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Host Paolo Sironi welcomes listeners to another special segment of The Bankers’ Bookshelf, which highlights significant publications for bankers and fintech professionals. For this episode, Paolo introduces Neha Mehta, author of the book One Stop: Unlocking the Power of Super Apps. The book delves into the transformative role super apps are playing in reshaping economies, particularly in Asia, and how they impact finance, commerce, and daily life.

Paolo emphasizes that the episode will provide deep insights into the potential of super apps, making it an essential listen for fintech enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, and financial professionals.

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Connect with Neha: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neha-mehta-fintech/

Neha Mehta is the CEO & Founder of FemTech Partners and a renowned advocate for financial inclusion and sustainable finance. With over 19 years of experience as a lawyer, diplomat, and professor, she has led transformative initiatives across the Asia-Pacific region, focusing on bridging the financial gap for underbanked populations. She is the author of One Stop, a book that explores the power of super apps in transforming financial ecosystems. A yoga and archery enthusiast, Neha is passionate about fostering sustainable solutions for future generations.

Book link: https://www.amazon.com/One-Stop-Neha-Mehta/dp/9815127888

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Paolo Sironi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thepsironi/

This week on The Futurists, a cross-over episode with Breaking Banks as host Brett King takes us to Shanghai for a riveting discussion with Jason Cao, CEO of Huawei’s Global Financial Services competency. In this eye-opening episode, they uncover how China is shaping the future with AI—not as a mere tool for profit, but as core infrastructure driving the world’s fastest-growing economy.

Discover why GenFi LLMs (Generational Financial Language Models) don’t exist yet—and what’s holding AI like ChatGPT back from transforming banking as we know it. Explore how China’s unique approach to technology infrastructure is setting them apart from the rest, helping them to create a Smart Economy of the Future.

Tune in for a conversation that could redefine the future of global finance and AI!

Good leaders drive day-to-day results. Great leaders share visionary ideas and then inspire organizations and stakeholders to find a way to get there. In today’s second segment, Jennifer Tescher, host of sister podcast Emerge Everywhere, introduces this year’s Financial Health Visionary Award honoree, Brian Moynihan, Chair and CEO of Bank of America. The Visionary Award recognizes those who have shown unparalleled leadership in building a more inclusive financial system and empowering the next generation of leaders to innovate solutions that improve financial health for all. Listen to hear about Brian’s commitment to financial health and the upcoming headwinds and tailwinds impacting customers’ financial health.

But first, bestselling author Michael J Casey, the chairman of DAIS (Decentralized AI Society), senior advisor on MIT Media Lab’s Digital Currency initiative, and previous Chair of Consensus at CoinDesk, joins Brett to talk about the reality of decentralized and open source AI. The intersection of DeFi and DeAI appears to be a logical path if not for the hundreds of billions being invested in big tech efforts to create AGI. Is it possible to really make AI less centralized and still deliver the promise of a highly automated world? You’ll need to tune in to find out!

Read the entire transcript here.

Brett King introduces Michael J. Casey, discussing his transition from Coindesk to leading decentralized AI initiatives at DAIS.

Michael explains the importance of decentralizing AI to avoid monopolies and to democratize access to AI-driven innovations.

Exploring technical and economic challenges in implementing decentralized AI, including blockchain integration and distributed computing.

The shift from data privacy to data ownership, with blockchain providing traceability and ensuring compliance in AI applications.

How decentralized AI can drive financial inclusion, especially for underbanked communities, by creating fairer access to financial tools.

A comparison between open banking and the potential for open health data, emphasizing secure, decentralized systems for sensitive data.

Michael and Brett discuss the long-term potential of decentralized AI to reshape financial services, creating smarter and more inclusive systems.

Insights from Michael’s book on reclaiming digital autonomy, setting the stage for the critical role of decentralized AI.

In this month’s installment of News From The Fintech Front, Silvia Attanasio, Mico Curatolo, and host Don Ginsel dive into the future of European finance, focusing on the digital euro and the impact of new regulations such as MiCAR. Silvia Attanasio shares her perspective on the digital euro, highlighting its potential for innovation but stressing the need for clarity in regulation. Mico Curatolo discusses the opportunities and challenges MiCAR brings, such as standardizing the crypto market and enhancing consumer protection, while acknowledging the complex compliance journey ahead. Silvia calls MiCAR a “Frankenstein” of regulations, blending payment and financial instruments law, and emphasizes the need for more clarity. Mico talks about the opportunities for collaboration across the industry, while Don Ginsel facilitates the conversation, noting the importance of creating a unified European financial infrastructure. They all agree on the necessity of working with regulators to drive innovation while maintaining security and compliance.

