Regulation isn't protecting innovation, it's stopping it.

The industry usually welcomes news like the Bank-Financial-Technology Partnership Enhancement Act.

The consensus is that we need federal studies to define how banks and tech companies work together.

Most believe this oversight ensures stability for the financial system.

I see a different outcome when government tries to codify innovation.

Small banks and credit unions are fighting for their lives against massive incumbents.

Their best path to relevance is partnering with agile FinTechs to modernize quickly.

PYMNTS Intelligence confirms these partnerships are essential for competitiveness and speed.

Heavy compliance burdens disproportionately hurt these smaller builders.

A massive bank can absorb the cost of a two-year regulatory review.

A local credit union or a bootstrap FinTech cannot.

We often mistake bureaucratic process for consumer protection.

True security comes from robust market competition and better product systems.

Builders are pausing vital solutions because the permission structure is too expensive.

We need frameworks that encourage formation rather than restricting it.

Complexity grows with scale, but it should not strangle the start.

If you are building in this space, you have a difficult mandate.

You must honor the law while refusing to let it paralyze your vision.

Focus on solving the customer problem with such clarity that the value is undeniable.

Policy often lags behind reality.

Build the reality that forces the rules to adapt.