Curiosity Code Podcast

Alex Khomyakov
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Technology
  • Updated Weekly

Discover the fintech podcast "Curiosity Code", featuring exclusive interviews on fintech innovation and financial technology. Hosted by Alex, founder of the digital agency Productera, with a background in B2B and SaaS companies, the podcast brings together founders, CEOs, visionaries, and fintech leaders driving financial innovation, AI, open banking, and digital transformation.Each episode offers success stories, challenges, and groundbreaking ideas about the future of blockchain, AI agents, digital payments, wealth management, and other related financial technologies.

  1. 1d ago

    AI Agents in Fintech: Are They Out of Control?

    Lovely listener, share with us your thoughts! Are AI agents out of control, or are most companies just governing them with suggestions? A solo episode on agentic AI in banking and fintech: who is in control, and who is accountable when an agent gets it wrong. In July, hundreds of AI agents inside an OpenAI test broke into Hugging Face. Meanwhile TD Bank cut a mortgage step from fifteen hours to under three minutes with an agent. Same technology, opposite outcomes. This episode looks at why, what my podcast guests disagree on, and why US bank model-risk guidance still excludes agentic AI by name. Chapters 0:00 Hundreds of AI agents broke into Hugging Face 0:50 Risk or productivity tool? 2:15 What my guests said 3:42 My take: prompts are suggestions, not controls 5:36 The evidence on both sides 7:52 What it means for banks and fintechs Episodes mentioned Parul Kaul-Green on AI in insurance claims: https://youtu.be/foiPOGZbqMA Krista Griggs on trust and technology in digital banking: https://youtu.be/BNuzc0k-5SA Christie Kristensen on open banking APIs: https://youtu.be/X-ELxbqyN78 Sources Hugging Face technical timeline: https://huggingface.co/blog/agent-intrusion-technical-timeline OCC Bulletin 2026-13, model risk management: https://www.occ.gov/news-issuances/bulletins/2026/bulletin-2026-13.html METR study on AI tools and developer speed: https://metr.org/blog/2025-07-10-early-2025-ai-experienced-os-dev-study/ 🎙️ Subscribe for weekly episodes on fintech, AI, and innovation 🌐 Website: https://curiositycodepodcast.com/ 📱 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akhomyakov/ 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ePKf2qCLzcKATS7o6w2U5 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1797349967 Agentic AI is moving into lending, fraud and payments faster than the rules that govern it. For anyone running technology at a bank or fintech, the question is where your agents' limits actually live, and who owns them. 🎙️ Subscribe for weekly episodes on fintech, AI, and innovation 🌐 Website: https://curiositycodepodcast.com/ 📱 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akhomyakov/ 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/curiosity-code 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-curiosity-code-podcast/id1748596092

  2. 3d ago

    Crypto Won. So Where Did the Money Go? | Colin Butler

    Lovely listener, share with us your thoughts! Colin Butler spent 2022 to 2025 as Global Head of Institutional Capital at Polygon Labs, where his team ran every major institutional launch on the chain. In this episode he goes back through four years of his own calls and says where he was wrong: why stablecoins were crypto's first product-market fit but not its only one, why the value never accrued to the infrastructure layer he was building, and why it went to the firms that already had the customers. 📌 Key Topics & Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 0:40 Where crypto actually found product-market fit 4:29 Why value didn't accrue to the infrastructure layer 10:32 Securitize and the economics of the application layer 19:22 Why blockchains are rethinking their business models 20:43 Are digital asset treasuries dead? 26:07 Why stablecoin growth stalled, and where it goes next 32:35 Leaving crypto for AI, and the problem of governing agents Correction at 22:21, from Colin after recording: when mNAV is below 1, a digital asset treasury sells tokens and buys back its own stock. About the Guest: Colin Butler was Global Head of Institutional Capital at Polygon Labs from 2022 to 2025, and most recently EVP of Capital Markets at Mega Matrix. He is now leaving crypto to build in AI, at a company currently in stealth. Connect with Colin Butler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colin-p-butler 🎙️ Subscribe for weekly episodes on fintech, AI, and innovation 🌐 Website: https://curiositycodepodcast.com/ 📱 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akhomyakov/ 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ePKf2qCLzcKATS7o6w2U5 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1797349967 A candid look at tokenization, stablecoins and institutional crypto from someone who helped build the infrastructure, for fintech founders, investors and anyone in capital markets working out where the value in digital assets actually sits. 🎙️ Subscribe for weekly episodes on fintech, AI, and innovation 🌐 Website: https://curiositycodepodcast.com/ 📱 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akhomyakov/ 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/curiosity-code 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-curiosity-code-podcast/id1748596092

