Financial Services

Getting a bank charter is a marathon, not a sprint: Fintechs are increasingly dropping out of the race, trying to buy a bank instead or settling for partnerships.

Neobank Guava plugs in the power of networking: A community hub designed to help Black creators and entrepreneurs grow their businesses will also promote Guava’s brand to its target audience.

Strong volume growth and 100 million users prove the BNPL provider’s successful expansion

The partnerships will help grow its volume as it digs it deeper into the $176B rewards industry

Key stat: US digital commerce platform gross payment value growth will slow down this year, increasing only 9.0% compared with last year’s 25.0%, per our forecast.

Cleanup after Italy’s windfall tax announcement continues: Now the European Central Bank is asking what it was thinking, as other European countries considering similar moves look on.

Bad things happen in threes: S&P joins Moody’s and Fitch in cutting credit ratings or warning about possible cuts for some US lenders, citing the risks posed by higher funding costs and the shaky commercial real estate sector.

Banks lean out in response to industry pressures and upcoming regulatory changes: Goldman is doubling down on serving the ultra-rich while Citi flattens its org structure.

The mass media campaign targets the Hispanic community in the US, which is the world’s top remitting country

Changes to Bank of America’s Customized Cash Rewards could prove popular, but Amex’s price hikes may leave consumers with a sour taste

On today’s podcast episode, we examine how banks build and use trust to win new customers. Here’s a look at what we’re talking about: • In our “Headlines” segment, we discuss recent data breaches at banks and question what the difference is between a bank's security breach and a breach at a partner company’s system. • In “Story by Numbers,” we focus on personalization and reveal if it successfully engenders trust or just seems creepy. • In “For Argument’s Sake,” we ponder what would happen if banks were required to report to customers when they shared their personal information with third parties and how it would impact customers’ trust and banks' marketing campaigns. Tune in to the conversation with host Rob Rubin and our analysts Grace Broadbent and Tiffani Montez.• In our “Headlines” segment, we discuss how in-flight deposits and Gen Z will drive account openings in 2023 and to what extent new account openings are the result of high deposit rates and an incentive-laden environment. • In “Story by Numbers,” we examine how being able to set up direct deposit when consumers open checking accounts is extremely important and the importance of deposits being protected. • In “For Argument’s Sake,” we suppose there’s a new US banking regulation requiring all banking products to be applied for and opened online. We debate (nicely) how the industry dynamics would change if everything in banking were digitized and moved online. Tune in to the conversation with host Rob Rubin, managing principal of financial services consulting at EPAM Systems Alex Jimenez, and our analyst Tiffani Montez.

Marketing sits at the executives’ table—but still could use some respect: A survey shows that despite its expanding role in driving growth, many banks still view marketing mostly as an expense.

The launch of the international version of its app can attract travelers for its payment capabilities and its travel services

These households may face increased risk as credit card debt keeps breaking records

But this harsh funding environment provides incumbents with opportunities to grab smaller firms on the cheap

A little rural bank messed around with crypto and found out: The Fed’s cease-and-desist order against Farmington State and its holding company didn’t name FTX. But everyone’s reading between the lines.

UK regulator acts to protect cash access: Bank branch closures and the rise of digital payments threaten those who still rely on cash. The government is stepping in to manage the pace of change.

Credit card digital account openings are normalizing after pandemic-driven fluctuations. Recessionary factors and Gen Z’s shifting behaviors are slowing growth, but it will stay positive as issuers tap digital innovations—like open banking and alternative credit models—to convert more consumers into cardholders.