In this bonus episode of the Instant Payments Podcast, host Tal Clark, CEO of Instant Financial, and Heather Heebner, head of compliance at Instant Financial, discuss the CFPB advisory opinion released December 23, 2025. The conversation delves into the current regulatory environment of earned wage access (EWA) at both the federal and state levels, the history of advisory opinions from the CFPB, and the implications for employers and EWA providers. They also explore how this new ruling affects compliance, the differences between previous advisory opinions and the current one, and what it means for the overall industry. The episode provides valuable insights for employers considering offering EWA as a benefit to their employees.

00:00 Welcome to the Instant Payments Podcast

00:33 Introducing Heather Heebner and Today's Topic

01:02 Understanding Earned Wage Access (EWA)

03:18 The CFPB's Advisory Opinions on EWA

08:44 Implications for Employers and Providers

10:40 State-Level Legislation and Its Impact

13:56 Final Thoughts and Industry Outlook

16:49 Conclusion and Contact Information

CFPB Advisory Opinion: https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_earned-wage-access-advisory-opinion_2025-12.pdf

Instant Financial: instant.co

Connect with Tal Clark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tal-clark-a60776b/

Connect with Heather Heebner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-heebner-8b59615/

Get in touch with Instant: marketing@instant.co