  3. Aug 21

    Will Open Finance Democratize Banking? | Jose Luis Navarro

    Lovely listener, share with us your thoughts! Open banking is evolving faster than most traditional banks can keep up with — so where should they even start? In this episode, Jose Luis Navarro Llorens, Strategy lead for Open Banking at BBVA, breaks down what open banking, open finance, and embedded finance really mean for the future of the financial industry. ⏱️ Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 9:13 Why open banking is more than just screen scraping 14:35 Where traditional banks should begin amid rapid open banking evolution 18:19 How embedded finance and open banking are redefining entire industries 21:46 Will open finance be remembered as what democratized financial services? 24:19 Open banking and open finance exist to serve the customer About the guest: Jose Luis Navarro Llorens leads Open Banking Strategy at BBVA, one of the world's most innovative global banks. With deep expertise in open finance and embedded finance, he shares an insider's perspective on how traditional banks can adapt and thrive in an API-driven financial ecosystem. Connect with Jose Luis Navarro Llorens on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jose-luis-navarro-llorens/ This conversation dives deep into open banking, open finance, and embedded finance trends shaping the future of banking innovation. Whether you're a fintech founder, banking executive, or PE/VC professional tracking payments and financial technology disruption, this episode offers a first-hand look at how BBVA is navigating the shift toward customer-centric open finance. #OpenBanking #OpenFinance #EmbeddedFinance #Fintech #BankingInnovation 🎙️ Subscribe for weekly episodes on fintech, AI, and innovation 🌐 Website: https://curiositycodepodcast.com/ 📱 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akhomyakov/ 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/curiosity-code 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-curiosity-code-podcast/id1748596092

    Will Open Finance Democratize Banking? | Jose Luis Navarro

  4. Jul 20

    Tokenization in Banking: Stablecoins & Digital Assets | Parag Monteiro

    Lovely listener, share with us your thoughts! Tokenization is transforming banking. Parag Monteiro, Global Head of Digital Asset Platforms at Standard Chartered, reveals how major banks are building tokenization platforms, why stablecoins have achieved product-market fit, and how the UAE is leading crypto-friendly regulation. Discover how a 170-year-old bank is embracing digital assets, blockchain technology, and on-chain finance to solve real problems in the financial value chain. ⏱️ KEY TOPICS & TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Introduction 4:33 How Standard Chartered is transforming towards tokenization 8:16 Does regulation block banks from adopting digital assets? 10:45 Crypto ETFs, the Genius Act, and regulatory evolution 13:11 Why stablecoins are the first product-market fit for tokenization 19:39 How tokenization solves problems across the financial value chain 24:41 Every major bank is now building tokenization platforms 27:46 Why the UAE is the most crypto-friendly jurisdiction globally 30:54 What percentage of global financial assets are tokenized today? 👤 ABOUT THE GUEST Parag Monteiro is Global Head of Digital Asset Platforms at Standard Chartered, where he leads the bank's blockchain and tokenization initiatives across global markets. With deep expertise in institutional digital assets, Parag is at the forefront of how traditional banking is integrating on-chain finance and cryptocurrency infrastructure. Connect with Parag on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parag-monteiro-72bb871/ This episode covers institutional adoption of blockchain technology, digital asset regulation, stablecoin payments, tokenization platforms, and how crypto-friendly jurisdictions like the UAE are accelerating on-chain finance for global banks. Essential viewing for fintech founders, banking executives, and anyone interested in the future of digital assets in traditional finance. #Tokenization #DigitalAssets #Stablecoins #BankingInnovation #Fintech 🎙️ Subscribe for weekly episodes on fintech, AI, and innovation 🌐 Website: https://curiositycodepodcast.com/ 📱 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akhomyakov/ 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/curiosity-code 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-curiosity-code-podcast/id1748596092

