Vacation culture has gotten a little out of control to me. I live in southeast Tennessee, in the woods with my family and my dogs, and most of the time I do not have this huge itch to leave. We travel every now and then, but there is something really nice about actually enjoying the life you already have. People act like you’re supposed to always be planning the next trip, the next flight, the next escape. Then half the time you come home tired, behind, and wondering why you spent all that money to need a vacation from the vacation. America is huge. Especially where I live, I can drive a few hours and see mountains, rivers, small towns, lakes, back roads, and some of the prettiest places in the country. But honestly, some of my favorite days are just being home with my dogs, my family, the woods, and nowhere we have to be. That feels like rest to me.

I'm thrilled to jump into something big: I’ve joined @Fiserv to help lead our Digital Assets team. What drew me here is simple, the opportunity to build alongside banks, credit unions and merchants to give them the financial services they need for the next era. For banks and credit unions, tokenized deposits are a defensive strategy. Upgrading a traditional checking account from a bank that closes at 5PM, to one that moves money instantly, 24/7, across the world and offering competitive yield to their depositors. Enabling the 3500 institutions already using Fiserv to keep up with the crypto exchanges and fintech companies. For merchants, stablecoins open a different door. They make global payments feel local. In the same way the internet lets any business become a storefront, stablecoins allow any business to act like a financial platform: Moving money across borders, currencies and time zones instantly. For companies already using Fiserv like @Walmart, @amazon, @Uber, @DoorDash they get real-time settlement, less friction, cheaper costs and the ability to operate globally without waiting days for funds to arrive. Our Digital Asset Platform consists of our tokenized deposit, FIUSD stablecoin and Fiserv Deposit Network products that go live in September and we’re excited to share it with customers at Fiserv Forum in Vegas on August 17th. I’m excited to learn, partner and build with many of you; alongside Sunil Sachdev, Eric M. Smith, Joe Healey, Steve Wager, Bill Battle, Eric Couillard, Cristina Anderson and many more from this organization. If you’re thinking about tokenized deposits, stablecoins and how they fit into your strategy – please reach out!

$59 billion in compliance costs. 28 million privacy violations. 275 leads. That’s the Bank Secrecy Act in a single year. It’s as clear as thunder on a summer’s night that we have a problem, says Cato’s @EconWithNick. ow.ly/jH3i50Z4UxI

Community banks have been transforming deposits into economic growth for generations. Every dollar deposited in a community bank helps fund small businesses, homeownership, equipment purchases, job creation, and investment throughout the community. Everyone is focused on how stablecoins could change payments. I’m more interested in how they could change lending. A stablecoin can move a dollar. A community bank can multiply its impact. As the stablecoin debate continues, here’s the question I keep coming back to: If deposits leave community banks, who replaces the lending? @LABankers @ICBA @ABABankers @BankDirector wsj.com/finance/currencies/s…

New Universal Kids Resort will officially open in Frisco on July 1st

BREAKING: President Trump releases a statement on crypto. “Trump will never let crypto down,” he says.

The thing about watching the West Wing today isn’t that it’s aged poorly (it hasn’t). It’s that it takes you back to a time when many still believed that public service could be a noble calling. An entire generation has now grown up without that feeling.

Old Guys Hanging Out At Denny's At 6 A.M. Having Better Day Than You Could Ever Dream Of buff.ly/BTSJTyX

—LAW DAY 303— This will bridge the gap until the law is passed. “For years, Fintech has been shut out while legacy institutions enjoyed privileged access. The Trump administration is ensuring a level playing field, competition, and lower payments costs for consumers with its latest Executive Order.”

For years, Fintech has been shut out while legacy institutions enjoyed privileged access. The Trump administration is ensuring a level playing field, competition, and lower payments costs for consumers with its latest Executive Order. My statement⬇️

Scoop: Trump is expected to sign executive orders as soon as this afternoon that would direct banks to collect citizenship information on customers and encourage the Fed to expand access for fintech firms, people familiar with the plans tell me. @SecScottBessent told @SemaforBen a month ago the former was "in process": semafor.com/article/04/13/20…

Coinbase uses the “20% of Americans own crypto” figure in DC lobbying but Fed data consistently shows numbers half that rate

New w/ @LauraEWeiss16: Before the House housing vote, staff for Sen. Warren (D-Mass.) is working hard behind the scenes to undercut the bill’s momentum. From Sunday: staff held a briefing today to highlight risks of bank reforms From tonight: Lots of staff outreach to CPC