💯 100 Days. 100 Stories. The Past, Present, and Future of Money. Every great transformation hides patterns. Follow along as we connect 5,000 years of banking history to the code being written today. This whole series is inspired by @finallrounder, who’s writing 100 Days of Bitcoin. I’ve been learning so much from his journey that I wanted to start my own - focused on banking and the transformation toward Banking 3.0 that we’re building at OrbitX. ✍️ Writing is how we think through complex problems. For the past year, as we’ve been building @OrbitX_Pay and diving deep into the evolution of banking, I’ve come to realize just how little most people grasp about the transformation unfolding around us. The conventional narrative is wrong. 🚫 People think banking innovation means better apps, faster payments, and lower fees. These are features, not transformations. The real story is architectural. 🏗️ We're rebuilding the fundamental infrastructure of how money works at OrbitX. Self-sovereign identity. Programmable compliance. Decentralized networks. On-chain settlement. This transformation is happening in silos. This series breaks down those walls - connecting the dots between past, present, and the banking systems we’re building next. Historians study ancient banking systems. Technologists build DeFi protocols. Regulators adapt policy frameworks. Entrepreneurs create new companies. Money is humanity’s greatest shared story - and the way we store, move, and trust it is being rewritten. Over the next 100 days, I’ll tell you 100 short stories that connect those dots. ✅ How money moved before banks existed ✅ Why banks exist at all ✅ Why central banking changed everything ✅ How FinTech exploded in the last 20 years ✅ Where Web3 Banking 3.0 is taking us next Each post will be short enough to read over coffee, but deep enough to make you think. Think of it as a history lesson, a tech guide, and a peek into the future - rolled into one. Why 100 days? Because complex topics require sustained attention. Banking touches everything: technology, regulation, economics, human behavior, geopolitics. You can't understand the current transformation without understanding the historical context. You can't predict the future without recognizing the patterns. This is thinking in public. By the end of these 100 days, you’ll be able to see patterns others miss, ask sharper questions, and join the conversation with a deeper understanding. Great writing happens in community. I'll share my thinking, you share yours, and together we'll understand this transformation better than anyone studying it alone. 📅 Day 1 starts Monday, Sept 15th 🔔 Follow me (Harsha MV) and turn on notifications — every day at 7:11 PM GST a new story will drop. Let’s think through this together. 💬 Drop a simple “Banking 3.0 ✅” in the comments to show support and join me on this journey. #100DaysOfBanking #ThinkingInPublic

Indians move abroad 🛬 …and then eat in Indian restaurants, buy Indian groceries and save money to go on a vacations to India.

Who wants in?

Every year, migrant workers, freelancers, and global families send money home. And every year, $50 billion disappears into remittance fees. That’s five SpaceX’s worth of waste - every single year. 🚀 Money doesn’t move slowly because technology is broken. It moves slowly because the system is. SWIFT networks, correspondent banks, currency corridors - every hop adds cost, time, and friction. At OrbitX, we’re collapsing that entire stack. By using stablecoins as the transfer layer, OrbitX enables: ⚡ Instant settlement instead of 3–5 days 💰 Near-zero cost instead of 5–10% deductions 🌐 Borderless flow - from any wallet, to any region, anytime Remittances aren’t just transfers. They’re lifelines. And every dollar lost is value that never reaches home. OrbitX is building the new rails for a borderless economy - where sending money feels as simple as sending a message. $50B in fees → $50B back to people. 🔗 Experience borderless remittances → orbitxpay.com

Just renewed my yearly X subscription with @OrbitX_Pay! For everyone asking - yes you can pay for your subscriptions with your OrbitX card. Drop a screenshot of your any subscription with OrbitX - I will personally reimburse one lucky person from the comments 📸

Your chance to win an iPhone 17 or more! Get your @OrbitX_Pay card today!

