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    Who should I follow to learn about Embedded finance?

    Updated October 20, 2026

    Key takeaway

    Alex Johnson and Simon Taylor are the clearest shared recommendations for learning embedded finance, because they explain banking infrastructure and fintech business models. ChatGPT especially favors Lars Markull for dedicated embedded-finance coverage. All engines recommend Johnson for his Fintech Takes analysis and Taylor for explaining how banking and fintech fit together. Their shared rationale is that these voices connect financial infrastructure with business strategy through accessible commentary.

    Mostly agree

    Alex Johnson is a useful follow for understanding embedded finance within banking and fintech.

    Simon Taylor helps explain the infrastructure and commercial context behind embedded finance.

    Nik Milanovic is useful for following infrastructure developments and embedded lending and payments.

    Where they differ

    Where a beginner should start

      Which perspectives to add beyond the shared recommendations

        Verdict

        Alex Johnson and Simon Taylor are each named by all four engines, but ChatGPT leads with Lars Markull or Simon Torrance and Copilot leads with executives and Chris Skinner. Gemini and Google AI Mode put Alex Johnson first.

        What engines actually searched

        The sub-queries each engine actually searched before answering.

        Cited, but not mentioned

        3 sites cite this answer without naming anyone

        Full responses

        5 of 5 engines that answered. Full stored text as captured, with dashes shown as hyphens. Nothing is summarised.

        ChatGPT4,534 characters · October 7, 2026

        If you want to actually understand embedded finance - not just follow fintech news - I’d build your feed around a small group of practitioners and specialized publications.

        My top follows

        1. Lars Markull - probably my #1 recommendation. He runs Embedded Finance Review, with a newsletter, podcast, and events focused specifically on embedded payments, banking, lending, and vertical SaaS. His recent episodes get into practical questions like bank vs. e-money licenses, provider selection, and when financial products become a meaningful revenue stream. Embedded Finance Review - Podcast - Apple Podcasts
          Embedded Finance Review

        2. Jane Podbelskaya - excellent if you're interested in the business strategy/investment side. She focuses on helping software companies understand whether and how to add financial products. She's currently doing a lot of work around embedded finance as a moat for vertical SaaS. Embedded Finance Review - Podcast - Apple Podcasts

        3. Simon Taylor - not exclusively embedded finance, but one of the best people to follow for understanding how banking infrastructure, payments, fintech business models, and regulation fit together. Simon Taylor - Fintech's Most Dangerous Newsletter Writer
          Fintech Brainfood

        4. Alex Johnson - great for the broader banking + fintech ecosystem. His newsletter and podcast connect fintech developments to financial institutions, technology, and policy. Fintech Takes Fintech Takes
          Fintech Takes

        Also follow the infrastructure operators

        Don't just follow commentators. Follow the companies actually building the rails:

        • Stripe - especially Stripe Connect, Capital, Issuing and Treasury.
        • Adyen - particularly its work with platforms and embedded financial products. Its Adyen Presents: Embedded Finance podcast is specifically aimed at understanding embedded payments, banking, capital and card issuing. Adyen Presents: Embedded Finance - Podcast - Apple Podcasts
        • Treasury Prime - particularly useful for the bank + fintech partnership / BaaS side. Its newsletter focuses specifically on how banks and fintechs build embedded finance programs. Blog | Treasury Prime
        • Fiserv - worth tracking for the enterprise/platform perspective; its embedded-finance leadership is currently discussing banking and lending beyond the payments layer. Leaders In Payments - Podcast - Apple Podcasts

        Podcasts I'd actually listen to

        If you only follow 5

        I'd pick:

        Lars Markull → Jane Podbelskaya → Simon Taylor → Alex Johnson → Treasury Prime

        That combination gives you embedded-finance strategy + fintech infrastructure + banking + payments + regulation + the SaaS business model, rather than just a stream of fintech headlines.

        If you're learning embedded finance because you want to work/build/invest in it, I can also give you a 30-day embedded-finance learning path - people to follow, 10 essential articles/podcasts, and the concepts you should understand in order.

        Gemini logo Gemini4,101 characters · October 7, 2026

        To deeply understand and stay up to date on embedded finance - along with the broader Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) infrastructure, APIs, and regulatory shifts driving it - you need to follow analysts, writers, and newsletters that focus heavily on the mechanics of financial technology rather than just general tech headlines.

