FinTech Futures

In this episode of the What the FinTech? podcast, host and FinTech Futures editor Paul Hindle is joined by Dr Subodh Kulkarni, CEO of Rigetti Computing, and Dr Simon Plant, Deputy Director for Innovation at the UK’s National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC), to explore the fascinating world of quantum computing and its transformative potential for financial services. The trio discuss the current state of play for quantum solutions in finance and how financial services firms are embracing the technology, with a specific look at some of the work Rigetti is doing with its partners in the sector, as well as advice for banks and fintechs looking to innovate with the technology and prepare for the quantum revolution, including best practices for integrating quantum computing into your existing systems. The conversation also covers the UK’s innovation strategy for quantum technologies, the technology’s intersection with generative AI, and the potential future impact of quantum computing on finance - including the looming challenge of Q-Day. And finally, we find out what fintech buzzwords Subodh and Simon want to throw into our Fintech Jail! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT FINTECH FUTURES FinTech Futures is a leading global platform for fintech news, analysis, and insights. With a mission to empower the financial technology community, we bring you the latest updates and thought leadership from across the industry. From startups to established players, we cover the entire fintech ecosystem. Stay Connected with FinTech Futures: Visit our website: www.fintechfutures.com Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/fintechfutures/ Sign up to our newsletter: www.fintechfutures.com/newsletter Subscribe to our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@FinTechFutures

In this episode of the What the FinTech? podcast, host and FinTech Futures editor Paul Hindle is joined by Irina Chuchkina, Chief Growth Officer for Wallet in Telegram, to explore how digital wallets and super-apps are transforming the way people interact with money, commerce, and technology in their everyday lives. The conversation covers how Wallet in Telegram is revolutionising financial interactions by enabling digital wallet functionality and peer-to-peer transactions directly within the Telegram messaging app. Paul and Irina discuss how this innovation is driving financial inclusion in emerging markets, the key use cases of financial services within the Telegram economy, how Telegram’s open platform model compares to more vertically integrated super-app ecosystems, and the broader trends shaping the adoption of digital wallets worldwide. And finally, we find out what fintech buzzword Irina wants to throw into our Fintech Jail! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT FINTECH FUTURES FinTech Futures is a leading global platform for fintech news, analysis, and insights. With a mission to empower the financial technology community, we bring you the latest updates and thought leadership from across the industry. From startups to established players, we cover the entire fintech ecosystem. Stay Connected with FinTech Futures: Visit our website: https://www.fintechfutures.com Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintechfutures/ Sign up to our newsletter: https://www.fintechfutures.com/newsletter Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@FinTechFutures

In this episode of the What the FinTech? podcast, host and FinTech Futures editor Paul Hindle is joined by Ruwani Hewa, Director of Payments at Starling Bank, to explore the world of embedded finance and how Starling is tapping into the huge potential of the sector through its Starling Banking Services unit. The conversation explores how Starling Banking Services fits into the broader embedded finance ecosystem, how the company has approached developing and maintaining its in-house tech infrastructure, and the key priorities for the unit over the next year as it looks to scale. Paul and Ruwani also dive into the trends shaping the future of Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) and embedded finance, and the technologies having the biggest impact on the industry right now. And finally, we find out what fintech buzzword Ruwani wants to throw into our Fintech Jail! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT FINTECH FUTURES FinTech Futures is a leading global platform for fintech news, analysis, and insights. With a mission to empower the financial technology community, we bring you the latest updates and thought leadership from across the industry. From startups to established players, we cover the entire fintech ecosystem. Stay Connected with FinTech Futures: Visit our website: https://www.fintechfutures.com Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintechfutures/ Sign up to our newsletter: https://www.fintechfutures.com/newsletter Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@FinTechFutures

In the latest episode of the What the FinTech? podcast, we're joined by Francesco Filia, founder and CEO of Fasanara Capital, to delve into emerging investment trends and strategies for identifying high-potential fintech companies. Francesco sits down with FinTech Futures reporter Cameron Emanuel-Burns to explore how the UK fintech ecosystem stacks up against global counterparts. They also discuss the rise of fintech lending, its impact on the industry, and the current valuation landscape. The conversation also touches on Francesco's career, how he came to found Fasanara, and tips he would give to entrepreneurs and investors looking to navigate the fintech sector. And finally, we discover which fintech buzzword Francesco wants to throw into or rescue from our Fintech Jail!

In this episode of the What the FinTech? podcast, host and FinTech Futures editor Paul Hindle is joined by Richard Ullenius, Vice President of Global Banking and Financial Services at CSG, to explore why the next era of banking demands reimagination rather than incremental transformation, and the defining factors that will set leading banks apart over the next five years. The conversation covers how trust, risk, and human judgment must evolve in the age of AI-driven banking models and real-time banking, how trust can become a competitive advantage for financial firms, and how risk and compliance can act as enablers of innovation rather than constraints. Paul and Richard also dive into the critical balance between human judgment and AI automation in powering responsible banking, and how regulation can help spur innovation amid the rapid evolution of technology and shifting consumer demands. And finally, we find out what fintech buzzword Richard wants to free from our Fintech Jail!

