Yes! We're obviously not the first to see the need!
I think there are many engineers who are frustrated knowing the data and capabilities that exist in banking that aren't exposed programmatically.
There are at least four (and I'm undoubtedly missing many!) interesting companies aiming to combine technology and a bank charter:
- Luna[0].
- M1 Finance[1].
- Column[2].
- Increase[3].
Building a bank involves reading, understanding, and respecting regulation. It invovles integrating with large financial networks. It involves rallying a team for a years-long adventure. Each of these is early days and it'll be a few years before any of us understands how this super large and important problem will be solved.
0. https://www.americanbanker.com/news/former-square-exec-leads...