According to PYMNTS.com, banking giant Citi and media platform PYMNTS have launched a new podcast series called “From the Block: Straight Talk on Stablecoins and Digital Assets for Corporate Leaders.” The show will be co-hosted by PYMNTS CEO Karen Webster and Citi’s Global Head of Digital Assets, Ryan Rugg. Each episode will tackle practical questions about when and how businesses should use stablecoins, the required infrastructure, and the most viable use cases. The podcast will feature guests from across the ecosystem, including regulators, investors, and operators. The stated goal is to separate signal from noise for companies evaluating digital assets for cross-border payments and treasury workflows, moving beyond the industry’s hype.
Corporate Crypto Gets Serious
Here’s the thing: this isn’t another show debating Bitcoin’s price or the latest meme coin. This is a targeted, institutional-grade effort. When a bank like Citi, with its massive Treasury and Trade Solutions division, puts its name on something like this, it signals a shift. They’re not just dabbling; they’re trying to educate their own client base and shape the conversation. The guest list targeting regulators and operators tells you this is about navigating the real-world hurdles—compliance, integration, and actual business models—not theoretical potential. It’s a clear attempt to professionalize the discourse and pull digital assets out of the crypto-twitter echo chamber and into the boardroom.
Winners, Losers, and the Battle for Trust
So who benefits from this? Established financial institutions with the resources to build compliant bridges, like, well, Citi, are positioning themselves as the trusted guides. They win by becoming the essential middleman in this new world. The losers? Probably the pure-play crypto-native firms that have struggled with credibility in the traditional finance space. A corporate treasurer is far more likely to trust advice coming from a Citi podcast than a flashy startup’s whitepaper. This also puts pressure on other major banks. If they’re not actively engaging in this educational, consultative role, they risk ceding thought leadership and, eventually, client relationships. Basically, it’s a land grab for trust, and Citi just planted a flag.
Beyond the Buzz to Boring Infrastructure
The key quote from Ryan Rugg is about moving “beyond the buzz.” And that’s the most telling part. The real adoption story in crypto won’t be written on price charts; it’ll be written in backend systems and settlement layers. It’s about the unsexy stuff: APIs, legal frameworks, and treasury management software. This podcast seems to acknowledge that the “killer app” for blockchain in the near term isn’t a consumer game—it’s a more efficient way for corporations to move money globally. If they can successfully demystify that process and highlight tangible ROI, it could accelerate adoption in a way that years of hype never did. The question is, will the content be substantive enough, or will it just feel like a long-form sales pitch for Citi’s services? The market needs the former, desperately.