In the opening episode of season seven of the What the Fintech? podcast, we’re joined by Ted Paris, Head of Analytics, Intelligence, and AI at TD Bank, to discuss the evolving role of AI in financial services and how customers are embracing AI within banking. Ted and FinTech Futures editor Paul Hindle discuss the findings of TD’s recent survey on how Americans perceive and interact with AI in finance, uncovering key insights about adoption barriers, trust, and the tools resonating most with consumers. The discussion covers how TD Bank is leveraging AI to enhance accessibility, improve the customer experience, and innovate through initiatives like its Layer 6 office, while also touching on the future of agentic AI and its transformative potential for banking. And finally, we find out what fintech buzzword Ted wants to lock away in our Fintech Jail!

In the final episode of season six of the What the FinTech? podcast, host Paul Hindle is joined by FinTech Futures columnists and fellow podcast hosts Dave Wallace and Dharmesh Mistry to take a look back at some of the biggest trends to come out of 2025 and discuss what the new year might bring for the financial services sector. The discussion covers topics including agentic AI, stablecoins, neurodiversity in financial services, digital wallets, the future of payments, and more. And finally, in the spirit of the holidays, we find out which buzzwords Dave and Dharmesh want to release from our Fintech Jail!

In the latest episode of the What the FinTech? podcast, we’re joined by Natasha Sarin, Senior Product Owner, Data and AI at Lloyds Banking Group, to discuss the evolving relationship between traditional banking and artificial intelligence. Natasha and FinTech Futures reporter Cameron Emanuel-Burns delve into Lloyds' generative AI strategy, showcase current use cases enhancing internal operations, and explore Natasha's insights into the future potential of the technology. Natasha also reflects on her career journey, the most exciting projects she’s worked on at Lloyds, the challenges of implementing AI strategies, and the importance of ensuring AI-generated financial information remains accurate and trustworthy.

In the latest episode of the What the FinTech? podcast, we're joined by two of BeHive Consulting's co-founders, CEO Rachel Altmann and Chief Behavioural Scientist Noemi Molnar, to delve into how behavioural science influences financial decision-making. The conversation explores how the growing trend of digital transformation is reshaping our psychological relationship with money and the key psychological principles fintechs should consider when designing new products. Altmann and Molnar, speaking with FinTech Futures reporter Cameron Emanuel-Burns, also examine gender differences in investing, the impact of financial anxiety on the adoption of new financial technologies, and the psychological factors that drive trust in digital-only services. The episode further highlights behavioural science techniques that some fintech companies have exploited, and Rachel shares the tips she received from her "future AI-self" at this year’s Sibos conference. And finally, we discover which fintech buzzword Rachel and Noemi want to throw into or rescue from our Fintech Jail!

In this episode of the What the FinTech? podcast recorded live at Money20/20 USA in Las Vegas, FinTech Futures' US correspondent Heather Sugg is joined by Justin Zhao, Head of Global Partnerships at Visa Direct, to explore how Visa Direct is pioneering the use of stablecoins to modernise cross-border payments. With the launch of Visa's pilot programme announced in September, Visa is testing stablecoin prefunding to help reduce settlement delays, unlock liquidity, and enable more flexible money movement for fintechs and remitters. Tune in to hear how Visa Direct is helping bridge traditional infrastructure with next-gen payment rails—and what this means for the businesses operating in a digital-first economy.

In this episode of the What the FinTech? podcast, host and FinTech Futures editor Paul Hindle is joined by Will Marwick, CEO of IFX Payments, to explore the rapidly evolving UK payments landscape and the future of cross-border transactions. The conversation covers the challenges around cross-border payments for corporates and SMEs, how IFX is tackling friction points in international transactions, and how the FX brokerage market has evolved amid significant FX volatility in recent years. Looking toward emerging technologies, Will also gives his perspective on the growing traction of stablecoins and their potential role in the future of international transactions. And finally, we find out what fintech buzzword Will wants to throw into our Fintech Jail!

In this episode of the What the FinTech? podcast recorded live at Money20/20 USA in Las Vegas, FinTech Futures' US correspondent Heather Sugg is joined by Laura Gibson-Lamothe, executive director of the Georgia Fintech Academy, to explore how the organisation is opening up connections between students and the financial technology sector. The discussion touches on Laura's distinguished career path and examines how fintech companies collaborate with the academy, while also highlighting a recent hackathon that attracted over 300 students who tackled challenges involving artificial intelligence, stablecoins, and financial inclusion. Listen in to hear Laura's advice for other fintech academies considering their launch, along with her insights on the future of fintech talent development.

