This year, I kicked off a new chapter—splitting my time between San Francisco and Toronto. First stop: SF, diving straight into the fintech scene.
Coming from Uruguay, where Vangwe’s headquarters are based, it’s been exciting to experience the industry from a new angle. I landed in San Francisco on a weekend, and by the next week, I was fully immersed in fintech events.
First up: Payments Forum in San Francisco. Then, just a week later, I hopped on a flight to Vegas for Fintech Meetup at The Venetian. It was an intense but rewarding sprint, and I wasn’t alone—Martín Santini , Vangwe’s Co-Founder, was right there with me, making the networking even more fun.
There were a few key topics that everyone seemed to be talking about, and I’ve gathered them all in this blog post. I was that person, phone in hand, taking notes during every session, capturing the insights that stood out the most.
Here they are.
Me at Fintech Meetup in Las Vegas
1. Innovation in a regulated world
Innovation isn’t just about brainstorming the next big “cool idea”—it’s about adapting to regulatory shifts, solving real customer pain points, and managing risk effectively. As one speaker put it: the best fintech companies aren’t just launching flashy products; they’re iterating with their customers, co-designing solutions that people actually need and will use.
2. AI: Reducing cognitive load
The conversation around AI shifted from just improving efficiency to something deeper: giving people the space to focus on what truly matters—strategic decisions—by removing the burden of repetitive tasks. It’s not just about automating processes, but about enabling mental bandwidth for innovation and higher-level thinking.
But, what stood out? The companies thriving in fintech are the ones who stay deeply connected to their users, constantly picking up on pain points—even the ones customers don’t explicitly mention. These companies are using AI not only to simplify operations but to create more human-centered solutions.
3. How Embedded Payments & social commerce are changing the game
The line between payments and commerce is blurring fast, and banks that don’t keep up risk falling behind. Embedded payments are making transactions more seamless than ever—whether through digital wallets, AI-driven personalization, or even influencers (yes, finfluencers) shaping how younger generations interact with financial products.
A surprising stat? Banks that don’t integrate digital wallets are already at a disadvantage. Gen Z is much more likely to trust influencer recommendations for financial products than traditional banking ads. The challenge for financial institutions? Finding ways to engage authentically with this audience.
4. Stablecoins: making Cross-Border Payments less of a headache
Stablecoins are emerging as a serious alternative for cross-border payments, promising faster, cheaper transactions compared to traditional banking rails. Some speakers estimated that moving B2B payments onto crypto-powered networks could save millions annually. The catch? Mass adoption depends on both senders and recipients having crypto wallets, which is still a hurdle.
5. Open Banking: Real-Time Payments that actually work
On the open banking front, enterprise adoption is picking up steam. Real-time account-to-account (A2A) payments are gaining traction as a safer, cost-effective alternative to card transactions. The challenge? Competing with credit card rewards programs. To drive adoption, fintechs may need to rethink incentives—because people love their points and cashback perks.
Payments Forum at Marriott Marquis, San Francisco
1. Embedded Finance is accelerating—fast
A recurring theme at the event was the explosive growth of embedded finance. Customers no longer want to think about payments—they expect them to be invisible, instant, and seamlessly integrated into their digital experiences. Merchants are increasingly outsourcing payment infrastructure to fintech partners, allowing them to focus on core operations while still providing smooth and compliant payment solutions.
2. Security, Compliance & Trust
With the rise of embedded finance, security and compliance were major talking points. As this sector grows, so do the risks. A key challenge is building trust between banks, fintechs, and policymakers, ensuring that regulations evolve alongside innovation to protect both businesses and consumers.
3. Fraud, AI & the power of partnerships
Fraud prevention, AML, and compliance are non-negotiable for scaling financial services. AI is playing a huge role in fraud detection, reducing false positives and enhancing security. However, AI alone isn’t the solution—the consensus is clear: strategic partnerships are the way forward. Fintechs are increasingly teaming up with specialists to tackle everything from fraud prevention to cross-border payments, highlighting that the future of fintech is collaborative, not competitive.
4. Banks & Fintechs: better together
Banks take months to do what fintechs pull off in days, and vice versa. Fintechs bring speed and innovation, while banks offer stability and compliance.
By partnering, they fill in each other’s gaps—banks get agility, fintechs get scale, and together, they can build better financial solutions.
5. Embracing the unknown
And here’s the kicker: being comfortable with not knowing everything. This was a big theme for me. The best fintech professionals I met had an eternal learner mindset. They were constantly asking questions, staying curious, and—most importantly—admitting when they didn’t have all the answers. It was a reminder that embracing the unknown is part of what keeps innovation alive.
Fintech Meetup at The Venetian, Las Vegas
My final thought: Fintech’s future is built on adaptability
Between Payments Forum and Fintech Meetup, one theme stood out: adaptability is everything. Whether it’s embracing new regulations, integrating AI, or rethinking how banks interact with younger generations, the fintech companies that will thrive are the ones willing to evolve, listen, and iterate.
With the rapid pace of change, one question remains: what are traditional banks going to do to keep up? They need to take advantage of fintechs and build strong, collaborative partnerships. By working together, banks and fintechs can drive the next wave of digital transformation in the financial world.
