From ACH to stablecoins: Ben Milne's infrastructure evolution

Welcome to the Tearsheet Podcast, where we explore financial services together with an eye on technology, innovation, emerging models, and changing expectations. I'm Tearsheet's editor in chief, Zack Miller. As digital assets mature beyond speculation into practical financial tools, forward-thinking institutions are evaluating how programmable money fits into their product strategies. For traditional banks, it's an opportunity to modernize settlement systems and explore new revenue streams. For fintechs, it's about embedding digital asset capabilities without the regulatory and technical overhead. Today, I'm joined by Ben Milne, whose journey from founding payments innovator Dwolla to now leading Brale offers interesting insights into the evolution of financial infrastructure. At Dwolla, Ben built an API-first payments platform that helped modernize ACH transfers. Now with Brale, he's creating the infrastructure layer for compliant stablecoin issuance across multiple blockchains. What's particularly notable about Ben's transition is how it reflects broader shifts in the financial services landscape—from renovating legacy rails to building entirely new ones. In our conversation, we'll unpack how this experience shapes Brale's approach to working with both incumbents and challengers, the strategic considerations for institutions exploring stablecoins, and what product and strategy executives should be planning for in this rapidly evolving space.