Welcome To
The Bottom Line

SRM Perspectives on Key Industry Trends

Five Takeaways from the Fintech + Insurtech Generations Conference

Posted by Paul Davis on Jun 22, 2023 11:32:00 AM

Generations-Blog-Image

I recently attended the Fintech + Insurtech Generations conference in Charlotte, N.C., which brings together visionaries across the broad spectrum of finance and technology.

Read More

Topics: Payments, Open Banking, Digital Assets, Blockchain, Regulation

Digital Assets Regulation Takes Center Stage at Consensus 2023

Posted by Larry Pruss on May 11, 2023 11:17:00 AM

Consensus Blog Image

The Consensus 2023 conference was a fruitful experience for those hungry to know more about emerging digital asset trends. Over 15,000 people from various industries attended the CoinDesk-hosted event in Austin, Texas. Well-known and admired companies, including PayPal, Pepsi, Franklin Templeton, and Mastercard, were on site to share stories about their blockchain-related projects.

Read More

Topics: Vendor Contract Negotiation, Bank Vendor Management, Credit Union Vendor Management, Digital Assets, Blockchain, Regulation, Digital Identification

What Regulators’ Warning on Digital Assets Means for Banks, Credit Unions

Posted by Larry Pruss on Jan 9, 2023 9:31:09 AM

JointStatementReact-Blog-Image

The Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) recently issued a joint statement that expressed the agencies’ concerns with banks that have business dealings tied to digital assets, including cryptocurrency.

Read More

Topics: Vendor Contract Negotiation, Bank Vendor Management, Credit Union Vendor Management, Digital Assets, Blockchain, Crypto, Regulation

Reflecting on Key Challenges & Opportunities in 2022

Posted by Paul Davis on Dec 27, 2022 12:10:35 PM

Final-Blog-2022-Image

Over the past year, SRM's experts have shared dozens of blogs, providing insight into industry-relevant topics.

We've covered a wide range of themes, including fintech trends, crypto, lending and deposit strategies, critical regulatory headwinds, and ESG programs.

Read More

Topics: Fintech, Vendor Contract Negotiation, Interchange, Buy Now Pay Later, Digital Assets, Overdraft, credit card competition act

Regulation, Innovation Took Center Stage at Money20/20

Posted by Keith Ash on Nov 14, 2022 11:37:00 AM

Money2020-Blog-Image

This year’s edition of Money20/20 was back in full force. It was a well-attended event by all players in the ecosystem, a definitive difference from last year when lingering COVID-19 travel restrictions kept many would-be attendees on the sideline.

The conversation among the 13,000 registered attendees in Las Vegas, and countless others working the periphery, expanded beyond last year’s darling – cryptocurrency – to encompass other issues financial institutions will face as they head into a potentially turbulent 2023. This year’s top themes included safety and security, innovation, and evolving regulation.

Here are a few recurring observations from our time there...

Read More

Topics: Cryptocurrency, Digital Assets, Regulation, Metaverse, FedNow

Why Staffing, Tech Upgrades Matter with 2023 Budgets

Posted by Paul Davis on Nov 9, 2022 11:14:00 AM

Big-Ideas-2023-Blog-Image

Budgeting season for 2023 is slowly wrapping up as banks and credit unions forecast revenue opportunities and looming expenses.

 

Financial institutions are considering future interest rate hikes, regulatory oversight, and increasing personnel and operational costs, among other things. The bigger picture is that client retention and recruitment will be critical to long-term success – invest now to ensure you’re ready to compete. 

At SRM, we urge banks and credit unions to take a hard look at third-party contracts as they plan for the new year. There are also other considerations that should be made as you prepare for the future.

 

This year, we polled some of our experts, asking them to highlight areas that merit extra attention. Here are some highlights from their responses.

Read More

Topics: Fintech, Automation, AI, Digital Assets, customer retention, ITM, Staffing

Despite Cooling Temperatures, Crypto Is Still Hot

Posted by Larry Pruss on Nov 3, 2022 12:12:19 PM

Crypto-Blog-11.7.2022-Image

Professionals focused on the strategic and operational aspects of digital assets such as cryptocurrency have learned to disregard the media cycles.

Last year’s breathless hype – driven almost entirely by a retail investor frenzy – has given way to a “crypto is dead” storyline that emphasizes volatility and fraudulent applications. Lost in the noise is the fact that Bitcoin’s price has been relatively stable over the past four months.

Read More

Topics: Payments, Vendor Contract Negotiation, Digital Assets, Crypto

White House Provides More Clarity on Digital Assets

Posted by Larry Pruss on Sep 27, 2022 12:27:26 PM

CBDC-Blog-Image

We're beginning to get some clarity from the White House regarding its approach to digital assets, including the potential development of a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC).

With the release of a wide-ranging report, the White House appears to be embracing digital assets and their potential for transparent, cost-efficient, and inclusive financial services. A background press call provided even more insight into the Biden Administration's thinking.

Read More

Topics: Payments, Cryptocurrency, Digital Assets, CBDC, Blockchain, Regulation, Digital Ledger Technology

Education and Trust Matter When Dealing with Digital Assets

Posted by Larry Pruss on Sep 19, 2022 11:24:00 AM

Treasury-Response-Blog-Image[86]

The Biden Administration's March executive order seeking information on digital assets' usage and security set a flurry of activity into motion. This included a mandate for the Treasury Department to deliver a report on the future of money and payments systems. The agency issued a public request for comment in July, and SRM quickly responded, drawing from our detailed and ongoing coverage of cryptocurrency and other digital assets.

You can read our complete submission here; however, the condensed version below highlights the key points we believe every financial institution should consider as policies toward digital assets take shape.    

Read More

Topics: Payments, Cryptocurrency, Digital Assets, Stablecoins, Blockchain, Regulation, Digital Ledger Technology

5 Things Financial Institutions Should Know About the Metaverse

Posted by Neil Dougherty on Aug 30, 2022 2:24:21 PM

Metaverse-Blog-Image[18]

A Google search for "metaverse" results in roughly 203 million results – an overwhelming number of options for learning more about an emerging digital world.

But what exactly is the metaverse? And what does it mean for financial institutions now and in the future?

As I shared in a recent article, the metaverse is a vision, not just a technology. It's a virtual world driven by the thriving global gaming culture that lets people create an entirely virtual version of themselves.

In that world, users create and pursue unique experiences. Much like the real world, some form of currency is necessary, providing opportunities for banks and credit unions.

Read More

Topics: Cryptocurrency, Digital Assets, Banking in the Metaverse, MetaFi, Metaverse, Crypto Wallets, Virtual Reality

Subscribe to our blog

Recent Posts

Archives

see all

Posts by Topic

see all