Welcome FINTECHTALKERS!
The greatest show in financial services—Money20/20—raises the curtain in Las Vegas in less than a week. For over a decade—and still today—it’s the byword for the industry’s future.
In this episode, I sat down with Zach Anderson Pettet, VP of Fintech Strategy at Money20/20. Zach curates the storylines, steers the content, and keeps a finger on the pulse of what’s real vs. hype
Zach shares how Money20/20 evolved from a small payments conference into the global fintech platform, with events from Las Vegas to Amsterdam to Riyadh, where industry-defining conversations happen every year. He previews the trends this year — from the comeback of Stablecoins and tokenized assets to AI agents reshaping commerce, Zach explains why this year’s show is more than just a reunion—it’s where the future of finance takes shape.
We discuss:
How Money20/20 acts as both a mirror and a molder of fintech’s evolution.
The resurgence of Stablecoins amid regulatory clarity and the Genius Act.
Why AI + blockchain could lead to self-driving money.
How the lines between TradFi and DeFi are disappearing.
The launch of the new Intersection Stage, where both worlds meet.
Sneak previews of keynote appearances from Max Levchin (Affirm), Jennifer Bailey (Apple Pay), Congressman Mike Flood (Genius and Clarity Act and coming on the FINTECHTALK show next week), and Michael Saylor (MicroStrategy).
As Zach puts it, fintech has grown up—it’s not just disruption anymore.
“We’re not fintech; we are financial services now.”
It’s still not late to be part of the show.
https://www.money2020.com/
🎧 Listen now to the full episode
⏱️ Timestamp Table
0:00 – 2:00 – Welcome Zach!
Zach Anderson Pettet on how Money20/20 became fintech’s global platform.
2:01 – 6:00 – The Fintech Family Reunion
How networking and serendipity at Money20/20 drive real deals and ideas.
6:01 – 10:00 – From Payments to Platforms
How Money20/20 evolved into a mirror—and driver—of fintech transformation.
10:01 – 14:00 – Global Fintech Pulse
Riyadh, Bangkok, Amsterdam, and Vegas—why global collaboration matters now more than ever.
14:01 – 20:00 – Startup Momentum & Evolution
What it means to be a startup in the age of $100M Series A rounds and AI-built companies.
20:01 – 27:00 – Embedded Finance & The Creator Economy
How fintech is becoming hyper-segmented—solving problems for creators, freelancers, and gig workers.
27:01 – 33:00 – The Stablecoin Resurgence
How banks, regulators, and startups are aligning around tokenization and blockchain rails.
33:01 – 39:00 – Policy, Regulation & The Genius Act
Congressman Flood, deregulation, and a new tone in Washington toward digital assets.
39:01 – 46:00 – TradFi Meets DeFi
How “coopetition” is replacing competition, and why the Intersection Stage represents the future of finance.
46:01 – 53:00 – AI Takes the Main Stage
From Anthropic’s Mike Krieger to OpenAI’s leadership, exploring how UX and design are reshaping AI in finance.
53:01 – 1:02:00 – Autonomous Finance & Agentic Banking
The vision of “self-driving money” and the trust frameworks forming around AI agents.
1:02:01 – 1:07:00 – Big Names, Big Moments
Jennifer Bailey (Apple Pay), Max Levchin (Affirm), and Michael Saylor (MicroStrategy) headline this year’s show.
1:07:01 – End – Final Thoughts & Invitation
Why every fintech founder, operator, and investor should be in Vegas this October.
FINTECHTALK: A Top 10% Global Podcast Shaping the Future of Fintech, AI, and Crypto and was recently ranked in the Best 100 Future Tech Podcasts by Million Podcasts.
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Enjoy and always be in the know,
Paddy Ramanathan
Founder of iValley and Host of the FINTECHTALK™ Show (on Substack, Apple Podcast, YouTube, and Spotify)
Interested in sponsorship opportunities and be associated with sculpting the future? Please reach out to fintechtalk@substack.com.
Thanks to ChatGPT for suggestions.
(Violin piece in podcast, courtesy of my daughter Ilina)
