RegFi Podcast

Hosted by Jerry Buckley

Business NewsInterviews guests

Website RSS feed LinkedIn Instagram YouTube

Episodes

114

Latest episode

Oct 2026

Language

About the show

Financial regulation will change more over the next decade than it has in the last 50 years. How will technological innovation – including the adoption of machine learning, generative AI, digital currencies, and other fintech solutions – shape financial regulation for the digital economy? Orrick's Jerry Buckley is joined by Sasha Leonhardt, Sherry Safchuk, and Caroline Stapleton in hosting conversations with leading thinkers at the forefront of these changes, including regulators, legislators, financial services providers, data scientists, academics, opinion makers, consumer advocates and other market participants.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

November 4, 2026Episode 11528 min

Crypto's Next Chapter: Regulation, Stablecoins and Agentic AI

What's next for crypto regulation, stablecoins and AI-powered payments? In this episode of RegFi, hosts Jerry Buckley and Sasha Leonhardt welcome Ryan VanGrack , Vice Chair and Head of Corporate Affairs at Coinbase, to explore the rapidly evolving digital finance landscape. They discuss the future of the CLARITY Act, implementation of the GENIUS Act and the role of regulatory certainty in advancing financial innovation. Ryan also shares Coinbase's vision for tokenization, stablecoin infrastructure and agentic payments, including its x402 protocol, which enables AI agents to conduct transactions. Tune in for insights into the technologies and regulatory frameworks shaping the next chapter of financial services. Links Jerry Buckley Bio Sasha Leonhardt Bio Follow Ryan VanGrack on LinkedIn Follow Ryan VanGrack on X About Coinbase RegFi's Sister Podcast, Barefoot Innovation Upcoming AIR Events Upcoming AIR Speaking Engagements

October 23, 2026Episode 11428 min

Small Business Lending Under Scrutiny: The Rise of State Regulation

State regulators are expanding oversight of commercial financing, bringing new licensing, disclosure and consumer-style protections to the small business lending market. In this episode of RegFi, hosts Jerry Buckley and Sherry Safchuk examine the evolving regulatory landscape, including California's latest requirements and their implications for lenders, fintechs and financing providers. They explore challenges surrounding merchant cash advances, factoring, ability-to-repay standards and crypto-backed lending. The conversation also raises a forward-looking question: Could AI-powered agents help small businesses navigate complex financing options more effectively than traditional disclosures? Tune in for insights into the changing rules and future of commercial lending. Links Jerry Buckley Bio Sherry Safchuk Bio RegFi's Sister Podcast, Barefoot Innovation Upcoming AIR Events Upcoming AIR Speaking Engagements

October 7, 2026Episode 11337 min

Rethinking the Rules: Building a More Adaptive Regulatory System

Technology is transforming financial services faster than traditional regulatory processes can adapt. So how can regulation keep pace while preserving the safeguards that protect consumers and the financial system? In this episode of RegFi, Jerry Buckley and Sasha Leonhardt are joined by AIR's Nat Weber to explore adaptive regulation and new approaches to rulemaking. They examine lessons from the Administrative Procedure Act, the CFPB's Section 1033 rulemaking and past alternatives to traditional rulemaking. The conversation considers how collaboration, standards-setting and more adaptive regulatory processes could help create a financial regulatory system built for continuous technological change. Links Nat Weber Bio Jerry Buckley Bio Sasha Leonhardt Bio RegFi's Sister Podcast, Barefoot Innovation Upcoming AIR Events Upcoming AIR Speaking Engagements

September 30, 2026Episode 11235 min

Breaking the Documentation Wall: Digital Identity for Displaced People

When people are forced to cross borders, their identity, education, employment and financial histories may not travel with them. In this episode of RegFi, Jerry Buckley and Sherry Safchuk speak with Civitas ID founder and Chairman Colin Walsh about breaking this "documentation wall." Walsh explains how Civitas ID is developing secure, portable digital credentials that can help displaced people prove who they are and access employment, banking and other essential services. The conversation explores decentralized identity, privacy, KYC requirements and the potential for technology to expand financial inclusion while giving individuals greater control over their credentials. Links From Exclusion to Agency, the Civitas ID technical white paper, 52 pages, September 2026 Civitas ID Colin Walsh on LinkedIn Colin Walsh Bio Jerry Buckley Bio Sherry Safchuk Bio

September 24, 2026Episode 11136 min

Seeing Around the Corner: How AI Is Changing Public Policy Intelligence

Public policy moves fast, and the information shaping it is scattered across legislation, regulatory actions, hearings, speeches and countless other sources. Kate Flocken , Co-Founder and CEO of Revere, joins RegFi Co-Hosts Jerry Buckley and Sherry Safchuk to explore how AI can help professionals find the signal in that noise. Kate explains how Revere is building a purpose-built public policy intelligence platform designed to surface relevant developments earlier, provide critical context and help users understand where issues may be heading. They also discuss privacy, human judgment and the broader potential for AI to support better-informed policymaking. Links RegFi Episode 37: Adapting to Change: Fintech's Public Policy Environment Jerry Buckley Bio Sherry Safchuk Bio Kate Flocken on LinkedIn Revere

