The GENIUS Act brings regulatory clarity to stablecoins, but Conduit CEO Kirill Gertman argues that clarity alone won't guarantee success. Banks face a choice between building their own infrastructure or becoming the pipes for others.

Kirill Gertman has watched the stablecoin industry evolve from multiple angles. He spent nearly two decades in financial services before founding Conduit in 2021, including six years in crypto and a stint as VP of product at BRD, which became Coinbase Wallet. His company grew 16x in 2024 by solving a practical problem: businesses in emerging markets were accumulating stablecoins to hedge against local currency volatility but couldn't use those balances in their day-to-day operations. Conduit now works with tier-one banks and multinational corporations, processing billions in cross-border payments. And with the GENIUS Act bringing the first comprehensive regulatory framework for stablecoins in the United States, Gertman argues the legislation's passage raises as many strategic questions as it answers—particularly for banks that have been sitting on the sidelines.

Today, we'll explore why the GENIUS Act matters, the critical difference between stablecoins and deposit tokens, what strategy banks should actually pursue, and where Gertman sees the industry heading as major players race to build vertically integrated stacks.

Why every bank now needs a stablecoin strategy (whether they like it or not)

This track asks the question everyone is thinking: How can we own the future when we can't even pay rent today? "Who Owns Tomorrow?" contrasts the shiny promise of innovation with the gritty reality of credit card debt. It’s an anthem for the "product of the future" who can't afford to evolve, a frantic realization that the problem isn't in the stars, it's right here.

A fast-paced Industrial Post-Punk track about the cost of the future.

[Verse]

Wanna be
A futurist
But all my dreams
Were repossessed
The problem's here
Not in the stars
Can't innovate
With credit cards

[Chorus]

So who owns tomorrow
'Cause I can't pay my rent today
I can't pay my rent today
Yeah
Who owns tomorrow
'Cause I can't pay my rent today
I can't pay my rent today

[Verse 2]

Yeah
Come on
Isn't life wonderful?
I don't want a lot
I just want it all
But I can't afford to evolve
So I'll have to settle for what I bought
Yeah
Isn't life wonderful?
I don't want a lot
I just want it all
But I can't afford to evolve
So I'll have to settle for what I bought

[Chorus]

Who owns tomorrow
'Cause I can't pay my rent today
I can't pay my rent today
Yeah
Who owns tomorrow
'Cause I can't pay my rent today
I can't pay my rent today

[Bridge]

Where is my piece of the future?
I'm the product of the future
They say that everything is moving
And we gotta keep moving

[Chorus]

Who owns tomorrow
'Cause I can't pay my rent today
I can't pay my rent today
Who owns tomorrow
'Cause I can't pay my rent today
I can't pay my rent today


Conduit - Who Owns Tomorrow

This dystopian anthem explores the collapse of modern society and the desperate wish to hit rewind. Blaming industrialization and the war machine for our current disarray, "1969" expresses a longing to travel back to a symbolic turning point, before the machines began to design, to rewrite history and save the future.

A genre-bending, time-travel anthem about escaping the machine age.

Klezmer stabs, surf guitars, alien synths, and anti-dystopian bangers.

[Verse]

What's wrong with society
They always put the blame on me
They think that I'm an oddity
But they're the ones who built machines
They did it for the industry
That left us in a poverty
They used it for the weaponry
That's caused us such a tragedy

[Pre-Chorus]

Oh
What's wrong with society
I wish I had a time machine

[Chorus]

So I could go back to 1969
Before the machines began to design
And I would say the future is mine
And this time
We'll do it right

[Verse 2]

What's wrong with the world today
The damage and the disarray
The wars and the climate change
The planet's in dismay

[Pre-Chorus]

Oh
What's wrong with society
I wish I had a time machine

[Chorus]

So I could go back to 1969
Before the machines began to design
And I would say the future is mine
And this time
We'll do it right
Oh
Go back to 1969
Before the machines began to design
And I would say the future is mine
And this time
We'll do it right

Conduit - Time Machine

"Burning" captures a rare lightning-in-a-bottle moment: the raw aggression of Distorted Punk recorded with the legendary soul and precision of Muscle Shoals. Clocking in at 155 BPM, this instrumental track replaces the vocalist with a 1959 Gibson Les Paul, delivering smoky, emotive lines through a cranked Fender Tweed Deluxe.

