John and Glen ruminate on a pair of major events reshuffling the fintech world- The Circle IPO’s impact on venture funding, and the Big Beautiful Bill’s unorthodox approach to throttling AI regulation. Also- John gets “spun out on quantum,” and admits a surprising change of heart regarding his outlook for AI.
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The first half of June has been remarkably eventful for the fintech investing world. On back-to-back Thursdays, market bellwethers Circle and Chime completed successful initial public offerings- trading on the NYSE and NASDAQ, respectively.
Glen speaks with Georgia State University Finance Professor Jonathan Godbey about new student-led consumer research that yields some unexpected findings about Gen Z banking attitudes. Plus- Circle’s IPO is roundly celebrated, Illinois kicks the interchange can down the road, and the AI Easter Egg hiding in the Big Beautiful Bill.
Glen speaks with Edelman Smithfield’s Deidre Campbell to explore her firm’s new Financial Services Trust Barometer and the (mostly) positive signs for banks and credit unions. Also- the latest Gen AI fiasco has a familiar ring, Illinois’ unworkable interchange law moves bizarrely close to reality, and why the CFPB’s withdrawal of its open banking rule isn’t necessarily cause for celebration.
As the dust settles on a packed spring conference season, John, Mike, Glen and Lou led a lively discussion on the top trends and takeaways from recent credit union and fintech events. From emerging tech to shifting compliance priorities, we unpacked what’s driving conversations and decisions across the industry.
For Coinbase it was the best of weeks and the worst of weeks- all wrapped into one. Let’s lead with the positive- last Monday S&P Global announced that it was adding Coinbase to its benchmark S&P 500 stock index. This marks a watershed moment for the crypto sector, a major psychological milestone signifying the mainstreaming of an industry that not long ago seemed on the ropes as a result of multiple scandals and depressed asset prices.
Recapping this month’s Finovate Spring event, Glen connects with Steven Ramirez (Beyond the Arc) and Elias Kruger (Long Range AI) to compare notes on the standouts and key takeaways- such as agentic AI- from San Diego. Also- Coinbase packs a year’s news into a single week, and Nevada looks to enter the payments fray.
Glen connects with Paylume’s Andrew Gomez to unpack the burgeoning pay by bank model, explore lessons learned from other countries’ rollouts, and consider the pros and cons facing banks and credit unions. Also- a possible open banking do-over, more stadium naming rights, and resisting the urge to spike the ball before the goal line.
In this session, we discussed the latest wave of credit union mergers, shakeups at the NCUA, shifting economic indicators, and other headlines that have been making waves across the industry. We explored what these developments could mean for your strategy, your members, and the future of the credit union movement.
A pair of conversations from last week’s Smarter Faster Payments conference- Glen’s annual check-in with Nacha CEO Jane Larimer, and PASA CEO Ghita Erling shares insights on modernizing South Africa’s payment system through collaboration rather than mandate. Also- AI shopping agents, Uber discovers paper, and the vultures swirl around checks.
Continuing our NACUSO Reimagine coverage, Glen speaks with Silvur founder Rhian Horgan about the “social journey of retirement” and how credit unions can play to their strengths in transitioning their biggest borrowers into their biggest depositors. Also- more of John’s conversation with cybersecurity expert Emma Zaballos about DeepSeek’s rise and the broader operational concerns around AI.
It was a fascinating week to be in the presence of 500 credit union leaders at NACUSO’s Reimagine conference. After all, the internal machinations of an obscure federal financial insurance/supervisory agency aren’t exactly headline fodder for the general public. To the industry professionals assembled in Vegas, however, it was clear a seismic shift had occurred. (Despite our lighthearted title let me be clear- this is no laughing matter.)
Meet The BIGcast Network
The fintech industry is evolving rapidly, and the BIGcast is here to delve into its impact on the credit union industry. Our esteemed guests from across the financial, technology and security sectors will provide thrilling perspectives on the latest fintech innovations that are poised to revolutionize the way we handle our finances. Each week join thought-leader, John Best and subject matter expert, Glen Sarvady as they take a quick dive into the financial industry’s current breakthroughs and latest hot topics.
John Best
CEO, Best Innovation Group
Glen Sarvady
Managing Principal, 154 Advisors