A2Z Fintech

Aman Narain & Zubin Vandrevala
  • 5.0 (1)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED TWICE WEEKLY

Aman Narain and Zubin Vandrevala have spent over 25 years in fintech across Banks, BigTech, and Startups. This is a podcast of them riffing on payments, fintech and everything in between.

  1. Healthy Money: How to Build a "Moat of Convenience" in Modern Banking

    1 DAY AGO

    Healthy Money: How to Build a "Moat of Convenience" in Modern Banking

    Ever wondered if banks are just giant dodos stuck in legacy land, or could they actually get hip and healthy? Well, Alastair Campbell is here to dish out the secrets of making money healthy again, minus the boring behind-the-scenes. Buckle up, it’s a juicy ride through data, archetypes, and the ultimate goal: banks that actually get you. In this episode: Why 63% of industry value growth is flowing outside incumbentsRethinking archetypes: digital natives, modern families, and the kid pocket money revolutionThe three core levers of banking transformation: Customers, Architecture, and LeadershipHow to build a bank for the modern, complex, multi-hyphenated lives of today’s consumersThe importance of 'stealing with pride' — reusable tech and collaborative ethosWhy 'boring' banks are losing and what's needed to become trusted custodians of your financial lifeLeadership lessons: owning your architecture, generating customer relevance, and setting the ‘more for less’ standardTimestamps:00:00 - Welcome to the revolution: making money healthy again02:37 - The data behind outside growth: non-incumbents stealing the show04:05 - Why the balance sheet isn’t the hero anymore06:18 - Digital wallets and multi-banking: the new normal10:20 - The three wheels of banking transformation12:17 - Leadership’s role in fixing the broken banking model16:01 - Archetypes derailed: from nuclear families to digital natives20:10 - How banks can innovate for weak signals, not just the average customer24:00 - Money = emotions: making banking less boring, more human28:39 - The future of customer data: credentials, relationships, and habits32:39 - Building a modular tech stack for true customer-centricity34:40 - The moat of convenience vs the moat of inconvenience36:47 - Regulator’s role: pushing, pulling, and shaping the future of finance44:23 - From wire protocols to open banking: standards that unleash innovation46:23 - Why leadership tenure matters in successful transformation54:22 - Empathy at the core: how young professionals can think differently55:02 - Leading with purpose: ownership, career paths, and authentic leadership Resources & Links: Healthy Money: How Modern Banks Can Create Value and TrustThought Machine - Modern core banking softwareRevolut - Digital banking pioneer for the next generationStandard Chartered - Former employer for both host and guest Singtel - Singapore's leading Telco where Alastair led Strategy NatWest - Leading UK Bank where Alastair was Head of StrategyAlastair CampbellRichard KibbleConnect with Alastair: LinkedIn Want to overhaul your bank into a modern money machine? This convo is packed with the nuts and bolts of making that happen fast, smart, and with a lot less snooze factor. Buckle up, bankers — it’s time to get healthy! ### Links & Resources 📺 Watch this episode on YouTube  📄 Read the full transcript   ### Credits & Guests Creators & Guests Aman Narain - Host Alastair Campbell - Guest  ### Chapters

    49 min
  2. NuBank’s US License: The Purple Revolution Arrives

    2 FEB

    NuBank’s US License: The Purple Revolution Arrives

    The US banking fortress just got a new neighbor. NuBank—the Latin American titan with 127M+ customers—has officially announced its US National Bank License. In this minisode, Aman and Zubin break down why this isn't just another fintech launch. We explore the "Wayne-dependent" reality of US regional banks stuck on 1980s COBOL code and why NuBank’s $1 cost-to-serve makes them a lethal competitor to the "Hollow Middle" of American finance. Highlights include: The COBOL Crisis: Why US regional banks are being held hostage by 40-year-old software.Hard Mode Mastery: How NuBank conquered Brazil and why that makes the US market look like "Easy Mode."Focus vs. Breadth: Why NuBank is succeeding where Revolut is still fighting for regulatory ground.The Death of the Legacy Tax: What a cloud-native "siege engine" means for your wallet.Chapters: 00:00 The Hook: COBOL vs. The Purple Glow 01:30 The Backstory: Fighting "Hard Mode" in Brazil 04:30 The US Map: Mega-Banks vs. Hollow Regionals 07:00 Secret Sauce: Why NuBank is different from Revolut 09:30 Aman’s Mic Drop: The End of the Legacy Tax, NuBank US License, NuBank Expansion 2026, A2Z Fintech, David Velez, Cristina Junqueira, National Bank Charter, JPMorgan vs NuBank, Revolut US License, Chime vs NuBank, Jamie Dimon, Fintech Disruption 2026, Legacy Banking, COBOL programming bank, Cloud Native Banking, Cost to Serve Fintech, Core Banking Transformation, Digital Transformation Banking, Fintech Singapore, Fintech Brazil, US Banking Crisis, Neobanks USA