Conduit - Burning (Instrumental)

A hypnotic Post-Punk track about the sacred ritual of morning coffee.

"Caffeine.exe" is a raw, angular Post-Punk fusion that mimics the jittery rush of a morning brew. Anchored by a steady motorik beat and a fuzzy, melodic slash-bass line, the track builds from a hypnotic feedback drone into a frantic, driving rhythm.

We all know the feeling: shuffling through the morning like a zombie until that sacred liquid hits your system. This track turns the daily ritual of coffee into a glitchy, digital awakening. Blending humor with a driving post-punk beat, "Caffeine.exe" is the soundtrack for booting up your brain when the alarm bell rings.

Motorik beats, jagged guitars, gang vocals, and dark roasts.

[Verse]

The beans are grinding
My morning alarm bell
I rise with steam
Like meditation incense
I sit on my bed
It's only been ten minutes

[Prechorus]

And my roommate says

[Chorus]

"First sip and I'm
Finally awake
Caffeine.exe has been initiated"
And then I'm off
Moving through my day
Shuffling like a zombie
Til I taste that sacred

[Verse 2]

Brewed with love
It hits just right
From my favorite mug
I'm feelin' fine
What I'm made of
Watch me come alive

[Prechorus]

And my coworker says

[Chorus]

"First sip and I'm
Finally awake
Caffeine.exe has been initiated"
And then I'm off
Moving through my day
Shuffling like a zombie
Til I taste that sacred coffee

Conduit - Caffeine.exe

This track is a cheeky, high-speed critique of how freedom dies in the backroom. Exploring the "blueprint" of a society run by yes-men and red pens, it contrasts the terrifying reality of a "quiet country" with a fun-loving, infectious rhythm. It’s a song about tearing up the rules in the dead of night and singing out loud until the ink runs dry.

Dance-Punk anthem about the bureaucracy of control.

[Verse 1]

Somewhere in a backroom under dead white lights, They’re drawing little boxes for the rest of our lives. Lines on paper, red pen through your name, Saying “You don’t work here if you don’t play our game.” They don’t need sirens, they don’t need tanks, Just a thousand loyal hands and a list at the banks.

[Pre-Chorus]

It’s not a coup on the evening news, It’s a memo that says what you’re allowed to lose. Some doors locked, some truths denied, And all they had to do was “revise the guide.”

[Chorus]

This is the blueprint for a quiet country, Where the loudest ones sit in the front row comfy. They rewrite rules in the dead of night, So you wake up wondering why this feels so tight. If they say “trust us, it’s gonna be fine,” Read the small print at the end of the line. This is the blueprint for a quiet country — I don’t wanna live that kind of lullaby.

[Verse 2]

They got a plan for every single desk you see, Fire the ones who answer back, hire who agrees. Call it “order,” call it “cleaning house,” While they chase every whistle, every mouse. Push out the lifers who know where the bones are, Bring in the yes-men who’ll carry it too far.

[Pre-Chorus]

No need to shout when you own the mic, Just tilt the stage and dim the lights. When the referees are all your friends, You can call the fouls and never make amends.

[Chorus]

This is the blueprint for a quiet country, Where the loudest ones sit in the front row comfy. They rewrite rules in the dead of night, So you wake up wondering why this feels so tight. If they say “trust us, it’s gonna be fine,” Read the small print at the end of the line. This is the blueprint for a quiet country — I don’t wanna live that kind of lullaby.

[Bridge]

Maybe freedom doesn’t end with gunshots, Maybe it ends when nobody talks. When you bite your tongue at the office door, ‘Cause you’re scared they’ll mark your file once more. But I’ve seen hands slam on the table, I’ve heard “No” when it wasn’t “stable.” If they wanna write our story this way, We can still grab the pen today.

