Moves to protect competition will help fintechs and push innovation, says AppBrilliance's C. Eric Smith.

The fintech world is expanding at a sometimes breathtaking pace. Much of that growth is driven by venture capital, but how do VCs decide which companies to invest it in--or not? Join Greycroft partner Will Szczerbiak in a discussion with Olugbenga Agboola, the founder and CEO of Flutterwave, the San Francisco-based startup building the largest payments infrastructure in Africa. Guest host James Ledbetter, editor and publisher of the fintech newsletter FIN, will explore these questions: What are VCs looking for in a fintech startup? What are the hottest fintech sectors in 2021? How has the rise in fintech valuations affected the market? Where will growth be strongest in the next few years?

Will Graylin's new company OV Loop wants to use artificial intelligence — including the platform it just inherited with its PayFi acquisition — to connect digital ID to in-app payments, making it easier for banks to work with third-party wallets.

Traditional methods have been around a long time and don't meet the current needs of a fintech-heavy market, says Akoya's Stuart Rubinstein.

Initially created as a budgeting app, Charlie has added new features that help users visualize their debt and then chip away at balances. Eventually it hopes to add more banklike products.

The Indiana company, which had relied on internal processes that focused on large loans, has bought a suite of software tools to begin looking at relationships based on underlying risk.

Several financial tech companies that applied to become national banks are seeking exemptions from many provisions of the Community Reinvestment Act. A consumer advocacy group and the American Bankers Association say the OCC mustn't allow this.

The application process was a mess in the first rounds of the Paycheck Protection Program. Fintechs say their efforts will make it go smoothly in the latest iteration.

The application process was a mess in the first rounds of the Paycheck Protection Program. Fintechs say their efforts will make it go smoothly in the latest iteration.

The most likely picks for comptroller of the currency have pushed tech-driven approaches to financial inclusion and anti-money-laundering, and would bring new perspective to regulating cryptocurrencies.