05: Unlocking Alpha in Cash: MaxMyInterest Founder Gary Zimmerman

What if you could eliminate the anxiety of chasing the highest yield on your cash—and earn thousands in extra income without ever switching banks? In this episode of Evercore's Flow of Funds, host Glenn Schorr sits down with Gary Zimmerman, founder and CEO of MaxMyInterest, who reveals the secret to turning cash—a supposedly “boring” asset—into a source of meaningful alpha.You’ll hear how a former investment banker’s frustration during the 2008 financial crisis sparked a fintech platform now managing cash for clients from the “bottom 98% of the top 1%” to ultra-high-net-worth households. Gary Zimmerman shares why most advisors vastly underestimate how much cash their clients really hold, and how Max has solved the friction that keeps investors from maximizing yield and safety. He also provides eye-opening insights into the evolving world of AI in banking, the misperception of “too big to fail” banks, and the real reason why banks and RIAs alike are embracing Max as a friend—not a foe.Key highlights:The origin story: how a near-bank-failure sparked a $40k alpha opportunity (Gary Zimmerman)Why cash “alpha” is a real—and neglected—source of returnsHow Max helps clients, advisors, and banks win at the same time, without disrupting existing relationshipsThe behavioral blind spots around cash—exposed with hard numbersReal talk on AI, cybersecurity, tokenization, and the future of digital bankingEpisode Overview00:00 – Introduction to Evercore’s Private Markets and Wealth Forum00:16 – Glenn Schorr introduces Gary Zimmerman and tees up the cash alpha topic02:03 – What is Max? The purpose, origin, and how it works06:38 – Growth journey, friction points, and how Max found its market12:17 – Value for clients, advisors, and banks—and why Max is friend, not foe19:49 – Rates, performance, and concrete value for end clients21:25 – Max Private: New offering for RIAs and UHNW clients26:35 – Real-time settlement, behavioral economics, and cash management29:13 – The role (and limits) of AI in banking, and cybersecurity issues33:19 – Tokenization, stablecoins, and the risks of new digital products38:48 – Max vs. brokered sweep solutions—lower risk, more control40:11 – Industry rate cycles, customer apathy, and Max’s steady value42:16 – Too big to fail, due diligence, and how Max protects clients48:39 – Pricing, how Max makes money, and no conflicts of interest50:56 – Global possibilities vs. massive US opportunity53:23 – One-click consolidated tax reporting and ease of use54:05 – Closing thoughts and summaryApplicable current disclosures regarding the companies discussed in this video are available at the offices of Evercore ISI: 55 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10055, and at the following site: evercoreisi.mediasterling.com/disclosure⁠