Laplanche, who was also the co-founder of LendingClub before leading Upgrade to a $7.3 billion valuation, was unsparing in a recent interview with Fortune. The fintech sector itself, he claimed, "would not even exist if, frankly, banks had done a better job really delighting their customers with product innovation that moves the needle," Laplanche said, arguing that the industry's reliance on "nickel and dime" fees and "unpredictable" costs created the very void that he's spent his whole career filling.
Investors have committed new capital to fintech company MyCredit, backing its strategy of scaling technology-driven credit platforms rather than a conventional lending operation. The investment reflects a broader shift in fintech funding toward platforms where software, data infrastructure and AI form the primary drivers of innovation, growth, enabling companies to expand across markets without proportional increases in staffing or operational complexity.
Step, which raised half a billion in funding and has grown to over 7 million users, offers financial services geared toward Gen Z to help them build credit, save money, and invest. The company has attracted celebrity investors like Charli D'Amelio, Will Smith, The Chainsmokers, and Stephen Curry, in addition to venture firms like General Catalyst, Coatue, and the payments company Stripe.
What's fascinating about this season of "Industry" is how well it speaks to this moment. Tender starts as a payment processing platform for adult content. The show references the very real (and still controversial) Online Safety Bill that the UK introduced, which has led to age verification and other enhanced rules for consuming adult content online. Because of its affiliation with adult content, Tender finds itself at odds with the new government's regulation and must pivot or die, as the saying goes.
I was a CFO myself for five years previously before going into venture [...] We had thousands and thousands of customers, and we would have several people in my team that were basically just replying to queries and chasing people all day.
There was a time when banks and fintechs competed mostly on bells and whistles: smoother apps, faster checkout, appealing rewards. But in the world of public markets and quarterly earnings, functionality gives way to fundamentals.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said on Friday he would call for a one-year cap of 10% on credit card interest rates, arguing that consumers are being "ripped off" by rates that he said can be as high as 20% or 30%. Congress, not the president, has the power to implement such a cap. Similar proposals have previously stalled on Capitol Hill.
There was a time when banks and fintechs competed mostly on bells and whistles: smoother apps, faster checkout, appealing rewards. But in the world of public markets and quarterly earnings, functionality gives way to fundamentals. At the intersection of traditional banking and modern fintech lies a simple but growing question: what actually drives sustainable value for banks today? Is it the buzz‑worthy growth of payment volumes and new revenue streams - or the old‑school strength of deposit balances and net interest income?
I was entirely on my own when I was 19. While I was enrolled in college, I worked full-time at night in the call center of a fintech company, Jack Henry & Associates. It was a gritty, hands-on role, but an exciting time to be with the company, which was growing quickly. I didn't have a typical college experience. I worked a lot so I could pay for my car and home. At work, I put my hand up any chance I could. I was never the smartest person, but I worked really hard and was always willing to figure out problems. Even if I'd never done something, I would figure it out. I couldn't afford to fail, personally or professionally.
SoFi Technologies Inc.'s ( NASDAQ: SOFI) chief executive officer stated at a conference earlier this year that the fintech company is targeting 30% member growth and 20% revenue growth. The stock is trading for 2.9% less than a week ago, after SoFi launched a fully reserved U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin. Note that the share price is still up 71.2% from six months ago, far outperforming the S&P 500 and Nasdaq. SoFi's one-year gain is 72.5%.
Givefront, a YC-backed startup founded by 21-year-old Harvard dropout Matt Tengtrakool and UC Berkeley's Aidan Sunbury, aims to change that. The company is building a financial platform designed specifically for nonprofits, including food banks, animal rescues, non-governmental organizations, churches, and homeowner associations. Nonprofits generate roughly 6% of the U.S. GDP and contribute trillions of dollars each year, yet most still rely on outdated financial tools. Givefront believes that modern spend management, compliance, and reporting infrastructure-tailored to nonprofit realities-can unlock significant efficiency gains across the sector.
It wasn't just shoppers with strapped budgets that boosted buy-now, pay-later services to a record-setting $1 billion in transactions on Cyber Monday. It was also the brands and fintech companies that pushed the services front and center. This holiday season, more brands deployed BNPL services with different payment options beyond the more familiar "pay-in-four" structure, whether a six-month payment plan at 0% interest or a 24-month installment loan with interest. And the services are showing up in more digital wallets.
Block ( NYSE: XYZ) has delivered strong momentum in 2025, with shares climbing steadily as the company demonstrates improving profitability and operational leverage. The fintech platform operator behind Square and Cash App has transformed from losses just two years ago to consistent quarterly profits, with Q3 2025 earnings surging 64% year over year. With Wall Street's consensus target at $84, investors are asking whether Block can push to $100 in 2026.
Undoubtedly, it's a historic, unprecedented implosion and one that may very well be exaggerated, given the market's tendency to overswing to the downside. For those seeking deeper value, I continue to find the name intriguing, even as various sell-side analysts continue to turn away from the name. Though it's going to take a lot to turn a corner, I do get why insiders and hedge funds are starting to get aggressive with buying the dip.
American homeowners manage some of the largest household expenses in the country - mortgage payments, home improvements, utilities, and maintenance - yet credit card rewards have largely ignored these categories in favor of luxury travel and dining perks that feel out of reach for most families. With 86 million owner-occupied homes and mortgage payments averaging $1,500 monthly, homeownership represents the single largest recurring financial commitment for most Americans, creating an untapped opportunity to deliver meaningful financial benefits where households actually spend.
