Ep. 160. State of the Union 3

This week, Sam's joined by Rahmi Serageldin, co-founder & CEO of Honeyfi; Rob Frohwein, CEO & co-founder of Kabbage; Matt Potere, CEO of Sunlight Financial; and Alexandra Villarreal O’Rourke, Financial Services Partner and FinTech Practice Group Co-Leader at McGuireWoods LLP.

First up, the guys talk about the South East - why's Charlotte become the go-to location for fintech and what makes it such a vibrant community hub?

Alex tells us about the Carolina Fintech Hub - a non-profit group that fosters fintech in the city. Plus, why regulatory and legal can be such big barriers to fintech startups.

Is Atlanta the finance capital of the United states? Matt tells us about the Fintech Atlanta Taskforce, and why a lot people might not get what fintech really means.

With three years of experience at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Alex gives her perspective on her time there, some of the recent changes and what they'll mean for the industry.

Plus, the guys discuss how regulators can further encourage fintech startups, and why the picture differs so much internationally. Is it possible to follow the 'right and fair' approach to achieve good regulatory outcomes?

We talk through the Equifax hack, and explain why firms should assume that the information they receive is compromised before thinking about how to validate it. And do governments need to take the lead on digital IDs?

We look to 2018 - will the financial system look better for consumers? And if so, how? Sam asks whether some version of PSD2 will hit the US, how it will arrive and what the consequences will be. Plus, what can be learned from the European experience?

And to finish up this week, what will the industry look like in two years' time?

Enjoy the show! Spread the word, tell all your friends and don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes. If you want to get in touch, drop us a line at [email protected] or on Twitter @FintechInsiders and follow us on Facebook.

Special Guests: Alexandra Villarreal O'Rourke, Matt Potere, Rahmi Serageldin, and Rob Frohwein.