[Breakdown – spoken/sung]

Don’t tell me I’m overreacting, When the erasers move faster than facts and… Every page that they quietly file Is another little cut to the common mile.

[Chorus (last)]

This is the blueprint for a quiet country, They’re humming us to sleep, calling it trusty. But I hear cracks in the hallway walls, Voices rising through the painted halls. If they say “hush now, we’ll do the thinking,” That’s the moment we should all stop blinking. Tear that blueprint open to the sky, We’re not ready for their quiet goodbye.

[Outro]

So here’s my line in the margin, rough and raw, “Power serves the people, not the other way at all.” If they design a future where we just comply, We’ll sing it out loud ‘til their ink runs dry.

Conduit - The blueprint for a quiet country

Turn the volume up. This is a high-energy punk rock anthem for anyone tired of watching the world go to pot. Driving drums, distorted power chords, and raw vocals collide in a fast-paced track built for shouting along.

Fast tempo. Power chords. No filters. A raw punk rock track about a world that’s gone off the rails.

[Verse 1]
Somewhere along the way
Something got fucked up
Somewhere along the way
Someone got corrupted
It seems like every day
The world's going to pot
And it's only getting worse

[Chorus]
I swear
This world's a fucking mess
It just ain't fair
I'm not trying to be a pest
But don't you dare
Try and put me to the test
Cause this world's a fucking mess

[Instrumental]

[Verse 2]
Somewhere along the way
Things went off the rails
We put a clown in charge
And he's full of tall tales
I don't know who to trust
Or what's fake news
I just know
I don't want to end up in a cell

[Chorus]
I swear
This world's a fucking mess
It just ain't fair
I'm not trying to be a pest
But don't you dare
Try and put me to the test
Cause this world's a fucking mess

[Instrumental]

Conduit - This World's A F**king Mess

"Not From Here" is a swirling Post-Punk trip through economic anxiety. Opening with a wall of feedback and a wah-heavy bass groove, the track uses phaser-drenched guitars and reverse cymbals to create a space that feels both expansive and claustrophobic.

Blending the grit of Garage Rock with the textures of Neo-Psych, it builds into a chorus of layered gang vocals that cry out against a system rigged from the start. It’s atmospheric, raw, and heavy with delay.

[Verse]
I am not from here
My days are slow
We all get along
Do you think you can get on?

[Pre-Chorus]
Try not to interfere

[Chorus]
We get what we want
And we know what we want
We know what we need
So tell me what you need

[Verse 2]
We got so much work to do
I guess it isn't work if it's what we love to do
You can join the ride if you think you're one of us

[Pre-Chorus]
You should have no fear

[Chorus]
We get what we want
And we know what we want
We know what we need
So tell me what you need

Conduit - Not From Here

This track is a wake-up call for a generation waiting on a savior or a lottery ticket to fix their lives. "Modern Problems" critiques the status quo and the apathy of those "diggin' their own hole." It’s a gritty Garage Rock reflection on how we cope when there is no end in sight, and the realization that the only way out is to save yourself.

A swirling Dance-Punk anthem about anxiety, apathy, and the status quo.

[Verse 1]
People holdin' up the status quo
Cryin'
"Oh no
We won't let go"
Now
Everybody's sufferin' in the same boat
They'd rather not know
They're diggin' their own hole
Now you're waitin' on a Saviour to appear
Or the lottery to fix your life
There's gotta be another way out of here
You gotta be your own Saint Peter tonight

[Chorus]
Modern problems
They are just so
So
Modern problems
How do we cope?
Modern problems
No end in sight
How do we make it through the night?

[Verse 2]
People screamin' that the world's not fair
With no clue how they got there
And all the lies that they've been fed for years
Are in one ear and out the other ear
Now you're waitin' on a Saviour to appear
Or the lottery to fix your life
There's gotta be another way out of here
You gotta be your own Saint Peter tonight

[Chorus]
Modern problems
They are just so
So
Modern problems
How do we cope?
Modern problems
No end in sight
How do we make it through the night?

