925. News: Current eyes profitability, VRPs, ...

About this episode: On this week's episode, David M. Brear is joined by some great guests to tack a question on every bank and fintech leader’s mind: is AI redefining consumer-focused banking in 2026? Using our Digital R.I.C.H.E.S framework, we explore how AI is changing the way ...  Show more

About this episode: It's our first news pod of 2026! Host Ross Gallagher, Head of Consulting at 11:FS, is joined by some great guests to discuss the biggest stories from the world of financial services over the past week. This week's guests: Sarah Kocianski, Fintech Consultant & ...  Show more

It’s no secret that Stripe has doubled down on its crypto offerings, enabling crypto purchases in the EU back in July and announcing a Pay with Crypto feature earlier this month. This week, the fintech giant made its dedication to crypto even clearer with its largest deal to date ...  Show more

Buy Now Pay Later is everywhere nowadays. Companies like Affirm, Afterpay, and Klarna have brought installment payments into everyday life, while big banks and tech firms also now racing into the space. With the market growing so rapidly, there are obvious concerns over whether B ...  Show more

  As Bitcoin nears $100,000, Trump’s pro-crypto policies, including a proposed Crypto Czar and a U.S. “Bitcoin stockpile,” are reshaping global sentiment about this asset class. The EU and UK are advancing crypto regulations, while India’s capital markets regulator SEBI hints at ...  Show more

Bitcoin’s Lightning Network is evolving into a global payments system, with over 21,000 active nodes enabling fast, low-cost transactions. Tether’s integration of USDT via the Taproot Asset Protocol could disrupt traditional finance, lowering transaction costs and increasing effi ...  Show more