Agentic Shopping & the 10% Cap: The New Fintech Frontier

Описание: Welcome back to Founder Fridays on Vocal Technologist. This week, the fintech world is witnessing a seismic shift as AI agents move from simple chatbots to autonomous buyers. Google is standardizing how these assistants shop across retailers, while FIS, Visa, and Mastercard are building the infrastructure for banks to authorize these "agentic" transactions securely. To combat the new fraud risks this brings, companies like Revolut are launching real-time identity verification tools to protect users.
While AI automates the checkout, the traditional "universal bank" is being unbundled by shadow banks and new software layers. This has triggered a five-year high in bank charter applications as fintechs like Nubank, Circle, and Coinbase race to secure their own regulatory foundations. Meanwhile, companies like Affirm are sharpening their edge by using real-time cash flow signals for underwriting, and Klarna is evolving into a digital bank with new P2P payment launches across Europe.
The political landscape is adding even more uncertainty to the mix. Donald Trump’s proposal for a 10% cap on credit card interest has sparked a fierce debate: is it consumer relief or a move that will kill rewards programs and shrink credit access for those who need it most? This comes as Fed Chair Jerome Powell fights to maintain the Federal Reserve's independence against political probes. In California, tech leaders are warning that a proposed wealth tax on super-voting shares could force founders to flee the state.
Despite these hurdles, the markets are showing a clear recovery. Global fintech funding surged to $53 billion in 2025, fueled by massive interest in crypto infrastructure and stablecoins. Stripe is now enabling crypto-funded checkouts, Polygon is acquiring startups to challenge legacy payment rails, and Ripple is forgoing an IPO to build an enterprise-grade crypto stack. From BitGo’s $1.9 billion IPO target to Saudi Arabia opening its stock market to all foreign investors, the momentum for 2026 is undeniable.
We also dive into the niche battles and big wins, including the fierce competition between Clover and Toast for restaurant payments and Pluto’s new AI-powered lending for private assets. We'll look at how JPMorgan is replacing human proxy advisers with AI and why the UK's banking sector is outperforming the "Magnificent Seven". Whether it's Moneyhub's AI spending insights for millions of customers or the record-breaking returns for early Revolut investors, the fintech ecosystem is being completely redefined.

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