In this episode Ben Jackson, the IPA’s COO, discusses the future of fintech and payments with some of the people who will make it happen. He is joined by Scott Thompson and Garam Mansour, two current students with a strong interest in Fintech, and Laura Gibson, the executive director of the Georgia fintech Academy. They talk about how college stude…

In this episode John Lowe, CPI Card Group Inc.’s new president and CEO, discusses the future of the company and the future of the way people pay. We talk about the importance of physical payments cards for fintechs and banks, the role of digital cards for a card manufacturer, and CPI’s approach to integrating both. This podcast was recorded on Apri…

In this episode Brian Tate, the IPA’s CEO, and Ben Jackson, the COO, discuss regulatory and legislative developments at both the state and federal levels. They cover bills on EWA in Kansas, the department of Treasury’s green book, and a court case involving PayPal and the CFPB. This podcast was recorded on April 11, 2024. Things may have changed by…

In this episode Brian Tate, the IPA’s CEO, and Ben Jackson, the COO, discuss Michael Lewis’s most recent book Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon, by Michael Lewis. They talk about what happened to the company, the role of Sam Bankman-Fried, and the lessons the industry can learn from the saga. This podcast was recorded on April 3, 20…

In this episode Kiah Lau Haslett, the banking and fintech editor for Bank Director magazine, discusses her report “Artificial Intelligence, a Real World Approach.” She covers how banks can include AI in their strategy, what they need to do to prepare, and how they can guard against potential pitfalls. The opinions expressed on this podcast are thos…

In this episode Dr. Billy Hensley, the president and CEO of the National Endowment for Financial Education, discusses NEFE’s Personal Finance Ecosystem, which is a framework to show the different factors that affect a person’s financial well-being. You can find the ecosystem here: https://www.nefe.org/ecosystem. We discuss how the ecosystem can inf…

In this episode Brian Tate, the IPA’s CEO, discusses the regulatory, legislative, and court actions that will shape payments in 2024. He discusses outstanding proposed rules on overdraft and interchange, proposed state laws on earned wage access, and court cases against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. This podcast was recorded on February…

In this episode Sarah Craven, the product manager for transaction laundering detection products at G2 Risk Solutions, discusses how companies selling illegal or unsavory goods hide e-commerce transactions. We discuss how bad actors use various ruses to disguise what they are really selling, how transaction laundering threats have evolved, and why i…

When a paycheck arrives can be just as important as its size. In this episode, we talk with Matt Pierce, the founder and CEO of Immediate, an earned wage access provider. He discusses what led him to found Immediate, how earned wage access contributes to financial health, and how EWA stacks up against payday loans. This podcast was recorded on Janu…

In this episode of the IPA’s monthly government update podcast, the IPA’s CEO Brian Tate, and its COO, Ben Jackon, discuss the current state of regulation and what is coming in 2024. They talk about how payments companies should plan in light of the regulatory proposals from 2023 that are still active. They cover on-going court cases that could sha…

In this episode of the IPA book club, the IPA’s CEO Brian Tate, and its COO, Ben Jackon, discuss Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers. The book explores how being successful can depend on context, and how success is not always just a matter of hard work or having the best idea or strategy. We look at what the factors for success are and what lessons the boo…

Helping low- and moderate-income people build wealth is a long-term process, and Systems and Methods Inc., or SMI as they are known, has a plan to do that. In this episode, Bo Stone, the chief strategy officer of SMI, and Wesley Stone, SMI’s director of government affairs discuss the company’s decade to decade approach to growth and how its product…

Over the past few weeks, regulators have released a variety of regulations that could reshape the payments industry and have plans for more in the new year. In this episode, Brian Tate, the IPA’s CEO, discusses proposed rules on interchange, open banking, and big tech companies. We also talk about what may be coming in 2024. This podcast was record…

Gift cards are expected to make up a larger part of holiday shopping budgets, according to new research from Blackhawk Network. In this episode, Jay Jaffin, chief marketing officer at Blackhawk, discusses the expected growth in gift card purchases, why cards benefit merchants and shoppers, and how banks and other companies can make use of the trend…

In this episode, Brian Tate, the IPA’s CEO, and COO Ben Jackson discuss the latest proposed regulations that care coming out of Washington. They cover the Fed’s proposal to reduce the cap on debit interchange for issuers with more than $10 billion in assets. They cover the CFPB’s proposed open banking rules, and look at a proposal to regulate earne…

In this episode, the IPA talks with Heather McElrath, the founder of Sandbox Communications, about corporate giving. We cover when and how companies should give money and other support to charitable causes, what the benefits and drawbacks are, and how companies should communicate about their giving. You can learn more and contact Sandbox Communicat…

