Uncle Sean's Update - 2/13/26

​Happy Friday the 13th!!! 😦🐈‍⬛
 
And don’t forget it is Valentine’s Day 💘 tomorrow!!! This week is a quick read so let’s get right to it - Here is the Uncle Sean Update for 2/13/26 (subscribe here for free):
 

• 👍 The BLS Jan CPI Report came in on the light side at 2.4% YoY (last month was 2.7%; Dow forecast estimate was 2.5%) and 0.2% for the month (in line with expectations; last month was 0.3%).  Core CPI came in at 2.5% YoY (last month was 2.6%; Dow forecast estimate was also 2.5%) and 0.3% for the month (in line with expectations; last month was 0.2%). CNBC has a good summary.
  • And more good news as the BLS Jan Jobs Report came in surprisingly strong at +130,000 jobs added (Dow estimate was +55,000; December was revised slightly lower to +48,000) and an unemployment rate of 4.3% (last month was 4.4%). 

 

• 👀 Fiserv (Nasdaq: FISV)  introduces INDX, a real-time 24x7x365 USD cash settlement platform for digital asset companies “by distributing their funds across the Fiserv Deposit Network, an ecosystem of more than 1,100 insured US-based financial institutions. This keeps cash securely off-chain while delivering the real-time settlement speed and flexible operating windows demanded by digital asset companies.”
  • Per the press release, INDX lets digital asset companies open custodia accounts (with Fiserv’s affiliated US-based trust company), transact with counterparties in milliseconds, and have their balance insured for up to $25 million by the FDIC.
    • “INDX advances the strategic vision behind bringing StoneCastle into the Fiserv ecosystem, combining our unique position at the intersection of banking and commerce with proven insured-deposit funding solutions to create differentiated value for our clients,” said Takis Georgakopoulos, Co-President at Fiserv. “For the first time, digital asset companies have a settlement engine to move real fiat US dollars in a manner that is faster, more secure, scalable, and fully programmable.”
      • Recall back in Sept when Fiserv announced an agreement to acquire StoneCastle Cash Management with one of the benefits described as enabling financial institutions to custody cash supporting FIUSD stablecoins .

 

• Zelle (owned and operated by Early Warning Services) does some flexing 💪 this week as 2025 results show a 20% year-over-year growth in total dollars sent, marking the second consecutive trillion dollar year at $1.2 trillion in payments sent!
  • Transaction volume also increased 16% to 4.2 billion total transactions.  An average of $3.4B moved each day comprised of 100 million bank and credit union accounts.

 

• Cash App (owned by Block) comes out with a pair of headlines this week:
  • Cash App introduced payments links, a P2P payment request feature that can be sent anywhere including text, email, social media, and messaging apps.
    • If this sounds vaguely familiar (it did to me), it’s probably because PayPal introduced a similar feature called PayPal links back in Sept 2025 allowing for a personalized on-time link that can be shared in any conversation.
  • Block (NYSE: XYZ) opened up a waitlist for companies that want to use its Cash App consumer credit score.  Payments Dive has a good summary - Cash App to sell its credit score.

 

• Experian launched a high-yield digital savings account with variably APYs up to 4.00% as a new feature to their existing Experian Smart Money platform that also provides a Mastercard debit card.  Both the savings account and debit card are issued by Community Federal Savings Bank (FDIC 57129; total assets $866M).

 

• NXTMOVES and Vecter Technologies partner to provide an end-to-end payment solution.  Under the mutual partnership, NXTMOVES will provide Vecter Technologies' clients with comprehensive issuing services—including virtual and physical card programs, as well as funds disbursement capabilities. In turn, Vecter Technologies will serve as the acquiring partner for NXTMOVES clients, delivering merchant services, payment facilitation, POS solutions, and integrated payment infrastructure.  Nice!!! 🎉

 

• Blue Sky Bank (FDIC 14899; total assets $1.3B) selects Jack Henry for core processing and Jack Henry Banno platform for digital.
  • 👏 Impressive as the incumbent processor vendor had a strategic position of Core, Online, and Mobile – not an easy conversion.

