What's Going On In Banking

Hosted by Ron Shevlin & Stacey Bryant, Cornerstone Advisors

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Aug 2026

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What's Going On In Banking brings you the latest in Banking, Finance, and Fintech with insights and commentary from industry leaders, and breaking news as it happens. Hosted by Cornerstone Advisor's Ron Shevlin, Chief Research Officer, and Stacey Bryant, Director of Client Development.

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41 recent

September 10, 202639 min

Stop Calling Banking's AI Adoption a Frozen Middle

Banking’s AI adoption isn’t frozen. It’s early, uneven, and a lot more complicated than handing everyone a ChatGPT license and calling it transformation. Ron Shevlin and Stacey Bryant take apart the “frozen middle” narrative, explain why banks need to fund the less flashy stuff like APIs, data access, infrastructure, and process redesign, and warn that giving 500 employees AI tools could create 500 undocumented ways of working. Because apparently “let everyone run amok” is not an AI strategy. Then they dig into the SoFi playbook credit unions keep overlooking, the student-lending ROI trap, and a 225-mile car-loan story that proves “apply online” does not always mean digital. Candid, sharp, and occasionally spicy, as always. Show Notes: Banking Is Very Wrong About the AI Timeline The Most Important Job Announcement in Banking SoFi Gives Checking Away Too, It Just Sells Something Afterward Ron's Substack Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfUYX Download the 2026 "What's Going on in Banking" Report here: https://qrco.de/bgmHtr Chapters [00:00] AI Isn’t Frozen [00:23] The “Frozen Middle” Claim [02:56] Why AI Adoption Is Just Early [07:45] AI Is Not One Technology [09:24] The Bigger Risk: Banks Standing Still [12:16] 500 Employees, 500 AI Workflows [14:40] Why One Person Can’t Own AI [16:10] Banking’s Most Important AI Hire [18:26] The Two AI Budget Buckets [22:17] Why Community Banks Can’t Wait [23:52] Party Like It’s 1993 [28:12] The SoFi Playbook Credit Unions Can Steal [29:59] The Student-Loan ROI Trap [31:22] Engagement Beats Rewards [34:04] The 225-Mile Car Loan Wake-Up Call Send us Fan Mail Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfV82

August 15, 202631 min

Kinetic Deposits, the Fraud Stack, and the Inheritance That Won't Arrive

Is there really such a thing as a "core deposit" anymore? Ron Shevlin isn't buying it. Fresh off the African American Credit Union Coalition conference, Stacey Bryant shares insights on attracting the next generation of consumers and leaders before the conversation turns to stablecoins, tokenization, Visa's $2.4 billion BioCatch acquisition, AI-powered fraud, and why the "Great Wealth Transfer" may not be the windfall many bankers are counting on. In other words: a normal week in banking chaos. Show Notes: The 'Great Wealth Transfer' Delusion (or Sorry Girls, But You're Not Getting Your Mom's and My Money) Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfUYX Download the 2026 "What's Going on in Banking" Report here: https://qrco.de/bgmHtr Chapters [00:00] Stacey Returns from AACUC Recharged [01:06] Why Representation Still Matters in Banking [03:48] Zillennials, Growth & the Future of Credit Unions [05:41] Stablecoins, Tokenization & Real Use Cases [07:20] The Three-Day Interest Problem [10:24] Why Programmability Matters More Than FedNow [12:10] Deposit Fidgetization Has Entered the Chat [13:23] Sticky Deposits Are Dead [15:12] Visa's $2.4 Billion Fraud Bet [16:17] AI Is Fueling a Trillion-Dollar Fraud Problem [20:21] The Vendor Bundling Dilemma [24:06] The Great Wealth Transfer Delusion [26:28] Where the Money Actually Goes [28:01] The Real Opportunity Isn't the Inheritance [30:22] Parental Financial Management Send us Fan Mail Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfV82

