The Galileo Financial Technologies Podcast

Cross River has spent nearly two decades building infrastructure for fintech innovators. Hillel Olivestone joins Galileo to discuss how the bank moved beyond legacy systems to create its own core, enabling leadership across RTP, FedNow, and emerging digital asset use cases. He also shares insights on embedded finance, evolving client profiles, and maintaining strong regulator relationships in a ch...

Direct deposit is not flashy, but it changes the economics of an account overnight. In this episode, Scott Weinert, co-founder and CTO of Atomic, shares how financial institutions are increasing profitability through seamless payroll connectivity, payment switching, and merchant integrations. He also discusses governance, transparency, and the responsibility fintechs carry when handling consumer p...

Fintech started by serving customers traditional institutions overlooked. Today, it's driving the next wave of payment innovation. In this episode, Christienne Genaro talks with Visa's Kevin Meigs about how the ecosystem has matured and where it's headed next. They discuss the rapid growth of BNPL, the launch of Visa Flex Credential, and how a single card can now move between debit and credit with...

Prashant Shah, VP of Product Management at Galileo, speaks with Justin Gainsley, who leads payments at Coinbase, about how stablecoins are being used in real payment flows today. They discuss checkout, payouts, treasury use cases, interoperability across blockchains, and how stablecoins can coexist with traditional payment rails while expanding global reach.

Recorded live at Fintech Nerdcon in Miami, Scott Henderson from Galileo sits down with Alex Johnson, founder of Fintech Takes , for a wide-ranging conversation on embedded finance, financial health, and what it actually takes to build better financial products over the long term. Alex shares his definition of embedded finance and why context matters more than the product itself, from auto lending...

What should banks and fintechs actually be doing right now as open banking stalls and regulatory signals keep shifting? In this episode, Scott Henderson talks with Jason Mikula, publisher of Fintech Business Weekly, live from Fintech Nerdcon 2025. They break down cash flow underwriting in production, data access and consent models, the future of screen scraping, and the growing operational risk cr...

In this episode of the Galileo Financial Technologies Podcast, host Christienne Genaro sits down with leaders from FinWise Bank—Nick Chiappetti, VP of Fintech Partnerships & Marketing, and Simon Darchis, Head of Fintech Products—to unpack how sponsor banks are balancing innovation with regulatory reality. The conversation explores how FinWise approaches banking-as-a-service, why compliance is non-...

Stablecoins have reached a rare inflection point: real product-market fit and meaningful regulatory clarity—at the same time. Recorded live from Fintech Nerdcon in Miami, this episode of the Galileo Financial Technologies Podcast features Simon Taylor, founder of Fintech Brainfood and GTM at Tempo, for a deep dive into what this moment means for banks, fintechs, and payments leaders. In this conve...

Galileo's Christienne Genero and SoFi's Kelli Keough come together for a high-impact discussion on what it takes to build financial experiences that earn trust at scale. They break down how SoFi and Galileo are aligning technology, operations, and human insight to support the full arc of a member's financial life. In this conversation, they unpack: • Why every consumer — from first paycheck to adv...

In this episode of the Galileo Financial Technologies podcast, host Scott Henderson discusses what it takes to launch a successful fintech program with industry leaders Matt Mehlman from iLEX Consulting and Ramy Serageldin from Spidr. Broadcasting from Fintech Nerdcon in Miami 2025, the conversation explores the latest trends, innovations, and the complexities of launching fintech programs. Key to...

In this episode, Bill Kennedy, interim CEO at Galileo, joins Karen Webster of PYMNTS to unpack how Southwest Airlines and Galileo are bringing rewards to debit. They explore why consumers, especially younger generations, are turning to debit first, how loyalty economics are shifting, and what it takes for major brands to launch modern, reward-driven debit programs. Based on PYMNTS' reporting, the...

In this episode, we're tackling one of the biggest challenges facing traditional financial institutions today: legacy core systems. For too long, banks have been patching their outdated technology with "duct tape" fixes, but that approach is no longer sustainable. We dive deep into why core modernization isn't just a tech project—it's a critical business imperative for survival and growth. Join us...