In this episode, the IPA Book Club returns to discuss Michael Lewis’s MoneyBall. The book describes how the Oakland A’s took a new approach to finding players, building a team, and playing the game of baseball. We explore what lessons the payments industry can learn from the new approach the team took, and what it takes to challenge conventional wi…

Do you know what scams people fall for most often? Could you recognize a scam if someone was targeting you? In this episode, Melissa “Mel” Trumpower the Executive Director of BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust, discusses the findings from the Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker research. She talks about the most common types of scams, how differ…

In this episode, Brian Tate, The IPA’s CEO, and Chris Stromberg, the director of government relations, discuss both federal and state bills that could shape the payments industry. They discuss a potential bill on earned wage access, legislation on how banks can work with cannabis businesses, and a bill in California to ban plastic gift cards. This …

Criminals don’t respect borders, so their crimes and the money they make often move internationally. Whether it is human trafficking, antiquities smuggling, or just plain fraud, when crime crosses boarders, the Department of Homeland Security gets involved. In this episode, Raul Aguilar, Deputy Assistant Director for the Financial and Fraud divisio…

Arguments over the future of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau came to a head this week at the Supreme Court. The Court heard oral arguments in Consumer Financial Protection Bureau V. Community Financial Services Association of America. At issue is whether or not the CPFB’s funding is Constitutional. The IPA’s CEO Brian Tate was there and he…

Technology has reshaped everything about banking, including one of its most basic products: deposits. In this episode, we discuss how Banking as a Service and fintechs have reshaped the landscape for consumer deposits, the regulatory response, and what this means for the risk profile of banks. Joining us are Kiah Lau Haslett, Banking and Fintech Ed…

As summer winds down Earned Wage Access products are in the spotlight at multiple levels of the government. In this episode, Brian Tate, the IPA’s CEO, and Chris Stromberg, our director of Government Relations, discuss what is happening in the world of EWA regulation at the state and Federal level and how the IPA is trying to inform the conversatio…

Is business just another form of war? In this episode the IPA book club returns with a look at the intersection of business and military strategy. We read the ancient classic “The Art of War,” by Sun Tzu, and to put it in a business context, we also discuss the Oliver Stone film “Wall Street.” In this episode, Brian Tate, the IPA’s CEO, and Ben Jac…

Canada might seem like an easy first step into international expansion for U.S. companies, but they should not fall into the trap of thinking it is the 51st state. In this episode, Ron Morrow, executive director of Supervision at the Bank of Canada, discusses the regulatory requirements around offering payments services there. We discuss the role o…

Customer service is a critical department in any business because it can make or break both individual relationships and a company’s reputation. In this episode, Meg Porter, Executive Vice President of Enterprise Transformation at Ubiquity, discusses how to build a successful customer service program. She talks about how to train and manage custome…

The last round in the battle between PayPal and the CFPB took place in the DC District Court, and IPA’s Head of Government Relations, Chris Stromberg was there to hear the oral arguments. In this episode, he discusses the arguments with IPA’s CEO, Brian Tate, and they consider what the possible outcomes could mean for the industry. The IPA thanks o…

Artificial Intelligence has begun reshaping all parts of the business world, and payments is no exception. To help its members prepare for the changes that are coming, the Innovative Payments Association has asked payments expert Sarah Grotta to write a white paper that gives an overview on AI and what it means for payments companies. In this episo…

In his book Tools and Weapons, Microsoft President Brad Smith, writes about how the growth of technology is changing everyone’s lives for better and worse. In the latest meeting of the IPA book club, we are joined by Sandi Piatz, the head of market for APS, an IPA member, to discuss the book. She recommended it because it is an exploration of the i…

Fifth Third Bank’s recent acquisition of fintech Rise Money builds on a long history of financial services innovation. In this episode, Tom Bianco, the general manager of embedded payments at Fifth Third, discusses the Rise acquisition and how it is part of a tradition developing new products and services. We discuss how the bank approaches questio…

It looks like a busy summer ahead. In this episode, Brian Tate, the IPA’s CEO, and Chris Stromberg, IPA’s director of government relations, discuss what is happening at the state and federal levels of regulation. They cover a pending bill to ban plastic gift cards in California, a recent issue spotlight on payment apps from the CFPB, and upcoming h…

Successful innovation in financial services requires a number of elements to come together in just the right way. Innovators need to combine new technology, market opportunities, and regulatory compliance to create the next generation of successful products. The keys to making this combination work came out in the IPA’s recent conference. In this e…

The growth of Fintech has led banks to examine opportunities in acting as a sponsor bank and offer Banking as a Service. This offers opportunities for innovative banks, but success is not guaranteed. In this episode, Michael Haney, the head of product strategy at Galileo, discusses the tools needed to be successful in Banking as a Service (BaaS). W…