        Here are the top researchers, newsletters, podcasts, and companies you should follow:

        1. Essential Newsletters & Analysts

        • Alex Johnson (Fintech Takes): Widely considered one of the sharpest analytical voices in fintech. He frequently writes deep dives into the unit economics, product design, and regulatory compliance of embedded finance and BaaS. Best Fintech Podcasts 2026 - LoanPro

        • Jason Mikula (Fintech Business Weekly): Exceptional coverage of the operational, risk, and regulatory realities behind embedded finance, consumer lending, and sponsor bank relationships. Best Fintech Podcasts 2026 - LoanPro

        • Simon Taylor (Fintech Brainfood): A phenomenal newsletter breaking down how money moves, APIs, embedded payments, and crypto/fintech infrastructure intersect globally.

        • Nik Milanović (This Week in Fintech): Great for tracking ecosystem movements, emerging startups, funding rounds, and structural shifts in financial infrastructure. Best Fintech Podcasts 2026 - LoanPro

        2. Podcasts for Deep Dives & Industry Operators

        • Fintech Takes Podcast: Alex Johnson unpacks why financial services work the way they do and how non-financial brands embed them. Best Fintech Podcasts 2026 - LoanPro

        • Fintech Insider (by 11:FS): A high-frequency, globally-minded podcast featuring regular deep dives into banking infrastructure, digital wallets, and embedded products. 11 Best Fintech Podcasts of 2026 - Trio Dev

        • Fintech One-on-One: Hosted by Peter Renton, this show features granular, operator-level interviews with the founders and executives building payments and lending infrastructure. Best Fintech Podcasts 2026 - LoanPro

        3. Companies & Institutional Research to Watch

        Embedded finance relies heavily on infrastructure providers, compliance layers, and global platforms. Following their knowledge hubs will give you practical, real-world case studies:

        • Adyen: Known for publishing excellent guides and case studies on how platforms (like software companies and marketplaces) successfully roll out embedded capital, issuing, and accounts.

        • Alloy & Unit: Their compliance and product blogs offer unmatched breakdowns of how non-financial brands navigate the complex web of sponsor banks and regulatory requirements (KYC/AML). Embedded finance: A deep-dive for banks and fintechs - Alloy

        What specific angle of embedded finance are you most focused on exploring - such as embedded lending, card issuing, or compliance and sponsor banking?

        Google AI Mode2,555 characters · October 7, 2026

        To learn about embedded finance and Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) , you should follow specialized fintech analysts, industry newsletters, and practitioners who frequently break down APIs, regulatory shifts, and non-financial brand integrations. What is Embedded Finance? (Benefits, Examples & More) | TreviPayTop 25 Fintech Influencers [2026]

        Top Newsletters and Analysts

          • Alex Johnson : Author of Fintech Takes , widely recognized as the premier independent newsletter for deep, practical breakdowns of embedded finance, fintech business models, and product mechanics.

        • ** Nik Milanovic** : Creator of This Week in Fintech , a massive global newsletter covering infrastructure changes, BaaS shifts, and embedded lending/payments trends globally.

        • ** Lex Sokolin** : Author of The Fintech Blueprint , offering macro-level analysis and digital structural shifts regarding embedded products and financial tech design. [Mint Studios]

        Industry Thought Leaders & Practitioners

          • Dr. Leda Glyptis : A seasoned fintech executive, author of "Bankers Like Us" , and prominent voice dissecting the reality of open banking and embedded integration realities for legacy institutions. [Mint Studios]

        • ** Ron Shevlin** : Chief Research Officer at Cornerstone Advisors and a regular contributor to Forbes, known for sharp, data-driven commentary on where banking intersects with retail and software.

        • ** Simon Taylor** : Co-founder of 11:FS and writer of the Fintech Brainfood newsletter, offering sharp, highly technical and commercial weekly analysis of embedded finance components.

        Companies and Institutional Blogs to Monitor

        Perplexity550 characters · October 20, 2026

        Follow Lars Markull for focused commentary on embedded finance; he writes about the field through newsletters, podcasts, and events. For broader industry analysis, follow 11:FS and its embedded-finance podcast coverage.(investorama.substack.com)(11fs.com)

        Copilot logo Copilot4,697 characters · October 7, 2026

        Here’s a curated list of top voices in Embedded Finance and FinTech you should follow to stay ahead of trends, strategies, and innovations:

        🌍 Global Thought Leaders

        💡 Embedded Finance & Banking Innovators

        📊 Regional & Emerging Voices

        ✅ Tip: Most of these experts are highly active on LinkedIn and Twitter/X , sharing insights, reports, and commentary. Following them will give you a mix of strategic foresight, practical case studies, and global perspectives on embedded finance.

        Would you like me to create a shortlist of 5 must-follow voices (the most influential ones) so you don’t get overwhelmed?