[Bridge]
All your hopes and dreams
Hang on a thread
You better wake up now
Or you'll wake up dead

[Chorus]
Modern problems
They are just so
So
Modern problems
How do we cope?
Modern problems
No end in sight
How do we make it through the night?

Conduit - Modern Problems

"Miracle" is a high-octane Pop-Rock anthem built on driving drum beats and prominent electric guitar riffs. With a major key melody and a fast tempo, this track is pure adrenaline.

Featuring a clear, energetic mix and a raspy female vocal performance, it balances rhythmic riffs with spacious melodic fills. It’s a direct, uplifting rocker that feels like winning the lottery and landing on your feet at the same time.

[Verse 1]
I could move a mountain with my hands tied behind my back
And I could make the sun shine with the rain coming down like that
You could say it don't make sense
You could call it happenstance
But the fact I'm standing here makes it all too clear

[Chorus]
It's a miracle
Miracle
One in a million chance
Somebody must have had a plan, must have had a hand in it all
Miracle
Miracle
You're the kind of dream that can't come true
But somehow you do
You're a miracle

[Verse 2]
I could get my history and learn to act my age
I could make my mama proud, change my life around
I could fall from the sky and land on my feet
Win the lottery
And that's nothing compared to what you are to me

[Chorus]
You're a miracle
Miracle
One in a million chance
Somebody must have had a plan, must have had a hand in it all
Miracle
Miracle
You're the kind of dream that can't come true
But somehow you do
You're a miracle

[Bridge]
It's not a dream
It's not a lie
I don't even have to try

[Chorus]
It's a miracle
Miracle
One in a million chance
Somebody must have had a plan, must have had a hand in it all
Miracle
Miracle
You're the kind of dream that can't come true
But somehow you do
You're a miracle

This is a song about defying the odds. Whether it's moving mountains with hands tied or making the sun shine in the rain, "Miracle" celebrates that one-in-a-million connection that defies logic. It’s an anthemic declaration that love is the only luck you need.

Conduit - Miracle

This track explores the inevitable decay of hope and the realization that the wheels have finally come undone. Exploring themes of aging, isolation, and the exposure of our darkest secrets, "On a Long Enough Timeline" is a cynical look at mortality. It asks the question: Was I chosen, or was this just a joke? The answer is buried in the smoke. 

A dark Velvet-Trip soundscape about the inevitability of the end.

Sub-bass, goth guitars, whispered vocals, and noir aesthetics.

Lyrics:

[Intro]

[Verse 1]
Is it the end or just the intro
I could have been a hero or an old joke
Was I chosen, was it spoken
I have to know
On a long enough timeline we all get the smoke
I need to know

[Chorus]
The road's gone on too long
The wheels have come undone
The rearview mirror's lost its reflection
I wish I was still young
I wish I still had some hope that my voice mattered or it would make a difference
So I carry on
And I hold on
Till they come and take me home
Take me home

[Post-Chorus]
Take me home

[Verse 2]
Can you hear me, am I fading
I need to know
On a long enough timeline
We all die alone
I need to know

[Chorus]
The road's gone on too long
The wheels have come undone
The rearview mirror's lost its reflection
I wish I was still young
I wish I still had some hope that my voice mattered or it would make a difference
So I carry on
And I hold on
Till they come and take me home
Take me home

[Post-Chorus]
Take me home

[Bridge]
The door's closed, it's too late
But there's something I need to say
They got the best of us and I need to know
If there's a hell below we're all gonna go
And on a long enough timeline
We all get exposed

[Chorus]
The road's gone on too long
The wheels have come undone
The rearview mirror's lost its reflection
I wish I was still young
I wish I still had some hope that my voice mattered or it would make a difference
So I carry on
And I hold on
Till they come and take me home
Take me home

[Outro]
Take me home

Conduit - On a Long Enough Timeline

This track is an unfiltered look at what it means to be people. We run away, we lie, we miss our friends, and we miss who we used to be. "Humans" is a reminder that beneath the surface, we are all equally brave and equally small. It’s a plea for empathy in a world where everyone has "so far to go."

