Show Notes
Presented by Stablecon; Powered by BVNK. In episode 18 of Money Code, hosts Chuk Okpalugo and Raj Parekh are joined by Cooper Thompson, Head of Innovation for Embedded Finance and Digital Assets at Fiserv. They argue that stablecoins won’t replace bank cores but will connect them, and that the real bottleneck for bank adoption is the liability side: if reserves sit in Treasuries or at GSIBs, stablecoins undermine deposit-funded lending unless “fiat-layer” designs keep backing deposits distributed across smaller institutions. Subscribe and listen to the Money Code podcast here: https://lnk.to/MoneyCodeSN Chapters 00:00 The bank funding problem stablecoins create 00:55 Why Fiserv is in the “implementation layer” 02:36 What banks want: trust, reliability, and constraints 04:54 “Not everything moves onchain; cores stay” 06:38 Why FIUSD: stablecoins ignored fiat-layer innovation 10:33 FIUSD distribution: regulated-network cash, not DeFi liquidity 12:12 Domestic rails vs cross-border wins, and where programmability matters 17:36 Tokenized deposits vs payment stablecoins 21:14 StoneCastle and the deposit network mechanism 31:33 What products move onchain first: multi-party coordination 36:45 Privacy on public ledgers: ZK, audit keys, and institution-grade needs 39:49 Parting advice: when to adopt, and staying educated Connect with the Hosts & Guest Chuk Okpalugo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuk-okpalugo/ | https://x.com/chuk_xyz/ | http://stablecoinblueprint.com Raj Parekh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajparekh7/ | https://x.com/rajparekh | http://monad.xyz Cooper Thompson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cooper-thompson-963a01171/ | https://www.fiserv.com/ About Money Code Money Code is the show that decodes stablecoins and the evolution of programmable money for builders, investors, and decision-makers. Each week, join hosts Chuk Okpalugo, Author of Stablecoin Blueprint and Raj Parekh, Head of Payments/Stablecoins at Monad Foundation as they break down the systems and strategies of seasoned operators in the space, revealing the insights you need for better build and buy decisions. About Stablecon Stablecon (https://stablecon.com/) is the premier gathering for those at the intersection of DeFi, economic policy, financial infrastructure, and institutional integration, and those reinventing global commerce. By convening the brightest minds in fintech and crypto, Stablecon provides attendees with world class thought leadership and fosters unparalleled networking and strategic collaboration across the digital payments industry. Whether you’re building, advising, or navigating this new frontier, this is the room where it happens. About BVNK BVNK is the leading provider of stablecoin payments infrastructure, helping businesses move money faster, settle globally, and even launch their own stablecoin products. Head to https://bvnk.com/ to learn more.
More from Money Code
In this episode of Money Code, Sanjib Kalita sits down with Maggie Wu, CEO and co-founder of VelaFi, to discuss the challenges of cross-border payments in Latin America and how stablecoins can help businesses move money faster and at lower cost.Maggie shares VelaFi's journey from Mexico to markets across Latin America, explaining how the company built its payment infrastructure around local licensing, banking relationships, and compliance. They also discuss the growing demand for stablecoin payments, why B2B businesses have a greater need for cross-border solutions, and what it takes to build financial infrastructure across multiple emerging markets.Subscribe and listen to the Money Code podcast here:https://lnk.to/MoneyCodeSN00:00 - Maggie Wu and the origins of VelaFi02:45 - From crypto investing to stablecoin payments04:50 - Why VelaFi started in Latin America07:20 - Building compliant cross-border payment infrastructure09:50 - How customer feedback shaped the product12:20 - Expanding across Latin American markets14:35 - Building local teams and maintaining compliance16:20 - Why VelaFi focuses on B2B payments18:45 - The growing demand for stablecoin payments21:10 - Why emerging markets are adopting stablecoins23:35 - VelaFi’s competitive advantage25:35 - Growth, fundraising, and scaling the business27:55 - Maggie’s journey as an entrepreneur29:45 - What’s next: AI and building with agentsConnect with our Host and Guest: Sanjib Kalita: linkedin.com/in/sanjibkalitaMaggie Wu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggie-wu-164a0797/About StableconStablecon (https://stablecon.com/) is the premier gathering for those at the intersection of DeFi, economic policy, financial infrastructure, and institutional integration, and those reinventing global commerce. By convening the brightest minds in fintech and crypto, Stablecon provides attendees with world class thought leadership and fosters unparalleled networking and strategic collaboration across the digital payments industry. Whether you're building, advising, or navigating this new frontier, this is the room where it happens.
In this episode of Money Code, host Sanjib Kalita sits down with Shan Aggarwal, Chief Business Officer and Head of Investor Relations at Coinbase, to unpack where crypto, stablecoins, and traditional finance are heading next. They explore Coinbase’s vision for an open financial system built onchain and why stablecoins are becoming an increasingly important piece of financial infrastructure.The conversation also dives into tokenized assets, agentic commerce, and the rise of machine-to-machine payments. Shan explains why stablecoins could be particularly well suited for AI-driven transactions and what needs to happen for onchain finance to become more seamless, accessible, and interconnected.Subscribe and listen to the Money Code podcast here:https://lnk.to/MoneyCodeSN00:00 – Intro: Shan Aggarwal and Coinbase03:20 – From Venture Investing to Coinbase09:55 – Building a Global Crypto Platform12:56 – Stablecoins and the Future of Onchain Finance16:39 – Coinbase and the Rise of Agentic Commerce22:32 – Build, Buy, Partner or Invest?34:42 – Coinbase’s 5–10 Year Vision for Finance41:05 – The Convergence of Traditional Finance and Crypto46:57 – The Evolving U.S. Crypto Regulatory Landscape52:17 – Shan’s Outlook on the Future of FinanceConnect with our Host and Guest: Sanjib Kalita: linkedin.com/in/sanjibkalitaShan Aggarwal :https://www.linkedin.com/in/shan-aggarwal-2a314b49/About StableconStablecon (https://stablecon.com/) is the premier gathering for those at the intersection of DeFi, economic policy, financial infrastructure, and institutional integration, and those reinventing global commerce. By convening the brightest minds in fintech and crypto, Stablecon provides attendees with world class thought leadership and fosters unparalleled networking and strategic collaboration across the digital payments industry. Whether you're building, advising, or navigating this new frontier, this is the room where it happens.
Presented by Stablecon; Powered by BVNK.
Presented by Stablecon; Powered by BVNK.
Presented by Stablecon; Powered by BVNK.