Tagged: perspective

January 13, 2026 @ 9:22 am By JD Alois  |  

In one of the outlandish moves by the Trump Administration, it emerged this past weekend that the US Department of Justice was investigating Fed Chair Jerome Powell over cost overruns for renovations at the US Federal Reserve. Powell took to X to declare he would… Read More

January 9, 2026 @ 8:09 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Hong Kong’s financial sector is currently undergoing a significant digital transformation, positioning itself as a hub in global finance. In a recent update shared by Oliver Wyman featuring Bonnie Y Chan, CEO of the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX), it was noted that… Read More

January 9, 2026 @ 4:26 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In the cutthroat world of retail, where billions are poured into marketing campaigns, sleek websites, and frictionless in-store experiences, an unseen force is undermining these efforts. Wayne Pommen, Chief Revenue Officer at Affirm (NASDAQ: AFRM), recently highlighted this “invisible headwind”: the staggering cost of credit… Read More

January 7, 2026 @ 12:28 pm By JD Alois  |  

We need banking services; we just don’t necessarily need banks.  The advent of digital assets and the potential for disintermediation pose both threats and opportunities for traditional banks. Stablecoins may upend traditional financial rails, and the GENIUS Act provided a federal path for firms to… Read More

January 6, 2026 @ 3:42 pm By JD Alois  |  

While there are a lot of things that California is great at, think beautiful weather, beaches, and mountains, when it comes to serving the residents, it seems the Golden State is further down the list. The annual UHAUL report on one-way customers using their service indicates… Read More

January 6, 2026 @ 10:32 am By JD Alois  |  

The digital asset ecosystem is gearing up amid the Trump Administration’s embrace of blockchain technology and the recognition that digital is the future of all financial services, including securities. At least initially, back office services were in many respects the most obvious uses of distributed… Read More

January 4, 2026 @ 2:30 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

We recently connected with Instant Financial CEO Tal Clark to talk about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) advisory opinion on cash advances for company workers and their preference for B2B models. Tal share his point of view on this matter including thoughts on why this… Read More

January 3, 2026 @ 1:23 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

European digital assets platform Bitpanda has released an update that examines the facts around “illicit crypto use” while also challenging prevailing narratives about cryptocurrency’s role in money laundering, terrorist financing, and sanctions evasion. As authorities like the European Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) and the Financial… Read More

January 2, 2026 @ 11:42 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Russian-Canadian programmer and Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has emphasized the need for practical, genuinely decentralized applications to realize the platform’s vision as a global computing system. In his recent New Year’s post on X, he called on the Ethereum ecosystem to prioritize foundational values, positioning… Read More

January 2, 2026 @ 11:14 am By JD Alois  |  

Following California’s proposal of a new tax targeting affluent citizens, social media is abuzz with condemnations and reports of wealthy investors fleeing or plotting their exit from the state, where they helped drive phenomenal economic growth and prosperity. New York City is also expected to… Read More

January 2, 2026 @ 9:12 am By Omar Faridi  |  

OliverWyman noted that as we sit at the end of 2025, AI-mania continues to roll, equity markets are trading “near records,” interest rates are gradually bite surely coming down, inflation hasn’t quite yet spiraled out of control, and the credit cycle “hasn’t cycled that much.”… Read More

December 30, 2025 @ 1:03 pm By JD Alois  |  

California is considering a “wealth tax,” a concept that has failed everywhere it has ever been attempted. California is one of the world’s top economies, competing with Germany and Japan with a GDP of around $4 trillion – far more than almost all other countries…. Read More

December 30, 2025 @ 8:18 am By Omar Faridi  |  

QED Investors, a venture capital firm based in Alexandria, Virginia, that is focused on investing in Fintechs, has shared some end-of-year insights with CI. QED Investors, which also invests in financial services initiatives in the U.K. and Europe, Latin America, India, and Southeast Asia, has commented on… Read More

December 29, 2025 @ 5:22 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Derivatives Trading Desk at Laser Digital has shared key insights and market commentary with CI. The insights highlight how Bitcoin and crypto market prices have started to move in very interesting directions based on the time of day it is, with Asian and US… Read More

December 28, 2025 @ 9:56 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

UK Finance has examined some key policy questions that have shaped 2025’s crypto regulatory development, while looking to next year ahead of the final Policy Statements. According to the update from UK Finance, 2025 has been a busy year of regulatory development in the UK,… Read More

December 25, 2025 @ 11:46 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Strategists at BlackRock (NYSE:BLK), Amanda Lynam and Dominique Bly, reportedly project that the Federal Reserve will implement relatively modest interest rate reductions in 2026, contingent on no significant weakening in employment conditions. This assessment aligns with recent U.S. employment indicators showing gradual cooling without a severe… Read More

December 25, 2025 @ 8:44 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

As the holiday season approached, U.S. exchange-traded funds (ETFs) focused primarily on spot Bitcoin and Ethereum faced notable net withdrawals on Tuesday, potentially being influenced by seasonal market dynamics and reduced trading volumes. These latest crypto market movements highlight the impact of end-of-year strategies on… Read More

December 24, 2025 @ 1:26 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Max Levchin, Founder and CEO at Affirm (NASDAQ: AFRM), noted that there’s been increased attention on buy now, pay later (BNPL) over the past few weeks, raising questions about why consumers “choose these products, how they use them, and the industry’s overall practices.” Levchin added… Read More

December 23, 2025 @ 9:31 am By JD Alois  |  

The European Commission (EC) has published a fact sheet outlining its ambition to make regulations clearer and more straightforward. The EC is run by an appointed body of policymakers that aims to establish pan-European rules to build a stronger and more cohesive Europe. This includes… Read More

December 21, 2025 @ 11:39 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

UK Finance has reflected on what it described as a defining year for United Kingdom’s payments infrastructure ecosystem. Looking back over 2025, the team at UK Finance said that it is clear to them that this has been one of the most significant years for… Read More