Podcast
What's Going On In Banking
Hosted by Ron Shevlin & Stacey Bryant, Cornerstone Advisors · EN
What's Going On In Banking brings you the latest in Banking, Finance, and Fintech with insights and commentary from industry leaders, and breaking news as it happens. Hosted by Cornerstone Advisor's Ron Shevlin, Chief Research Officer, and Stacey Bryant, Director of Client Development.
20episodes
Episodes
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What’s Going On in Banking 2026: A Mid-Year Update
2w ago00:31:04Tap to summarizeHalfway through 2026, banking’s favorite buzzwords are still buzzing, but the numbers are starting to tell a less flattering story.Ron Shevlin and Stacey Bryant revisit the industry’s biggest predictions and dig into what’s actually happened. Fintechs are eating the checking account, stablecoins are creating awkward boardroom questions, and the much-promised “AI plumbing” has finally arrived. They also unpack why Chase’s branch expansion may have less to do with retail banking than the headlines suggest, why trust alone won’t save community institutions, and why being well-liked is a lot like being broccoli: admirable, but not necessarily anyone’s first choice.From product strategy and small business lending to the technology investments banks keep avoiding, this is a mid-year reality check packed with data, detours, and plenty of side-eye. Show Notes: Don't Fall for the Branch Hype: Chase Didn't Build Those Branches for Retail BankingWhat’s Going On in Banking: A Mid-Year Review2026 "What's Going on in Banking" ReportSubscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfUYX Download the 2026 "What's Going on in Banking" Report here: https://qrco.de/bgmHtrChapters[00:00] Stacey Goes Back to the Banking Hood[03:25] The Mid-Year Review Ron Avoided for 11 Years[04:29] What Bank Executives Expected From 2026[06:18] The Economy Drifts and AI Plumbing Arrives[08:07] Fintech Is Eating the Checking Account[09:42] Why Product Architecture Is Winning[10:42] Stablecoins and Mega-Bank Theater[14:03] The Real Threat Is Product Displacement[16:28] Does Every Bank Need a Chief Product Officer?[18:26] What Chase’s Branch Expansion Really Means[21:16] Trust, Broccoli and the 40% Myth[24:56] Small Business Banking: Trust vs. Speed[26:40] Why Fintechs Are Winning the Daily Relationship[29:53] Pre-Building Gets Bumped to the Next EpisodeSend us Fan MailSubscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here:https://qrco.de/bgfV82
Transcribe →Trash Cans, Rewards Gaps, and Gray-Zone Lending: This Week in Banking
Jul 1100:35:54Tap to summarizeThis week on What’s Going On in Banking, Ron Shevlin and Stacey Bryant somehow connect Knicks parade chaos, a questionable trash can decision, JPMorgan Chase, rewards gaps, and SoFi’s move into small business lending.Stacey is still on a Knicks high. Ron is trying to bring everyone back to reality. Together, they debate whether a JPMorgan Chase employee deserved to be fired, why rewards programs may be banking’s version of a gym membership, and whether SoFi’s latest move should have community banks and credit unions sweating.Trash cans were stolen. Rewards went unused. SoFi entered the chat. Just another normal week in banking!Show Notes: Woman who emptied Knicks trashcan on street — then stole it — is fired from JPMorgan Chase, was DEI execThe Gym Membership Problem Just Ate Your Debit and Credit Card Rewards ProgramsSoFi enters small-business loan market Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfUYXDownload the 2026 "What's Going on in Banking" Report here: https://qrco.de/bgmHtrChapters[0:00] Welcome Back to What’s Going On in Banking[2:08] The Knicks Finally Win and Stacey Is Not Over It[3:01] The Trash Can Incident That Became a Banking Story[5:20] Was JPMorgan Chase Right to Fire Her?[8:05] Stacey Puts on Her HR Hat[9:24] The Gym Membership Problem in Rewards Programs[12:46] Are Banks Profiting From Customer Inertia?[15:20] AI, 1033, and the Future of Product Recommendations[17:20] Advocacy-Based Value vs. Acquisition-Based Value[21:31] SoFi Enters Small Business Lending[23:31] The Gray Zone Between Consumers and Businesses[25:00] Stacey Pushes Back: Relationship Depth Still Matters[29:12] Can Community Banks Really Beat SoFi on Depth?[30:16] The SoFi Data Advantage[32:43] How Banks Can Use Data to Fight BackSend us Fan MailSubscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here:https://qrco.de/bgfV82
