Fintech Insider Podcast by 11:FS

Episode 1017: News – After Dark: Long live the high street bank! Revolut checks in with Booking.com, and Visa trials stablecoin payouts
Date: November 24, 2025
Host: David Brear (CEO, 11:FS) with expert panelists Kate Moody (11:FS), Tom Easterby (HSBC Innovation Banking), Denise Johansson (Enfuce), Richard Davies (Alica Bank)
Live from Village Underground, Shoreditch

Episode Overview

This “After Dark” live episode delivers an animated, real-world discussion on the future of the UK high street bank, Visa’s pilot of stablecoin payouts, Revolut’s new partnership with Booking.com, and more. As always, the hallmark is sharp, witty debate with hands-on leaders from fintech and banking, plus lively audience participation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. UK High Street Banks – Endangered or Evolving?

(Main segment: 05:46–18:39)

• Nationwide’s Pledge: Nationwide has committed to keeping all 696 branches—Virgin Money included—open until at least 2030.

  • Host joke: “When somebody says until, it makes me think they’re going to shut them all immediately after 2030.” (06:36)

• Audience Pulse:

  • Hands up: Most attendees favored keeping branches open.
  • Reality check: Fewer had visited one recently, and more admitted doing so only when some process forced them.

• Expert Responses:

  • Kate Moody (11:FS):

    • “Branches have played a very important role in helping vulnerable customers … people with disabilities, elderly customers, stay connected to the financial system.” (09:08)
    • Branches may not be essential in their current form; banks must think carefully about the actual ‘jobs to be done’.
    • Banking hubs and alternatives are growing: “If you take those away, how do you replace those services for customers?” (09:49)

  • Denise Johansson (Enfuce):

    • “For any life changing moment you still maybe want that human interaction.” (10:18)
    • Human engagement can build trust, but digital, mobile-first journeys should be everywhere.

  • Richard Davies (Alica Bank):

    • “We have no branches. We do have people. … That sort of moment of truth where a business is borrowing half a million quid ... they want to speak to someone, but we don’t see any role for the branch. … The client would much rather that person was … available on a video call.” (12:22)

  • Tom Easterby (HSBC Innovation Banking):

    • Branches' value is more tied to community reassurance than day-to-day use.
    • “If we did open up an innovation banking branch in Shoreditch, it would probably be the most populous branch in London!” (13:24)

• Financial Inclusion:

  • Denise highlighted digital exclusion among elderly customers, noting, “If we go 100% digital, the financial inclusion will be an issue, definitely.” (18:41)

• International Perspectives:

  • The UK is compared with Nordic countries, where branches have nearly vanished, without major exclusion—“You have to work really hard [to find a branch] in Stockholm” (Richard, 19:25).

2. Visa’s Stablecoin Payouts Pilot

(Main segment: 21:23–31:55)

• The News: Visa is trialling businesses sending payments directly to stablecoin wallets; recipients can opt for USD stablecoins (USDC) even if paid in fiat. Aim: rapid, cross-border, low-cost payouts—especially for creators and freelancers.

• Audience Pulse:

  • Many had dabbled in stablecoins and would try getting paid in them—surprising given audience's ties to both branches and stablecoins!

• Expert Analysis:

  • Kate:

    • “It’s unsurprising stablecoins have come to the forefront. … Being paid quickly is really important, especially for freelancers, gig workers, people working across borders.” (23:38)

  • Richard:

    • “In the UK I don’t see the problem to solve … domestic payments are kind of free and instant already... International payments – clearly SWIFT is pretty terrible.”
    • Cited personal pain sending money to Switzerland due to unpredictable fees.
    • “There’s something quite broken about SWIFT that needs to be changed.” (24:54)

  • Tom:

    • In Europe/UK, stablecoins aren’t a big leap technologically over current rails; internationally or in volatile markets, their use case is more compelling.
    • “Why can’t you just see this projecting forward over the next few periods?” (26:49)

  • Denise:

    • “I am very much compliance first and I actually believe in regulations. … Need to keep it regulated, keep track of money laundering, understanding where money is coming from.” (28:35)

• Central Bank Perspective:

  • David:

    • “If I was a central bank I’d hate this. … If I can see savings leaking out into stablecoins, I lose a little bit of control over the economy.” (31:09)

  • Richard:

    • For emerging markets, citizens using stablecoins as a currency hedge “is I think quite a real thing”—raises interesting regulatory questions. (31:28)

3. Revolut x Booking.com Partnership

(Main segment: 32:54–44:39)

• The News:

  • Overlap of 9m Revolut users having booked via Booking.com.
  • Now: Checkout integration routes payment through the Revolut app (biometric secure, multi-currency). Users get 10x Rev Points.

• Audience Pulse:

  • Most saw Revolut as the bigger winner; panel agreed ‘points-chasers’ will jump at the offer.