    9 min
  3. Capital One Acquires Brex: The $5.15B Exit Analysis

    25 JAN · BONUS

    Capital One Acquires Brex: The $5.15B Exit Analysis

    In this A2Z Fintech minisode / hot take, we break down the shockwave acquisition of Brex by Capital One for $5.15 billion. Is this just a bank buying a startup, or is it the "Original Disruptor" reminding the world that while software is the wedge, the balance sheet is the wall? Key Discussion Points: The Deal Breakdown: Analyzing the $5.15B, 50-50 cash and stock exit for the darling of Silicon Valley.The "Cap One Mafia" Full Circle: How the founders of Ramp once sold Paribus to Capital One, and what this means for the remaining "Titans" like Ramp and Airwallex.Software vs. Balance Sheet: Why the integration of Brex's software stack into a regulated bank's balance sheet is the ultimate power move.The Next Move: Will we see a "Stripe-Rambo" (Stripe + Ramp) merger to break the Nasdaq?Click here to watch a video of this episode. Resources Mentioned: A2Z Fintech Series 1 Episode 4: The Discover AcquisitionNRF Episode: The Agentic Future of Finance

    3 min
  4. S2 E2: NRF 2026 – The Agentic Afterparty

    21 JAN

    S2 E2: NRF 2026 – The Agentic Afterparty

    The "Buy Button" is moving from the screen to the conversation. > In this episode of A to Z Fintech, Aman Narain and Zubin Vandrevala report from NRF 2026. We move beyond the hype to the "Next Now"—the moment retail got an autonomous brain. Key Moments:(00:00) Cold Open: The Future of Shopping(00:45) Why Sundar Pichai Headlined NRF(04:00) Trend 1: Agentic Commerce & Google's UCP(06:12) Trend 2: Physical Intelligence & Robotics(08:15) Trend 3: "Searchless" Discovery (Keywords are Dead)(10:10) Trend 4: The End of the Frankenstein Stack(12:00) Trend 5: Human-Centered AI (Dick's Sporting Goods)(18:00) Major Announcements: Drones & E-Paper Resources Mentioned: NRF 2026 Highlights: https://nrf.com/events/retails-big-showGoogle UCP Announcement: https://blog.google/retail-nrf-2026Simbe Robotics Tally 4.0: https://www.simberobotics.com/tally4 NRF 2026, Agentic Commerce, Fintech, AI Agents, Retail Tech, Google UCP.

    13 min
  5. CES 2026: Top 10 Gadgets & The Physical AI Era (S02 E01)

    13 JAN

    CES 2026: Top 10 Gadgets & The Physical AI Era (S02 E01)

    Welcome back to Season 2 of A to Z Fintech! Aman and Zubin are back from the holidays, but their brains are still in Vegas. This isn't just a gadget review; it’s a look at the "Re-Materialization" of technology. We are moving from a decade of "software eating the world" to "AI moving the world." From Nvidia’s shift into the laws of physics with Project Cosmos to the "Bot-naissance" of humanoid robotics, we break down the three mega-trends redefining hardware. Plus, we review the Top 10 pieces of tech from CES 2026, including shape-shifting phones, stair-climbing vacuums, and the lollipop that vibrates music into your jawbone. In this episode, we cover: The Macro View: Why Nvidia is no longer just a chip company.The Shift: How Chinese manufacturers (Roborock, XREAL) flipped the script from "Factory" to "Innovator."The Top 10: Foldables, rollables, wearables, and the ultimate smart fridge.Featured Gadgets: Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold & Lenovo Rollable: When hardware adapts to your workflow.XREAL "Project Aura": The death of the physical monitor?Withings Body Scan 2: The $600 "Health-is-Wealth" station.Lego Smart Bricks: Screen-free magic for the next generation.2026 Bespoke AI Family Hub: The fridge acting as your kitchen’s CFO.Roborock Saros Rover: The vacuum that finally learned to climb stairs.Uber/Lucid Robotaxi: The "Passenger-as-Guest" economy.German Bionic Exia: "Physical AI" you can wear.Samsung Micro RGB TV: 130 inches of digital art.HP EliteBoard G1a: The PC inside a keyboard.Timestamps:(00:00) Cold Open: The CES Fever Dream(00:45) Season 2 Kickoff & Banter(03:00) The "Don't Sell Your 401(k)" Disclaimer(04:00) Trend 1: Nvidia & The Era of Physical AI(06:15) Trend 2: The Bot-naissance (Robots get legs)(08:00) Trend 3: China’s "Front-of-House" Flip(10:00) Gadget Review: The Shape-Shifters(12:00) AR Breakthroughs: XREAL(14:00) Health Tech: Withings Body Scan(16:00) Future of Play: Lego Smart Bricks(18:00) The AI Supply Chain Fridge(20:00) Robotics: Roborock Saros(22:00) Autonomous Living: The Lucid Robotaxi(24:00) Wearable AI: Exoskeletons(26:00) The 130-inch Window: Samsung Micro RGB(28:00) The Wacky: Hologram Waifus & Musical Lollipops(29:00) The Mic Drop: The Re-Materialization of Tech