August 1, 202631 min

What’s Going On in Banking 2026: A Mid-Year Update

Halfway through 2026, banking’s favorite buzzwords are still buzzing, but the numbers are starting to tell a less flattering story. Ron Shevlin and Stacey Bryant revisit the industry’s biggest predictions and dig into what’s actually happened. Fintechs are eating the checking account, stablecoins are creating awkward boardroom questions, and the much-promised “AI plumbing” has finally arrived. They also unpack why Chase’s branch expansion may have less to do with retail banking than the headlines suggest, why trust alone won’t save community institutions, and why being well-liked is a lot like being broccoli: admirable, but not necessarily anyone’s first choice. From product strategy and small business lending to the technology investments banks keep avoiding, this is a mid-year reality check packed with data, detours, and plenty of side-eye. Show Notes: Don't Fall for the Branch Hype: Chase Didn't Build Those Branches for Retail Banking What’s Going On in Banking: A Mid-Year Review 2026 "What's Going on in Banking" Report Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfUYX Download the 2026 "What's Going on in Banking" Report here: https://qrco.de/bgmHtr Chapters [00:00] Stacey Goes Back to the Banking Hood [03:25] The Mid-Year Review Ron Avoided for 11 Years [04:29] What Bank Executives Expected From 2026 [06:18] The Economy Drifts and AI Plumbing Arrives [08:07] Fintech Is Eating the Checking Account [09:42] Why Product Architecture Is Winning [10:42] Stablecoins and Mega-Bank Theater [14:03] The Real Threat Is Product Displacement [16:28] Does Every Bank Need a Chief Product Officer? [18:26] What Chase’s Branch Expansion Really Means [21:16] Trust, Broccoli and the 40% Myth [24:56] Small Business Banking: Trust vs. Speed [26:40] Why Fintechs Are Winning the Daily Relationship [29:53] Pre-Building Gets Bumped to the Next Episode Send us Fan Mail Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfV82

July 11, 2026Episode 1335 min

Trash Cans, Rewards Gaps, and Gray-Zone Lending: This Week in Banking

This week on What’s Going On in Banking, Ron Shevlin and Stacey Bryant somehow connect Knicks parade chaos, a questionable trash can decision, JPMorgan Chase, rewards gaps, and SoFi’s move into small business lending. Stacey is still on a Knicks high. Ron is trying to bring everyone back to reality. Together, they debate whether a JPMorgan Chase employee deserved to be fired, why rewards programs may be banking’s version of a gym membership, and whether SoFi’s latest move should have community banks and credit unions sweating. Trash cans were stolen. Rewards went unused. SoFi entered the chat. Just another normal week in banking! Show Notes: Woman who emptied Knicks trashcan on street — then stole it — is fired from JPMorgan Chase, was DEI exec The Gym Membership Problem Just Ate Your Debit and Credit Card Rewards Programs SoFi enters small-business loan market Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfUYX Download the 2026 "What's Going on in Banking" Report here: https://qrco.de/bgmHtr Chapters [0:00] Welcome Back to What’s Going On in Banking [2:08] The Knicks Finally Win and Stacey Is Not Over It [3:01] The Trash Can Incident That Became a Banking Story [5:20] Was JPMorgan Chase Right to Fire Her? [8:05] Stacey Puts on Her HR Hat [9:24] The Gym Membership Problem in Rewards Programs [12:46] Are Banks Profiting From Customer Inertia? [15:20] AI, 1033, and the Future of Product Recommendations [17:20] Advocacy-Based Value vs. Acquisition-Based Value [21:31] SoFi Enters Small Business Lending [23:31] The Gray Zone Between Consumers and Businesses [25:00] Stacey Pushes Back: Relationship Depth Still Matters [29:12] Can Community Banks Really Beat SoFi on Depth? [30:16] The SoFi Data Advantage [32:43] How Banks Can Use Data to Fight Back Send us Fan Mail Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfV82

June 27, 2026Episode 1226 min

From the Garden to the Branch: A Knicks Win, a Chase Misquote, and the Zillennial Investment Opportunity

The Knicks finally gave New York manners, Chase got wildly misquoted, and banks are still out here pretending branches are the main character. Stacey Bryant and Ron Shevlin break down what JPMorgan Chase’s branch expansion is actually about, why community banks should stop copy-pasting big bank strategy, and why zillennials might be the investment opportunity financial institutions keep missing while they argue about checking accounts like it’s 2009. Also, Ron officially hates the term “white paper,” so please update your records accordingly. Show Notes: Don't Fall for the Branch Hype: Chase Didn't Build Those Branches for Retail Banking The Zillennial Opportunity: Credit Unions’ Traditional Investing Imperative in the Crypto Age Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfUYX Download the 2026 "What's Going on in Banking" Report here: https://qrco.de/bgmHtr Chapters [0:00] Welcome: New Orleans, Conferences & Banker Concerns [4:37] Fiserv’s Agent OS Enters the AI Agent Race [8:07] What “Agentic AI” Actually Means [10:26] Operating System or Orchestration Layer? [12:13] Commercial Lending & AML: The First AI Agent Use Cases [15:50] How AI Could Change Commercial Lending [19:20] Bringing AI Skeptics Along [22:00] The AI Capability Continuum [23:42] When AI Should Act Autonomously [25:08] Culture, Risk & the Future Banking Workforce [27:31] Why Bank Leaders Can’t Ignore AI Decisions [31:04] OpenAI + Plaid: ChatGPT Enters Personal Finance [33:03] Why Ron Is Skeptical of AI Financial Advice [37:20] Small Business AI Adoption & Customer Behavior [40:59] Advice vs. Execution: Where AI Finance Gets Valuable Send us Fan Mail Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfV82