• Expert Analysis:

  • Kate:

    • “We’ve seen Revolut really double down on that kind of traveler consumer segment … massive focus on FX, travel insurance, lounge access.” (35:06)
    • “Revolut have 65 million users worldwide … that’s a fucking lot of customers.” (35:56)

  • Panel on Ecosystem Play:

    • Creating a closed system: If you book holidays with points, exchange FX seamlessly, and keep everything ‘in-app’, you’re more likely to stay loyal to Revolut.
    • “I had a really irrational … I just really didn’t like Revolut … they’re just too aggressive and not queuing properly, and all that sort of stuff. And I’ve kind of got past that now.” — Kate, 37:11

  • Tom:

    • On partnership scale: “It’ll have been all across different iterations of its website. … but for me, this is all about the loyalty points.” (37:41)

  • Richard:

    • “I think we may be over bigging the partnership … essentially it’s just a payment acceptance method really.” (38:39)
    • Shared that “Revolut Pay” as a checkout method saves fees for both parties, echoing Asian market tactics.

  • On Changing Customer Behaviour:

    • Denise:
      • “If you haven’t been booking with Booking before and now you get 10x, … you are going to change your behavior and go with Booking.” (40:20)
      • Partnership is a ‘win, win, win’ for customer acquisition, deeper ecosystem embedding, and fee reduction.

  • Richard on User Flow:

    • Annoyed by checkout friction: “They should expose the one click checkout earlier … It’s all basically about the data, right? And who owns that data as to where they expose the button for the payout.” (41:58)

  • Kate on Holiday Bookings as Financial Inflection Point:

    • “There are relatively few moments in the average year where someone will sit down and make a really, really considered financial purchase. And I think booking a big trip or a holiday is probably one of those moments.” (42:59)

4. Fintech Christmas Wishlist – Rapid Fire Audience & Panel Poll

(Main segment: 46:54–54:49)

• Audience submitted their fintech wishes—panel & crowd voted on each:

  • Keep EU Data Protection & AI Act:

    • Audience and panel: Keep it, though few seem to have read it!
    • Kate: “I’m just going to be trying to get my son to put that on his Christmas list because I don’t think that one will cost me anything.” (47:26)

  • Revolut to IPO in the UK:

    • Wide support; “Patriotic room … keep it in the UK is exactly where it’s needed.” — Tom, 48:44
    • Richard: “Nick is a very rational guy… the London market needs a lot more growth investor interest… I did see maybe Christmas came early … Revolution said they were considering a dual listing.” (49:05)

  • Bank Tech Platforms to Be Boringly Secure:

    • Audience overwhelmingly wants ‘boringly secure and reliable’ banking over excitement.

  • Pensions Industry to Move Faster:

    • Richard: “It’s clear … the desire to see pension funds invest more in growth assets – my god, would you like to see that move faster? Yes.” (52:03)
    • Denise (on Finland as a model): “I have no complaints. I think it’s easy to understand... you should send some folks over to the Nordics to see how you can do it better.” (54:19)

Memorable Quotes

• “If we could strip it back and try and work out what are the actual core jobs to be done that bank branches serve—do those need to be served by bank branches? Maybe not.”
  — Kate Moody (09:49)

• “In the UK I don’t see the problem to solve around domestic payments… International payments—clearly SWIFT is pretty terrible.”
  — Richard Davies (24:54)

• “If you haven’t been booking with booking before and now you see that you get 10x if you put that transaction ... of course you are going to change your behavior and go with booking.”
  — Denise Johansson (40:20)

• “There are relatively few moments in the average year where someone will sit down and make a really, really considered financial purchase. And I think probably booking a big trip or a big holiday is probably one of those moments...”
  — Kate Moody (42:59)

• “I have no complaints. I think [Finland’s pensions] is easy to understand... you should send some folks over to the Nordics.”
  — Denise Johansson (54:19)

Notable Timestamps

• 05:46–18:39 — UK bank branches: future, use-cases, and audience attitudes
• 21:23–31:55 — Visa stablecoin pilot: use-cases, pain points, regulation
• 32:54–44:39 — Revolut & Booking.com: partnership mechanics, loyalty, and market strategy
• 46:54–54:49 — Fintech Christmas wishlist: audience rapid-fire wishes, panel takes

Tone & Style

• Casual, warm, and peppered with British wit and audience banter
• Experts provide real-world stories, practical analogies, and challenge each other lightheartedly

TL;DR

This episode provided real talk and sharp insight on whether UK high street bank branches are still fit for purpose, dug deep into the hype and realities of stablecoin payments, and deconstructed the significance of Revolut’s latest mega-partnership. The audience was kept directly engaged, voting and sharing wishes for the fintech industry. The consensus: While digital is ascendant, inclusion and security matter; innovation is only as strong as it is accessible and trustworthy.