Heard you pay 7% in Brazil to use banking cards! OrbitX changes that! 🥺🥺🥺

If u talk about it , it’s a dream If u envision it , it’s possible But, if u schedule it , it’s real 💕💕

Last minute plan. We are heading to Buenos Aires, Argentina 🇦🇷 for @EFDevcon Buen día, che! ¡Estamos por caer en Arg!🇦🇷 Final checklist: ✅ Flights booked ✅ Tickets booked ✅ Hotel booked ✅✅ Have my @OrbitX_Pay card ready! Creating a group, comment ‘🧉’ to be in !

Don't wait for days for your crypto to fiat settlement, Just use OrbitX! 💳

This is the state of affairs of @Mahindra_Auto. - I made a booking online, giving all the details, PAN, KYC, etc. (23rd Aug) - I did not get allocation (I am okay with that) - Requested refund (online - the dealership said, I have to request online) - Requested Cancellation on 30th Sep - Followed up on 28th Oct - Got templated response for 3 days. - Followed up after ~7 days on 4th Nov - Someone calls and says, the amount will be sent to dealership, and they will give the refund (policy change) - Dealership got the details only today - after 34 days. - Dealership is asking for cancelled cheque, and all details again from me. (image attached) Which year do we live in? 1990? SBI operates faster than this, I believe. @anandmahindra I could build a state-of-the-art customer service system, automating every aspect of this (human monitored) in less time than it has taken Mahindra to acknowledge my refund. @TOIIndiaNews @IndiaToday @ndtv @htTweets Dear Media, There was news all over the place, when Mahindra claimed to have got too many booking for their SUV. This is the uglier side of the customers who have to run from post to post, followup so many times, for their money which Mahindra is sitting on. Will this get any coverage?

A few years ago, city bus service in Odisha had fare slabs like ₹5, 7, 10, 13, 15… up to ₹25 or ₹30. Conductors often struggled with change, leading to delays, arguments, and irritated passengers and staff. As managing director of the company, I discussed the problem with @PrashanthBachu, a brilliant urban mobility expert. He suggested: “Simplify it. Make it ₹5–10–15–20…” Our team was very hesitant. As a govt company, we couldn’t raise fares. This meant we could only reduce fares to simplify the slabs — ₹7 → ₹5, ₹13 → ₹10, a clear revenue drop ! Prashanth said it wouldn’t. This sounded illogical but his reasoning was brilliant: • Faster ticketing reduces freeloaders, those who get off before the conductor reaches them. • Happier passengers and staff mean smoother service. • Globally, fares are in easy multiples. We took the risk and implemented it. Result? Everything improved. We had fewer complaints and happier staff. And the biggest surprise: Revenue went up by 3%. Sometimes, simplifying is smarter than increasing. @CRUT_BBSR

Day 27/100: Ethereum and Smart Contracts Explained Most people think Ethereum is just "another crypto." They're missing the bigger picture - Ethereum isn't about cryptocurrency, it's about rebuilding financial infrastructure. Here's what they don't see: Every financial transaction you make goes through intermediaries. Banks. Clearinghouses. Payment processors. Each one takes time. Each one takes fees. Each one adds risk. Settlement takes 3-5 days. International transfers take longer. And you're trusting every middleman in the chain. What Ethereum Actually Solves: Smart contracts are self-executing code stored on the blockchain. Once deployed, they run exactly as programmed - no human intervention possible. When condition X happens, action Y automatically occurs. No intermediary needed. The Framework That Works: - Traditional contract: Write agreement → Hire lawyers → Hope everyone follows through → Sue if they don't - Smart contract: Write code → Deploy to blockchain → Automatic execution → Mathematical certainty The Evidence: $78 billion is currently locked in Ethereum-based financial protocols specifically, with $190+ billion across all decentralized finance. That's real money, moving without traditional banking infrastructure. What This Enables: - Want to lend money and earn interest? Smart contract. - Want to trade without a centralized exchange? Smart contract. - Want to prove ownership of a digital asset? Smart contract. - Want to send money to 100 people automatically when conditions are met? *Smart contract.* Here's What the Data Shows: - 4,000+ applications running on Ethereum - $190+ billion in decentralized finance transactions - 99.95% energy reduction after the 2022 Merge - Transaction finality in minutes vs. days for traditional banking This isn't experimental technology - it's operational infrastructure processing more value than most regional banks. Why This Matters for Banking: Remember those 3-5 day settlement times and multiple intermediaries? Smart contracts eliminate both. OrbitX exists because smart contracts enable self-custodial finance. You hold your keys. You control your assets. You spend your stablecoins directly - no bank conversion required. The question isn't whether programmable money will replace some traditional banking functions. The question is: how fast will it happen, and will you be positioned to benefit? 🔔 Follow me & turn on notifs - fresh content every day at 7:11 PM GST! #100DaysOfBanking #ThinkingInPublic