An emotional Alternative anthem about the shared struggle of being human.

[Verse 1]

People grow and change, people run away
We don't see them anymore
People out their eyes, people out and lie
People break like cheap decor

[Pre-Chorus]

Sometimes we forget that humans are the same
So much more the same than we know

[Chorus]

People are so brave, people are so small
People have so far to go
So be kind
Be kind
Be kind

[Verse 2]

People miss their flight, people miss their friends
People drink a little more
People miss their dad, people miss their mom
People miss who they were before

[Pre-Chorus]

Sometimes we forget that humans are the same
So much more the same than we know

[Chorus]

People are so brave, people are so small
People have so far to go
So be kind
Be kind
Be kind
Be kind
Be kind
Be kind

[Instrumental]

[Chorus]

Be kind
Be kind
Be kind
Be kind
Be kind
Be kind

Conduit - Humans

A driving, distorted Rock track about exposing lies and taking back control.

"The Truth Hurts" is a high-energy Rock anthem driven by a relentless rhythm section and heavily distorted guitars. With a powerful, urgent vocal performance and a tight, punchy low end, this song builds from a tense verse into an explosive chorus. It’s a spacious yet direct rock track about the moment the facade crumbles.

This track is a confrontation. It’s about realizing it was all a ruse, the clues, the control, and the "news" spun into gold. "The Truth Hurts" channels the anger of being manipulated and the catharsis of finally finding out the truth. It explores the breakdown of trust and the refusal to stay on your knees any longer.

[Verse]

Was it all a ruse
Just to keep me on my knees
You left me all these clues
Was it only make-believe

[Pre-Chorus]

Did you really think I wouldn't find out

[Chorus]

The truth hurts
Now I'm pullin' back the curtain
I've unearthed
Everything that you were certain I would never learn
But the truth hurts

[Verse 2]

It was in the news
How you spun it into gold
Who do you abuse
Tell me who else you control

[Pre-Chorus]

Did you really think I wouldn't find out

[Chorus]

The truth hurts
Now I'm pullin' back the curtain
I've unearthed
Everything that you were certain I would never learn
But the truth hurts

Conduit - The Truth Hurts

A driving Alternative Rock anthem about the lies we tell and the noise that fills the silence.

This track explores the danger of complacency and the lies we tell ourselves to keep the peace. "Radio Noises" is about the realization that "20 years of peace" might just be a dangerous notion. It’s a fast-paced, reflective look at losing parts of yourself to the ocean of time while trying to find clarity in the sound of us.

[Instrumental]

[Verse 1]

Everything's the same but the radio noise is
20 years of peace what a dangerous notion
My heart's got a knife in it open
Open
All the lies you tell I don't notice
Everything is clear
It's the sound of us
20 years of fear and I just know what I want

[Instrumental]

[Verse 2]

What a time to be alive
I was there for the moment
Every day I lose another part of the ocean
Every day a new set of lights at the station
All the lies I tell I still believe in them
Everything is clear
It's the sound of us
20 years of fear and I just know what I want

[Instrumental]


Conduit - Radio Noise

Tearsheet is news, opinion, and analysis on the business of finance.

Candid conversations with senior executives, fintech entrepreneurs, investors, industry experts -- all weigh in on the trends impacting the industry and the disruptive impact technology is having on the business.

Where social media, technology and finance intersect.

Post-punk / alt-indie rock formed in the 90s → recently revived with new releases of old and new material. Raw guitars, lo-fi edge, melodic hooks, and protest-leaning themes. Full new album live now.

Formed in 1989 as various other names until we settled on Conduit in the early 1990's. Started jamming in a chicken coop, recorded music on a 4-track reel-to-reel, evolved to digital technology, Cakewalk, Acid Loops, etc... in the 1990-2000's.

New tracks tagged #Conduit