Episode 121: Blueprint for AI-Native Fintech: Smarter Systems, Smarter Strategy

Blueprint for AI-Native Fintech: Building Smarter Foundations

In Episode 121 of the Fintech Garden podcast, hosts Igor Tomych and Dumitru Condrea explore the architecture, regulation, and real-world implications of building AI into the very foundation of fintech—what it really means to be AI-native.

Most fintechs treat AI as an add-on. For instance, they may incorporate a more advanced chatbot or a sophisticated fraud detection model. But truly AI-native platforms are different—they’re designed from day one with intelligence at their core.

This episode defines what makes a fintech platform truly AI-native, why it matters, and how to do it right. From Klarna’s personalization investments to the risks of unregulated AI in credit scoring, this is a deep dive into the systems shaping tomorrow’s financial landscape.

Why This Episode Matters

AI-native fintechs are reshaping how we build and scale financial services. But with greater intelligence comes greater complexity—and regulatory scrutiny.

In this episode, we unpack:

• What AI-native infrastructure really means (and what it’s not)
• How Klarna, Monese, and Nubank are structuring around AI from the start
• Where embedded AI shows up across onboarding, payments, lending, and compliance
• How EU’s AI Act and UK sandboxing will impact AI-native platforms
• The tradeoff between speed and stability when intelligence runs deep
• What risks emerge when AI takes on invisible, high-stakes decisions

If you’re building, regulating, or investing in the future of fintech, this episode will challenge how you think about AI’s role—now and next.

Listen to the episode now.