 

• Bottomline partnered with Koxa to enable Bottomline’s bank clients to offer a fully integrated ERP-banking experience to their corporate and treasury customers but without the cost, risk, or complexity of building and maintaining custom API infrastructure.

 

• Some fintech mergers caught my eye this week and made me think about compliance and risk management…  When banks merge, there is a regulatory approval process (even if it is just a change in control)…  But what is the sponsor bank due-diligence process when the fintech is acquired? 🤔 Not implying there is anything wrong at all with the below acquisition announcements, but just thinking out loud about the sponsor bank TPRM and continuous monitoring process…
  • YouTube creator, MrBeast (Beast Industries to be precise), to acquire Step - the gen-z focused fintech app (secured credit card issued by Evolve Bank & Trust).
  • Grab acquires Stash, a fintech (debit card issued by Stride Bank) and RIA with more than $5B in assets under management.

 

• Rise Analytics launched its new 5300 Automation Solution designed to help credit unions by significantly reducing the amount of time, effort, and risk associated with preparing the NCUA 5300 Call Report.

 

• Target will be closing the Target Circle Card Reloadable program as of April 7, 2026.  Note that this is only the prepaid GPR card, and NOT the credit card or debit card platform (which is not a true debit card, but more of a closed loop loyalty platform that you link your own bank account to for settlement – kind of like pay-by-bank with rewards benefits 😊).

 

• Some personnel moves:
  • My friends at FinPro, Inc. continue to build out their impressive talent bench! 🚀  This week Steve Vitale, CRC, ORM joins FinPro as their new Executive Vice President per this LinkedIn post.
  • Upstart (Nasdaq: UPST) announced that Co-founder and CTO Paul Gu will become Upstart’s Chief Executive Officer on May 1. 2026.  Existing Co-founder and CEO Dave Girouard will remain Executive Chairman of Upstart’s Board of Directors and serve as a special advisor to the company’s CEO and leadership team. Additionally:
    • Sanjay Datta has been promoted from CFO to President and Chief Capital Officer, effective immediately.
    • Andrea Blankmeyer will join Upstart as CFO in March.
    • Grant Schneider returns to Upstart today as the company’s CTO.

 

• Notable FinTech funding for the week:
  • Bretton AI (AI agent platform enhancing AML and KYC investigations within existing compliance tools) raised $75M in Series B funding and has rebranded from Greenlite AI to Bretton AI.
  • Uptiq (builds AI agents that automates document-heavy lending and wealth workflows inside banks and credit unions) raised $25M in Series B round.

 
 
 Random Uncle Sean stuff:

• Trying to keep the rambling short this week as I really want to go outside and play!!!  However – I did run across an article that I thought very interesting (and you know how I love Ag Tech).  Check out Upside Robotics and their lightweight solar-powered autonomous robots that deliver right-sized amounts of fertilizer and nutrients to crops when they need it.
• And here are the obligatory Dad / Bad Jokes:
  • I enjoy a glass of wine at dinner for its health benefits…  The rest of the bottle is for my witty comebacks and superb dance moves! 🕺🤣
  • The invitation said Black Tie Only..  But when I got there, everyone else was wearing more than just the tie!!! 😲🤠
  • Be aware of Valentine scams….  I ordered expensive jewelry for Aunt Patty, but they sent fishing gear…. 🤷‍♂️😉😅

 
 
Have a GREAT weekend, a very Happy Valentine’s Day ❤️❤️❤️ - and please stay safe!
 
Uncle Sean
 
Sometimes known as Sean Mayo – contact me directly for scope and pricing of custom reports / analysis projects at [email protected] | 214-604-6961 – or you can contact FedFis Sales Team at 512-960-0911 | [email protected] #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.