Recent Posts
Social•Feb 3, 2026
Stripe's Stablecoin Gambit Risks a Heavy Hangover
This quote from The Information's latest story on Stripe's stablecoin infra subsidiary Bridge is interesting. Seems like Stripe drank the kool-aid. Now the question is, how bad will the hangover be? https://t.co/J2DnaC7z02
By Jason Mikula
Social•Feb 3, 2026
Third‑party Users Linked to Kontigo Wallets Face Account Closures
Looks like some users of third-party platforms who have interacted w/Kontigo wallets are having their accounts shut down:
By Jason Mikula
Social•Feb 2, 2026
Warsh’s Fed Nomination Backed by Andreessen and Crypto Bank
Fed chair nominee Warsh has the seal of approval from a16z's Marc Andreessen & cofounder/CEO of Anchorage Digital, the crypto bank where Warsh has served as an advisor "since the very beginning" -- https://t.co/pnDnonrw2N
By Jason Mikula
Social•Feb 2, 2026
Varo Raises $124M Despite $92M Loss
The sunk cost fallacy is alive & well: Varo announced it has raised ANOTHER $123.9 million. Varo posted a net loss of $91.7 million in 2025, per its just-released call report. https://t.co/iGHX1ILeL9
By Jason Mikula
Social•Feb 2, 2026
WSJ Validates My Kontigo App Investigation
WSJ confirms my reporting from Jan 11th on Y Combinator- and Coinbase-backed @kontigo_app Get the full story at Fintech Biz Weekly / support independent journalism with a paid subscription:
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 30, 2026
Kontigo's SUNACRIP License Expired;
One add'l q for @jecastillof: has @kontigo_app renewed its SUNACRIP license, which expired on Jan 8, 2026? Crixto, the other Venezuelan crypto platform, was granted a license on Jan 2, valid through end of 2026.
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 30, 2026
Seeking Transparency on Kontigo's Internal Review and Sanctions Compliance
To avoid any claims to the contrary, I have emailed @kontigo_app CEO @jecastillof a set of questions regarding the company's "internal review" and stated commitment to comply w/U.S. laws & sanctions: https://t.co/5NwmienN2p
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 29, 2026
2026 Still Stuck Using Outdated Microdeposit Verification
Literally insane anyone still needs to do microdeposits for bank account verification in our year of the lord 2026 https://t.co/jubY3sc9qB
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 25, 2026
Tech Is Erasing the Line Between Banks and Fintech
Distinctions between banks and other kinds of FIs blurring because of technology.... can you guess what year this was written? https://t.co/WcajuBHnoU
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 23, 2026
Brex Deal Reveals Liquidation Preferences to Many Shareholders
Any VC types want to opine on how this plays out for Brex employees / common shareholders?
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 22, 2026
Seeking High‑quality Fintech, Finance, and Stablecoin Analysts
I've been re-calibrating who I follow on X, to reduce noise/shameless self promoters and increase signal. Who's posting original, fact-based analysis on fintech, banking, finance, stablecoins that I should be following?
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 22, 2026
Airwallex's Longstanding Red Flags Tied to Evolve Bank
Red flags on Airwallex have been obvious for some time (incl its prior relationship with... Evolve Bank & Trust)
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 21, 2026
Coinbase Burns Political Capital, Gains No Clear Win
Must listen for anyone following crypto market structure legislation. Coinbase seems to have expended a lot of political capital, made enemies in its own industry, and for no clear win-
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 21, 2026
New Deal Framework Enables Profitable 10% Cap Credit Lending
Good news: I have formed the framework of a future deal to profitably do credit card lending with a 10% rate cap 😐
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 20, 2026
Your Crypto‑bank Integration Is Fundamentally Flawed
If this is how you’re integrating crypto into tradfi bank app, you’re doing it wrong: https://t.co/kWU3jPhsdf
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 20, 2026
Fed Refuses Transparency on Synapse Oversight, Cites Confidentiality
Fed continues stonewalling all requests for transparency regarding its oversight of Synapse, arguing it is confidential supervisory information: https://t.co/VQcPyPqkNw
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 19, 2026
Chase Tacks Ads Onto Coinbase ACH Funding Statements
I do love that when you fund a Coinbase account via ACH debit from Chase, Chase inserts an advertisement into your statement: https://t.co/b5WB6xasj4
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 18, 2026
Evolve Bank Exec Pleads Fifth on Yotta FDIC Risk
Fintech Biz Weekly just dropped: Evolve Bank exec pleads the 5th Amendment in missing money case. Ex-head of BaaS Hank Word declined to answer questions under oath about if the bank did anything to jeopardize FDIC coverage of Yotta end users'...
