Capital One buys Brex for $5B.

Goldman Sachs builds AI agents with Anthropic.

MrBeast acquires a fintech.

This isn’t a headline mashup — it’s what’s happening in banking right now.

In this episode of What’s Going On in Banking, Ron Shevlin and Stacey Bryant break down the biggest moves reshaping financial services — and what they mean for banks and credit unions without megabank budgets.

Inside the conversation:

• What the Capital One + Brex deal signals for SMB banking
• Why Goldman’s AI “digital coworkers” change the build vs. buy debate
• How AI agents may reshape back-office operations
• The emerging battle to own the checking account workflow
• Why banks are no longer just competing on rates, but on software

From stablecoins to autonomous AI, this episode separates strategy from hype and highlights what institutions should actually be paying attention to.

Show Notes:

• Goldman Equips AI Agents to do Trade Accounting, Onboarding
• Invasion of the Job Snatchers: Digital Bank Workers Have Arrived | Bank Director
• Ron's Take on Array Acquiring Chimney

The 2026 What's Going On In Banking Report is NOW LIVE!!

• Download the Report: https://lnkd.in/gBNhy53P
• Watch the recap of the Webinar: https://vimeo.com/1166796761

Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here:
https://www.crnrstone.com/gritty-insights/podcasts/whats-going-on-in-banking

Chapters
[0:00] Welcome + Arizona Recap & Stablecoin Talk
[3:10] Capital One’s $5B Brex Deal
[5:35] Why SMBs Expect Integrated Banking Tech
[7:27] SMB Segmentation: Capital, Industry, Technology
[10:19] Strategy Over Scale: The Real Growth Question
[11:14] Goldman Sachs Builds AI “Digital Coworkers”
[13:05] What AI Agents Actually Do (And Don’t Do)
[17:23] AI Risks, Bias & The Human Factor
[19:25] MrBeast, Grab & The Fintech Acquisition Wave
[20:36] The Hidden Battle for the Checking Account

In this special bonus episode of What’s Going On in Banking, Ron Shevlin, Chief Research Officer at Cornerstone Advisors, is joined by Steve Williams, CEO & Partner of Cornerstone Advisors, to break down the findings from the 2026 WGOIB Webinar Report.

Based on insights from 400+ banks and credit unions, this report reveals how financial institutions are preparing for what’s next in:

• Artificial Intelligence strategy and investment
• Crypto’s evolving role in banking
• The escalating fraud crisis
• Technology spending priorities
• Growth and competitive pressures in 2026

If you want to understand where the industry is actually heading — not just the hype — this episode delivers the data behind the decisions.

Download the full report:
https://www.crnrstone.com/gritty-insights/research/whats-going-on-in-banking-2026


Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here:
https://www.crnrstone.com/gritty-insights/podcasts/whats-going-on-in-banking


Chapters
[0:00] Welcome & Bonus Episode Overview
[1:45] Why 2026 Will Be a Pivotal Year for Banking
[4:30] Inside the Survey: 400+ Banks & Credit Unions Weigh In
[7:15] AI Strategy: Where Banks Are Investing (and Where They’re Not)
[11:20] Crypto in 2026: Reality vs. Hype
[14:40] The Fraud Explosion: What’s Keeping Executives Up at Night
[18:10] Technology Spending Priorities for 2026
[22:00] Growth, Competition & Strategic Shifts
[25:30] What Leaders Should Be Doing Right Now
[28:00] Final Takeaways & How to Access the Full Report

Banks are racing into AI and “data strategy” — but most can’t clearly define what they’re actually doing.

Ron Shevlin and Stacey Bryant break down why chasing trends won’t fix broken strategy, and why specificity, execution, and focus matter more than hype.

If you're in banking or fintech, this is the reality check you need.

The 2026 What's Going On In Banking Report is NOW LIVE!!

• Download the Report: https://lnkd.in/gBNhy53P
• Register for the Webinar, Feb 25th at 10:00am PT / 1:00pm ET: https://www.crnrstone.com/gritty-insights/events-and-webinars/whats-going-on-in-banking-2026

Subscribe to the What's Going On In Banking podcast here:
https://www.crnrstone.com/gritty-insights/podcasts/whats-going-on-in-banking

Chapters
[0:00] AI Hype vs. Strategy
[6:30] The Problem With “Just Doing AI”
[8:26] Test, Learn, Scale Explained
[15:07] What Kind of Data Are We Talking About?
[15:25] Customer vs. Market vs. Operational Data
[16:26] Execution Quality & Data IQ
[18:32] Where Financial Institutions Get Stuck
[20:00] Practical Advice for 2026
[26:31] Final Takeaways