AI may dominate San Francisco these days, but fintech and crypto are eagerly waiting in the wings. On Tuesday night, we gathered a small group of executives and investors from companies like Coinbase, Plaid, Brex, and Haun Ventures to discuss the critical juncture for the two sectors, and whether a Trump-induced victory lap could still mean choppy waters ahead.
The attendees had plenty to celebrate. The Trump administration’s Securities and Exchange Commission is dropping lawsuits left and right, including against Coinbase, and the hollowed-out Consumer Financial Protection Bureau seems soon to follow. Everyone still expects the IPO window to open back up, and a more welcoming environment for acquisitions will bring desperately needed liquidity to venture firms and their investors. Crypto, and fintech more broadly, have reason to be optimistic for the first time in years.
