The Financial Revolutionist (FR) is a leading source of fintech news and intelligence, covering topics such as crypto, gig economy, retirement, and more. The FR provides daily newsletters, weekly editions, and special reports for the fintech-forward audience. Here are some of the highlights from the FR’s recent publications.
Crypto Solutions: Challenges and Opportunities
The FR has been following the developments in the crypto space, especially the regulatory and legal aspects that affect the industry. The FR interviewed experts from Cboe Digital, Ledn, and Alto to get their insights on the state of crypto regulation, the future of crypto lending, and the use of crypto in retirement products.
According to Katherine Kirkpatrick Bos, Chief Legal Officer at Cboe Digital, crypto regulation is evolving and complex, but also creates opportunities for innovation and collaboration. She said that Cboe Digital is focused on providing institutionally backed crypto solutions that meet the highest standards of compliance and security.
Mauricio Di Bartolomeo, Co-Founder and CSO of Ledn, shared his views on the crypto lending market, which he said is growing rapidly and diversifying. He said that Ledn is offering products that help users save, earn, and borrow with crypto, while also ensuring transparency and risk management.
Eric Satz, Founder & CEO of Alto, discussed how crypto can be used in retirement accounts, which he said is a huge untapped market. He said that Alto enables users to invest in alternative assets such as crypto, real estate, and startups using their IRAs or 401(k)s. He also commented on the shifting legal status of crypto and how it affects the retirement industry.
Gig Economy: Filling Financial Gaps for Workers
The FR has also been exploring the fintech solutions that cater to the gig economy, which is a growing segment of the workforce that faces unique financial challenges. The FR analyzed how fintechs are addressing the needs of gig workers in terms of payments, savings, insurance, and credit.
The FR highlighted some of the fintechs that are filling financial gaps for gig workers, such as:
- Branch: A mobile banking app that offers instant pay, budgeting tools, and fee-free checking accounts for hourly workers.
- Steady: A platform that helps users find flexible work opportunities, track their income, and access financial services.
- Catch: A benefits platform that helps independent workers set up tax withholding, retirement savings, health insurance, and more.
- Moves: A financial app that provides low-interest loans and cash advances to gig workers without requiring credit checks or collateral.
The FR also discussed the regulatory and legal factors that shape the gig economy’s future, such as worker classification, interest rate caps, data privacy, and labor rights. The FR said that fintechs serving gig workers need to pay attention to lawmakers’ intentions and decisions, as well as engage with stakeholders to advocate for their interests.
Retirement: Building and Marketing Solutions for Young Consumers
The FR has also been reporting on the retirement crisis that affects millions of Americans who lack adequate savings or access to employer-sponsored plans. The FR examined how fintechs are building and marketing retirement-focused solutions for young consumers who are often overlooked by traditional providers.
The FR featured some of the fintechs that are creating innovative retirement products for millennials and Gen Zers, such as:
- Acorns: A micro-investing app that rounds up users’ purchases and invests the spare change in diversified portfolios.
- Wealthfront: A robo-advisor that offers automated investing, banking, borrowing, and planning services.
- Betterment: A digital wealth manager that provides personalized advice, low-cost investing, cash management, and retirement planning tools.
- Blooom: An online advisor that optimizes users’ 401(k)s or other employer-sponsored plans.
The FR also shared some of the best practices for marketing retirement solutions to young consumers who may have different preferences and behaviors than older generations. The FR suggested that fintechs should highlight the benefits of long-term financial strategies, make finance accessible and engaging, use social proof and gamification techniques, and leverage digital channels and platforms.
