Fintech Business Podcast
Jason Mikula
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A monthly-ish podcast hosted by Jason Mikula, the writer behind Fintech Business Weekly, covering news and analysis in fintech, banking and crypto. Episodes alternate between news recaps done together with Alex Johnson of Fintech Takes and interviews with leaders and executives across the industry. The show focuses on the business side of financial technology, including regulation, funding, product launches and competitive shifts. It is published independently via Substack rather than by a traditional broadcaster.
Jaksot
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Interview: Brooking’s Aaron Klein on Faster Payments, Consumer Credit & the Fed 16.09.2026 1t 1minIn this episode, I had the chance to chat with the Aaron Klein, the Miriam K. Carliner Chair and senior fellow in Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution.Aaron and I had a wide-ranging discussion on consumer payment and consumer credit regulation and public policy, including:* Why, despite the existence of The Clearing House RTP and FedNow, U.S. consumers don’t have widespread free or low-cost access to instant payments* The link between remote deposit capture, plane loads of checks, and 9/11* Consumer credit and small-dollar lending, including overdrafts, payday loans, and fintech apps such as EarnIn, Dave, and MoneyLion* Why someone with a bank account would use a check casher* And much more!A reminder, if you’re enjoying this show, please follow, rate & review on your preferred podcast platform, as it really helps others to find the show.And if you want to help support Fintech Business Weekly and independent journalism, upgrade to a paid subscription or reach more than 93,000+ listeners by sponsoring an episode. Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe -
Are Fintech Standards Fit For Purpose? 09.09.2026 54minHey all, Jason here.Something the banking industry has been struggling with since the emergence of fintech is how to evaluate, onboard, and manage fintech partners, particularly those that are early stage, often unprofitable startups.As bank-fintech partnerships multiplied, so did the problems, eventually gaining mindshare with regulators, leading to more than a dozen fintech-related consent orders in recent years.A variety of proposals for how to simplify and improve bank-fintech partnerships have been floated, including the idea of “standards.” The topic has gained renewed attention following reports that the FDIC is working with bank and fintech trade groups to setup a standard-setting organization.But are fintech standards fit for purpose? That’s a major theme in this recent discussion I had with Alex Johnson, creator of Fintech Takes, and Jason Henrichs, CEO of Alloy Labs. A reminder, if you’re enjoying this show, please follow, rate & review on your preferred podcast platform, as it really helps others to find the show.And if you want to help support Fintech Business Weekly and independent journalism, upgrade to a paid subscription or reach more than 93,000+ listeners by sponsoring an episode. Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe -
Fintech Recap: What Can We Learn From Coastal’s Earnings Miss? 02.09.2026 1t 7minIn this episode, Alex and I had the chance to discuss:* How a fintech lending partner drove Coastal Community Bank’s Q2 earnings miss, and what we can learn from it* The reports that the FDIC is working with bank and fintech trade associations to create a “standard setting organization”* A quick update on the bank charter pipeline, including the OCC’s rejection of Wise’s and bunq’s applications* And, as always, what Alex and I can’t let go ofA reminder, if you’re enjoying this show, please follow, rate & review on your preferred podcast platform, as it really helps others to find the show.And if you want to help support Fintech Business Weekly and independent journalism, upgrade to a paid subscription or reach more than 93,000+ listeners by sponsoring an episode. Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe -
Interview: Agentic Finance, Partnering with Visa Direct & More with zerohash's Edward Woodford 19.08.2026 43minHey all, Jason here.In this episode, I had the chance to talk with Edward Woodford, founder and CEO at crypto, stablecoin, and tokenization infrastructure platform zerohash. Edward and I had the chance to discuss the company’s many recent announcements, including:* Partnering with Visa Direct to enable prefunding and stablecoin payouts* Working with card issuer Marqeta to enable stablecoin-powered spend cards* zerohash’s role powering tokenized Treasury trading* Edward and zerohash’s vision for the future of agentic payments* And more!And a reminder, if you’re enjoying this show, please follow, rate & review on your preferred podcast platform, as it really helps others to find the show.And if you want to help support Fintech Business Weekly and independent journalism, upgrade to a paid subscription or reach more than 93,000+ listeners by sponsoring an episode. Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe -
Interview: Katie Perry, Author of Ticker Shock 12.08.2026 50minIn this episode, I had the chance to chat with Katie Perry about her recently published book, Ticker Shock. Katie currently serves as chief marketing officer at crypto and tokenization infrastructure platform zerohash and previously led marketing and partnership for brokerage Public.com. Katie and I had a wide-ranging conversation, discussing:* How corporate communications and investor relations have changed with the rise in importance of retail investors* The role communities on sites like X and Reddit play for investors* The growth of “fandoms” of specific corporate executives and companies* The blurring lines between investing and gambling* How consumer and B2B marketing have evolved over time* Why it’s critical for fintechs to build trust and how they can do it* And much, much moreAnd a reminder, if you’re enjoying this show, please follow, rate & review on your preferred podcast platform, as it really helps others to find the show.And if you want to help support Fintech Business Weekly and independent journalism, upgrade to a paid subscription or reach more than 93,000+ listeners by sponsoring an episode. Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe -
Fintech Recap: ALT5 Sigma, Increase & Fed Master Accounts 05.08.2026 1t 17minIn this episode, Alex and I had the chance to discuss:* The convoluted tale of ALT5 Sigma, MSwipe, Stradacarte and “no KYC” cards* Middleware provider Increase announcing it is launching a bank* The weirdness of Fed master accounts, which are back in the headlines* And, as always, what Alex and I just can’t let go ofAnd a reminder, if you’re enjoying this show, please follow, rate & review on your preferred podcast platform, as it really helps others to find the show.And if you want to help support Fintech Business Weekly and independent journalism, upgrade to a paid subscription or reach more than 93,000+ listeners by sponsoring an episode. Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe -
The Role of AI in Compliance in a Rapidly Changing Regulatory Environment 29.07.2026 49minIn this episode, I had the chance to speak with Wael ElSahhar, cofounder and CEO at MidLyr, and Kirsten Muetzel, founding principal & CPA at KLM Advisory. We discussed:* The role of AI in compliance in a rapidly changing regulatory environment* The differences in how fintechs, technology service providers, banks think about risk* Key lessons from what the industry has seen unfold in banking as a service over the last several years* How firms are actually using AI in compliance – and what risks AI itself may pose* And more!A reminder, if you’re enjoying this show, please follow, rate & review on your preferred podcast platform, as it really helps others to find the show.And if you want to help support Fintech Business Weekly and independent journalism, upgrade to a paid subscription or reach more than 93,000+ listeners by sponsoring an episode. Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe -
Taking Cashflow Analytics Beyond the Underwriting Decision 15.07.2026 35minIn this episode, I had the chance to speak Brian Reshefsky, founder and CEO of EDGE, the cashflow bureau helping lenders use bank transaction data across the consumer credit lifecycle, and Zuben Matthews, cofounder and CEO of consumer financial management and credit building app Brigit.We had the chance to discuss:* How they think about cashflow-based scoring and underwriting, from both a B2B and a consumer perspective* Uses for cashflow data beyond lending decisions, like lead scoring, loan life cycle management, and cross sell* The intersection of traditional bureau data and cashflow analytics* What it means to be a CRA and why it matters* And much moreA reminder, if you’re enjoying this show, please follow, rate & review on your preferred podcast platform, as it really helps others to find the show.And if you want to help support Fintech Business Weekly and independent journalism, upgrade to a paid subscription or reach more than 92,000+ listeners by sponsoring an episode. Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe -
Interview: Maple Cofounder Joe Flanagan 08.07.2026 36minListen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts | SpotifyHey all, Jason here.In this episode, I had the chance to speak with Maple cofounder and executive chairman Joe Flanagan. We had the chance to discuss:* Building in the crypto space over seven years of ups & downs* Increasing institutional adoption of cryptocurrency and stablecoins* Maple’s new partnership with Robinhood* And more!A reminder, if you’re enjoying this show, please follow, rate & review on your preferred podcast platform, as it really helps others to find the show.And if you want to help support Fintech Business Weekly and independent journalism, upgrade to a paid subscription or reach more than 92,000+ listeners by sponsoring an episode. Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe -
Interview: Cross River's Chief AI Officer Pravesh Rijal [Exclusive] 03.07.2026 22minIn this episode, I had the chance to speak with Cross River Bank’s chief AI officer, Pravesh Rijal, following the bank’s announcement earlier this week of its expanded partnership with Stripe to support agentic commerce. Pravesh and I had the chance to talk about:* Cross River’s announcement this Wednesday of its expanded partnership with Stripe to support card issuing for agentic commerce* What agentic commerce actually looks like for the different stakeholders in a transaction* How Cross River and Stripe’s new capabilities address some of the risks of delegating transactions to agents* How frontier developments like the ones Cross River is working on impact everyday consumers and businesses* And more!A reminder, if you’re enjoying this show, please follow, rate & review on your preferred podcast platform, as it really helps others to find the show.And if you want to help support Fintech Business Weekly and independent journalism, upgrade to a paid subscription or reach more than 92,000+ listeners by sponsoring an episode. Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe -
Fintech Recap: What Can We Learn From A Fintech Credit Card's Collapse? 01.07.2026 1t 14minIn this episode, Alex and I had the chance to discuss:* What industry stakeholders — fintechs, banks, and debt capital providers — can learn from the abrupt collapse of SMB credit card startup Parker card* Prediction market grab bag: Polymarket allegedly ran fake ads, Meta plans to launch “Arena,” the CFTC proposes a rule* The debanking debate just won’t go away* And, as always, what Alex and I just can’t let go ofAnd a reminder, if you’re enjoying this show, please follow, rate & review on your preferred podcast platform, as it really helps others to find the show.And if you want to help support Fintech Business Weekly and independent journalism, upgrade to a paid subscription or reach more than 92,000+ listeners by sponsoring an episode. Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe -
Exclusive: Neobank Current Raises $80M Series E 11.06.2026 27minIn this episode, I had the exclusive chance to chat with Current’s CEO Stuart Sopp and CTO Trevor Marshall on the company’s $80 million Series E, led by Springcoast Partners, announced earlier today. We also discussed:* Current’s expanded product suite and impressive 70% growth for the third year in a row* The role AI has played across the company’s business and how Stu and Trevor think about cost discipline and “return on tokens”* Current’s expanded financing facility with bank partner Cross River and General Catalyst* How Stu and Trevor think about the latest wave of foreign fintechs entering the U.S.* How the “K-shaped” economy and renewed inflation are impacting everyday American consumers* And on building a sustainable business that’s ready for the public markets Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe -
Fintech Recap: Everyone Wants To Be A Bank 03.06.2026 1t 11minIn this episode, Alex and I had the chance to discuss:* Why seemingly every bank, crypto, and stablecoin company wants to become a bank (and what it could mean for their valuations)* A return to BaaS Island: CFSB’s consent order, and how it compares to those of other fintech partner banks* President Trump’s fintech- and banking-related executive orders* And, as always, what Alex and I just can’t let go of Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe -
Interview: zerohash's Founder & CEO Edward Woodford 27.05.2026 49minIn this episode, I had the chance to chat with Edward Woodford, the founder and CEO of crypto, stablecoin, and tokenization infrastructure platform zerohash. Edward and I had the chance to talk about:* Why zerohash is applying for a national trust bank charter* How the CLARITY Act (crypto market structure legislation) may impact the U.S. crypto industry* What Edward is hearing from non-financial industry execs about crypto, stablecoins, tokenization, and blockchain* Thinking about crypto as an “asset class” vs. crypto as “software”* The potential synergies between crypto/stablecoins and AI agents* What keeps Edward up at night and what he’s most excited about* And much more! Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe -
Interview: Knot CEO Rory O'Reilly 21.05.2026 35minIn this episode, I had the chance to chat with merchant connectivity platform Knot’s cofounder and CEO Rory O’Reilly. Rory and I had the chance to discuss:* Rory dropping out of Harvard to start his first company* How Knot became the industry’s go-to solution for card switching* Expanding from its initial card switching product to building the merchant connnectivity layer, and how Knot complements other core fintech infrastructure* Hitting a 100 million API call per month milestone* Knot’s international expansion to Canada and Latin America* And much more! Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe -
Fintech Recap: Is AI the Unlock PFM Has Been Waiting For? 06.05.2026 1t 12minIn this episode, Alex and I had the chance to discuss:* If there’s one idea fintech founders can’t quit, it’s solving personal financial management. There’s a new wave of AI-powered tools. But can they solve some of the fundamental challenges that have prevented a breakout company from emerging in the category?* Bolt, the one-click checkout turned financial “super app,” is in headlines, again, with further layoffs and as it struggles to pay its vendors. Why Americans don’t really want a “super app.”* Congress actually tries to legislate: the bipartisan PACE Act could offer a pathway for non-banks to have direct access to payment rails. But, even if it were to become law (a big if), as a layer on top of existing requirements and at a time when getting a bank charter seems easier than ever, is the PACE Act fit for purpose? Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe -
Fintech Recap: Bilt's Rocky Transition 01.04.2026 1t 32minIn this episode, Alex and I had the chance to discuss:* Rent rewards and neighborhood loyalty startup Bilt’s rocky transition from Wells Fargo to Column and Cardless* The “graduation problem” in banking-as-a-service* The New York legislature’s decision to* And, as always, what Alex and I just can’t let go of Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe -
Interview: Tyler Allen, Unit21's Chief Operating Officer 25.03.2026 55minIn this episode, I had the chance to chat with Tyler Allen, the chief operating offier at Unit21. We had the chance to discuss:* How fintech, financial crimes compliance, and software engineering have evolved since Tyler joined Unit21 back in 2019* The limitations of addressing compliance challenges by throwing bodies at them* How regulators are thinking about agentic AI* What an AI-first approach to compliance looks like* And much more! Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe -
Interview: Aliya’s CEO and Co-Founder, SP “Wije” Wijegoonaratna 11.03.2026 53minIn this episode, I had the chance to chat with S.P. “Wije” Wijegoonaratna, the cofounder and CEO of Aliya Financial Technologies. We had the chance to discuss:* The challenges different segments of consumer lenders are facing today* How AI-powered infrastructure is fundamentally reshaping how financial institutions think about making decisions* How Aliya is thinking about its go-to-market approach* How Aliya can help banks improve their returns* What folks who have never worked in lending through a true credit cycle/recession should know* And much more! Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe -
Fintech Recap: Cash App Plans To Sell Proprietary Credit Scores To Others 04.03.2026 1t 22minIn this episode, Alex and I had the chance to discuss:* Block’s plan to sell access to its proprietary Cash App credit score* So-called “no KYC” crypto cards* Stablecoin infrastructure firm Bridge’s apparent derisking* The brewing internecine fights over regulating prediction markets* And, as always, what Alex and I just can’t let go of Get full access to Fintech Business Weekly at fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/subscribe
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