Can a book written in the 1500s teach us anything about the modern payments industry? That is the question the IPA team is tackling with our latest book club reading, “The Prince” by Nicolo Machiavelli. Originally written as a guide to power for political leaders battling over city states in renaissance Italy, the book has been on the reading lists…

Buying new technology can be a real adventure for banks that want to keep up with the times, so the real question is how to avoid the pitfalls that can come when investing in fintech. In this episode, Kiah Haslett, the managing editor of Bank Director Magazine and Laura Alix, the magazine’s director of research, discuss their new report “Finding Fi…

The recent failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank may not be the biggest news in financial services. In this episode, the IPA’s CEO, Brian Tate, and Chris Stromberg, the IPA’s director of government relations, talk about current events that could shape the future of the payments industry. They get into the Supreme Court case on the CFPB…

The Second Installment of the IPA Book Club delves into the realm of Bitcoin, blockchains, and all things crypto with The Age of Cryptocurrency by Paul Vigna and Michael J. Casey. In this episode, the IPA’s CEO, Brian Tate, and Ben Jackson, the IPA’s COO, discuss their thoughts on the book. They cover what they think the book got right, where it we…

Payroll information is used for all kinds of financial decisions, but individual workers and employers often need to jump through hoops to share it. In this episode, Jordan Wright, Atomic’s CEO and co-founder, describes how the company is working to solve the problems that employers and employees face when trying to share payroll data. We discuss h…

While questions have been raised about its future, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau still remains at the center of payments regulation in Washington. In this episode, Brian Tate, the IPA’s CEO, and Chris Stromberg, IPA’s director of government relations discuss everything that has been happening with the Bureau. They discuss the Bureau’s re…

How can start-ups create effective compliance programs with limited resources? This is a question many founders struggle with, and the key to is success is recognizing when they need help. In this episode Jamie Uppenberg, the founder of Uppenberg Associates, discusses how fintechs can build an effective compliance program that grows with the compan…

Did the financial crisis leave us with any lessons that apply to a rapidly evolving payments industry? To dig into this question, the IPA staff recently read and had a discussion on Michael Lewis’s book, The Big Short. The IPA’s CEO, Brian Tate, and Chris Stromberg, our director of government relations joined Ben Jackson to discuss the book and wha…

Activity in all three branches of government could lead to changes in payments. From congressional hearings to court cases to the State of the Union, payments is getting its fair share of attention from the federal government. In this episode, the IPA’s CEO, Brian Tate, and Chris Stromberg, our director of government relations, discuss how these th…

Buy Now, Pay Later products have emerged as a new financing tools for shoppers and merchants, and now Galileo wants to help banks make use of this new type of payment. People who run into an unexpected or emergency expense may need an option for short-term financing. Galileo’s new tool gives bank another way to offer these funds to their customers.…

When Pathward bank decided to rebrand, the changes meant a lot more than just new a new logo. In this episode, Pathward’s President Anthony Sharett, explains how the name change included structural changes at the bank and a refocused strategy. He also discusses the company’s financial inclusion mission, the trends it sees in payments innovation, an…

While the future of payments will undoubtedly include blockchains, cryptocurrencies, and stablecoins, what will that mean for the industry? To start answering this question, the Innovative Payments Association recently held its “Crypto Universe from A to Z event at the offices of Davis, Wright, Tremaine, in Washington DC. In this episode, we discus…

The past year has been a busy one in financial regulation. Crypto crashes, court cases, and Congressional clashes will all have effects that will have effects into 2023 and beyond. In this episode, Brian Tate, the IPA’s CEO, and Chris Stromberg, our director of government relations, discuss the past year’s events with an eye to how they will shape …

ExpanseFT is a new name in fintech that is backed by experience. The company, which is over 10 years old, announced in October that it had changed its name from Prepaid Ventures. In this episode, we talk with Andrew Siden, the chief executive officer of ExpanseFT, about the company’s creation, its growth, and how the name change is rebranding it fo…

Innovative fields often struggle to find qualified staff, and the payments industry faces this problem every day. The University of Georgia has created a program across its system to prepare students to solve problems in Fintech. In this episode, we present an edited version of a presentation done by Art Recesso, Vice Chancellor for Academic Innova…

The results of the 2022 midterm elections held a number of surprises, and political analysts are still trying to figure out what they all mean. In this episode, the IPA’s CEO, Brian Tate, and Chris Stromberg, our director of government relations, look at the midterms through a payments regulation lens. They discuss what a divided government will me…

Financial crime has gotten more complex over time, and to keep up with the criminals, law enforcement and the industry need to work together. In this episode, you will hear a conversation with Special Agent Charles Orgbon of the FBI’s Atlanta Field office on how the Bureau is forming partnerships with the payments industry. We discuss how the FBI h…