Sophie Vo

New York

Content Writer at This Week in Fintech

MBA candidate @Columbia_Biz writing @twifintech | previously @unit_co_ @Plaid

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Articles

Signals Q4’24: Fintech is going on-chain

Jan 14, 2025 | thisweekinfintech.com | Sophie Vo

Hey fintech friends,Fintechs closed out 2024 with a total $28.62 billion in equity funding for the year– up from $28.58 billion in 2023– and companies show no signs of slowing down. Last quarter brought regulatory developments that could transform BNPL and earned wage access (EWA) solutions, an acceleration in traditional financial institutions’ adoption of tokenized assets & CBDCs, and a continued surge in AI innovations.
The Future of Fintech: According to Experts and the TWIF Community

Oct 29, 2024 | thisweekinfintech.com | Julie VerHage-Greenberg |Sophie Vo

If you’re reading this, it means you (almost) survived another Money 20/20, congratulations! Last year, we did a survey of over a dozen fintech experts as well as dozens of our community members on their outlook for fintech.
Signals Q3’24: Can fintechs bank on brokered deposits?

Oct 8, 2024 | thisweekinfintech.com | Sophie Vo

Hey fintech friends,Happy Q4 to all who celebrate! As always, we’re ringing in the new quarter with a round-up of fintech activity in Q3 and diving into forward-looking themes for the rest of the year. For new readers, Signals is the premium subscriber edition of TWIF designed to get you away from the headlines and to explore the larger trendlines. Each quarter, we break down four key questions on fintech activity:Which concepts are getting funded? Where are exits, M&A, and SPACs concentrated?
EU Pharmaceutical Reform: Update on the proposed changes to marketing authorisation procedures

Sep 11, 2024 | lexology.com | Sally Shorthose |Sophie Vo

This article is part of our series covering the proposed reforms to the EU pharmaceutical legislation. To view the entire series, click here. As covered in our article from last year, as part of the EU Pharmaceutical Reform, proposals were made to revise marketing authorisation (“MA”) procedures in the EU.
Signals Q2’24: Later-stage fintech rounds are SO back

Jul 10, 2024 | thisweekinfintech.com | Sophie Vo

Hey fintech friends,After a slow start to the year, fintech funding is starting to pick up steam again. Certain concepts– including artificial intelligence, alternative investments, and x-border stablecoin payments– have also dominated headlines in recent months. It feels like the perfect time to dive into fintech activity in Q2!For new readers, Signals is the premium subscriber edition of TWIF designed to get you away from the headlines and to explore the larger trendlines.
Signals: Synapse wasn't your typical BaaS

May 29, 2024 | thisweekinfintech.com | Sophie Vo |Stephanie Mertz

Hey fintech friends,Synapse’s bankruptcy and subsequent wind-down has left many open questions about the path forward for its ~100 customers and tens of thousands of end users holding funds on the platform. It has also brought to light the complexities and risks involved in building Banking as a Service, and underscored the human cost of getting it wrong. In the fallout of this collapse it’s important to learn from the vulnerabilities that led to this point.
Signals: Neobanks are in their Globalization Era

May 15, 2024 | thisweekinfintech.com | Sophie Vo

Hey fintech friends,If you're reading this, you've maybe been asked the question "... What more can fintech do from here?"This past week felt like one of those news cycles that answered the question head-on: Dave's Q1 results highlighted that demand for early wage access is at an all-time high (and growing!); Synapse's bank partnership saga illustrates how complex– and high-stakes– it is to manage a bank ledger as a non-bank entity, and Roaring Kitty's resurgence on Twitter...
Signals: Free tax filing? For Spring? Groundbreaking.

May 8, 2024 | thisweekinfintech.com | Sophie Vo

Hey fintech friends,Who needs to watch the Met Gala when we can follow one of the biggest trends that emerged this past tax season? That's right: The IRS completed its Direct File pilot for the 2023 tax year, so free direct tax filing could be fully released as soon as early 2025. Meanwhile, major US neobanks have announced that they've embedded free tax filing this season, which begs the question: Will US taxpayers need a direct filing option in 2025?
Signals: If a tree falls in the forest...

Apr 17, 2024 | thisweekinfintech.com | Sophie Vo

Hey fintech friends,Lots of mixed press around carbon credits lately! Since we last spoke about carbon markets in Q1 2023, The largest carbon traders have written off millions of carbon offsets on the revelation that underlying projects won't deliver on emissions promises. Regulatory scrutiny, controversial new standards, and high-profile scandals have prompted big companies like Nestle, Gucci, and Shell to pull back from voluntary carbon markets en masse.
Signals Q1’24: The EU illegalized crypto laundering

Apr 3, 2024 | thisweekinfintech.com | Sophie Vo

Signals 8 min Hey fintech friends,Welcome to the first quarterly roundup of 2024!For new readers, Signals is the premium subscriber edition of TWIF designed to get you away from the headlines and to explore the larger trendlines. Each quarter, we break down four key questions on fintech activity:Which concepts are getting funded? Where are exits, M&A, and SPACs concentrated? Which firms are raising debt and venture funds for fintech?