    Tokenization in Banking: Stablecoins & Digital Assets | Parag Monteiro

  5. Jun 30

    Open Banking APIs Transform Fintech | Christie Kristensen

    Lovely listener, share with us your thoughts! Open banking APIs revolutionized how banks and fintechs collaborate. Christie H. Kristensen from Danske Bank shares insider strategies on API infrastructure, real-time settlement, and the data governance decisions that make or break fintech startups. Discover why smaller fintechs must build for real-time settlement, when to build vs. buy third-party solutions, and how APIs transformed consumer behavior in banking. ⏱️ KEY TOPICS & TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Introduction 5:45 When banks realized they could become consumers of APIs, fintech movement thrived 10:46 Smaller fintechs have to build infrastructure supporting real-time settlement 14:09 Why infrastructure and data governance are crucial for fintech startups 17:34 Build vs. buy: One critical question when starting a fintech startup 21:42 Change management sits at the essence of digital transformation today 23:56 Examples of how APIs have fundamentally changed consumer behavior 29:45 Will real-time settlement become table stakes like mobile apps in five years 👤 ABOUT THE GUEST Christie H. Kristensen serves as Advisory Board Member at Nordic Fintech Week & NOLO collective, and Partnership Manager for Open Banking Premium & ERP Integration at Danske Bank. She brings deep expertise in API strategy, banking infrastructure, and fintech ecosystem development. Connect with Christie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chkristensen/ This episode of Curiosity Code explores open banking transformation, API-first infrastructure strategies, and real-time payment systems reshaping fintech. Perfect for fintech founders evaluating build vs. buy decisions, banking executives implementing API strategies, and investors tracking payments innovation. #OpenBanking #Fintech #APIs #RealtimePayments #BankingInnovation 🎙️ Subscribe for weekly episodes on fintech, AI, and innovation 🌐 Website: https://curiositycodepodcast.com/ 📱 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akhomyakov/ 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/curiosity-code 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-curiosity-code-podcast/id1748596092

    Open Banking APIs Transform Fintech | Christie Kristensen

  6. Jun 19

    AI Fraud Detection in Payments | Srishti Andreasen

    Lovely listener, share with us your thoughts! AI-powered fraud is reshaping payment security. Srishti Jain Andreasen, Global Business Development Executive at RS Software, reveals why synthetic identity fraud is the fastest-growing financial crime and what consumers and regulators must do to fight back. Discover how the globalization of online commerce has turned payments into the primary attack vector for fraudsters, whether banks should share fraud intelligence, and how women in fintech are approaching fraud prevention differently than traditional security teams. 📖 KEY TOPICS & TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Introduction 4:59 How online commerce turned payments into the primary fraud vector 11:13 Synthetic identity: The fastest growing financial crime today 18:06 Should banks share fraud intelligence or protect competitive advantage? 23:59 What consumers must stop doing to avoid AI-powered fraud 29:07 Why regulators need to focus on interoperability to fight fraud 31:27 How women in fintech approach fraud differently than traditional teams 34:14 Final thoughts on fraud and technology 👤 ABOUT THE GUEST Srishti Jain Andreasen is Executive Global Business Development at RS Software, specializing in payment security and fraud prevention solutions for financial institutions worldwide. Connect with Srishti on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/srishti-jain-andreasen-b339175/ This episode explores critical payment fraud prevention strategies, synthetic identity detection techniques, and the role of AI in modern financial crime. Learn how fintech leaders and banking innovators are collaborating to build more secure payment ecosystems while balancing fraud prevention with competitive intelligence. #FintechSecurity #PaymentFraud #AIFraud #SyntheticIdentity #FinancialCrime 🎙️ Subscribe for weekly episodes on fintech, AI, and innovation 🌐 Website: https://curiositycodepodcast.com/ 📱 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akhomyakov/ 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/curiosity-code 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-curiosity-code-podcast/id1748596092

