Episodes

  • Smarter Lending: Expanding Credit Access and Improving Risk Decisioning at Scale

    Smarter Lending: Expanding Credit Access and Improving Risk Decisioning at Scale
    Jul 24 2025
    In This Episode This week on Breaking Banks, join us as we explore how real-time data is helping lenders understand financial behaviors beyond traditional credit scores, as Plaid, the largest financial data network, and Experian, a leading data technology company join forces via their new partnership. Listen as Michelle Young, Credit Product Lead at Plaid and Ashley Knight, SVP of Product Management at Experian connect with host Brett King to discuss how this new partnership is providing proven risk insights and real-time cash flow data to banks, credit unions and consumer lenders, and the potential it brings for a major change in lending. Datos Insights' Stewart Watterson also joins to offer insights on two critical industry challenges that the availability of real-time cash flow data addresses: creating pathways to credit for underserved consumers, and for financial institutions, expanding the consumer lending addressable market while improving the ability to manage credit risk. It's a win-win! This episode is not to be missed! Lend smarter and get ahead of the curve to learn how cashflow and credit data can fuel business performance and competitive advantages now!
    Show more Show less
    50 mins
  • Is Open Banking Dying—or Just Growing Up?

    Is Open Banking Dying—or Just Growing Up?
    Jul 17 2025
    In This Episode JPMorgan Chase has fired the first shot, announcing their plan to charge fintechs what some are calling exorbitant fees for access to customer data. It has the potential to shake the foundations of the open banking movement in the U.S. At the same time, the Section 1033 rule itself is under assault in the courts, and the future of consumer-driven finance hangs in the balance. In this episode, host JP Nicols is joined by two power players with a front-row seat to the action: Phil Goldfeder, CEO of the American Fintech Council, and Penny Lee, President and CEO of the Financial Technology Association. Together, they debate the billion-dollar question: Should banks control and charge for access to your data, or is true open banking the only way to foster competition and innovation? No topic is off-limits: Are “data toll roads” an overdue necessity, or just a new barrier to competition? Should financial data be as open and regulated as our power grid? Who wins and who loses among big banks, community banks, fintechs, consumers, and small business. If you care about the future of money, data, and consumer power, you can’t afford to miss this episode. Listen in for a spirited debate that could decide the next decade of financial innovation.
    Show more Show less
    53 mins
  • Fintech Tribute: Her Song Lives On

    Fintech Tribute: Her Song Lives On
    Jul 10 2025
    In This Episode In June we lost a pillar of our community, Barb MacLean, a brilliant fintech mind and a beloved colleague. A guest turned co-host on Breaking Banks and an invaluable member of Alloy Labs. She was truly special, she never hesitated to pay it forward or to speak truth, albeit in the most polite Canadian way, whether on podcasts or the stages of Finovate. Every week she curated a list of the most impactful things she had read and paired them with a song, publishing the Fintech Playlist. It was an honor to be included. She exposed us to new writers and new songs. For her, music was more than a backdrop — it was a language, a way to connect, to feel, to make fintech more human. This week's episode is a rerun of a favorite episode featuring Barb, JP Nicols and Alex Johnson discussing the invisible heist of business customers as part of our 'Unbreak the Bank' series. We hope to honor her legacy the way she lived it: with meaning, creativity, and community. There's a GoFundMe initiative started by her sister to support her family: https://gofund.me/81a8d4c5 And a Fintech Playlist T-shirt, with 100% of the proceeds going to Barb's family: https://www.bonfire.com/fintech-tribute-t-shirt-her-song-lives-on/ Let's keep her song playing!
    Show more Show less
    44 mins
  • Battling Fraud in Fintech: How Banks and Fintechs can Stay Ahead

    Battling Fraud in Fintech: How Banks and Fintechs can Stay Ahead
    Jun 26 2025
    In This Episode This week on Breaking Banks, we feature our sister podcast, Social Currency, powered by Sunrise Banks. Social Currency introduces us to some of the most innovative changemakers in finance, technology, and social impact—leaders who are dismantling barriers and reshaping their industries for a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable future. Hosts Tyler Seydel, Chief Fintech Officer, and Eric Schurr, Chief Strategy Officer at Sunrise Banks, speak with those at the forefront of positive change through social entrepreneurship, unveiling the stories behind the revolution that’s propelling us toward a world where everyone has equitable access to opportunity. In this episode, Tyler and Eric connect with John Barbella, Founder and President of Neighborli—a network of financial institutions aligned to prevent and fight fraud in fintech. With over 30 years of experience in financial services, John shares insights on compliance, the evolving fraud landscape, and how banks and fintechs can collaborate to stay ahead. Tune in to learn how Neighborli is bridging the gap between financial institutions and fintechs to build a more secure and innovative digital banking future. Enjoy the episode, and check out other episodes of Social Currency at provoke.fm or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
    Show more Show less
    41 mins
  • Fintech FMK: Hot Takes on the Regulatory Wild West

    Fintech FMK: Hot Takes on the Regulatory Wild West
    Jun 19 2025
    In This Episode Live from the main stage at American Banker’s Digital Banking 2025, this high-energy episode of Breaking Banks brings the regulatory heat. Host Jason Henrichs is joined by Alex Johnson (Fintech Takes) and Dara Tarkowski (Actuate Law) for unfiltered, rapid-fire takes on the most urgent—and divisive—issues shaping digital finance regulation today. In a fintech twist on the classic ‘90s game FMK, the trio tackles which regulatory bodies to "love, leave, or reform"—from the CFPB and OCC to the NCUA and beyond. No topic is off-limits as they debate the shifting landscape around Section 1033, Open Banking implementation, UDAP enforcement, and the growing tensions between innovation and compliance. Plus: what do the STABLE Act, the GENIUS Act, and Stablecoin policy have in common? They all point to a regulatory future that’s as complex as it is critical to get right. This episode is not for the faint of heart, but essential listening for anyone working at the intersection of fintech, policy, and consumer protection.
    Show more Show less
    41 mins
  • Breaking Borders: Africa’s Digital Leap and the Future of Global Payments

