A2Z Fintech

The US banking fortress just got a new neighbor. NuBank—the Latin American titan with 127M+ customers—has officially announced its US National Bank License. In this minisode, Aman and Zubin break down why this isn't just another fintech launch. We explore the "Wayne-dependent" reality of US regional banks stuck on 1980s COBOL code and why NuBank’s $1 cost-to-serve makes them a lethal competitor to...

In this A2Z Fintech minisode / hot take, we break down the shockwave acquisition of Brex by Capital One for $5.15 billion. Is this just a bank buying a startup, or is it the "Original Disruptor" reminding the world that while software is the wedge, the balance sheet is the wall? Key Discussion Points: The Deal Breakdown: Analyzing the $5.15B, 50-50 cash and stock exit for the darling of Silicon Va...

The "Buy Button" is moving from the screen to the conversation. > In this episode of A to Z Fintech , Aman Narain and Zubin Vandrevala report from NRF 2026. We move beyond the hype to the "Next Now"—the moment retail got an autonomous brain. Key Moments: (00:00) Cold Open: The Future of Shopping(00:45) Why Sundar Pichai Headlined NRF(04:00) Trend 1: Agentic Commerce & Google's UCP(06:12) Tr...

Welcome back to Season 2 of A to Z Fintech! Aman and Zubin are back from the holidays, but their brains are still in Vegas. This isn't just a gadget review; it’s a look at the "Re-Materialization" of technology. We are moving from a decade of "software eating the world" to "AI moving the world." From Nvidia’s shift into the laws of physics with Project Cosmos to the "Bot-naissance" of humanoid rob...

Lights out and away we go! For the Season One finale of A2Z Fintech, Aman and Zubin take you to the "Post-Race Press Conference" of 2025. This year, the tech and fintech worlds didn't just move fast—they behaved exactly like a Formula One championship season. From Nvidia lapping the field to Apple’s "curated pacing" and the internal engine fires at OpenAI, we break down the Constructors' Standings...

Is your career an album or a playlist? 🎶 We are moving from the Industrial Age (factories, pensions, 9-to-5s) to the Intelligence Age (feeds, algorithms, gigs), but our money is still stuck in the past. On this episode of A to Z Fintech , Aman and Zubin break down the "One-Person Enterprise" and the new Money OS needed to support it. We discuss: 📼 The 80s Paradox: Why the era of stability was ac...

In this episode, Zubin and Aman explore the transformative journey of Neobanks, tracing their evolution from early models to the current Neobank 2.0 era. They discuss the historical context of banking, the rise of digital finance, and the emergence of the Neobank Mag7, a group of successful neobanks that have mastered profitability and customer acquisition. The conversation delves into the Neobank...

In this edition of A to Z Fintech , Aman and Zubin decode OpenAI’s audacious DevDay 2025 — and frame it as the ultimate Game of Thrones for the tech world. From Sam Altman’s meteoric rise and billion-dollar alliances with Microsoft and Nvidia to whispers of a new Jony Ive–designed hardware empire, this episode explores the four great provocations defining the next decade of technology: 1️⃣ The Hou...

In this episode of A to Z Fintech , Aman Narain sits down with Aneace Haddad — executive coach, author, and former fintech CEO — to explore what it really means to live (and lead) a hundred-year career in the age of AI ." 🔥 You’ll hear about: Why midlife isn’t decline — it’s halftime How leaders can engineer “mini-crises” to stay alive and relevant What a corporate midlife looks like (and how to...

This conversation explores the evolution of authentication, the impact of AI and quantum computing on security, and the shift towards passwordless security through passkeys. The speakers discuss the historical context of authentication, the challenges posed by modern technology, and the importance of establishing trust in digital transactions. takeaways A common language for agents to transact sec...

In this A2Z Fintech mini-sode, Aman and Zubin break down one of the most exciting drops from Google Cloud: the Agentic Payments Protocol (AP2) . What does it mean for the future of payments, banks, and fintechs when agents—not humans—initiate and complete financial transactions? We unpack: What AP2 actually is, and why it matters How it builds on the API revolution to create agent-to-payments flow...

In this episode, Aman and Zubin explore the evolution and impact of national payment rails, focusing on UPI in India and PIX in Brazil. They discuss the significance of these systems in enhancing financial inclusion, reducing transaction costs, and fostering innovation. The conversation also delves into global payment systems, highlighting the unique approaches taken by different regions, includin...

In this episode of A2Z FinTech , Aman Narain and Zubin Vandrevala unpack the rise of tokenization —from its early use in card payments to its expansion into NFTs and real-world assets. They explore how tokenization is reshaping payments, banking, and crypto , making transactions smarter, safer, and more connected. From stablecoins and tokenized deposits to the role of Japan and regulators in drivi...

In this conversation, Aman Narain, Sunil Setlur, and Roger Grant discuss the evolving landscape of careers in the age of AI. They explore how individuals can stay relevant, the importance of human judgment in AI decision-making, and the need for accountability. The discussion also touches on the challenges of AI implementation, the role of leadership, and the cultivation of taste makers in organiz...

Aman and Zubin reveal how AI is revolutionizing banking, moving far beyond simple chatbots to a total system overhaul. They track AI's journey from its "Good Old-Fashioned" roots to today's powerful Generative and Agentic AI, and even gaze into the future of Superintelligence! 🚧 The 3 Traps Holding Banks Back: Discover the "Three Legacy Traps" hindering AI adoption in banking: outdated business m...

In this episode, Aman Narain and Zubin Vandrevala explore significant shifts in finance and technology, focusing on the hidden world of interchange fees. They discuss the escalating AI talent wars, the frenzy in fintech public markets, and the ongoing consolidation in the UK banking sector. The conversation delves into the history and mechanics of interchange fees, highlighting macro trends that c...

In this episode, Aman and Zubin dissect the biggest stories shaping the tech and finance landscape. They kick off by discussing the promising signs that the "Fintech IPO Winter" is finally over, with major players like Chime and Circle making successful market debuts. The conversation then shifts to Stripe's strategic moves in the crypto space, positioning itself as a core infrastructure for the f...

In this episode, Aman Narain and Zubin Vandrevala discuss Capital One's monumental acquisition of Discover, exploring its implications for the future of banking and financial technology. They delve into the strategic motivations behind the deal, the pressures it places on traditional financial institutions, and the potential to address systemic inefficiencies in the financial system. The conversat...

In this episode, Aman and Zubin explore the transformative potential of stablecoins in the financial landscape. They discuss the historical evolution of money, the current trends in stablecoin adoption, and the unique value propositions that stablecoins offer compared to traditional payment systems. The conversation also delves into the emerging business models around stablecoins, their role in th...

In this episode, Aman and Zubin discuss the highlights of Google I.O., emphasizing the significant advancements in AI, search technology, and wearable devices. They explore how Google's innovations are set to revolutionize content creation and e-commerce, while also touching on the potential of quantum computing and the future of hardware design. The conversation reflects on the competitive landsc...

In this episode of the A to Z of Payments , hosts Aman Narain and Zubin Vandrevala discuss the significant developments in the payments landscape, focusing on Stripe's recent announcements at Stripe Sessions. They explore Stripe's evolution from a startup to a major player in the financial infrastructure space, the integration of AI into their offerings, and the implications of their acquisition o...