy in case you get robbed after withdrawing money https://t.co/KsC1PfnNqW
Users Unaware Funds Are Held at Evolve, Echoing SVB Lessons
I wonder how many end users of certain products/services built on Stripe and Airwallex realize funds are held at Evolve. It's almost like no one learned anything from SVB failing because the gov't bailed out uninsured depositors. https://t.co/024w8yneu7
T‑Bills Yield Over 3%—Skip Low‑Rate Savings
The national average savings account interest is 0.39%. Yet T-bills are paying ~3.6% and no state/local taxes. Can buy them from TreasuryDirect or your broker. Or Treasury ETF (e.g $VBIL) or Treasury MMF (e.g $VUSXX) pay ~3.64%. Don't let your savings earn pennies.
Stablecoins Process $390 B in Annual Payments
How much are stablecoins used to make payments? This is one of the trickier market-sizing questions. Luckily, @artemis and @McKinsey developed a new methodology to calculate Total Annual Payments Volume, estimated at $390B per year. More data in our @thestablecon report: https://t.co/upRya2aVyb
AI Agents Prompt Search for Finance's True North Star
[Sunday Muses] Agentic Banking is upon us. But where is Finance going? As AI agents begin to act autonomously inside financial systems, Dave & Dharm are poking us to Demystify Finance by asking the question: What is Finance's true North...
Federal Reserve Born From Private Politicians' Secret Meeting
The Creature from Jekyll Island is a must read book. It helps you understand the creation of the federal reserve banking system in the states. The truth is that, The U.S. central banking system was conceived in private by a...
Zero‑Human Companies Are Already Being Built
I'm watching Anthropic and OpenAI and others ship agents that can operate businesses Meanwhile, DAOs are figuring out governance without humans in the loop And crypto rails are enabling 24/7 automated settlement The pieces are connecting Zero-human companies aren't science fiction They're under construction right...
The Rise of Debanking: What It Means
👀 #debanking https://lnkd.in/eQ2CiKQf
Integration of Digital and Human Creates Competitive Edge
Competitive differentiation today comes from integration. It is about connecting digital capability with human experience in a way that feels seamless to the customer. https://t.co/Jk20pooXPJ
Top Seven Jurisdictions Lead Stablecoin Adoption, #13 Revealed
Stablecoin prevalence by jurisdiction: 1. USA 2. China 3. Hong Kong 4. Singapore 5. Japan 6. Germany. 7. UK Can you guess #13? More in our @thestablecon x @artemis State of Stables Q1 report 👀 https://t.co/ucHnGtrUdk
We’re On
Stripe processes billions without human intervention AWS scales infrastructure autonomously Algorithmic trading firms execute millions of trades per second We're already living in the age of zero human companies. We just haven't removed the last human yet. That final step? It's closer than you think.
Local Deposits Multiply Community Economic Impact
For anyone curious about how local deposits multiple dollars into the local community, dig out your old Econ 101 textbook or search for “money multiplier”. When you keep your $ in a local bank it feeds the local economy. The...
Erebor Claims to Be More American than US Banks
Love to hear how “more American” Erebor is than the 4,000+ US community banks. We’re certainly not beholden to foreign markets & our owners & customers are our neighbors. Wish them the best, but this is a really strange even...
Credit One Teaches Credit Pitfalls and Rebuilding Momentum
@CreditOneBank is building programs like Credit Wreckers to teach people what not to do with credit and help rebuild financial momentum. In this episode, we discuss how with Steve Min. Watch the full video: https://t.co/wUIHckaAy4 https://t.co/kXzIKFYg9G
Banks Cling to $10M Non‑interest Deposits, Risking Obsolescence
Ok, so somehow banks are going to retain a single customer's $10 million in noninterest bearing deposits? Like not pay someone any interest & they'll stay with the bank because they have FDIC insurance? This is such archaic thinking &...
Fee‑Free Accounts Offer 3.61% Savings, 2% Checking
We're fee free and paying high yields here. I'm not worried about the competition, I'm worried about local economies. 3.61 APY savings, 2.0 APY checking at https://t.co/HHwXUb7kB6
Leadership's Risk Appetite Drives Digital Success
The biggest barrier to digital success is rarely technological or budget. It is leadership’s willingness to embrace change and take risks. Watch the full episode now: https://t.co/BQNDlxuwMR https://t.co/rgqIU4dXx1
Argentina's 32% Inflation Fueled by Runaway Money Growth
Argentina’s inflation comes in at a RED HOT 32.4%/yr. NO SURPRISE. AR’s money supply (M3) is growing at 38.7%/yr. That's WELL ABOVE Hanke's Golden Growth Rate of 9.8%/yr, a rate consistent with hitting its 5%/yr inflation target. INFLATION = PRES. MILEI'S ACHILLES HEEL....
Bank Deposits Remain Cheap, Abundant, and Slow‑to‑reprice
Deposits are US banks’ primary funding source; they are typically cheap, abundant, and slow to reprice. Many households keep substantial balances in bank accounts that pay little or no interest. https://t.co/jTcFqJyFST
Stablecoin Advocates Push Government Loans Over Banks
Wow. Now stablecoin yield advocates are saying that government should provide loans to local communities rather than local banks. What could be wrong with that?