In this episode of the What the FinTech? podcast recorded live at Money20/20 USA in Las Vegas, FinTech Futures' US correspondent Heather Sugg is joined by Justin Zhao, Head of Global Partnerships at Visa Direct, to explore how Visa Direct is pioneering the use of stablecoins to modernise cross-border payments. With the launch of Visa's pilot programme announced in September, Visa is testing stablecoin prefunding to help reduce settlement delays, unlock liquidity, and enable more flexible money movement for fintechs and remitters. Tune in to hear how Visa Direct is helping bridge traditional infrastructure with next-gen payment rails—and what this means for the businesses operating in a digital-first economy.

In this episode of the What the FinTech? podcast, host and FinTech Futures editor Paul Hindle is joined by Marie-Gwenhaelle Geffroy, Head of Growth Capital at BNP Paribas, to explore the key start-up and funding trends in the European fintech space this year and learn more about BNP Paribas’ fintech investment strategy and how the bank works with new start-ups to help them scale and grow. The conversation covers how Europe’s fintech landscape has evolved in recent years and some of the defining focus areas across the region, which emerging technologies and use cases are picking up the most traction and showing the most potential moving forward, and Marie’s top tips for fintech founders looking to grow their businesses. And finally, we find out what fintech buzzword Marie wants to free from our Fintech Jail!

In this episode of the What the FinTech? podcast, host and FinTech Futures editor Paul Hindle is joined by David Caruso, Vice President of Financial Crime Compliance at WorkFusion, to explore the topic of financial crime compliance and how advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are causing a generational shift in the anti-money laundering (AML) technology space. The conversation covers how AI is revolutionising AML tech and the key elements of financial crime compliance that are most impacted by AI right now, the challenges that exist for AI adoption in the financial crime compliance sector, and the key benefits being offered by the technology and its next stages for development, as well as how WorkFusion has looked to utilise AI agents to help its clients detect and prevent financial crime. And finally, we find out what fintech buzzword David wants to throw into our Fintech Jail!

In the latest episode of the What the FinTech? podcast, we’re joined by Joanne Dewar, Project Lead at Project Nemo, to discuss how to make financial services more accessible for people with disabilities. Joanne and FinTech Futures reporter Cameron Emanuel-Burns explore Project Nemo's origins and development, examining findings from the organisation's recent report on challenges adults with disabilities face when engaging financial services, with Dewar offering recommendations for financial institutions seeking to remove these barriers. The conversation also addresses how emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, are reshaping disability inclusion in financial services, while tackling common misconceptions about accessibility in the industry. And finally, we discover which fintech buzzword Joanne wants to throw into or rescue from our Fintech Jail!

In this episode of the What the FinTech? podcast, host and FinTech Futures editor Paul Hindle is joined by Paul Noble, CEO of Chetwood Bank, to explore how the Wrexham-based bank has set about its product and tech innovation strategy as it looks to continue its growth trajectory, having reached the milestone of £4 billion in total customer savings deposits this year.

In this episode of the What the FinTech? podcast, host and FinTech Futures editor Paul Hindle is joined by Binu Jacob, CEO and MD of Experion Technologies, and Experion Technologies advisor Markus Ruetimann, to discuss the imperative need for financial services companies working in asset management to accelerate their digital transformation initiatives to keep up with the rapid pace of change driven by emerging technologies and shifting customer demands. The conversation explores how Experion Technologies goes about helping its financial services clients with their transformation projects and the implementation of new tech, with a specific focus on asset management and some examples of successful use cases. Our two guests also cover the best strategies for businesses looking to upgrade their asset management tech and processes, the key benefits provided by emerging technologies such as generative AI within the space, and of course what makes Experion Technologies stand out from the crowd and it’s next steps for growth. And finally, we find out what fintech buzzword Binu and Markus want to throw into our Fintech Jail!

In this episode of the What the FinTech? podcast, host and FinTech Futures editor Paul Hindle is joined by Colin Fyfe, CEO of Unity Trust Bank, to discuss the current business banking landscape in the UK and how Unity Trust Bank has approached its ethical banking strategy to help support not-for-profit and smaller profit-with-purpose businesses in the country. We’ll dive into how the bank’s actions contribute to and deliver a range of positive social, economic, and environmental impacts across the UK, how the bank has approached its tech and innovation strategy to keep up with shifting customer demands and the emergence of new technologies, the key things businesses want from their banks in the current climate, and the bank’s plans for future growth amid increasing competition in the business banking sector. And finally, we find out what fintech buzzword Colin wants to throw into our Fintech Jail!

In this episode of the What the FinTech? podcast, host and FinTech Futures editor Paul Hindle is joined by David Watson, CEO of The Clearing House, to discuss what’s next for real-time payments in the US as usage numbers and transaction volumes across the country’s RTP networks continue to grow. The conversation explores the core drivers behind the growth of RTP in the US, how banks and businesses have been looking to adopt instant payments, the key trends around how businesses and consumers are choosing to make payments, and what the future looks like for RTP as new technological advancements such as tokenisation and stablecoins continue to revolutionise the sector. And finally, we find out what fintech buzzword David wants to throw into our Fintech Jail!