June 13, 2026Episode 1132 min

Board Seats, AI Clones, and Stablecoins: What the Headlines Keep Getting Wrong

What are the headlines getting wrong about banking right now? In this episode of What’s Going On in Banking , Ron Shevlin and Stacey Bryant take on three big debates: whether Gen Z belongs in the boardroom, why AI executive clones may be more illusion than innovation, and why SoFi’s stablecoin story is really about Galileo’s B2B infrastructure play, not just consumer crypto hype. From credit union branding and board diversity to executive judgment, authenticity, tokenized money, and stablecoin strategy, this episode cuts through the surface-level takes and gets to what financial institutions should actually be paying attention to. Subscribe for more candid, sharp, and occasionally spicy conversations on what’s really going on in banking. Show Notes: AI Clones in the C-Suite: A Productivity Solution to the Wrong Problem SoFiUSD Is the Bait, Galileo Is the Hook Ron's Substack Account Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfUYX Download the 2026 "What's Going on in Banking" Report here: crnrstone.com/wgoib2026 Chapters [0:00] Intro: Knicks Energy, Boston Betrayal & Banking Banter [3:24] Stacey’s Conference Aha Moment [4:08] A Gen Z Board Member at a $2B Credit Union [5:44] Should Credit Unions Drop the “Credit Union” Name? [6:39] Ron’s Pushback: Gen Z Isn’t a Board Strategy [9:30] Representation vs. Real Board Expertise [11:46] Diversity of Thought or Market Research? [13:25] Ron’s Substack Era Begins [14:32] AI Clones in the C-Suite [16:20] Why AI Can’t Replace Executive Judgment [17:10] Authenticity, Trust & the “Real Slim Shady” Test [20:20] When AI Clones Actually Make Sense [24:20] SoFi’s Stablecoin Story: The Headlines Got It Wrong [26:20] Why Galileo Is the Real Stablecoin Play [28:21] Stablecoin Strategy: Rails, Role & Reach Send us Fan Mail Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfV82

May 30, 2026Episode 1042 min

AI Agents Are Here. Is Banking Ready?

Ron Shevlin and Stacey Bryant are back with a conversation on AI agents, vendor hype, and what banks actually need to solve before adding another layer to the tech stack. They start with Fiserv’s Agent OS and the broader AI agent race in banking, including where tools like this may fit, where the wording gets fuzzy, and why commercial lending and AML look like early proving grounds. From there, they get into the harder part: getting boards, executives, and teams comfortable with AI without pretending it is either magic or a threat to every job. The episode closes with OpenAI and Plaid’s move into personal finance inside ChatGPT, and whether AI powered advice has real value without the ability to take action for customers. Subscribe for practical, skeptical, and occasionally spicy conversations on what is actually going on in banking. Show Notes: For Small Banks in AI, Here's How to Bring Skeptics Along The AI Agent Race in Banking: Fiserv Steps Up To The Starting Line With agentOS OpenAI Wants to Help With Your Finances. It Wants Your $100/Month Even More Subscribe to the "What's Going On In Banking" podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfUYX Download the 2026 "What's Going on in Banking" Report here: crnrstone.com/wgoib2026 Chapters [0:00] Welcome: New Orleans, Conferences & Banker Concerns [4:37] Fiserv’s Agent OS Enters the AI Agent Race [8:07] What “Agentic AI” Actually Means [10:26] Operating System or Orchestration Layer? [12:13] Commercial Lending & AML: The First AI Agent Use Cases [15:50] How AI Could Change Commercial Lending [19:20] Bringing AI Skeptics Along [22:00] The AI Capability Continuum [23:42] When AI Should Act Autonomously [25:08] Culture, Risk & the Future Banking Workforce [27:31] Why Bank Leaders Can’t Ignore AI Decisions [31:04] OpenAI + Plaid: ChatGPT Enters Personal Finance [33:03] Why Ron Is Skeptical of AI Financial Advice [37:20] Small Business AI Adoption & Customer Behavior [40:59] Advice vs. Execution: Where AI Finance Gets Valuable Send us Fan Mail Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfV82