September 17, 2026Episode 10826 min

A RegFi Farewell: Caroline Stapleton on Regulation's Next Chapter

In her final episode as a RegFi co-host, Caroline Stapleton joins Jerry Buckley , Sasha Leonhardt and Sherry Safchuk to reflect on more than two years of conversations about the changing future of financial regulation. Caroline shares what she sees ahead as regulators respond to AI, automated decision-making and agentic commerce, including the evolving roles of state and federal policymakers. The group also explores questions of trust, authorization and liability as AI agents begin acting on consumers' behalf, along with the growing role of stablecoins, tokenized deposits and blockchain. The episode closes with a personal look back at Caroline's time with RegFi. Links RegFi Episode 107: Agentic AI and the Future of Consumer Finance Jerry Buckley Bio Sherry Safchuk Bio Sasha Leonhardt Bio Caroline Stapleton on LinkedIn

August 19, 2026Episode 10921 min

Can Industry Standards Reinvent Fintech Risk Management?

What if regulators could strengthen oversight without writing a new rule? In this episode of RegFi, co-hosts Jerry Buckley and Sasha Leonhardt examine a reported FDIC-backed initiative to create industry-led standards and independent certification for fintechs that partner with banks. They explore how the model could streamline third-party risk management, where its limits lie and whether market adoption could make it durable even without formal regulation. The conversation also looks ahead to agentic AI and asks whether a similar standards-and-certification model could help financial institutions establish trust with AI agents acting on consumers' behalf. Links Jerry Buckley Joins AIR to Focus on Emerging Role of Agentic AI in Consumer Finance Alliance for Innovative Regulation (AIR) RegFi Episode 107: Agentic AI and the Future of Consumer Finance Jerry Buckley Bio Sasha Leonhardt Bio

August 12, 2026Episode 10326 min

Four States, Four Approaches to AI in Financial Services

AI regulation is taking shape across the U.S. — but states are taking markedly different approaches. In this episode of RegFi, co-hosts Jerry Buckley , Sherry Safchuk and Caroline Stapleton examine AI laws in Colorado, California, Texas and Utah and what they could mean for financial services. They explore requirements around automated decision-making, disclosures and human review, as well as key questions about whether emerging rules apply to AI agents working on behalf of consumers. The conversation also looks ahead to the need for a national framework that supports responsible innovation while helping consumers benefit from AI-powered financial tools. Links Jerry Buckley Joins AIR to Focus on Emerging Role of Agentic AI in Consumer Finance Alliance for Innovative Regulation (AIR) RegFi Episode 107: Agentic AI and the Future of Consumer Finance Jerry Buckley Bio Sherry Safchuk Bio Caroline Stapleton Bio

August 5, 2026Episode 10724 min

Agentic AI and the Future of Consumer Finance

RegFi begins a new chapter at the Alliance for Innovative Regulation (AIR) with a conversation about the future of consumer finance. Jerry Buckley and co-host Sherry Safchuk join AIR Co-founder and CEO Jo Ann Barefoot to explore how agentic AI could help consumers protect their digital identities, counter increasingly sophisticated scams and make better financial decisions. They also examine the regulatory frameworks, privacy protections and industry collaboration needed to introduce these tools responsibly. The discussion considers how AI agents could reduce information imbalances, improve financial products and modernize a consumer protection system built for a different technological era. Links Jerry Buckley Joins AIR to Focus on Emerging Role of Agentic AI in Consumer Finance Alliance for Innovative Regulation (AIR) RegFi Episode 61: Reimagining Financial Regulation for the Digital Age RegFi Episode 6: Modernizing Financial Regulation with Jo Ann Barefoot Jo Ann Barefoot Bio Jerry Buckley Bio Sherry Safchuk Bio RegFi is now produced and published by the Alliance for Innovative Regulation (AIR).

July 8, 2026Episode 10636 min

Open Banking, AI Agents and the Future of Consumer Data Rights

Steve Boms, Executive Director of FDATA North America, joins RegFi co-hosts Jerry Buckley and Sherry Safchuk to examine the evolving public policy framework governing consumer financial data. Building on the history of open banking and consumer-permissioned data sharing, they discuss the future of the CFPB's Section 1033 rule, the ongoing debate over data access fees, and the operational, competitive and consumer protection issues that will shape the next phase of implementation. The conversation also offers a preview of FDATA's forthcoming policy report on agentic AI and financial services, examining how existing regulatory and fiduciary frameworks may apply as AI evolves from providing financial recommendations to acting as a consumer's agent. They also discuss the implications for data privacy, cybersecurity, liability and consumer protection, and explore how policymakers can support innovation while preserving consumer trust in an increasingly AI-driven financial system. Links: Financial Data Technology Association (FDATA) Orrick Financial & Fintech Advisory RegFiPodcast.com