FinWise Team 2025 Year in Review

Keeping an EYE ON AI: Beyond the AI Hype—Building ROI‑Driven, Data‑Led Financial Services

Artificial intelligence is no longer a future concept in financial services—it’s here. But moving from experimentation to real, measurable impact is where many institutions still struggle. In this episode, Erin Earl, Industry Executive Advisor for Financial Services at SAP, sits down with host Sarah Grotta, Chief Fintech Officer at FinWise Bank, for a practical, no‑nonsense conversation about what it really takes to make AI work in banking. Drawing on decades of leadership experience across global banks, fintechs, and enterprise technology, Erin cuts through the hype and shares what financial institutions actually need to focus on to turn AI investments into business outcomes. Listeners will learn: * Why so many AI pilots fail—and how to avoid “pilot purgatory” by anchoring every initiative to a clear business case and ROI. * How banks of all sizes can prioritize the right AI use cases, with real examples where mid‑sized and community institutions are outperforming larger peers. * What “AI‑ready data” really means, and why data foundation—not models—is the biggest determinant of AI success. * How to structure ownership and governance for AI, balancing innovation, risk management, and regulatory expectations in a highly regulated industry. Whether you’re just beginning your AI journey or looking to scale what’s already in production, this episode delivers practical guidance for building data‑led, ROI‑driven financial services—today and for the future.

EYE ON Faster Payments: What’s Driving Adoption, Use Cases, and What Comes Next

In this episode of FinWise EYE ON, host Sarah Grotta, Chief Fintech Officer at FinWise, sits down with Reed Luhtanen, Executive Director & CEO of the U.S. Faster Payments Council, for a deep-dive conversation on the rapid evolution of faster and real-time payments in the U.S. Reed brings a unique, ecosystem-wide perspective—spanning banks, fintechs, payment networks, merchants, and regulators—to unpack how the industry has moved from “why faster payments?” to “how fast can we get live?” Listeners will learn: * Why instant payments have officially passed the tipping point in the U.S. * How RTP and FedNow adoption has accelerated—and what’s driving it * The most compelling real-world use cases, from payroll and earned wage access to loan disbursements, insurance payouts, marketplaces, and healthcare * How fintechs access faster payment rails through bank partnerships * Why “receive-only” participation isn’t enough—and the ROI case for enabling send * Key fraud and risk considerations—and why real-time doesn’t mean reckless * How industry standards (confirmation of payee, transaction tags, exceptions handling) can unlock broader adoption * The role of AI, stablecoins, and tokenized deposits in the future payments landscape * Why optionality and redundancy may be a strength—not a weakness—of the U.S. payments system Whether you’re a community bank, fintech, program manager, or payments professional, this episode offers valuable insight into where faster payments are today—and where they’re headed next.

Lending Innovation, AI, and the Future of Credit with Ed Walters from Upstart

In this podcast episode Simon Darchis, Head of Fintech Products and Strategic Initiatives at FinWise Bank, sat down with Ed Walters, VP of Lending Partnerships at Upstart, for a wide‑ranging and candid conversation on how lending is evolving—and what banks, fintechs, and investors need to understand to stay ahead. Ed and Simon unpack: * How AI is reshaping credit access—and why starting with the customer problem (not the product) matters more than ever * What it really takes to innovate responsibly in lending while balancing regulators, sponsor banks, and investors * Lessons learned from the 2022 credit cycle stress test—and how modern underwriting models are adapting to macroeconomic risk * How fintechs and sponsor banks can build durable, multi‑year partnerships in a fast‑moving, highly regulated environment * Why the future of lending is moving toward “always‑on” credit, meeting consumers at their point of need with the right product, at the right price Ed also shares practical insights on product ideation, compliance‑by‑design, model explainability, and what strong risk management looks like at scale—all grounded in real-world experience. If you’re thinking about the future of consumer lending, AI in underwriting, or how fintech–bank partnerships can evolve sustainably, this episode is for you.

Compliance is Your Competitive Advantage in 2026 with Dana Lawrence from Themis

In our latest episode, Sarah Grotta, Deputy Chief FinTech Officer at FinWise Bank, sits down with Dana Lawrence, VP of Go‑to‑Market Strategy & Customer Relationships at Themis, to unpack one of the most important—and misunderstood—levers for success in financial services: ➡️ Compliance as a true business differentiator. If you work in fintech, banking, risk, regtech, or anywhere in the BaaS ecosystem, this conversation hits home. Here are a few of the standout insights: * Compliance is your brand. * The pendulum may swing—but responsibility doesn’t. * How to turn the ‘Department of No’ into the ‘Department of Know.’ * What’s coming in 2026 And a powerful reminder: In a hybrid world, in‑person community matters more than ever.  For innovation, for collaboration, for sanity. If you're navigating risk, underwriting new fintech models, evaluating partnership opportunities, or preparing for your 2026 compliance strategy—this is a conversation worth your time.

FinWise Team 2025 Year in Review

Year in Review 2025: Insights from FinWise Bank Join host Sarah Grotta, Deputy Chief FinTech Officer at FinWise Bank, and a panel of FinWise leaders as they reflect on the biggest shifts, challenges, and opportunities in fintech and banking partnerships over the past year. This special episode brings together: * Kenzie Mexican, SVP, Deputy Chief Compliance Officer * Simon Darchis, Head of Fintech Products and Strategic Initiatives * Chris Comber, SVP, Credit Management and Strategy * Nick Chiappetti, VP, Fintech Marketing and Partnerships * Donnie Drake, SVP, BaaS Operations * Sarah Grotta, Deputy Chief FinTech Officer (Host) What’s inside: • How 2025 compared to the regulatory “wildfire” of 2024 • The maturing fintech landscape: fewer startups, more mergers & acquisitions • Shifting regulatory tone, but persistent compliance focus • The rise of AI and stablecoins—hype vs. practical impact • Evolving consumer expectations and product innovation • Predictions for 2026: bank charter trends, AML modernization, and more collaboration Tune in for candid perspectives, industry trends, and a look ahead to what’s next in fintech and banking. Happy holidays from the FinWise EYE ON Podcast team!