Can We Make Checking Accounts Interesting Again?

“The checking account hasn't had meaningful innovation in a decade,” says Christian Widhalm, CEO of Bloom Credit. In today’s show, Mary talks to Christian about what it takes to make the product stand out, the open banking pricing debate and the case for why it’s time for BNPL payments to show up on credit reports. Show notesBloom CreditInsights from Finovate 2024Credit Score Management: The $110 Billion Deposit and Payments MagnetSubscribe to the Money Isn’t Everything podcast here: https://www.crnrstone.com/gritty-insights/podcasts/money-isnt-everything Chapters: [0:00] Welcome & Intro to Bloom Credit [1:10] Reinventing Credit Reporting [4:00] Turning Checking Accounts Into Credit Builders [6:30] Why Gen Z and Millennials Want This [9:50] The 64 Million “Thin File” Problem [13:00] How Credit Karma Changed the Game [18:40] Doing Good and Doing Well in Banking [20:50] The Data Access Debate: Plaid vs. Banks [26:30] Should “Buy Now, Pay Later” Count Toward Credit? [29:40] What’s Next for Fintech & Credit InnovationSend us Fan Mail