Transcribe →From the Garden to the Branch: A Knicks Win, a Chase Misquote, and the Zillennial Investment Opportunity
Jun 2700:26:27Tap to summarizeThe Knicks finally gave New York manners, Chase got wildly misquoted, and banks are still out here pretending branches are the main character. Stacey Bryant and Ron Shevlin break down what JPMorgan Chase’s branch expansion is actually about, why community banks should stop copy-pasting big bank strategy, and why zillennials might be the investment opportunity financial institutions keep missing while they argue about checking accounts like it’s 2009. Also, Ron officially hates the term “white paper,” so please update your records accordingly.Show Notes: Don't Fall for the Branch Hype: Chase Didn't Build Those Branches for Retail BankingThe Zillennial Opportunity: Credit Unions’ Traditional Investing Imperative in the Crypto AgeSubscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfUYXDownload the 2026 "What's Going on in Banking" Report here: https://qrco.de/bgmHtr Chapters[0:00] Welcome: New Orleans, Conferences & Banker Concerns[4:37] Fiserv’s Agent OS Enters the AI Agent Race[8:07] What “Agentic AI” Actually Means[10:26] Operating System or Orchestration Layer?[12:13] Commercial Lending & AML: The First AI Agent Use Cases[15:50] How AI Could Change Commercial Lending[19:20] Bringing AI Skeptics Along[22:00] The AI Capability Continuum[23:42] When AI Should Act Autonomously[25:08] Culture, Risk & the Future Banking Workforce[27:31] Why Bank Leaders Can’t Ignore AI Decisions[31:04] OpenAI + Plaid: ChatGPT Enters Personal Finance[33:03] Why Ron Is Skeptical of AI Financial Advice[37:20] Small Business AI Adoption & Customer Behavior[40:59] Advice vs. Execution: Where AI Finance Gets ValuableSend us Fan MailSubscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here:https://qrco.de/bgfV82
Transcribe →Board Seats, AI Clones, and Stablecoins: What the Headlines Keep Getting Wrong
Jun 1300:32:01Tap to summarizeWhat are the headlines getting wrong about banking right now? In this episode of What’s Going On in Banking, Ron Shevlin and Stacey Bryant take on three big debates: whether Gen Z belongs in the boardroom, why AI executive clones may be more illusion than innovation, and why SoFi’s stablecoin story is really about Galileo’s B2B infrastructure play, not just consumer crypto hype.From credit union branding and board diversity to executive judgment, authenticity, tokenized money, and stablecoin strategy, this episode cuts through the surface-level takes and gets to what financial institutions should actually be paying attention to.Subscribe for more candid, sharp, and occasionally spicy conversations on what’s really going on in banking. Show Notes:AI Clones in the C-Suite: A Productivity Solution to the Wrong ProblemSoFiUSD Is the Bait, Galileo Is the HookRon's Substack Account Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfUYX Download the 2026 "What's Going on in Banking" Report here: crnrstone.com/wgoib2026 Chapters[0:00] Intro: Knicks Energy, Boston Betrayal & Banking Banter[3:24] Stacey’s Conference Aha Moment[4:08] A Gen Z Board Member at a $2B Credit Union[5:44] Should Credit Unions Drop the “Credit Union” Name?[6:39] Ron’s Pushback: Gen Z Isn’t a Board Strategy[9:30] Representation vs. Real Board Expertise[11:46] Diversity of Thought or Market Research?[13:25] Ron’s Substack Era Begins[14:32] AI Clones in the C-Suite[16:20] Why AI Can’t Replace Executive Judgment[17:10] Authenticity, Trust & the “Real Slim Shady” Test[20:20] When AI Clones Actually Make Sense[24:20] SoFi’s Stablecoin Story: The Headlines Got It Wrong[26:20] Why Galileo Is the Real Stablecoin Play[28:21] Stablecoin Strategy: Rails, Role & ReachSend us Fan MailSubscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here:https://qrco.de/bgfV82
Transcribe →AI Agents Are Here. Is Banking Ready?