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Follow our guests:

Mico Curatolo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mico-curatolo-57a18497/

Silvia Attanasio: https://www.linkedin.com/in/silviaattanasio/

Brett and Rob unpack the result of the 2024 US national election. President-elect Donald Trump has announced candidates for his next Administration. The verdict? His picks are a clown car of unqualified candidates who intend to dismantle the apparatus of the federal government of the United States. What might this wrecking ball achieve…or destroy? Who benefits from the chaos?  Join us for a lively future-focused discussion about geopolitics, BRICs, global trade, technology, isolationism, the viability of NATO, the fate of small nations. Plus, the immense power of billionaires who have stepped forward to demand their share of the spoils. And one wildcard: will Donald Trump be the instrument of humanity’s survival?  Absurd?.  But if the Trump Administration green-lights a SpaceX mission to Mars, there’s a non-zero probability that Elon Musk’s long term plan for human colonization of another planet might actually occur. 

On this episode, Dara is joined by two top financial services lobbyists from each side of the aisle, Peter Freeman of FS Vector and Izzy Klein of Klein/Johnston Group, to do a post-election breakdown and discuss what the outcome means for financial services, fintech and technology regulations.

This week on Breaking Banks, host Brett King takes us to Shanghai for a riveting discussion with Jason Cao, CEO of Huawei’s Global Financial Services competency. In this eye-opening episode, they uncover how China is shaping the future with AI—not as a mere tool for profit, but as core infrastructure driving the world’s fastest-growing economy.

Discover why GenFi LLMs (Generational Financial Language Models) don’t exist yet—and what’s holding AI like ChatGPT back from transforming banking as we know it. Explore how China’s unique approach to technology infrastructure is setting them apart from the rest, helping them to create a Smart Economy of the Future.

Tune in for a conversation that could redefine the future of global finance and AI!

Read the entire transcript here.

Brett King and Jason Henricks introduce the episode, recorded in Shanghai, featuring Huawei’s Jason Tsao discussing fintech innovations.

Exploring global fintech trends, including NewBank’s growth and the technological strides of digital-first banks like WeBank.

Jason Tsao shares insights into Huawei’s initiatives in digital finance, AI integration, and the transformation of customer experience in banking.

A discussion on the critical need for resilience in banking systems, addressing latency, zero downtime, and advanced fraud prevention technologies.

Exploring how Huawei collaborates with banks to leverage generative AI for efficiency, value creation, and customer-centric innovations.

Highlighting China’s advancements in digital payments, infrastructure, and regulatory approaches that drive a highly digital economy.

Examining the rise of hybrid cloud strategies and the pivotal role of cloud computing in transforming banking operations.

How AI and automation are shaping the next generation of financial services, inspired by China’s digital transformation.

Jason Tsao extends an invitation to global audiences to witness the rapid technological advancements in Shenzhen and across China.

Is fintech too crowded? A high-level examination of the ecosystem now, and where we’re going from here.

At this year’s Web Summit Lisbon, Matteo Rizzi took the mic to host two riveting live interviews on Breaking Banks Europe, bringing fresh insights from two of the brightest minds in fintech. First, he sat down with Ali Niknam, the visionary CEO and founder of bunq, a digital banking disruptor on a mission to offer transparency and a customer-first approach to financial services. Ali shared how bunq is challenging the traditional banking model and navigating the complexities of regulation while empowering users to take control of their finances.

Next, Matteo caught up with Jaidev Janardana, the dynamic CEO of Zopa, one of the trailblazers in the peer-to-peer lending space. Jaidev shared the journey from P2P lending to full banking services, revealing how AI, data, and a customer-centric approach are shaping the future of finance. He also emphasized the importance of small steps toward financial literacy to help people thrive. The interviews showcased how fintech leaders are changing the game and making an impact worldwide!

Connect and learn more:

Ali Niknam – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-niknam-50253913/

bunq.com

Jaidev Janardana – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaidev-janardana-a4071b3

zopa.com

In this week’s show Bestselling Author Michael J Casey, the chairman of DAIS (Decentralized AI Society), senior advisor on MIT Media Lab’s Digital Currency initiative, and previous Chair of Consensus at CoinDesk, joins Brett to talk the reality of decentralized and open source AI. The intersection of DeFi and DeAI appears to be a logical path if not for the hundreds of billions being invested in big tech efforts to create AGI. Is it possible to really make AI less centralized and still deliver the promise of a highly automated world? You’ll need to tune in to find out!