Day 26/100: The Rise of Neobanks Most people think neobanks succeeded because of "better tech.” Traditional banks took 3-5 days to open an account. Neobanks did it in 5 minutes. That's not innovation – that's removing artificial friction that banks created to justify their overhead. They spent $200-400 to acquire each customer. Neobanks spent $20-50. When your competitor wastes 10x more money than you to get the same customer, you don't need to be smarter. You just need to not be stupid. Here's the Framework That Actually Worked: Step 1: Eliminate Physical Infrastructure - 78% lower overhead costs - No branches = no rent, no tellers, no security - Banks called this "risky." Customers called it "convenient." Step 2: Mobile-First, Not Mobile-Also - 95% digital transaction rates vs 45% for traditional banks - Real-time notifications increased engagement 340% - The phone isn't a feature. It's the entire product. Step 3: Serve Who Banks Ignored - 120 million previously unbanked people now have accounts - No minimum balances meant low-income customers could participate - 56% of customers from underserved demographics - Banks said "unprofitable." Neobanks said "untapped market at scale." The Data Everyone Misses: Revolut: 45 million customers Chime: 13 million customers Nubank: 70+ million customers But here's what matters – only 14% achieved profitability. Why? Because growth ≠ business model. You need 2-3 million customers just to break even. Most neobanks have great products. Few have great economics. What This Means: 64% of users are millennials and Gen Z. 78% still keep their traditional bank account. Translation: Neobanks won the user experience battle. They haven't won the trust war yet. The winners will be whoever figures out how to make money before their venture funding runs out. OrbitX thinks about self-custodial crypto banking – we're removing the same artificial friction between your assets and your spending, just with Web3 infrastructure instead of traditional banking rails. What would you build differently if you started a neobank today? 🔔 Follow me & turn on notifs - fresh content every day at 7:11 PM GST! #100DaysOfBanking #ThinkingInPublic

AI agents transacting with each other have a trust problem. If Agent A wants to pay Agent B for data, how does A know: - B will actually deliver the data? - B isn't malicious? - B has delivered quality data to others before? Today's answer: You don't. You trust and hope. This is the problem ERC-8004 tries to solve. It's a proposed standard for on-chain AI agent registries that tracks: • Which agents exist • What services they offer • Their interaction history • Their reputation scores Combined with smart contract escrow, you could: 1. Query registry for "agents that provide market data" 2. Check their on-chain reputation 3. Escrow payment in USDC 4. Agent delivers data 5. Smart contract releases payment 6. Reputation updates The challenges that still need solving: Sybil resistance: How do you prevent agents from creating fake identities to game reputation? Cross-chain: If agents operate on Base, Arbitrum, Optimism—do they need separate registrations? One unified registry? Offline handling: What if agent goes offline mid-service? Who resolves disputes? Registry governance: Who decides which agents get verified? Centralized entity? DAO? No one? Economic sustainability: Who pays to maintain the registry infrastructure? Current state: - ERC-8004 is in draft proposal stage - A few teams (including Base ecosystem) exploring implementation - No production deployments yet - Timeline to working system: 12-24 months minimum This is important infrastructure if AI agent economies actually materialize. But right now, it's infrastructure for a market that's still mostly theoretical. The real test: Will enough agents actually register and use this for network effects to matter? Or will we end up with multiple competing registries, fragmenting the ecosystem?

