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Hi fintech fam, 💜

Four years ago, I looked at fintech conference stages and thought:

Where are the women? Where are the conversations about actually fixing systemic problems? Why is “innovation” just the same old sh*t in a shinier package?

So I built my own stage.

That’s how the Fintech Is Femme Leadership Summit was born — for the real changemakers actually rewriting the future of money.

And now? We’re back in San Francisco on October 8 with an AI Edition glow-up. Check out our events section for details, or grab your seat right here, right now.

Also — quick spotlight: Kalyani Ramadurgam, Founder & CEO of Kobalt Labs, just closed her Series A (🔥). But she and her CTO realized there are no women on the cap table aside from themselves. They’ve opened a little more of the round to bring on amazing female fintech angels.

Her words: “Compliance is expensive, manual, error-prone, and critical — the perfect place for AI to actually make things better. We’d love to bring more folks on board.”

Want an intro? Reply to this email and I’ll hook it up.

Now, let’s get into today’s lineup: one big news story + two fresh podcast episodes you’re gonna want in your queue.

#TRENDING

What’s Up In Fintech

Every Thursday, I bring you the latest fintech news and trends, delivering the key insights that matter most to the industry—and you.

#1 Why 80 Fintech CEOs Just Called on the President to Stop Bank Data Access Fees

Last week, I covered JPMorgan's plans to start charging Plaid (and other aggregators) a small country’s GDP to let consumers connect their bank accounts to apps. One proposed model? $300 million a year.

Now, it’s not just a fintech industry whisper — it’s a full-blown, White House-level throwdown.

On Thursday, 80+ fintech and tech CEOs — we’re talking Patrick Collison (Stripe), Sarah Levy (Betterment), Vlad Tenev (Robinhood), and more — signed a letter released by the Financial Technology Association (FTA) to President Trump asking him to block “exorbitant consumer data access fees” from big banks.

“Large banks are taking aggressive action to preserve their market position by imposing exorbitant new ‘account access’ fees that would prevent consumers from connecting their accounts to better financial products of their choice,” they wrote.

“This access is critical to ensuring Americans have control of their own financial lives in a digital economy.”

Translation: If these fees go through, consumers get fewer choices, worse products — and less control over their own money.

Their pitch:

• Consumer bank data belongs to the consumer — not JPMorgan
  

• Charging for it is anti-competitive and kills innovation in AI, crypto, digital wallets, and payments.
  

• 90% of Americans agree — they want control over their own financial data.

The American Bankers Association clapped back, calling it “government price fixing” and accusing fintechs of wanting to free ride on banks’ infrastructure.

Why It Matters 

This isn’t just “fintech drama.” It’s about who actually owns consumer financial data — and who gets to decide how to use it.

JPMorgan’s fees drop in September. Banks say they need the money to secure consumer data. Fintechs argue this is a toll booth designed to keep consumers from connecting their accounts to the tools they actually want.

Here’s what’s really at stake:

• Innovation takes the hit — Think Robinhood’s commission-free trading or Klarna’s BNPL magic never existing. Without open access, those ideas don’t scale.
  

• Crypto gets iced out — Fees could cut off bank-to-stablecoin links, turning blockchain adoption into a slow crawl.
  

• AI in finance stalls — No data means no personalization, no smarter tools, and no chance at consumer-first AI assistants.

The FTA’s letter is also a political chess move — reframing this as economic freedom. The hope? Trump steps in with executive power or CFPB action.

If he does, fintech breathes.

If he doesn’t, welcome to a gated financial ecosystem where only the most capitalized players survive.

The Big Picture

Yes, infrastructure costs money. No one’s saying banks should provide services for free forever.

But putting consumer data behind bank-controlled tolls? That’s like putting a lock on your front door — and making you pay rent every time you come home.

If open banking is really about empowering consumers, then both banks and fintechs need to remember: the data belongs to the customer. Not the platform. Not the rails. Not the intermediary.

That means building infrastructure that prioritizes speed, security, equity, and transparency — not legacy control.

Because make no mistake: this is bigger than Plaid vs. JPMorgan.

This is about who writes the rules for the next decade of financial innovation.

And right now? The ink isn’t dry.

#2 Leadership, Ambition & Humanity in Finance: A Live Conversation 

Live from a packed room in NYC, this special Humans of Fintech episode brings two powerhouse voices to the stage:

Nina Chmura, Partner at Withum and creator of its Outsourced Accounting Systems & Solutions (OASyS) practice, and Amanda Estiverne-Colas, Board Member at the National Alliance for Financial Literacy and Inclusion and long-time advocate for innovation, access, and equity in finance.

