All articles by Douglas Blakey

Douglas Blakey

401(k) expansion into private markets – why brand will determine the winners

The push into 401(k)s is shifting alternative asset managers into an increasingly competitive, advisor-led market where brand becomes a decisive differentiator, writes Kriston Rucker

Digital wallets are emerging as the leading infrastructure for trust in banking

Mick Fennell explores how digital wallets are becoming a new layer of digital trust and explains what banks must do to modernise their infrastructure to support this shift

From adapting to adoption: How SaaS is transforming core banking

Rohit Chauhan explores why the traditional “adapt” model for customised core banking is no longer fit for purpose, and why banks must shift to an “adopt” strategy built upon integrated, cloud-based software

Open Banking in the US: Why now is not the time to sit back

Kranti Talluri explains why a lack of clarity and legislation supresses innovation and endangers the fintech industry’s overall growth and progress in the US, all to the ultimate detriment of consumers and banks

Monzo refocuses international strategy with US exit and Ireland launch

Monzo’s strategy highlights a growing trend among digital banks to prioritise depth over breadth in their international growth ambitions, explains Harry Swain

TikTok expands financial ambitions through Brazil banking push and UK payments play

Harry Swain discusses TikTok’s strategy as it ramps up its financial services sector ambitions

When fraud stops looking like fraud, smarter detection is needed

Stephanie Mitchell explains why a multi-layered defence is crucial in the fight against fraud and how behavioural analysis and AI – alongside traditional fraud controls like device identification and MFA – strengthen defences

How real-time money is reshaping banking infrastructure

Real-time money is accelerating the shift to a 24/7 financial system, exposing the limitations of legacy banking infrastructure and forcing institutions to rethink how they manage payments, liquidity, and operations, writes Kanv Pandit

Banking has learned to launch AI, but making it work is the real test

Are banks really mastering AI? Teo Blidarus explains why the gap between AI headlines and reality is becoming a serious problem and what banks must do differently to bridge it.

Why Credit Unions are becoming central to modern retail banking

Dr Gulzar Singh reflects on the growing importance of credit unions within the UK retail banking landscape, particularly as banking models continue to evolve around digital access, local participation, and community-based financial resilience