Uncle Sean’s Update – 4/17/26

by | Apr 17, 2026 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

​Happy Friday!!!
 
Here is the Uncle Sean Update for 4/17/26 (subscribe here for free):
 

  • Finosec gets the flex of the week 💪 with their announcement that more than 100 ICBA member banks are now using the Finosec platform to strengthen and modernize their cybersecurity governance programs. 🚀

 

  • 👉 Cable (automated compliance testing platform for banks to test their own controls AND their third-party fintech partners) has been acquired by Synctera.  “Cable will continue to exist as a stand-alone product, powered by Synctera’s deep pockets, talented team and impressive list of bank and fintech customers.”

 

 

  • 👏 And another De Novo!!!  Shoutout to Private Bank & Trust in Gainesville, Ga., having received conditional approval from the FDIC!!!

 

  • SoFi Bank, N.A. (FDIC 26881; total assets $46.6B) now offers instant bank transfers via the FedNow Service powered by its subsidiary, Galileo Financial Technologies.  The new service allows both send and receive payments at any time of day including weekends (24/7).

 

 

  • 🎉 CSI logs another win as Wayne County Bank (FDIC 9168; total assets $579M) selects the Apiture Digital Banking Platform (now owned by CSI) to power a “fully featured, scalable solution that supports its business banking growth goals while delivering the modern experience today’s account holders expect.”

 

  • Vine Financial (a BHB Fund company) announced that PrimeWay Federal Credit Union (charter 2131; total assets $724M) is the first CU to implement Vine’s AI-powered commercial lending platform. 
    • “PrimeWay is leading a shift we expect to see across more credit unions,” said David Eads, CEO and co-founder of Vine. “There is a significant opportunity to better serve business members, and commercial lending is one of the most impactful ways to support local businesses and drive growth.”  Congrats!!! 🎉

 

  • FinGoal (another BHB Fund company) and Strum Platform have partnered together to deliver deeper member personalization for Credit Unions and Banks by integrating FinGoal’s transaction enrichment engine and personalized offer capabilities directly into Strum Platform’s Customer Data Platform (CDP – lifestyle segmentation, profitability modeling, and marketing automation tools), giving financial institutions a more complete and actionable view to power each member’s financial life and deepen wallet share.  Nice!!! 👏

 

  • CTBC Bank USA (FDIC 19416; total assets $5.6B) selects Narmi for strategic digital banking initiatives (digital account opening, consumer and business digital banking) as part of a broader phased modernization effort at the bank.

 

  • 🚀 Aspire formally launches in the US to modernize the finance stack for US companies doing business internationally.  To further support the complex needs of global scaling, Aspire has also deepened its integration with Deel, the global leader in HR and payroll infrastructure.
    • Per the PR, “Aspire’s financial stack seamlessly integrates FX, cards, yield and credit with essential business tools like accounting, payroll and spend management across 16 currencies, supported by more than 10 international licenses across Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Europe, the United States and Canada.”
    • “To lead the U.S. expansion, Aspire has appointed David Harris, formerly with Revolut, as U.S. Country Head. Harris joins a global leadership team that includes veterans from Wise and Revolut, all supporting Aspire’s mission to scale across 30+ markets.”

 

  • Airwallex (global payments platform) is launching a point-of-sale product that allows businesses to accept in-person payments in multiple countries via a single platform, without onboarding local vendors in every market.  This TechCrunch article is a great summary.

 

  • OpenAI (ChatGPT) has acquired Hiro, the AI-based PFM platform.  This is OpenAI’s second fintech purchase, following its acquisition of personal finance app Roi in October per this Banking Dive article.

 

  • American Express (NYSE: AXP) has acquired Hypercard, an agentic expense management company, adding to Amex’s AI expertise and capabilities across its commercial services business.

 

 

 

  • 👀 So many ways this hydrologic risk impacts Ag Banks, Commercial Banks, and Community Banks in the Southwest and Mountain West regions…  Keeping an eye on the deepening Colorado River crisis as the seven states (Upper Basin: Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico; and Lower Basin: Arizona, Nevada, California) have been unable to work a deal; and the Trump administration has warned that if the states can’t strike a deal, they may step in and make a decision nobody likes… 🙏

 

 

  • Notable FinTech funding for the week:
    • Slash raised $100M in Series C funding round at a valuation of $1.4B. 🦄
    • Wealth.com raised $65M in Series B round following “664% year-over-year growth.”
    • Ratio raised $15.8M venture financing round and secured a $100M lending facility citing “349% year-over-year ARR growth, following 800% growth in 2024.”
    • Debbie raised $5.3M Seed round and launched Rewards 2.0, a cash rewards platform structured around building savings and reducing debt rather than incentivizing consumer spending.

 
 
Random Uncle Sean stuff:

  • Bird watch !!!  The often vocal Summer Tanager bird has returned to East Texas from its winter habitat in Mexico!  While having a mixed diet, they are also known as specialists at catching wasps and bees in mid-flight taking them back to a perch where it beats them against a branch until they die.  It then wipes them on the branch to remove the stinger and eats them. 😲 Okay then!!!
  • I ran across this quote while reading Young Money by Jack Raines (subscribe at https://www.youngmoney.co/).  And yes – I’m painfully aware of the irony of being way too “seasoned” to be reading “young money” LOL!  In promoting his upcoming book, Jack mentions:
    • In the last chapter of his memoir, Norm Macdonald warned us that “The only thing an old man can tell a young man is that it goes fast, real fast, and if you’re not careful it’s too late. Of course, the young man will never understand this truth.”
      • That hits heavy!!!
  • You made it!!!  Here are the Dad / Bad Jokes to wrap up the week:
    • My mind still thinks I’m 25…  My body thinks my mind is an idiot! 🙃😅
    • What do you call the policewoman that does the chalk outlines at a crime scene?  Tracey… 👮‍♀️😉
    • I’m going to be in serious trouble if my coworkers ever find out that I don’t actually have Tourette’s… 😬🤠
    • On a first date… Her: “Do you like dogs or cats better?” Him (flipping through the menu): “What page are you on?” 🤣

 
 
“The world needs good people – be one of them.”
 
Have a GREAT weekend and please stay safe!
 
Uncle Sean
 
Sometimes known as Sean Mayo – contact me directly for scope and pricing of custom reports / analysis projects at smayo@fedfis.com | 214-604-6961 – or you can contact FedFis Sales Team at 512-960-0911 | info@fedfis.com #FedFisHasTheData FedFis
 
FedFis, LLC disclaimer – The views and opinions of Uncle Sean are of his own and may not necessarily represent the views, endorsements, and/or opinions of FedFis, LLC and its affiliates – we all know he’s a little bit different; but that’s why we love him.