May 3000:42:50Tap to summarizeRon Shevlin and Stacey Bryant are back with a conversation on AI agents, vendor hype, and what banks actually need to solve before adding another layer to the tech stack.They start with Fiserv’s Agent OS and the broader AI agent race in banking, including where tools like this may fit, where the wording gets fuzzy, and why commercial lending and AML look like early proving grounds. From there, they get into the harder part: getting boards, executives, and teams comfortable with AI without pretending it is either magic or a threat to every job.The episode closes with OpenAI and Plaid’s move into personal finance inside ChatGPT, and whether AI powered advice has real value without the ability to take action for customers.Subscribe for practical, skeptical, and occasionally spicy conversations on what is actually going on in banking. Show Notes:For Small Banks in AI, Here's How to Bring Skeptics AlongThe AI Agent Race in Banking: Fiserv Steps Up To The Starting Line With agentOSOpenAI Wants to Help With Your Finances. It Wants Your $100/Month Even More Subscribe to the "What's Going On In Banking" podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfUYX Download the 2026 "What's Going on in Banking" Report here: crnrstone.com/wgoib2026Chapters[0:00] Welcome: New Orleans, Conferences & Banker Concerns[4:37] Fiserv’s Agent OS Enters the AI Agent Race[8:07] What “Agentic AI” Actually Means[10:26] Operating System or Orchestration Layer?[12:13] Commercial Lending & AML: The First AI Agent Use Cases[15:50] How AI Could Change Commercial Lending[19:20] Bringing AI Skeptics Along[22:00] The AI Capability Continuum[23:42] When AI Should Act Autonomously[25:08] Culture, Risk & the Future Banking Workforce[27:31] Why Bank Leaders Can’t Ignore AI Decisions[31:04] OpenAI + Plaid: ChatGPT Enters Personal Finance[33:03] Why Ron Is Skeptical of AI Financial Advice[37:20] Small Business AI Adoption & Customer Behavior[40:59] Advice vs. Execution: Where AI Finance Gets ValuableSend us Fan MailSubscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here:https://qrco.de/bgfV82
Transcribe →Speed, Cost, and Control: What Banks Need to Know About AI Agents
May 1600:30:18Tap to summarizeA bank CEO used an AI clone on an earnings call…and that was just the start.Ron Shevlin and Stacey Bryant get into what AI agents could actually mean for banking, from back-office automation and decision-making to governance, blockchain, and why most banks are still asking the wrong questions about AI.Real talk on where the industry is headed and what community banks should actually be paying attention to. Show Notes:This bank CEO let his AI clone handle an earnings call — now he's signing an OpenAI dealAgents are starting to operate real systems — who’s actually in control?Ron's SubstackSubscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfUYXChapters[00:00] Intro + Banking Conference Talk[02:22] Bank CEO Uses AI Clone on Earnings Call[03:39] Ron’s Take on the OpenAI Deal[06:05] Governance & Compliance Concerns[07:06] The Bigger Conversation Around AI Agents[08:14] “Who’s Actually Controlling the AI?”[10:03] AI Identity, Blockchain & “Know Your Agent”[12:28] Stablecoins, Payments & AI Agents at Scale[13:43] Why Banks May Be Overthinking AI Risk[15:25] AI Agents Won’t Start With Payments[17:13] The REAL Strategic Question for Banks[18:28] AI’s Biggest Advantage: Speed[20:09] Cost, Change Management & Operational Risk[22:08] Stacey’s Argument for Blockchain in Banking[25:12] Ron: “Don’t Invest in Blockchain”Send us Fan MailSubscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here:https://qrco.de/bgfV82
Transcribe →Can’t Knock the Hustle: Banking’s Three Wars You Can’t Afford to Lose
May 200:42:58Tap to summarize"Wait and see” might be the most expensive strategy in banking right now.In this episode of What’s Going On in Banking, Ron Shevlin and Stacey Bryant unpack the real implications behind Jamie Dimon’s comments and why AI, tokenization, and shifting customer behavior are forcing banks to make decisions now, not later.They break down the three battles banks are actually fighting: where to invest (branches vs. digital), who owns the customer relationship, and why deposits are becoming more volatile than ever. Along the way, they challenge the idea of “core” customers, call out the slow erosion happening to bank relationships, and explain why most personalization efforts still miss the mark.This isn’t about what’s coming next…it’s about what’s already happening.What’s Going On in Banking Post of the Month — How Selection Works:We’re watching 👀!! The WGOIB team highlights the sharpest, spiciest takes we see each month, no formal submissions needed.Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfV82Chapters:[00:00] Intro & Financial Brand Forum recap[07:00] Are bank branches still worth it?[10:45] “Every budget is a confession”[15:00] The shift from branches to digital investment[20:30] The real deposit war begins[22:30] Fintechs are winning new accounts[24:30] Why “core deposits” are dead[26:30] The slow bleed of customer relationships[30:00] Why personalization has failed banks[31:30] AI changes the game for personalization[33:00] Trust vs. privacy in AI[34:30] From product offers to product design[36:00] What real personalization actually looks like[38:30] Where banks go wrong nextSend us Fan MailSubscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here:https://qrco.de/bgfV82
