A few years ago, it was hard to imagine that finance would become one of the most innovative industries in tech. And yet, the world of fintech is an ever-evolving one with entrepreneurs trying to modernize financial services, simplify payments and embed financial products everywhere.

That’s why we added a Fintech Stage to TechCrunch Disrupt 2023 — and invited some of the brightest minds in fintech to learn how they pulled it off. Today, we’re thrilled to announce that the Fintech Stage agenda is at full capacity!

We’ll discuss the future of payments, open banking, embedded finance and . . . well, check out all the fintech topics for yourself below. (Go here for the full Disrupt agenda.)

The complete Fintech Stage agenda at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023

Making Money Move with Embedded Finance

Creating a bank account, storing money, receiving a payment card and lending money should be as easy as opening an account on a social network. Or at least, that’s the promise of embedded finance. That’s why a new wave of finance infrastructure companies are reinventing banking — and they could potentially turn any company into a fintech company.

With Peter Hazlehurst, co-founder and CEO, Synctera; Laura Spiekerman, co-founder and president, Alloy; and Amanda Swoverland, chief compliance officer, Unit.

The Future of Payments

Payments startup Checkout.com cashed in on the tech funding boom of 2021 and reached a valuation of $40 billion. Since then, both Stripe and Checkout.com had to lower their internal valuations. But Checkout.com president Céline Dufétel is here to prove that the payments company is still in growth mode and has big expectations for the U.S. in particular.

With Céline Dufétel, president and COO, Checkout.com.

Plaid’s Zach Perret Opens Up on Open Banking

Plaid has had a thousand lives. After a $5 billion acquisition deal with Visa that fell through due to regulatory concerns, the company didn’t hit the pause button. Instead, it has been relentlessly rolling out features and raising money to make the dream of open banking a reality. What if you could connect to your bank account from anywhere? What if sending money was as easy as sending a text message?

With Zach Perret, co-founder and CEO, Plaid.

Startup Banking in a Post-SVB World

The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank left a hole in the world of startup banking that numerous startups and big banks alike are trying to fill. Hear from some of the players that have stepped in to help fill that gap about what they are doing to offer startups and investors meaningful alternatives in this post-SVB world.

With Immad Akhund, co-founder and CEO, Mercury; Wendy Cai-Lee, founder and CEO, Piermont Bank; and Melissa Smith, co-head of Innovation Economy, head of Specialized Industries, Commercial Banking, JPMorgan.

What’s Robinhood’s Next Chapter?

Robinhood was founded 10 years ago with a mission to give more people, not just the wealthy, access to the financial markets. It has since grown to offer more than just stock trading. People can now also use Robinhood to trade crypto, save for retirement and manage their cash. The company found itself the subject of controversy in early 2021 when it decided to freeze trades for GameStop. It has since recovered but other challenges remain. What’s next for the popular trading app?

With Vlad Tenev, co-founder and CEO, Robinhood.

A16z’s Arianna Simpson on the Promise of Web3 Investments

Yes, there are still crypto-focused investors out there doubling down their web3 strategies as other VCs look to other horizons (ahem, AI). Arianna Simpson is a general partner deploying capital for a16z’s multi-billion-dollar crypto fund(s). While other investors move away from the crypto industry amid the market downturn, we want to learn about why and how a16z is holding on to their strategy, how they view the investing landscape and more. We’ll also dive into what the regulatory landscape means for VCs and the projects they invest in.

With Arianna Simpson, general partner, a16z crypto.

Building up Blockchains for Mass Adoption

As the crypto ecosystem gains more traction from developers, traditional institutions and big brands, it needs mainstream adoption to grow as well. In order to do that, blockchains need to be able to support greater — and faster — transactions per second, while keeping fees low. But what will it take to get to that next level? And what are major blockchains and crypto projects alike doing to help accelerate that mission?

With Mo Shaikh, co-founder and CEO, Aptos Labs; Grace Torrellas, VP of product, Polygon Labs; and Anatoly Yakovenko, co-founder, Solana Labs.

Fintech Investing Is Not for the Faint of Heart

Venture capitalists have poured billions into fintech companies in recent years, making it one of the most invested categories in the startup world. While the pace of funding has slowed, there are plenty of investors who are still bullish on the potential of financial technology. What sectors within fintech show the most promise? Which have seen too much hype? Which have proven to be resilient?

With Mark Fiorentino, partner, Index Ventures; Emmalyn Shaw, co-founder and managing partner, Flourish Ventures; and Jillian Williams, partner, Cowboy Ventures.

Harnessing the Power of Strategic Partnerships and Collaborative Innovation 

Presented by Navan.

Visa Everywhere Initiative: The Ultimate Fintech Pitch Competition

Fintechs startups inspire — Visa enables. Join the Visa Everywhere Initiative, where we welcome the next generation of fintechs. Visa has selected five visionary startups from across the globe, and they’re ready to pitch their game-changing solutions to a panel of fintech industry leaders. It’s your chance to witness the future of payments unfold and learn how you can join us in the fintech revolution. #EverywhereInitiative.

Presented by Visa Inc.

TechCrunch Disrupt 2023 runs September 19–21 in San Francisco. Buy your pass now and save up to $400. Passes cost more at the door.

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