What’d I miss? News and Insights that got noticed - Week 49

Key themes this week (November 29 - December 5)

• Deel acquires Wise competitor Atlantic Money?
• First National Bank of Omaha’s online-only bank shuts abruptly
• Citizens Bank ‘Won by Losing’ First Republic to JPMorgan, CEO Says
• [Weekly POLL ?? ] 42% to attend 3 to 5 conferences in 2025

Deel acquires Wise competitor Atlantic Money

"...Digital payroll vendor Deel has acquired Atlantic Money, a UK fintech startup set up to compete against money transfer giant Wise..."

Key takeaways:

• Deel acquires UK fintech Atlantic Money, a Wise competitor
• Atlantic Money offers flat-fee international transfers up to ￡1 million
• Acquisition aims to bolster Deel's European payments infrastructure

LinkedIn Post

First National Bank of Omaha’s online-only bank shuts abruptly

"...Milli Bank, the online-only banking platform of FNBO, said last month it had closed its doors, without citing a reason.

[...]

“Milli was developed to provide FNBO with an opportunity to test and innovate within the digital banking space, including experimenting with customer-centric digital features,” a spokesperson for FNBO told Banking Dive via email..."

Key takeaways:

• Milli Bank, FNBO's online-only platform, abruptly shut down on November 15, 2024.
• The digital bank offered high-yield savings and a spending account with unique features.
• FNBO will redirect resources to other areas, while their FNBO Direct platform continues to operate.

LinkedIn Post

Citizens Bank ‘Won by Losing’ First Republic to JPMorgan, CEO Says

"...> Bank hired First Republic talent to expand its wealth business

> Competition for new assets is fierce as firms make investments..."

Key takeaways:

• Citizens Financial Group CEO says they "won by losing" First Republic Bank bid, avoiding undesirable assets while hiring 250 ex-First Republic bankers.
• Citizens now focuses on improving technology to match First Republic's customer service quality.
• Van Saun views wealth management as a competitive opportunity, aiming to capture First Republic's former niche.

?LinkedIn Post

[Weekly POLL ?? ] 42% plans to attend 3 to 5 conferences in 2025?

As we are approaching the end of 2024 many of us are planning for the new year when it comes to attending conferences. Making sure our preferred list of events is submitted for budget approval.

Out of curiosity, how many conferences are you planning to attend in 2025?

We asked the LinkedIn audience to help answer the poll question: How many conferences do you plan to attend in 2025?

Key takeaways:

• 23% of respondents answered “None”
• 23% indicated that they will attend 1 or 2 conferences
• 42% selected 3 to 5 conferences
• 12% is planning to attend 6 or more conferences in 2025
• These were the results at publication of the newsletter click on the link below for the most up-to-date results

LinkedIn Post

Wells Fargo Selling San Francisco HQ in Eastward Expansion

"...The report notes that the sale would be in keeping with a yearslong move by Wells Fargo away from San Francisco, as most of its top executives are centered in New York or Charlotte, NC. The latter city has served as the bank’s largest base of employees since Wells Fargo acquired Wachovia in 2008.

CEO Charlie Scharf, the WSJ said, is based in New York, where he has sought to bolster Wells’ investment banking business, while also expanding its physical footprint in Hudson Yards..."

Key takeaways:

• Wells Fargo plans to sell its San Francisco headquarters, aligning with its eastward expansion strategy.
• Most top executives are now based in New York or Charlotte, NC, with CEO Charlie Scharf focusing on strengthening the bank's presence in New York.
• Despite the shift, Wells Fargo affirms San Francisco's importance, maintaining a significant workforce in California.

LinkedIn Post

nCino Sees Vendor Fatigue as Tailwind for Multi-Solution Growth

"...In the evolving world of financial services, the growing imperative to modernize infrastructure has created a fertile ground for innovation.

That fertile ground has also created a crowded marketplace of vendors, providers and third parties.

