Podcasts

Ongoing economic uncertainty, continued consolidation in the banking industry, tougher regulatory oversight, an overwrought housing market and a potential Fed digital currency are just a few of the issues currently facing banks. Two top leaders at the New Jersey Bankers Association - John McWeeney, its President and CEO, and Mike Affuso, its EVP and Director of government relations - assess the obstacles ahead.

Fabrice Coles, Senior Manager for Global Public Policy at PayPal, talks about how PayPal thinks about financial inclusion, its strategy for partnering with banks and how the pandemic has changed financial services.

James Reuter, President and CEO of $26.7 billion-asset FirstBank in Lakewood, Co., returns to the show to analyze the Fed’s recent 40-page white paper on the creation of a central bank digital currency. What kind of CBDC does the Fed want to create - and how would that impact banks?

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently opened a request for comment on “junk” financial services fees. But what does the agency consider junk fees - and what does it plan to do about them? American Banker’s Kate Berry walks through the CFPB’s agenda and what it means for bankers of all sizes.

Katie Couric, the legendary news anchor and head of Katie Couric Media, sits down with IntraFi Network’s Barb Rehm to talk about her new memoir, Going There. She discusses why she founded her own media company, her past work co-anchoring the Today show, her rocky transition to co-host of CBS Evening News, the Me Too movement and much more.

Todd Phillips, the director of financial regulatory and corporate governance at the Center for American Progress, talks about the dangers of legislating new rules for digital assets when existing regulatory powers may be sufficient. He also discusses the rise of NFTs and why banks should be wary.

FDIC Chair Jelena McWilliams unexpectedly announced recently that she is stepping down Feb. 4. What’s behind this decision - and what does it mean for the independence of the FDIC and other banking regulators? Politico’s Victoria Guida and American Banker’s Brendan Pedersen explore the many facets of the FDIC’s leadership battle.

Jim Edwards, the CEO of $2.1 billion-asset United Bank and immediate former past chairman of the ABA, talks about his bank’s unique approach to finding and fostering the next generation of banking talent. He also discusses several policy challenges facing the industry, including overdraft fees and more stringent regulation.

While much of the economic data is relatively strong, consumers remain pessimistic about the economy, with fears about inflation rapidly rising. Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, goes through the latest data to answer critical questions about the economy headed into the New Year. How worried should we be about inflation? What will the Fed do next? Will the omicron variant cripple the economy just as it seems about to recover?

The Independent Bankers Association of Texas and FedFIS have launched a new professional social media site exclusively for community bankers in an attempt to foster collaboration and allow them to easily compare their tech services and experiences. Christopher Williston, the head of IBAT, discusses how the site started, where it’s going and how it can help small institutions.

Tim Massad, former chairman of the CFTC, tackles the challenges in designing a U.S. central bank digital currency, including how not to disintermediate banks - and why policymakers need to accelerate their discussions. He also offers his take on recommendations for stablecoin supervision, and where regulators may have gotten it wrong in their recent report on the subject.

Robert Fisher, the CEO of $500 million-asset Tioga State Bank and chairman of the Independent Community Bankers of America, talks about the top concerns facing bankers right now, including staffing shortages and tech upgrades. He also discusses the controversial nomination of a new comptroller of the currency, how ICBA wants to address credit unions buying banks, and much more.

James Reuter, the CEO and President of $26.7 billion-asset FirstBank in Lakewood, Co., believes bankers had better wake up to the debate over a U.S. central bank digital currency before it’s too late. He argues that the Fed is almost certain to act, but how it does so could determine the fate of banking.

Buy-Now-Pay-Later has seen explosive growth during the past year, with a new deal announced seemingly every day. What’s behind BNPL’s rapid rise, why are there concerns about it, and is it the next bubble about to burst? Yizhu Wang, the senior fintech reporter at S&P Global Market Intelligence, answers all that and more.

Earlier this year, the Biden administration called for a law that requires banks to report aggregate information to the IRS on inflows and outflows to accounts. But banks have been fiercely fighting back against the plan. Ian Katz, a bank policy analyst at Capital Alpha Partners, offers his views on who is likely to win this political battle, as well as what may happen to the nominee to lead the OCC and whether the White House will renominate Fed Chair Jerome Powell.

Jo Ann Barefoot, a former regulator and now CEO of the Alliance for Innovative Regulation, discusses her efforts to help banking regulators contend with the rapid tech evolution in the financial services sector. She discusses why she’s optimistic that tech can help banks and their supervisors better manage risks, assist the underbanked, and combat long-term challenges like climate change.

Wade Arnold, founder and CEO of Moov Financial, talks about how his startup is tackling one of the fundamental parts of banking - making it easier for businesses to accept, store and disburse money. He also discusses the massive changes under way in the payment system, including the impact of real-time transactions and the rise of cryptocurrency, as well as how the pace of innovation is accelerating.

Greg Becker, CEO of Silicon Valley Bank, talks about his bank’s strategy, including its recent expansion of its capital markets business and M&A business, and where it’s going next. He also assesses the competitive landscape between banks and fintechs and reveals his greatest source of optimism - and concern - for the banking industry right now.

Nima Ghamsari, the founder and head of Blend, talks about his journey as an entrepreneur, from his early days selling items on eBay to founding a fintech in 2012. Since its inception, Blend has moved from helping banks and fintechs with digitizing the mortgage process into what he calls “proactive finance,” including helping financial institutions to digitize personal, auto and other types of loans.

There’s been a lot of chatter about regulatory concerns on stablecoins, as well as the potential the Fed might offer its own central bank digital currency. David Andolfatto, a senior vice president in the research division at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, goes through the basics on stablecoins and CBDCs.