FinTech @ IU

Eric Wong, Elijah Stein, Tim Nguyen (formerly James Demircioglu)
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A podcast about all things FinTech tailored for college students. Our guests are the leading Founders, Professors, and Influencers heading some of the most innovative startups in the industry.

  1. 28 May

    Episode 40: AI Coworkers In Finance

    We talk about how AI is being used across the industry from roboadvisors to algorithms improving loans faster and more accurately than human underwriters. We discuss the collaboration premium, whether or not you would trust AI with your own money, problems AI might create, and the trust dilemma: At what point in a financial decision would you personally stop trusting AI output and demand a human? Where is that line and why?

    35 min

  2. 28 May

    Episode 39: Institutional Tokenization In Private Markets

    Institutional tokenization in private markets has exploded in scale, but the biggest promise driving institutional adoption remains largely theoretical. While billions of dollars of assets have been brought on-chain, most tokenized RWA tokens show thin secondary markets and low trading volumes. Moreover, the illiquidity that tokenization promises to eliminate may actually be a feature private market investors depend on. We discuss the private credit market, challenges of tokenizing specific industries in the financial services space as well as Liquidity Illusion.

    33 min

  3. 28 May

    Episode 38: How Iran Finances War: Sanctions, Shadow Banking, and the Dark Side of Global Finance

    In this episode, we talk about how Iran has moved billions through the global financial system despite decades of US sanctions. We dig into why sanctions keep failing, the role cryptocurrency plays, how evasions work through shell entities and front companies as well as the role other countries play in the mechanics of how the money moves. If you have ever wondered how a country cut off from the global financial system still manages to fund proxy wars across the Middle East, this episode is for you.

    20 min

  4. 26 May

    Episode 37: Michael Burry Shorts the AI Market

    Michael Burry, known for predicting the 2008 housing crash, has taken massive put positions against major AI stocks like Nvidia and Palantir, signaling his belief that the AI sector is in a valuation bubble. He argues that AI-driven companies are overstating earnings by using unrealistically long depreciation schedules for rapidly aging AI hardware, creating an accounting distortion that inflates profits. While Wall Street and tech leaders strongly dispute his claims, Burry believes the combination of hype, speculative behavior, and aggressive accounting mirrors past bubbles. This episode breaks down his thesis, the pushback against it, and what regular investors can learn from his AI short.

    14 min

  5. 14/11/2025

    Episode 36: Sam Lewis - Consumer Psychology, What Traditional Banks Lack, Money Shame

    In this episode, we talk with Sam Lewis, CEO of Fruitful, about why traditional banks and wealth managers fail people in their 20s–40s — and how Fruitful is rebuilding financial planning with a human + AI “money system.” Sam explains why budgets fail, why money is still a taboo topic, and how behavioral coaching combined with automation helps members break emotional spending habits and finally make progress toward their goals. We also talk about consumer psychology, social media financial advice, AI tools, and Sam’s best career advice for young professionals starting out. 0:40–2:10 – Sam’s background and what Fruitful does 2:10–4:30 – Why traditional banks miss the 25–45 demographic 4:30–7:00 – The gap between banks, neobanks, and wealth managers 7:00–10:00 – How Fruitful’s onboarding and money system works 10:00–13:00 – Consumer psychology and income allocation 13:00–17:00 – Behavioral coaching, habits, and money shame 17:00–22:00 – “A budget is not a system” and simplifying money 22:00–30:00 – AI vs human advisors, social media influencers, and trust 30:00–37:00 – Member success stories & Sam’s career advice

    39 min

  6. 24/10/2025

    Episode 35: BNPL

    In this kickoff to the 2025–26 season, Eric and Elijah unpack the boom—and backlash—around Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL). From viral memes about financing hot dogs to real concerns about “invisible debt,” they trace how BNPL morphed from an inclusion play for thin-file borrowers into a system that can nudge impulsive spending. The conversation hits consumer psychology hard: why splitting payments feels like “free money,” and why short-lived purchases create unique collection headaches.00:00 – Intro & Definition of BNPL 01:00 – BNPL in Everyday Life 03:00 – Psychology of “Free Money” 05:00 – Financial Inclusion vs. Predatory Lending 07:00 – Consequences and Collections 09:00 – FICO Scores and Invisible Debt 11:30 – Credit Limits and Hard Inquiries 13:30 – IPO Failures and Market Uncertainty 15:30 – Regulation and Global Impact 17:30 – Banks Entering the BNPL Space 19:30 – The Shake-Out Period 21:30 – Conclusion & Sign-Off

    23 min

  7. 03/04/2025

    Episode 34: Julian Kwan, IX Swap and InvestaX

    Julian Kwan is a Singapore-based entrepreneur specializing in blockchain, fintech, and security tokenization. He is the co-founder & CEO of InvestaX and IX Swap, two platforms revolutionizing real-world asset (RWA) tokenization.

    32 min

  8. 20/03/2025

    Episode 33: Doug Ricket - PayJoy

    In this episode, we sit down with Doug Ricket, founder and CEO of Page Joy, a fintech company providing smartphone financing and credit solutions to underbanked consumers in emerging markets. Doug shares his journey from Silicon Valley to the Peace Corps in Africa, how his experiences shaped his passion for financial inclusion, and the challenges of scaling across different regions. We also dive into credit assessment for underbanked populations, the role of technology in financial accessibility, and Doug’s insights on entrepreneurship, social impact, and the evolving value of an MBA.

    41 min
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About

A podcast about all things FinTech tailored for college students. Our guests are the leading Founders, Professors, and Influencers heading some of the most innovative startups in the industry.

Information

  • Creator
    Eric Wong, Elijah Stein, Tim Nguyen (formerly James Demircioglu)
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    40
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Eric Wong, Elijah Stein, Tim Nguyen (formerly James Demircioglu)
  • Show Website
    FinTech @ IU