In this episode, Galileo CEO Derek White joins Tearsheet's Zack Miller to explore how brands can meet customers at the exact moment they choose how to pay — and why this matters more than ever. With 30% of travelers using debit for major travel and entertainment purchases, brands have an untapped opportunity to reward spend that's traditionally gone unrewarded. Derek shares how Wyndham launched it...

Managing bills and updating subscription payments shouldn't feel like a scavenger hunt — but for most consumers, it still does. In this episode, we explore how Galileo is eliminating the friction of updating payment methods across Netflix, Amazon, power bills, and even Venmo — all from a single point of contact inside a banking or fintech app. Prashant Shah, VP of Product Management at Galileo Fin...

Galileo sits down with American Banker to discuss what's next for partner banking as the lines between fintech, infrastructure and regulation continue to blur. With compliance pressure on the rise and demand for embedded finance accelerating, financial institutions are being forced to rethink their growth strategies. In this episode, we explore how banks can modernize their tech stacks, manage ris...

In this episode of the Galileo podcast, our Chief Product Officer, David Foyer, joins John Gaffney to unpack how Galileo is helping fintechs and financial institutions evolve in the growing service economy. Traditionally, value-added services were tied to credit card networks—but that's changing. David shares how Galileo is enabling clients to go beyond basic payments by embedding services like le...

With nearly half of U.S. consumers lacking a credit history, debit is no longer just a payment method—it's a loyalty opportunity. In this episode, Galileo CEO Derek White joins Karen Webster to share how Galileo is powering a new era of rewards for debit users, starting with a partnership with Wyndham Rewards. Learn how brands can engage Gen Z, build stronger connections at the point of purchase,...

Legacy cores strain budgets; composable cores grow them. In this Payments TV episode, Chief Content Officer John Gaffney sits down with Galileo's head of Product Strategy Michael Haney and KeyBank's SVP of Embedded Banking Dan Williams to show how cloud-native, API-first architecture flips modernization from an IT expense to a revenue machine. Hear real-world stories of: Decoupling innovation from...

In this episode, Michael Haney explores fintech's biggest questions—from the shift toward digital banking and AI adoption to the rise of real-time payments in the U.S. Learn how fintechs and financial institutions can balance legacy infrastructure with modern tech to stay competitive and meet the evolving needs of digital consumers. Learn more at https://galileo-ft.com This episode was recorded at...

In this special episode, we're bringing you an insightful conversation between Silicon Slopes' Clint Betts and Galileo's own Derek White, a true pioneer in fintech who has quietly transformed the financial landscape from Utah to the world stage. Derek shares his incredible journey, from creating the first internet bank to scaling global fintech solutions that redefine how people interact with mone...

In this special episode, originally hosted by Tearsheet, we explore the modernization journey of Valley Bank with Russell Barrett, COO of Valley Bank, and David Feuer, CPO of Galileo Financial Technologies. Together, they share valuable insights on navigating core banking transformation, overcoming the challenges of legacy systems, and the strategies financial institutions can adopt to stay ahead...

At Galileo, we know that balancing short-term wins with long-term strategy is essential to driving meaningful innovation. In a recent episode of the CPO Rising Series , hosted by Products That Count , our CPO, David Feuer, delves into how he approaches this balance in product management. He shares his philosophy of servant leadership, emphasizing the importance of empowering teams to take ownershi...

Our Head of Product Strategy, Michael Haney along with Sachin Shetty, CTO at Varo and Phillip Rosen, CTO at MoneyLion come together with John Gaffney, Chief Content Officer at PYMNTS to discuss the latest innovations in digital banking architecture and the growing importance of composable banking. In this episode, they discuss how fintechs and neobanks are reshaping customer experiences, modernizi...

In this episode, Sarah Grotta, Deputy Chief Fintech Officer at FinWise Bank, and Christienne Genaro from Galileo discuss the critical role that sponsor banks play in the success of fintech companies. Finding the right sponsor bank is crucial for any fintech's success, but what happens when you need a backup? In this episode, we dive into the intricate matchmaking process between fintechs and spons...

Banks are at a crossroads. Dave Feuer, Chief Product Officer at Galileo and Jim Marous at the Financial Brand break down why most banks and credit unions are missing the mark. We're talking about fractured relationships, why your customers aren't sticking around, and how real-time data can change the game. If you want to know what's really happening in banking today—and what needs to happen next—t...