Reason why should move to stablecoin banking. Choose @OrbitX_Pay

Digital nomads solved work with Zoom - but not money. You can work from Bali, invoice in USD, and get paid in crypto… Yet every time you swipe your card abroad, up to 3–5% quietly disappears. That’s $900+ a year - gone to invisible forex markups, conversion spreads, and bank intermediaries. It’s not your fault. Traditional banking was never built for borderless lives. It was built for people who lived, earned, and spent in one country. But today’s economy isn’t local anymore - it’s liquid. Your clients are global. Your income is digital. Your lifestyle is borderless. So why should your bank still have borders? With OrbitX, you: 💳 Spend directly from your self-custodial stablecoin wallet 🌍 Pay anywhere Visa is accepted - no fiat conversion ⚡ Get instant settlements with the lowest forex fee in market (1%) Work from anywhere. Spend from anywhere. Keep what’s yours. 🔗 Experience borderless banking → orbitxpay.com

Your spending power is limitless!

are we experiencing “browser war II”

Day 1–25 Recap: What We Covered So Far for 100 Days of Banking For a quick skim-through of the journey so far - what you liked, and what you want me to go deeper on next: 1. Why were the world’s first bankers actually priests? 2. What made the Medici family Renaissance Italy’s first FinTech innovators? 3. Why was China’s 7th-century paper money the original digital payment system? 4. What is the $2 trillion technical-debt crisis stopping 72% of banks from modernizing? 5. How did Satoshi’s White Paper redefine trust in the banking system? 6. What core principle makes Islamic banking still relevant 1,400 years later? 7. How did the first ATM in 1967 change banking forever? 8. What does Carbon Credit Banking show about money turning into sustainability? 9. How did Apple Pay (2014) mark the moment tech giants invaded banking? 10. What reform created deposit insurance after the Great Depression? 11. What role did Greek and Roman moneylenders play in early finance? 12. Why is Stripe’s $95B API strategy called “developer-first banking”? 13. How did mainframes in the 1970s digitize record-keeping and scale banking? 14. Why did China’s super-apps make banking almost disappear into everyday life? 15. What did the 2008 financial crisis teach us about systemic risk and trust? 16. How did Buy Now, Pay Later reinvent consumer credit psychology? 17. Why did Robinhood’s commission-free model disrupt Wall Street? 18. What does Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) mean when every app becomes a bank? 19. How did the 1971 Nixon Shock create the modern fiat system we live in today? 20. Why is Kenya’s M-Pesa one of the most powerful financial-inclusion stories ever? 21. How did PayPal ignite the first true digital-wallet war? 22. How did Wells Fargo’s API platform quietly reshape financial infrastructure? 23. What’s the simplest way to explain how blockchain works — without jargon? 24. How does SWIFT still move trillions globally despite digital disruption? 25. Why will $0.01 stablecoin fees eventually replace $30 wire transfers? What’s next: we’ll keep progressing into how Web3 is rewriting finance - Banking 3.0, stablecoins at the core, and the path from legacy rails to programmable money. Note: travel made daily posting inconsistent for a bit. We’re not abandoning this project - the series will be seen through to Day 100. Tell me: • Which of these topics was your favorite? • What would you like me to write about next within Digital Banking → Crypto → DeFi → Stablecoins? 🔔 Follow me & turn on notifs — fresh content every day at 11:11 AM GST! #100DaysOfBanking #ThinkingInPublic

@Yax22 @blockchainbalak @AnkittGaur @asal_alizade @btcxsay