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Embrace change, take risks, and disrupt yourself

Hosted by top 5 banking and fintech influencer, Jim Marous, Banking Transformed highlights the challenges facing the banking industry. Featuring some of the top minds in business, this podcast explores how financial institutions can prepare for the future of banking.

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Varo: The First Nationally Chartered Fintech Bank

Until recently, fintech firms have usually partnered with traditional banks to provide banking services as opposed to going through the lengthy and costly process of getting their own bank charters.

Breaking away from that model, Varo Money became the first challenger bank to receive a national bank charter. The national charter from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) was the first ever granted to a fintech company, allowing Varo to offer credit cards, make loans and generate insured deposits nationally.

We caught up with Colin Walsh, founder and CEO of Varo Money, Inc., Varo, which began offering mobile-only banking services in 2015. Walsh discusses why Varo pursued a national charter, the benefits of being a mobile-only bank, and how to gain scale in an industry that already has too many players.

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