    Breaking Borders: Africa’s Digital Leap and the Future of Global Payments
    Jun 12 2025
    This week we bring you more insights from Cape Town South Africa as we continue to explore some great startups on the African continent and beyond from Crossfin's Circle of Fintech event. In our first segment, Brett speaks with Karl Westvig, CEO of TymeBank South Africa. Since receiving its banking license in South Africa in 2019, TymeBank has grown to 80 million customers globally, focusing on financial inclusion through accessible and frictionless banking. The expanding neobank has plans for further growth in several Asian markets. Key motivations include the immense scale of the Asian markets: the Philippines with 120 million people and Indonesia with 280 million alongside South Africa's 60 million. These regions boast young, digitally savvy populations that are largely underserved. Tune in as Brett and Karl discuss new opportunities, TymeBank's innovative "phygital" distribution strategy, tech stacks, Agentic AI, new products, and more Then, Brett sits down with Unitey Founder & CEO, Muzaffar "MK" Khokhar, for an engaging conversation about the payments ecosystem. Based in the UAE, Unitey's mission is to democratize financial services and level the playing field. MK is a veteran payments ecosystem player, creating and operating payment ecosystems for central banks and governments. With Unitey, he is focused on the serenity of the ecosystem. With our current system built back in the 60s / 70s, we now have better tech for more robust payment rails. Change is happening, efficiency is coming into the system, and interoperability with other rails coming up fast with RTP, mobile money, and more. Unitey specializes in demystifying the card payment rails but has clear roadmaps focused on creating interoperability with other rails, ensuring multiple rails can actually interoperate. Want fintech & banking insights every week? Subscribe to The Provoke.fm Briefing: https://mailchi.mp/91ca869a66ec/provoke-fm-newsletter Listen and subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platform: https://provoke.fm/follow-provoke-fm/ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-SWmY7HswQ5hI9LiIHJd7Q Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/10459295 Connect With Karl Westvig: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karl-westvig/ Connect with Unitey: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unitey-digital/ Connect with Brett King: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettking/
    Show more Show less
    26 mins
  • Africa’s Fintech Revolution: Mobile Money, Soft POS, and the Next Billion

    Africa’s Fintech Revolution: Mobile Money, Soft POS, and the Next Billion
    Jun 6 2025
    In This Episode This week's episode of Breaking Banks brings you insights from Cape Town, South Africa, and the Circle of Fintech event hosted by Crossfin. Africa accounts for a remarkable 70% of mobile money accounts globally, and over the past decade, fintech and mobile money have brought 1.1 billion Sub-Saharan Africans into the formal financial services system.. In the episode, Brett King is joined by Dean Sparrow and Anton Gaylard, Co-Founders of Crossfin to talk about next gen financial services infrastructure emerging from South Africa and extending across the planet. They explore the evolution of fintech across the African continent. the rapid adoption of mobile money, fueled by the limited legacy banking infrastructure and the widespread use of mobile technology. They then get into Crossfin's investment strategy with focus on supporting founder-led businesses in Africa, particularly those developing payment-oriented solutions, and showcasing the agility and innovation within the African fintech ecosystem. But first, Brett sits down with Barry Levett, CEO of Mypinpad, a fintech entrepreneur dedicated to creating secure and scalable infrastructure that transforms mobile devices into trusted platforms for commerce. As the founder of SmartPesa, Barry spearheaded the expansion of its payment and agency banking solutions across 11 countries. After a merger with Mypinpad in 2022, he assumed the role of CEO, bringing a unified strategic vision to the combined entity -- a vision emphasizing digital infrastructure that enhances freedom and efficiency, enabling individuals and businesses to transact more securely and simply on their own terms. A key focus is "Soft POS," a growing trend in finance that leverages the capabilities of ordinary mobile phones to accept payments, essentially turning a phone into a point of sale terminal. Stay tuned for this insightful episode!
    Show more Show less
    34 mins
  • What if the race for the future of finance is a relay?

    What if the race for the future of finance is a relay?
    May 29 2025
    In This Episode Traditional banks just pocketed $268 billion in profit—even with loan growth stuck in first gear—while global fintech funding barely limped past $10 billion, thanks to a single blockbuster round. This week, Theo Lau and Greg Palmer join hosts JP Nicols, Brett King, and Jason Henrichs to untangle those contradictions and ask who’s really carrying the baton in the race for the future of money. Brace yourself for a knife-fight over BaaS regulation, a land-rush toward instant payments, and an AI gold rush that could super-charge compliance… or automate you right out of a job (and maybe swipe your wallet on the way). Is a 3 % NIM so cushy that banks will never reinvent themselves? Are stablecoins the rails of autonomous finance—or just more crypto hype? Add in deep-fake demos, a no-holds-barred scorecard of today’s leaders, learners, and laggards, and stark predictions of where they’ll be tomorrow. Whether you’re sprinting on a 150-year-old balance sheet or a Series A term sheet, the finish line is the same: deliver smarter, safer money experiences—before someone else does. And whatever you do, try not to low-key suck.
    Show more Show less
    41 mins