May 16, 2026Episode 930 min

Speed, Cost, and Control: What Banks Need to Know About AI Agents

A bank CEO used an AI clone on an earnings call…and that was just the start. Ron Shevlin and Stacey Bryant get into what AI agents could actually mean for banking, from back-office automation and decision-making to governance, blockchain, and why most banks are still asking the wrong questions about AI. Real talk on where the industry is headed and what community banks should actually be paying attention to. Show Notes: This bank CEO let his AI clone handle an earnings call — now he's signing an OpenAI deal Agents are starting to operate real systems — who’s actually in control? Ron's Substack Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfUYX Chapters [00:00] Intro + Banking Conference Talk [02:22] Bank CEO Uses AI Clone on Earnings Call [03:39] Ron’s Take on the OpenAI Deal [06:05] Governance & Compliance Concerns [07:06] The Bigger Conversation Around AI Agents [08:14] “Who’s Actually Controlling the AI?” [10:03] AI Identity, Blockchain & “Know Your Agent” [12:28] Stablecoins, Payments & AI Agents at Scale [13:43] Why Banks May Be Overthinking AI Risk [15:25] AI Agents Won’t Start With Payments [17:13] The REAL Strategic Question for Banks [18:28] AI’s Biggest Advantage: Speed [20:09] Cost, Change Management & Operational Risk [22:08] Stacey’s Argument for Blockchain in Banking [25:12] Ron: “Don’t Invest in Blockchain” Send us Fan Mail Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfV82

May 2, 2026Episode 842 min

Can’t Knock the Hustle: Banking’s Three Wars You Can’t Afford to Lose

"Wait and see” might be the most expensive strategy in banking right now. In this episode of What’s Going On in Banking , Ron Shevlin and Stacey Bryant unpack the real implications behind Jamie Dimon’s comments and why AI, tokenization, and shifting customer behavior are forcing banks to make decisions now , not later. They break down the three battles banks are actually fighting: where to invest (branches vs. digital), who owns the customer relationship, and why deposits are becoming more volatile than ever. Along the way, they challenge the idea of “core” customers, call out the slow erosion happening to bank relationships, and explain why most personalization efforts still miss the mark. This isn’t about what’s coming next…it’s about what’s already happening. What’s Going On in Banking Post of the Month — How Selection Works: We’re watching 👀!! The WGOIB team highlights the sharpest, spiciest takes we see each month, no formal submissions needed. Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfV82 Chapters: [00:00] Intro & Financial Brand Forum recap [07:00] Are bank branches still worth it? [10:45] “Every budget is a confession” [15:00] The shift from branches to digital investment [20:30] The real deposit war begins [22:30] Fintechs are winning new accounts [24:30] Why “core deposits” are dead [26:30] The slow bleed of customer relationships [30:00] Why personalization has failed banks [31:30] AI changes the game for personalization [33:00] Trust vs. privacy in AI [34:30] From product offers to product design [36:00] What real personalization actually looks like [38:30] Where banks go wrong next Send us Fan Mail Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfV82

April 18, 2026Episode 734 min

Jamie Dimon's Wake-Up Call: AI, Tokenization, and the End of Wait-and-See Banking

Jamie Dimon just said the quiet part out loud, and the rest of the industry should be paying attention. In this WGOIB episode, Ron Shevlin and Stacey Bryant break down the real implications behind the headlines: why AI is no longer a “nice to have,” how tokenization is quietly reshaping financial infrastructure, and why the wait-and-see approach in banking is officially dead. From cost-cutting vs. true differentiation, to the illusion of competitive advantage in tech, Ron and Stacey challenge how banks, especially community institutions, should be thinking about the future. Because the biggest risk right now? Standing still. Show Notes Can AI Kill Banking Bureaucracy? Jamie Dimon’s Letter To Shareholders: The Most Important Fintech Memo Of 2026 Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfV82 Chapters [00:00] Jamie Dimon’s warning to banks [02:10] Why “wait and see” is no longer an option [04:35] AI is becoming core infrastructure [07:15] The myth of competitive advantage in tech [10:05] Why every bank ends up with the same tools [12:40] AI: cost cutter or true differentiator? [15:20] Inside the “plumbing” of modern banking [18:10] Tokenization and what it really changes [21:05] Where community banks can actually win [24:30] The danger of playing catch-up [27:15] What smart banks should be doing right now Send us Fan Mail Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfV82