Banking,
Banking as a service
- Affirm and major fintechs are applying for bank charters to eliminate sponsor dependencies and improve economics.
- The shift from fintech-bank partnerships to direct competition calls into question legacy institutions' longtime market dominance.
Rabab Ahsan | February 17, 2026
10-Q,
Member Exclusive
- Capital One’s Brex acquisition exemplifies a broader shift: incumbent banks reclaiming embedded finance as a core competency.
- A small group of major banks is taking embedded finance in-house, leveraging scale to assert control over risk, economics, and strategic differentiation.
Sara Khairi | February 16, 2026
Banking,
Embedded Finance,
Member Exclusive
- Despite rapid innovation and growth in embedded finance, one area remains largely unchanged: how banks and fintechs initially connect.
- Treasury Prime identifies discovery – not diligence – as the real bottleneck in embedded finance, with AI now positioned to overcome it.
Sara Khairi | February 12, 2026
Banking,
Banking as a service
- After 20 years in sponsor banking, Pathward president Anthony Sharett argues that successful bank-fintech partnerships require the right people, multi-threaded opportunities, and true co-creation.
- While over 100 banks now call themselves sponsor banks, Suro believes the next frontier lies in AI, embedded finance, and educating all stakeholders about what's possible.
Zack Miller | February 11, 2026
Payments,
The Quarterly Review
- Lauren Langbridge, head of Wise Platform North America, is back to report that her aim to expand the company's direct payment system connections has been achieved, growing from 6 to 8 markets with Brazil and Japan now live.
- Langbridge breaks down how systematically integrating with local payment rails like Pix and Zengin, while deepening partnerships with firms like Wealthsimple and IBKR, has allowed Wise Platform to bypass correspondent banks and become more embedded in partners' payment workflows.
Rabab Ahsan | February 10, 2026
