Licensed to Tokenize: Where Blockchain Meets Regulation

In this episode of the Wharton FinTech Podcast, host Meaghan McGowan sits down with Mike Yu, CEO and Co-founder of Vesta, to explore the modernization of the mortgage technology stack. Mike shares Vesta’s origin story and how he and his team are rebuilding the loan origination system to be flexible, automated, and API-first. The episode explores: - How modern workflows, partner integrations, and recent developments, including Vesta’s partnership with Pennymac, are reshaping lender operations - Macro trends, the growing role of AI, and how lenders are rethinking their technology stacks - The future of “self-driving” origination, and - Advice for founders building in regulated financial infrastructure

In this episode, Jackson sits down with Jimena, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Prometeo, to discuss the future of financial infrastructure in Latin America. Jimena shares her journey from tech journalism to entrepreneurship, the inspiration behind building Prometeo, and how the company is creating a unified API layer across the Americas to power open banking, real-time payments, and next-generation financial innovation. In this episode, you’ll learn: - How Prometeo became one of LatAm’s leading open banking infrastructure platforms - The challenges of building across highly fragmented regulatory and technical environments - Why true financial inclusion requires more than just account access - How real-time payments, cross-border rails, and agentic financial services are reshaping the region - Prometeo’s philosophy on trust, cybersecurity, and building long-term infrastructure “legacy”

In this episode of the Wharton FinTech Podcast, host Ruhi Jain sits down with Aaron Kaplan, Co-CEO of Prometheum, Inc., for a deep dive into the digitization of capital markets and the future of fully regulated digital assets. Aaron shares his journey from securities attorney to fintech founder, why he believes U.S. federal securities laws offer the most resilient pathway for blockchain innovation and how Prometheum’s end-to-end infrastructure aims to reshape how digital assets are issued, traded, custodied, and settled. Together, Ruhi and Aaron explore: - Why the regulatory lens is essential in building blockchain-based financial infrastructure - Efficiency gains blockchain can unlock across settlement, transparency, capital usage and market structure - and what this means for both institutions and retail investors - A forward-looking view into the future of capital markets, the evolving role of intermediaries and the “wild-card” risks Aaron believes the industry is overlooking A must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of blockchain, securities regulation and the next decade of digital market infrastructure.

In this episode, Wharton FinTech’s Abhi Chadha sits down with Michele Alt, Co-Founder of The Klaros Group and former OCC regulator, to unpack the evolving relationship between fintechs and the U.S. banking system. Michele shares her insights from two decades at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and her current work helping non-banks pursue bank charters. They discuss the shifting regulatory climate across administrations - from the OCC’s early fintech charter attempts, to the Biden-era freeze, and now a renewed openness under Trump 2.0. Michele explains the nuances of charter types like industrial loan companies (ILCs) and national trust banks. The conversation explores: - The history and future of fintech chartering - Differences among OCC, FDIC, and Fed oversight - How U.S. fintech regulation compares to Europe and the U.K. - Challenges foreign fintechs face when entering the U.S. market - How Michele’s OCC experience helps startups navigate complex regulatory processes Michele also shares her perspective on the cyclical nature of financial regulation - from deregulatory “sugar highs” to inevitable crackdowns - and offers advice for those eager to build a career in fintech regulation and compliance.

In this episode of the Wharton Fintech Podcast, Jackson Ellis sits down with Sid Jayakumar, founder and CEO of FinsterAI. Sid shares his journey from a background in engineering to founding FinsterAI, a company redefining how financial professionals interact with data. The conversation dives into: - The vision behind Finster: an intelligent platform that leverages AI to streamline financial analysis, automate research, and improve decision-making - What differentiates Finster in a crowded AI and fintech landscape - How Finster enhances workflows for analysts and investors - The strategic challenges of scaling an AI-driven financial product - How Finster navigates the evolving regulatory environment for AI in finance and what the future holds for intelligent financial systems

In this episode of the Wharton FinTech Podcast, Bobby Ma sits down with Brian Kaas, President and Managing Director of TruStage Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of TruStage. Brian shares his experience founding TruStage Ventures and the work he and his team have done in the past decade bridging the gap between FinTech founders, credit unions, and the broader financial services industry culminating in $400 million in investments since 2016. We discuss: - The 140+ million member-strong credit union movement and services they provide to the community - The partnership and value add TruStage Ventures brings in working with its FinTech investments - Investment criteria and role the group plays in the broader TruStage organization - Outlook on how stablecoins and other emerging technologies are poised to disrupt the financial services industry - The success they have had investing in early-stage FinTechs through their Discovery Fund

In this episode of the Wharton Fintech podcast, Djavaneh sits down with Robbie Figueroa, co-founder and former COO of Maza, now Chief Business Officer at Flex following Maza and Flex’s merger in late 2024. Robbie shares how growing up in Queens with immigrant parents from Brazil and Ecuador inspired him to tackle financial exclusion. What started as a Spanish-first neobank for underbanked consumers evolved into a platform tailored to solopreneurs operating in the informal economy. From onboarding thousands of users to building ITIN application tools and automating entity formation, Maza met customers where they were, and grew alongside them. We discuss: How Maza identified and served Spanish-speaking solopreneurs Why distribution often beats product innovation in fintech The strategic fit between Maza and Flex and what’s next Robbie also shares hard-won advice for early-stage founders and reflects on what it takes to build products that truly resonate with underserved users. Whether you’re passionate about inclusive fintech, curious about startup pivots, or exploring founder-to-operator transitions, this episode is full of insight.

In this episode of the Wharton Fintech Podcast, host Sabrina Fathi speaks with Ashwin Murthy, Chief of Staff and VP of Growth Operations and Strategy at Credit Karma, about how one of the most recognizable names in consumer fintech continues to evolve. Ashwin shares his journey from investment banking and consulting to leading strategy at Credit Karma. He discusses the company’s expansion from free credit scores to taxes, savings, and more, and how data, trust, and personalization have been critical to that journey. The conversation also dives deep into GenAI’s role in financial decision-making, Credit Karma’s evolving partnership with Intuit, and the future of financial access.

In today’s episode, Kimberly Zhang sits down with Ram Mahidhara, former Chief Investment Officer at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group. Ram reflects on his decades of experience investing across emerging markets, driving inclusive growth through private capital, and championing the role of fintech in global development. Tune in to hear about: • How technology and private investment are reshaping financial inclusion in emerging economies • Lessons from leading cross-border investment strategies at scale • Ram’s perspective on the role of fintech in sustainable development and what’s next for innovation in underserved markets

In this episode of the Wharton Fintech Podcast, hosts Sabrina Fathi and Wesley Aster speak with Yoonkee Sull, General Partner at ICONIQ, about building category-defining fintech companies through every market cycle. Yoonkee reflects on his journey from early ICONIQ associate to GP, lessons from backing leaders like Chime, Groww, Adyen, Wealthsimple, and Ramp, and what it takes to earn trust with founders over the long term. They unpack how startups can differentiate in a crowded space, how embedded finance is reshaping distribution, and why knowing your customer better than anyone else is the ultimate moat. With thoughtful takes on unit economics, financial inclusion, and the real use cases for AI and blockchain, this conversation is a must-listen for founders, operators, and investors navigating the next chapter of fintech.