American Banker Podcast

Only 4% of consumers changed banks last year, according to J.D. Power. Behavioral psychologist Wei Ke explains why consumers are so reluctant to move their accounts and what other banks can do to convince them to switch.

Changing demographics and cultural trends are making bank CEOs think beyond profitability and toward addressing what they stand for.

The forces reshaping small-business lending are also leading to "a moment of reckoning" for small banks, says Karen Mills, a senior fellow at the Harvard Business School who led the SBA during the Obama administration.

Mariel Beasley, co-director of Duke University's Common Cents Lab, who studies consumers' financial behavior, says savings "nudges" in apps often fall flat. Here's why.

Alex Carriles, executive director of mobile, online and digital accounts at BBVA Compass, describes how updates like account aggregation and expense analysis have helped increase use of its app.

Cathy Bessant, Bank of America's chief operations and technology officer, offers her takeaways from the first meeting of the Council on the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence. She also discusses some challenges banks are facing with cyberattacks and data encryption.

There are a number of alarming statistics in a new study about the financial health of Americans over 50 with low to moderate income. The Center for Financial Services Innovation's Karen Andres talks about how banks can help.

Jill Castilla, the Oklahoma community bank's CEO, has made branches more high-tech, opened a co-working space, held street festivals and taken other steps to stand out from the crowd.

Customers are starting to reveal more to private bankers when they use GoTo, the bank's strategy chief Rilla Delorier says.

Varo Money might become the first challenger bank to get a national bank charter. CEO and co-founder Colin Walsh explains his company's mission and how becoming a bank might help.

American Banker reporter Neil Haggerty examines the political implications of CEO Tim Sloan's testimony to the House last week.

Shari Van Cleave, head of digital labs at the bank, discusses some of the customer-facing technology it's testing, including wearables and the so-called internet of things.

The slow U.S. adoption of real-time payments hurts half of Americans who live paycheck to paycheck, says Aaron Klein, a fellow at the Brookings Institution.

The former deputy director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau shares his thoughts on the bureau's evolution, payday lending, fintech regulation and the sweet spots of fintech startups.  

Legalized marijuana is a multi-billion dollar industry, and it desperately needs banking services. Will Congress come to the rescue?

John Asbury, president and CEO Union Bancshares, wants to make Virginia something it hasn't been in decades: Home to a regional bank powerhouse. He discusses how striking the right balance between acquisitions and strategic hiring works toward that goal.

Undercover cops recently arrested a Miami Beach man for trying to sell bitcoin for dollars, accusing him of money laundering. Carlton Fields attorney Matthew Kohen explains the case and what it means to banks.

M&A editor Paul Davis explores the practical and political implications of the proposed merger between BB&T and SunTrust.

Steve Boms, executive director of the Financial Data and Technology Association, says standards should be developed for U.S. banks and fintechs to follow in open banking.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau dropped a provision that would have required payday lenders to assess potential borrowers' ability to repay. American Banker reporter Kate Berry explains why.

Bankers sometimes object to experimental zones for fintechs, complaining they are shielded from regulations that banks have to follow. But Brian Knight at George Mason University says fintechs will be held accountable for any legal violations that occur in sandboxes — and banks can use sandboxes, too.

Amercans are living longer yet retiring earlier and saving less, explains Matt Fellowes, CEO and founder of United Income, which provides financial apps for people over 50. But there's no need to panic, because people curb their spending as they age. Financial providers can offer a hopeful message.  

Its early days yet, but decentralized apps will democratize finance, says Andrew Keys, cofounder of ConsenSys Capital, the venture capital arm of ConsenSys.

Rich Baich, the chief information security officer at Wells Fargo and newly appointed security advisor to the White House, shares some of the attack types he's worried about and the security defenses he's stepping up for the coming year.  

Jason Brown explains how and why his company, Tally, helps consumers by paying their monthly balances, providing automated debt-relief advice and offering a lower-rate credit line.