RegFi Podcast

Federal banking regulators have signaled a renewed openness to de novo bank applications, creating new opportunities for fintechs evaluating whether becoming a regulated financial institution aligns with their long-term strategy.

In the latest episode of RegFi, Jerry Buckley, Caroline Stapleton and Nathaniel Reisenburg discuss what it takes to secure a bank charter in today's environment. They examine regulator expectations around capital, governance, management experience and operational readiness, along with the strategic considerations fintechs and their investors should weigh when deciding whether the benefits of a charter outweigh the costs and constraints.

Links:

• RegFi Ep103: Why More Fintechs Are Pursuing Bank Charters
• Orrick Financial & Fintech Advisory
• RegFiPodcast.com

American Fintech Council Chief Policy Officer Ian Moloney joins RegFi co-hosts Jerry Buckley and Sherry Safchuk to examine why a growing number of fintech companies are pursuing bank charters. They discuss the evolution of bank-fintech partnerships, the factors driving renewed charter activity, and the business, regulatory and operational considerations fintechs must weigh when deciding whether to become regulated financial institutions.

The conversation explores chartering pathways, access to deposits and the payments system, and the implications of state and federal regulatory developments. The group also consider how recent policy developments aimed at promoting financial innovation and competition may influence the future of bank chartering and the fintech ecosystem.

Links:

• American Fintech Council
• Orrick Financial & Fintech Advisory
• RegFiPodcast.com

John Coleman, Orrick Partner and former CFPB Deputy General Counsel, joins RegFi co-hosts Jerry Buckley and Caroline Stapleton to examine the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's authority to interpret, tailor and exempt requirements under the consumer financial protection laws within its jurisdiction. Prompted by the May 19 Executive Order directing federal financial regulators to modernize financial services regulation, they discuss the CFPB's broad rulemaking powers under the Dodd-Frank Act and other federal consumer protection statutes. The conversation explores the Bureau's ability to create exemptions, authorize trial disclosure programs and adapt regulatory requirements to evolving technologies, as well as whether existing authorities could be used to improve consumer disclosures in an increasingly digital marketplace.

Links:

• "Integrating Financial Technology Innovation into Regulatory Framework" (Executive Order, May 19, 2026)
• Orrick Financial & Fintech Advisory Practice
• RegFiPodcast.com

Orrick partners Dan Ullman and Ben Hutten join RegFi co-hosts Jerry Buckley and Sasha Leonhardt to examine the mechanics of tokenized deposits and the evolving regulatory framework surrounding digital payments. They discuss the FDIC's proposed treatment of tokenized deposits under the GENIUS Act, the infrastructure banks would need to support tokenized payment systems, interoperability challenges, and the implications for liquidity, compliance and financial crime monitoring. The conversation also explores how tokenized deposits may develop alongside stablecoins in the broader digital asset ecosystem.

Links:

• RegFi Ep. 98: Tokenized Deposits and the Evolving Structure of Digital Currency
• Orrick Blockchain & Digital Assets
• Orrick Financial & Fintech Advisory Practice
• RegFiPodcast.com

Marking RegFi's 100th episode, co-hosts Jerry Buckley, Sasha Leonhardt, Sherry Safchuk, and Caroline Stapleton revisit the thesis on which they launched the podcast in October 2023: that financial regulation, driven by technology, will change more in the next 10 years than it has over the previous 50.

When RegFi launched, generative AI was less than a year old, agentic AI was still on the horizon, the GENIUS Act had yet to be written, prediction markets were in their infancy, state privacy legislation was still evolving, the Section 1033 rule had not yet been proposed, and the CFPB itself was a very different agency than it is today. Reflecting on the rapid developments of the past two and a half years, the pace of change is only accelerating — requiring regulators to embrace new technology-enabled approaches in a world where agentic AI may transform the delivery of financial services, quantum computing is drawing nearer, data security and fraud threats are intensifying, and new entrants continue to reshape the financial services marketplace.

Links:

• Orrick Financial & Fintech Advisory Practice
• RegFiPodcast.com

OpenLaws founder and CEO John Phamvan joins RegFi co-hosts Jerry Buckley and Sherry Safchuk to examine how OpenLaws is building comprehensive, reliable, and continuously updated access to statutes, regulations, and other legal materials across federal and state jurisdictions. They discuss the challenges of sourcing and standardizing legal data at scale, the role of OpenLaws' API and emerging products in supporting legal, compliance, and public policy workflows, and the growing importance of high-quality legal data in AI-driven environments. The conversation also explores OpenLaws' public benefit mission, its plans to expand into legislative and administrative materials, and the broader implications for access to law and regulatory compliance in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Links:

• OpenLaws Public Benefit Corporation
• Orrick Financial & Fintech Advisory Practice
• RegFiPodcast.com

Arthur Wilmar joins RegFi co-hosts Jerry Buckley and Sasha Leonhardt to examine the emerging role of tokenized deposits. They discuss recent developments that provide a regulatory pathway for tokenizing deposits and the broader environment for banks entering the space. The conversation compares the functions and regulation of cryptocurrencies, stablecoins and tokenized deposits, including the use of public versus permissioned blockchains. The episode also explores the potential use of tokenized deposits as an inflation hedge in countries where inflation is high.

Links:

• Orrick Financial & Fintech Advisory Practice
• RegFiPodcast.com

Fincast founder Benjamin Schieken joins RegFi co-hosts Jerry Buckley and Sherry Safchuk to discuss how AI-enabled technology can transform the mortgage shopping process by enabling consumers to compare loan options more effectively and introducing greater competition among lenders. This evolving digital approach considers not only APR, but also total transaction costs and the likely duration of the loan for an individual borrower, helping to clarify the true economics of mortgage decisions and potentially saving consumers thousands of dollars. The conversation also looks to the future, where agentic AI could empower consumers to make more informed and automated financial decisions across a range of products and services.

Links:

• Fincast
• Orrick Financial & Fintech Advisory Practice
• RegFiPodcast.com

In this episode, RegFi co-hosts Jerry Buckley and Sherry Safchuk are joined by Matt Van Buskirk, Hummingbird Regtech Co-Founder and CEO, Regulatory, to examine how AI is transforming anti-money laundering and fraud detection. They discuss how AI-driven tools are shifting compliance from manual data gathering to higher-value investigative work, the growing role of blockchain data in identifying illicit activity, and why "compliance by design" may redefine the role of the chief compliance officer. The conversation also explores the urgent need for regulatory modernization as global fraud and scam activity accelerates.

Links:

• Hummingbird Regtech
• Orrick Financial & Fintech Advisory Practice
• RegFiPodcast.com

AEI's Paul Kupiec joins RegFi co-hosts Jerry Buckley and Sasha Leonhardt to analyze the potential impact of a proposed 10% cap on credit card balances. Kupiec, a highly respected commentator on financial markets, delves deeply into the economics of the credit card business and assesses what could change if such a cap were implemented. He also shares insights on the challenges facing the Federal Reserve as economic uncertainty and inflationary pressures mount.

Links:

• "Should Credit Card Interest Rates Be Capped at 10 Percent?" (AEI Report)
• American Enterprise Institute (AEI)
• Orrick Financial & Fintech Advisory
• RegFiPodcast.com