Cognito’s That’s What You Think Podcast #1: Ben Ford on the Evolution of Open Banking in Australia

July 11, 2025

In the debut episode of our new podcast series, That’s What You Think, host Scott Schuberg (the head of our Sydney office) sits down with Ben Ford, known across the industry as “Mr. FinTech,” to unpack the open banking landscape in Australia.

From the early days of screen scraping to today’s Consumer Data Rights framework, the episode explores why Australia’s open banking adoption still lags behind countries like the UK, and what’s needed to accelerate change. Ford argues that to truly tackle the Lazy Tax, the industry must move beyond technical jargon and focus on clear, compelling consumer messaging, especially around potential savings.

Watch the full episode to hear:

  • Why the Lazy Tax costs Australians more than they realise

  • What’s holding back open banking adoption

  • How AI and emerging FinTech players could be game changer

Full audio episode is available on Spotify and Apple 

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