    17 min
  6. Ep 17: The Grand Prix Finale of Fin + Tech

    22/12/2025

    Ep 17: The Grand Prix Finale of Fin + Tech

    Lights out and away we go! For the Season One finale of A2Z Fintech, Aman and Zubin take you to the "Post-Race Press Conference" of 2025. This year, the tech and fintech worlds didn't just move fast—they behaved exactly like a Formula One championship season. From Nvidia lapping the field to Apple’s "curated pacing" and the internal engine fires at OpenAI, we break down the Constructors' Standings across Tech, Fintech, and Banking.

    28 min
  7. Ep 16: The Rise of the Indy Worker

    01/12/2025

    Ep 16: The Rise of the Indy Worker

    Is your career an album or a playlist? 🎶 We are moving from the Industrial Age (factories, pensions, 9-to-5s) to the Intelligence Age (feeds, algorithms, gigs), but our money is still stuck in the past. On this episode of A to Z Fintech, Aman and Zubin break down the "One-Person Enterprise" and the new Money OS needed to support it. We discuss: 📼 The 80s Paradox: Why the era of stability was actually the start of the unraveling.💥 The WHAM Framework: Walls, Human Agency, Automation, and Modularity.🏦 The Unbankable Millionaire: Why banks can't underwrite creators (and how that changes).🤖 The New C-Suite: How Uber, Shopify, and YouTube are acting as your Sales, Ops, and Finance departments.🔮 The Future: 5 Financial Primitives for the independent worker.Quotes from the Ep:"The industrial revolution created the employee. The intelligence age is creating the entrepreneur—whether they want to be one or not." "You didn't even lose to a person. You lost to a vibe-checking spreadsheet with commitment issues." Listen now to find out why the future of work looks less like a ladder and more like a mixtape.

    35 min
  8. Neobanks 2.0: Challengers to Cornerstones

    10/11/2025

    Neobanks 2.0: Challengers to Cornerstones

    In this episode, Zubin and Aman explore the transformative journey of Neobanks, tracing their evolution from early models to the current Neobank 2.0 era. They discuss the historical context of banking, the rise of digital finance, and the emergence of the Neobank Mag7, a group of successful neobanks that have mastered profitability and customer acquisition. The conversation delves into the Neobank flywheel strategy, the impact of AI, regulatory changes, and the shift towards embedded banking. They conclude with a framework for future-proofing banks, emphasizing the importance of efficiency and adaptability in the rapidly changing financial landscape. Takeaways Neobanks are redefining the consumer relationship in finance.The evolution of banking can be divided into three mega eras.Neobanks initially struggled with weak unit economics.The Neobank Mag7 represents successful digital banking models.AI provides a structural advantage for neobanks over traditional banks.Embedded banking is transforming how financial services are delivered.The 6P OS framework is essential for future-proofing banks.Efficiency and adaptability are crucial for survival in banking.Regulatory changes are fostering competition in the financial sector.The battle between neobanks and traditional banks is far from over. Chapters 00:00 The Rise of Neobanks 2.0 02:41 A Brief History of Banking 06:48 The Evolution of Neobanks 10:14 The Neobank Mag7: Champions of the Digital Era 14:11 The Neobank Flywheel: A New Approach to Banking 17:35 Disruption Forces in Neobanking 21:21 The Emergence of Embedded Banking 24:06 The 6P OS Framework for Future-Proofing Banks29:36 Conclusion: The Future of Banking

    29 min
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About

Aman Narain and Zubin Vandrevala have spent over 25 years in fintech across Banks, BigTech, and Startups. This is a podcast of them riffing on payments, fintech and everything in between.

Information

  • Creator
    Aman Narain & Zubin Vandrevala
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Aman Narain & Zubin Vandrevala
  • Show Website
    A2Z Fintech