Asia focused follower of all things fintech / financial industry. Payments, crypto, banking. Author. Entrepreneur.
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Zennon Kapron's articles predominantly focus on finance, particularly in the context of technology and business. The topics he covers include digital payments, stablecoins, central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), financial technology (fintech), and Asia’s financial landscape.
Given Zennon's frequent use of data and government announcements as well as his focus on investment analysis, pitches should cater to these preferences. He may be receptive to insights backed by credible data or offering in-depth analysis related to government policies or market trends within the Asian finance sector.
Geographically, Zennon focuses on Asia but also delves into broader global financial trends. If your pitch relates specifically to developments in Asian finance or has implications for the region’s economy, it would likely align with his coverage interests.
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The Bank of England dropped stablecoin holding caps on June 22, 2026, set a £40bn issuance ceiling and a 2027 start, three years behind MiCA and the GENIUS Act.
The UK's mandatory authorized push payment (APP) scam reimbursement scheme, launched in October 2023, has defied industry warnings, proving highly effective. An independent evaluation for the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) shows a £73 million annual reduction in fraud losses and nearly 35,000 fewer scams. The scheme requires banks to refund victims up to £85,000 within five business days, with costs split equally between sending and receiving institutions. This 50/50 split incentivized receiving banks to tackle mule accounts, driving the fraud reduction. Industry predictions of moral hazard and market disruption did not materialize. Reimbursement rates rose significantly, though victim awareness remains low. Other nations are now considering similar models, validating the UK's approach despite the PSR's upcoming integration into the FCA.
Stripe and Advent International offered $53 billion, a 28% premium, to acquire PayPal, but the board rejected the bid, reportedly seeking closer to $70 per share. This rejection comes despite PayPal's stock plummeting nearly 90% from its 2021 peak, following years of strategic missteps and frequent leadership changes. The bidders, experienced in payments, saw significant value in PayPal's core assets like Venmo, PYUSD, and consumer data, aiming to optimize them. PayPal's recent history includes abandoned growth targets, an underwhelming innovation day, and a CEO change after just five months. The upcoming Q2 earnings report on July 28 will be a critical test for the board's confidence in its new CEO and unproven turnaround plan, which must now justify a valuation significantly higher than the rejected offer.
Zelle, processing $1 trillion in 2024, faces a lawsuit from New York Attorney General Letitia James, alleging its design enabled over $1 billion in fraud. The suit claims Zelle's operator, Early Warning Services, lacked adequate identity verification and shelved anti-fraud safeguards. This action follows a dropped federal CFPB case, highlighting a gap in federal law regarding "authorized push payment" fraud, where users are scammed into sending money. Industry groups, including the American Bankers Association, are fighting the suit, arguing Zelle's fraud rate is low and liability would burden community banks. However, Early Warning is owned by major banks, raising questions about fraud prevention incentives. This state-level litigation could force Zelle to adopt new anti-fraud measures and reimbursement policies, effectively setting a national standard in the absence of federal action, a situation the UK has already addressed with a mandatory reimbursement scheme.
By: Zennon Kapron
Stablecoin supply fell $10 billion from May 2026 while June volume hit a record $1.79 trillion. Velocity has replaced market cap as the real adoption signal.
By: Zennon Kapron
JPMorgan, BofA, Citi and Wells Fargo plan one tokenized deposit network run by The Clearing House in 2027, their first shared answer to the Open USD stablecoin.
By: Zennon Kapron
New York sued Kalshi for $36 billion on July 31, 2026, four days after a federal judge blocked Minnesota's ban. The courts now decide who regulates US gambling.
Robinhood reported record Q2 2026 revenue of $1.31 billion and $573 million net income, up 32%, despite a 38% crypto trading decline. This contrasts sharply with Coinbase's loss. Robinhood's success stems from its transformation into a "Financial SuperApp," diversifying beyond brokerage. It now offers banking ($3B deposits), a credit card (1M+ holders), wealth management, AI tools, retirement accounts, and lucrative event contracts, which generated $156 million. Subscriptions for its Gold service grew 39% to 4.8 million, boosting average revenue per user to $187. This broad product suite, targeting a younger demographic, has shifted its revenue mix away from transaction fees, proving its diversified platform model. Despite market skepticism, Robinhood's continuous product expansion and bundling strategy have quietly established it as a comprehensive financial services provider.
H1 2026 fintech funding hit $28.6B, up 23% on 26% fewer deals, and the mega-rounds are all payments plumbing. The 2021 one-layer cycle says how this ends.
Beijing banned offshore yuan stablecoins in February 2026, Hong Kong licensed only HKD coins, and Tether shut CNH₮ at $3M. The yuan token was never scheduled.