“Vendor consolidation is a key consideration for many of the institutions that we speak with,” said Pierre Naude, chairman and CEO at cloud banking provider nCino on the company’s third-quarter 2025 earnings call Wednesday (Dec. 4)..."

Key takeaways:

• nCino reported strong Q3 2025 results with $138.8 million total revenue, up 14% year-over-year, closing over 30 multi-solution deals.
• The company expanded internationally, securing key customers in Japan and Norway, and made its first Banking Advisor deal in Australia.
• Despite strong performance, nCino's stock traded down due to softened Q4 guidance, while emphasizing compliance solutions and AI as future growth drivers.

LinkedIn Post

Looking to Fund a "Good Idea" Power Walk / Part of Creators and Founders Power Walk ?? in NYC

This weekend we completed the Looking to Fund a "Good Idea" Power Walk / Part of Creators and Founders Power Walk ?? where we walked the Brooklyn Bridge. We had an amazing day and due to the starting an hour earlier we made it while it was still light out.

We started in FiDi in front of Delmonico's and due to blockage on the Brooklyn Bridge we had to walk back to the beginning.

As always a great way to walk and talk with new and existing members of the staaake community.

For the next Sunday Creators and Founders Power Walks sign-up here: https://lnkd.in/epDPStTK

Key takeaways:

• The Power Walk is a great way to meet people and network
• You get your 6,000 steps in while you connect with people IRL
• Attendees join the staaake community for ongoing connection

LinkedIn Post

Now you can use Apple Pay to buy crypto from Coinbase

“…New features will allow users to buy cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ether Dogecoin, and others on the crypto exchange using Apple Pay…”

Key takeaways:

• Coinbase integrates Apple Pay for crypto purchases
• Users can buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptos via Apple Pay
• Integration aims to simplify buying process and attract mainstream users

LinkedIn Post

[CONFERENCE PLANNING 2025]

It is that time of the year to start planning for 2025 and determine which conferences to attend.?

To help you decide which events to register for I have created a list of conferences at the intersection of Financial Services and Technology.?

I have also included my current attendance status for each of the conferences. Feel free to share other conferences with me you are planning on attending or you think should be on this list.

Please let me know in the comment section which conferences you have selected and feel free to reach out if you want to connect at a conference I am attending.

Key takeaways:

• Many conferences to choose from in 2025 at the intersection of Financial Services and Technology
• The summary list will become a new section in this newsletter so you know what is up and you don’t miss anything
• Check out the link below for the full list (and potential updates)

LinkedIn Post

[NEW SECTION] Conference Summary and spotlight ??

This is the summary list of conferences that are on my consideration list for 2025.

For the detailed list with links to the conference websites and agendas go to this link here:

LinkedIn Post

[Conference Spotlight ??] - Fintech Islands ??

Check this out:

[NEW PODCAST EPISODE] ??????

We are thrilled to share the latest episode of, "Banking on Information," hosted by Rutger van Faassen, featuring Zach Gordon, CEO of Red Five.

In this episode, Rutger and Zach dive deep into his WHY, WHAT, and HOW of getting it right when it comes to business decisions and accounting.

Join us as we explore the knowledge and insights Zach brings to the table, helping organizations make better data-driven decisions and navigate uncharted waters as the trusted advisor related to Tax and Accounting.

Whether you're a finance professional or just curious about the future of banking, this episode is packed with valuable information and thought-provoking discussions.

?? Listen now on the Informationbanker’s YouTube channel and stay tuned for more episodes that will challenge the status quo and inspire change in the financial services industry. Or subscribe and listen on Apple Podcast and Spotify.

You can find this and future episodes here:

And you can now subscribe to the Informationbanker YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@Informationbanker/featured

As I am always interested in what you think about these posts, send me a message, or just leave a comment on the post on LinkedIn. If you like reading this please engage with the posts since that is the currency of LinkedIn.