In the early days of any new technology, almost everyone operating at the edge gets called a “tech company.” Then the tools mature, infrastructure improves, and what used to be a moat quietly becomes a commodity.

If wave one of fintech startups was about direct disruption, I mean Fintechs fighting incumbents head on, with disruptive tech and innovative UX. It seems that wave two, or the new theme I’m noticing, is about enabling the disrupted ones to adapt. In other words, arming incumbents with disrupter-grade rails to fight back!