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 17, 2026
FBI Traces $1 B in Crypto Through Figueira’s Wallets
“The FBI has identified approximately a billion dollars' worth of cryptocurrency that was passed through crypto wallets utilized by Figueira and his laundering operation” (h/t @criptolawyer) https://t.co/BNb8abIyKy
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 16, 2026
Stablecoin Failures Mirror Banking‑as‑a‑service Risks
Is the stablecoin space "speed running" the problems we saw in banking-as-a-service? @AlexH_Johnson and I did a bonus ep of Fintech Recap, discussing what lessons banks & "infrastructure" companies should learn from the Kontigo mess. https://t.co/kh6Hi6EYHb
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 15, 2026
Stripe Cuts Off Payment Processing for YC-Backed Kontigo
Looks like YC-backed Stripe may have cut off merchant acquiring for YC-backed Venezuelan sanctions evasion app Kontigo (English: the main use I gave to @kontigo_app died yesterday. It seems like @stripe stopped their card processor.)
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 14, 2026
Bank Opens Branch Aimed at Podcasters
They opened a new bank branch in town, and the target market seems to be… podcasters? https://t.co/25dDb4UEIc
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 14, 2026
Coinbase Backs Venezuelan Crypto App, Raising Sanction Concerns
Wait, is he... endorsing sanctions evasion? Coinbase, per Pitchbook data, led Venezuelan crypto app @kontigo_app's funding round announced last Dec.
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 14, 2026
Mastercard Cards Still Fueling Venezuelan Sanctions Evasion
Looks like @Mastercard-issued cards still operating for Venezuelan sanctions evasion app @kontigo_app If anyone knows who the issuer is (Rain?) or can share BIN/IIN (first 6 digits), would appreciate it!
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 12, 2026
Kontigo Pitches Bitcoin Retirement, Promises $205M by 2045
A fun @kontigo_app nugget that didn’t make the piece: it offers bitcoin, positioned as a retirement investment, and claims users can earn $205 million profit by 2045: https://t.co/fkLnA6CtKM
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 12, 2026
Kontigo and CEO Decline Direct Inquiry
To avoid any doubt or erroneous speculation, I reached out to both Kontigo and its CEO directly on Thu Jan 8. The company declined to engage. https://t.co/wrAcUPo1vp
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 11, 2026
Questioning Due Diligence Behind Stripe's Kontigo Partnership
What kind of due diligence did @stripe @Stablecoin @raincards @checkbook do before working with Kontigo, exactly? https://t.co/gpNCUPnzM0
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 11, 2026
US Money Fuels Spanish‑Language Sanctions‑Evasion App
Apparently, you can land American investors for a sanctions evasion app, as long as it's en español. Kontigo's stated investors only include ONE LatAm-based investor🤔
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 11, 2026
Y Combinator, Coinbase Fund Venezuelan Sanctions‑evasion App
Fintech Biz Weekly just dropped: Y Combinator & Coinbase invested in a Venezuelan sanctions evasion app linked to the Maduro regime, including, rumors say, the son of Nícolas Maduro: @kontigo_app The story is a LONG one. You know where...
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 10, 2026
Evolve Finds Additional Funds After 600-Day Freeze
🚨On Thursday, almost 600 days since Synapse/Evolve end users had their funds frozen, Evolve announced that it, I guess, “found” some more money — https://t.co/ZpCcjXfezR
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 9, 2026
Former FDIC Chair Leads Plaid’s Open‑Banking Policy
Interesting: Synapse bankruptcy trustee and former FDIC Chair Jelena McWilliams is the new head of policy for open banking aggregator Plaid
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 8, 2026
OCC Proposes Rule to Clarify National Trust Banks' Authority
OCC just dropped notice of proposed rule making to “clarify” the authorities of national trust banks: https://t.co/lAzLETRWVx
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 8, 2026
TomoCredit, Backed by Mastercard, Still Committing Fraud
Periodic reminder that Mastercard- and Morgan Stanley-backed TomoCredit is still running a straight up fraud: https://t.co/rpegLuEn28
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 8, 2026
Most Americans Would Ditch Credit Cards if Rates Capped
Correction to the Yahoo story @ChopraUSA cites: Most Americans would not have credit cards if credit card rates were capped as Trump proposed.
By Jason Mikula
Social•Jan 8, 2026
Kontigo Detects and Thwarts New Authentication Attack
Kontigo claims it detected & stopped another "hack" attempt; English: "We detected a new attack attempt targeting our authentication processes. Our security team contained it in time and activated additional protocols."
By Jason Mikula