Circle’s Stroke of Genius/Can Anyone Regulate AI?
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.
What the Chime and Circle IPOs Mean for Fintech Investment
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.
A Tale of Two Coinbases
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.
Making Sense of Trump’s Crypto Executive Order
It took a mere four days back in office for President Trump to issue his Executive Order, “Strengthening American Leadership in Digital Financial Technology.” Somehow it managed to qualify as a bit of a letdown for some crypto enthusiasts who had become convinced their cause was a high enough priority to warrant a mention in the inaugural address.
A Path to Member Prosperity
Glen speaks with the founders of Starlight and Credit Mountain, two award-winning startups with a goal of smoothing the turbulent patches of consumers’ financial journeys. Also- a first look at the CFPB’s 594-page magnum opus on personal data rights.
A State of Confusion- Interchange Battles Move Closer to Home
The tension between federal and state-level banking legislation is a never-ending source of heartburn. Businesses naturally crave less regulation, in order to limit compliance costs and avoid barriers to innovation. Given the choice, however, they’d nearly always prefer a single federal standard to a patchwork of state edicts that can make compliance difficult-verging-on-impossible.
NACUSO’s Big Ideas for Credit Unions of All Sizes
Glen speaks with NACUSO CEO Ronaldo Hardy about his collaborative vision for the organization he joined last summer, and the opportunity ahead for the industry overall. Also- Fiserv’s application for a limited banking charter, and conference season begins to rev up again.
Youth Will Be Served (that’s the goal…)
Just back from last week’s VentureTech conference, Glen has interviews with a trio of founders from standout startups: Sparrow’s Harrison Hochman, Debbie’s Rachel Lauren, and Legal Karma’s Kory Kelly. Also- the PSCU/Co-Op merger, and the relentless pursuit of deposits and the elusive Generation Z.
Fintech Collaboration – At $100 Million and Counting
Glen speaks with the Curql Collective’s Jim Ryan about his group’s ongoing quest to bring cutting-edge fintech to credit unions and a new portal that advances the cause. Also, finding more avenues for cooperatives to cooperate.
Taking Faster Payments to the Bank – or CU
More insights from Nacha Payments- including Glenbrook Partners’ Elizabeth McQuerry on the Faster Payments Barometer, and leaders from Akoya and Banked on the burgeoning Pay By Bank model. Also- insights from ETA Transact, and chipping away at MICA.