    AI Fraud Detection in Payments | Srishti Andreasen

  7. Jun 4

    Blockchain Bonds & On-Chain Assets | Steve Wallace

    Lovely listener, share with us your thoughts! Which asset class gets fully tokenized first? Steve Wallace breaks down blockchain tokenization, on-chain bonds, regulatory gaps, crypto vaults, and why distribution remains traditional finance's biggest competitive advantage. Discover how real-world asset tokenization is reshaping institutional investing, which tokenization use cases are smart versus questionable, and how cryptonative firms can compete with traditional asset management distribution power. 📍 KEY TOPICS & TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Introduction 5:55 Issuing bonds on-chain: emerging blockchain use cases 17:05 Regulatory harmonization gaps for blockchain tokenization 22:21 Smart vs. questionable tokenization use cases analyzed 25:10 Which asset class gets fully tokenized first? 31:07 Distribution advantages: can cryptonative firms compete with traditional finance? 33:47 Crypto vaults as potential disruptors in asset management 36:49 Final thoughts on the future of tokenization 👤 ABOUT THE GUEST Steve Wallace is an Advisor at Alpine Capital Advisors and Blocklogica, and Co-Founder at Monolythic, bringing deep expertise in blockchain tokenization, regulatory frameworks, and institutional digital asset adoption. Connect with Steve Wallace on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-wallace/ This episode explores institutional tokenization strategies, blockchain bond issuance, DeFi regulatory challenges, and how real-world asset tokenization is transforming banking and asset management. Learn why distribution remains the ultimate competitive moat and which asset classes are positioned for full tokenization adoption first. #Tokenization #BlockchainBonds #RWA #DeFi #AssetManagement 🎙️ Subscribe for weekly episodes on fintech, AI, and innovation 🌐 Website: https://curiositycodepodcast.com/ 📱 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akhomyakov/ 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/curiosity-code 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-curiosity-code-podcast/id1748596092

    Blockchain Bonds & On-Chain Assets | Steve Wallace

  8. Mar 16

    Blockchain in Banking: Threat or Opportunity | Artur Kartshikyan

    Lovely listener, share with us your thoughts! Digital banking transformation in Armenia and Central Asia: ACBA Bank's Head of Digital Banking reveals how banks are navigating blockchain adoption, payment infrastructure gaps, and compliance challenges in emerging markets. Artur Kartshikyan, Head of Digital Banking at ACBA Bank, discusses the future of banking in Armenia, blockchain's role in financial institutions, and why Central Asia's payment corridor lacks modern infrastructure. This episode explores digital banking strategy, regulatory compliance, and innovation opportunities in emerging fintech markets. ⏱️ KEY TOPICS & TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Introduction 5:21 Central Asia Corridor Payment Infrastructure Challenges 7:32 Blockchain as Banking Threat or Collaboration Opportunity 12:44 ACBA Bank Balances Innovation and Compliance in Digital Infrastructure 16:06 The Future of Banking: Digital Transformation Ahead 19:16 Armenian Banking Outlook and Digital Payment Evolution 👤 ABOUT THE GUEST Artur Kartshikyan is the Head of Digital Banking Department at ACBA Bank OJSC, where he leads digital transformation initiatives and modern banking infrastructure development in Armenia. Connect with Artur on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arturkartshikyan/ #DigitalBanking #Blockchain #FintechPodcast #BankingInnovation #Armenia 🎙️ Subscribe for weekly episodes on fintech, AI, and innovation 🌐 Website: https://curiositycodepodcast.com/ 📱 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akhomyakov/ 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/curiosity-code 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-curiosity-code-podcast/id1748596092

    Blockchain in Banking: Threat or Opportunity | Artur Kartshikyan
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About

Discover the fintech podcast "Curiosity Code", featuring exclusive interviews on fintech innovation and financial technology. Hosted by Alex, founder of the digital agency Productera, with a background in B2B and SaaS companies, the podcast brings together founders, CEOs, visionaries, and fintech leaders driving financial innovation, AI, open banking, and digital transformation.Each episode offers success stories, challenges, and groundbreaking ideas about the future of blockchain, AI agents, digital payments, wealth management, and other related financial technologies.

Information

  • Creator
    Alex Khomyakov
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    59
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Curiosity Code Podcast
  • Show Website
    Curiosity Code Podcast