Transcribe →Jamie Dimon's Wake-Up Call: AI, Tokenization, and the End of Wait-and-See Banking
Apr 1800:34:35Tap to summarizeJamie Dimon just said the quiet part out loud, and the rest of the industry should be paying attention.In this WGOIB episode, Ron Shevlin and Stacey Bryant break down the real implications behind the headlines: why AI is no longer a “nice to have,” how tokenization is quietly reshaping financial infrastructure, and why the wait-and-see approach in banking is officially dead.From cost-cutting vs. true differentiation, to the illusion of competitive advantage in tech, Ron and Stacey challenge how banks, especially community institutions, should be thinking about the future.Because the biggest risk right now? Standing still. Show NotesCan AI Kill Banking Bureaucracy?Jamie Dimon’s Letter To Shareholders: The Most Important Fintech Memo Of 2026Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfV82Chapters[00:00] Jamie Dimon’s warning to banks[02:10] Why “wait and see” is no longer an option[04:35] AI is becoming core infrastructure[07:15] The myth of competitive advantage in tech[10:05] Why every bank ends up with the same tools[12:40] AI: cost cutter or true differentiator?[15:20] Inside the “plumbing” of modern banking[18:10] Tokenization and what it really changes[21:05] Where community banks can actually win[24:30] The danger of playing catch-up[27:15] What smart banks should be doing right nowSend us Fan MailSubscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here:https://qrco.de/bgfV82
Transcribe →Stable Talk, Deposits That Walk, What Revolut Should Hawk
Apr 400:36:10Tap to summarizeStablecoins aren’t a “crypto side quest” anymore—they’re becoming core financial infrastructure. In this episode of What’s Going On in Banking, Ron Shevlin and Stacey Bryant break down Mastercard’s $1.8B bet on stablecoin infrastructure, why deposits may be more mobile than ever, and what banks are getting completely wrong.They also dive into:Why waiting on stablecoins could be a fatal mistake How tokenization could reshape payments (and profits) The real risk behind “we’re monitoring it” strategies And what Revolut needs to do to actually win in the U.S. Bottom line: the industry is changing fast and not everyone is ready.Show Notes:Stablecoins: What Community Banks Need To Know And Do NowWhat Revolut Needs To Do To Succeed In The USMastercard us | Mastercard to acquire BVNK to connect on-chain payments and fiat railsSubscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfV82Chapters00:00] Intro + Stacey’s conference recap[02:30] Why banks are still stuck on AI adoption[04:00] Inside the On-Chain conference (what stood out)[06:00] “You can’t sit this out” — stablecoin urgency[08:30] Mastercard’s $1.8B acquisition breakdown[11:00] Stablecoins = real infrastructure, not crypto hype [13:30] Are banks outsourcing their future to Mastercard?[16:00] Optimistic vs realistic vs pessimistic takes[18:30] $6.6T in deposits at risk (“deposits that walk”)[23:00] Revolut enters the U.S. — opportunity or overhyped?[25:30] The “Cheesecake Factory” problem in fintech[29:30] The future: do we even need banking apps anymore?Send us Fan MailSubscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here:https://qrco.de/bgfV82
Transcribe →AI Agents Aren’t Ready to Replace Your Staff—But They Will Reshape Your Processes
Mar 1400:34:02Tap to summarizeWe’re live and in person (from the “island of New Jersey” 😆) after Credit Union GAC and ahead of the New Jersey Bankers conference. And we’re breaking down the biggest banking and fintech headlines that actually matter. Ron Shevlin and Stacey Bryant unpack:Why the mood at GAC was optimistic… with real undercurrents of concernKraken’s banking arm getting direct access to the Fed’s payment rails, and what that signals for banksWhy “waiting for regulatory clarity” on stablecoin doesn’t fly anymore (and why it’s now do-or-die)The private credit wake-up call for public bank stocksBlock’s massive layoffs and the “AI did it” narrative (spoiler: we’re not buying it)What AI agents can do today, what they can’t, and why “human-in-the-loop” is often misunderstoodWhy bankers are uneasy about using agents for fraud, and what needs to changeThe real takeaway from a credit union CEO saying “our members aren’t asking for stablecoin” If you’re in banking, credit unions, fintech, or payments…this episode is a fast, honest reality check on what’s coming next and how to prepare.Show Notes:Block Lays Off 40% Of Staff And Blames It On AI. Don’t Buy The Excuse.2026 What's Going On In Banking Industry Report Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfV82Chapters[0:00] Live from “New Jersey Island” + GAC recap[1:48] Optimism at GAC… and the regulatory undercurrent[4:19] Kraken gets Fed access: why banks should pay attention[5:10] “Crypto isn’t a threat?” The wake-up call[6:41] Stablecoin: “regulatory clarity” is no longer an excuse[7:23] Big banks, credit quality, and the private credit threat[8:19] Block layoffs: the “AI made us do it” claim[12:06] Klarna vs Affirm: a real-world agent experience[18:05] AI agents in fraud: why 40% aren’t comfortable[27:08] “Members aren’t asking for stablecoin” (and why that’s the wrong lens) Send us Fan MailSubscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here:https://qrco.de/bgfV82
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