During an evening celebrating powerhouse women in accounting, hosted by Rho, Nina reveals the bold pivot that took her off the traditional partner track to launch what she calls a “scrappy startup” inside a 2,500-person firm — and why she believes relationships, not revenue targets, are the true drivers of growth.

Amanda shares the inflection points that took her from traditional banking to fintech strategy, and the leadership lessons she now applies to advancing financial inclusion.

Together, they explore what it means to lead with ambition and humanity, the realities of building resilient teams in an AI-driven world, and why “there’s no such thing as a simple business” when people are at the center.

Plus: their toughest leadership lessons, where they see the next wave of innovation in finance, and the one takeaway they hope you’ll carry long after the conversation ends.

🎧 Hit play to hear how Nina and Amanda are rewriting the rules of leadership — one bold move at a time.

#3 From Side Project to $500M in Deals: Andrew Gazdecki’s Founder Playbook

This week’s Fintech Mavericks episode hit a little different for me — not just because my guest, Andrew Gazdecki, Founder & CEO of Acquired.com, has helped founders close over $500 million in acquisitions, but because he’s built a company around something most founders avoid talking about until it’s too late: how to exit on your own terms.

As a founder myself, I know how easy it is to get caught up in the build, the growth sprints, and forget to think about what “the end” might look like. We celebrate launches like weddings, but treat exits like quiet divorces. Andrew’s approach flips that narrative.

In our conversation, he breaks down:

• The biggest myths founders believe about getting acquired

• How micro-acquisitions are rewriting the playbook for smaller startups

• Why protecting your culture during a sale matters more than the headlines

• And when bootstrapping might just beat chasing VC money

This isn’t about “selling out.” It’s about building with the exit in mind — so you’re in control when the time comes.

P.S. Brex is offering exclusive perks for Fintech Mavericks listeners — and they’re seriously valuable. Check them out at brex.com/fintechmavericks.

_{MARK YOUR CALENDARS}

Join us every Thursday to keep up with fintech events!

_{FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19}

[NEW YORK] EMERALD CLIMATE FINTECH SUMMIT: Call for Speakers & Content

On September 19, the Emerald Climate Fintech Summit returns, bringing together the innovators, investors, and policymakers driving climate-focused financial technology.

This year, we’re zeroing in on the solutions that are scaling impact — from carbon accounting tools to green investment platforms — and the leaders making them happen.

If you’re building, funding, or regulating at the intersection of climate and fintech, we want to hear from you.

We’re curating sessions that are tactical, data-driven, and forward-looking — and we’re opening our agenda for the first time to include your ideas, stories, and expertise.

📩 Submit your speaker or content proposal here and help shape a program that will push this industry forward.

Let’s create the climate fintech playbook, together.

_{WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8}

[SAN FRANCISCO] FINTECH IS FEMME LEADERSHIP SUMMIT: AI EDITION

​🚨 It’s official — our AI Edition is here. Early bird tickets are live (only 50… and they’re already flying).

On October 8, I’m bringing 200 of fintech’s boldest founders, investors, and operators into one room for the Fintech Is Femme Leadership Summit: AI Edition — happening during SF Tech Week at The Green Room.

This is not your average “conference.”

It’s the room I wish existed when I was figuring out how to scale and grow in a fast-changing market. It’s where we’ll talk about what’s actually working in AI, GTM, and growth — and just as importantly, what’s not.

Expect real playbooks from people in the trenches right now. Expect connections that don’t end with a LinkedIn request. And expect to leave with the kind of momentum you can only get when the right people surround you.

Who should be here:

– Founders (Pre-Seed to Series A) who are raising, hiring, or navigating AI shifts

– Investors looking for the next breakout fintechs

– Operators & cybersecurity execs building at the edge of finance + tech

⚡️ Early bird tickets: only 50 available.

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_FINTUNES

🎶 Love Me To Heaven — Jonas Brothers

In this age where nostalgia reigns supreme, witnessing the Jonas Brothers take the stage once more feels like breathing life into my teenage years.

_{LET’S CONNECT}

📰 Share this newsletter with a friend and start growing your network.

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🎤 Host an epic event by booking me as a speaker, moderator, or emcee.

📚 Increase your expertise by ordering your copy of my book, Fintech Feminists: Increasing Inclusion, Redefining Innovation, and Changing the Future for Women Around the World.

⭐️ P.S. If you’ve read Fintech Feminists (or listened to the audiobook!), I’d be so grateful if you could take 30 seconds to leave a review or rating on Amazon here. Your support means the world to me. A million thanks in advance!

That wraps up today’s edition—thanks for reading! Until next week, keep innovating and challenging the status quo. See you Tuesday!

Love,

Nicole 💜