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Neobanks, 2025 predictions, and a preview of FinovateEurope

In this week’s episodes Brian Solis, Brett King and Rob Tercek get together to brainstorm and model the possible big advances and macro changes that are likely to come in 2025. From Trump’s first year back, to the broader market changes and climate impact issues. This is what happens when you let three futurists out after dark to talk about short-term futures

2024 is a wrap! Listen as industry leaders and fintech influencers share insights on the year that was before turning the lens forward to 2025. What will be hot in this new year?

Back by popular demand, Breaking Banks hosts Brett King and JP Nicols assemble banking industry leaders and fintech influencers to get their takes and predictions on what 2025 has in store for the banking industry.

Joining the discussion are Jim Marous (The Financial Brand, Banking Transformed), Ron Shevlin (Chief Research Officer, Cornerstone Advisors and Forbes Contributor), and Mary Wisniewski (Cornerstone Advisors, Money Isn’t Everything). Together, they explore critical topics shaping the industry, from fraud, risk, and efficiency to cutting-edge innovations like Agentic AI and LLMs, as well as developments in open banking, 1033, and the CFPB.

And what about the lingering impact of the Synapse story from 2024? Will 2025 bring a reckoning, or are brighter days ahead for the industry? Tune in for a lively and engaging conversation packed with expert insights and bold predictions.

Happy New Year from the team at Breaking Banks

Read the entire transcript here.

The discussion opens with reflections on the major events of 2024, from economic shifts to major fintech and banking milestones. The panelists explore how the industry evolved and what lessons were learned.

The fallout from the Synapse failure and regulatory challenges dominated 2024. The discussion highlights how fintechs have adapted, and why, despite hurdles, optimism is growing for 2025.

AI took center stage in 2024, from fraud detection to customer service enhancements. The conversation explores how AI’s role in banking is expanding and what that means for both traditional banks and fintechs.

While much of the conversation is U.S.-focused, the panel examines key developments worldwide, including digital banking growth in Latin America, China, and Africa.

With Section 1033 and the CFPB’s evolving stance, the discussion turns to the state of open banking and data ownership. What are the regulatory barriers, and how will they impact fintech innovation?

The emergence of AI-driven financial agents is set to reshape personal finance. The panel debates how AI could soon manage customer financial lives better than traditional advisors.

With Klarna and Chime considering IPOs, the panel speculates on the first big fintech public offering of 2025. They also discuss when the first AI fintech unicorn might emerge.

The conversation wraps up with a bold look at how fintech, AI, and regulatory shifts will shape the financial industry. Will 2025 truly be a stellar year for banking?

Expanding credit for women entrepreneurs in the Global South, and how fintech can help.

In this episode of The Bankers’ Bookshelf series for Breaking Banks Europe, hosted by Paolo Sironi, Nicola Bilotta, a Senior Research Associate at the Florence School of Banking and Finance, delves into the evolving landscape of international reserve currencies and monetary systems. Bilotta discusses the forces driving the transformation—economic dislocation, geopolitical shifts, and advancing technology—while addressing the global dissatisfaction with the US dollar. He explains how countries like China and the European Union are exploring digital currency initiatives, each with distinct motivations: China aiming for monetary control, while Europe seeks strategic autonomy and a pan-European payment system. Bilotta also explores why the US has been slow to adopt a digital dollar, citing political skepticism and fears of losing influence. The conversation highlights future scenarios, including fragmentation, digital dominance, and global shifts. This insightful discussion is based on Bilotta’s book The Geoeconomics of Money in the Digital Age, and marks the transition of The Bankers’ Bookshelf series into its own show since 2025.

Get the book: https://www.routledge.com/The-Geoeconomics-of-Money-in-the-Digital-Age/Bilotta/p/book/9781032812168?srsltid=AfmBOoo8O35JN-o-TBvUnGfDzfkpYPrfiivuGtVQi89w_TH6sgnGHJkA

FOLLOW THE NEW SHOW: https://provokestage.wpengine.com/show/the-bankers-bookshelf/

In this episode, Anthony Day, Managing Partner at Midnight, sits down with Matteo Rizzi to explore the major shifts in 2024 and early 2025 in the world of digital asset finance, tokenization, and AI technologies. Matteo announces that Breaking Banks Europe will transition from a weekly to a monthly show, while introducing new monthly series Breaking Banks Africa and a spin-off of #BBE, Paolo Sironi’s success The Bankers’ Bookshelf. The conversation dives into key topics like decentralized finance, the evolving landscape of AI, and the challenges surrounding data privacy and asset tokenization. Join us as we unpack the future of finance and explore the opportunities shaping the financial sector in this insightful discussion.

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Follow Anthony: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyjjday/

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Paolo Sironi meets Nicola Bilotta, coordinator of the EU-Supervisory Digital Finance Academy and author of “The Geoeconomics of Money in the Digital Age”.

In a more contentious world economy, where trade and finance are increasingly interlinked with economic security and geopolitical considerations, questions arise about the underpinnings of the US dollar’s global leadership. For decades, the US dollar has reigned supreme, serving as a powerful tool of US foreign policy. However, history shows that currency dominance can shift with global power dynamics. Will China or another power rise to challenge the US-led system? Will the international monetary system experience a process of fragmentation, or will a new global order emerge? Will financial technology ease such a change? In this conversation, Paolo and Nicola delve into the intricate web of how three forces – economic dislocation, evolving geopolitical relations, and technology – could potentially foster transformations in the international monetary system.

In this Breaking Banks Europe live podcast episode, Matteo Rizzi interviews Parul Seth Khanna and Sam Ghiotti during the Singapore Fintech Festival. Parul, co-founder of pinbox solutions, discusses the evolving fintech landscape in Asia, particularly in India. She shares insights on how the region is embracing technology and innovation to transform financial services, and the challenges companies face in such a dynamic market. Sam Ghiotti, co-founder of Abito, talks about his experience in building a fintech company in Japan, navigating the country’s unique cultural and regulatory environment. He explains the complexities of Japan’s financial behavior, where risk aversion and low financial literacy dominate, and how Abito is addressing these issues with fresh financial solutions. The episode explores global fintech trends, with both Parul and Sam offering valuable perspectives on market dynamics, innovation, and overcoming obstacles in diverse regions.

At the Singapore Fintech Festival, Breaking Banks Europe, hosted by Matteo Rizzi and supported by CXO Conversations, featured conversations with Premier Oiwoh (NIBSS CEO) and Jo Ann Barefoot (CEO of the Alliance for Innovative Regulation). Premier highlighted Africa’s innovation leadership, emphasizing USSD payments and financial inclusion. Jo Ann discussed regulatory challenges in emerging markets, noting the impact of technology and generational shifts in central banks, including insights from Rwanda, Ghana, and Namibia. The podcast explored cross-border payments, digital asset regulation, and the evolving role of technology in finance. Jo Ann also shared her podcast, Barefoot Innovation.