Before reading, check out our brand new Instagram and TikTok accounts!

In case you missed it, read last week’s issue here

Blockchain-Based Tokens Hit Wall Street

Goldman Sachs and BNY Mellon (The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation) have teamed up to issue blockchain-based tokens representing shares in money market funds via BNY’s LiquidityDirect platform. This milestone marks a significant integration of digital asset technology into traditional finance, with support from major players like BlackRock and Fidelity. This solution marks the first time in the United States that fund managers have enabled subscription for shares of their MMFs via BNY’s LiquidityDirect platform. Other big banks and asset managers are also exploring the use of tokenization. Apollo partnered with Securitize back in January to launch a feeder fund that would channel capital from crypto-native investors into it’s global credit fund.

Why it matters: Goldman and BNY are signaling that blockchain isn’t just for crypto - it’s being imbedded into mainstream finance by doing this with widely used products such as money market funds.

Tip: Understanding tokenization and blockchain infrastructure is becoming just as important as understanding Excel and financial statements. This isn’t about crypto speculation — it’s about modernizing how the financial system operates. Learn how tokenized assets work and follow how institutions adopt them.

UBS Banking on Wealth Management

UBS is accelerating efforts to scale its wealth business to a $5 trillion AUM goal by 2028. With a current base of $4.2 trillion, the firm is sharpening its U.S. focus in many aspects. Just last year they applied for a expanded U.S. banking license. Just a few days ago UBS announced a long-term strategic partnership with LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group) to adopt advanced data, analytics, and AI tools across its business lines. This tech collaboration equips UBS’s wealth management arm with insights-driven advisory capabilities and enhanced operational agility. After completely beefing up their wealth management arm, UBS is making the possibility of their AUM to scale to $5 trillion by 2028 extremely possible.

Especially after taking a look at UBS’s 2025 Q2 returns where they reported a net profit of $2.4 billion in Q2 2025—more than double the previous year and above expectations. Its global wealth management unit contributed to this surge, with $23 billion in net new assets and a 12% rise in transaction-based income, underscoring strong client demand and healthy growth in the franchise

Student Takeaway: UBS is showing how a bank can reinvent itself by focusing on high-margin, stable revenue streams—in this case, wealth management. For us students, this is a real-time example of strategic focus: rather than chasing risky investment banking profits, UBS is leaning into advisory services that offer consistent fees and long-term client relationships.

Definition: Return on Equity (ROE) is a financial ratio that measures how effectively a company uses its shareholders' equity to generate net income (profit). It essentially tells investors how much profit a company makes for every dollar of equity invested by shareholders.

Formula:

ROE = Net Income / Shareholders’ Equity

Example:

Let’s say Company X has the following financials for the year:

ROE = 10 Million / 50 million = 0.20 or %20

Interpretation:
For every $1.00 of shareholder equity, the company generated $0.20 in profit — that’s considered strong ROE, depending on the industry.

Why ROE Matters: High ROE suggests efficient use of equity capital to grow profits while Low or declining ROE might point to inefficiency, debt overuse, or profit erosion. Investors and analysts use ROE to compare profitability across companies, especially in the same sector.

Mistake: Giving generic or rehearsed answers

Why it’s a problem:
When candidates rely on clichés like “I’m a perfectionist” or recite overly polished answers, it signals a lack of self-awareness and authenticity. Interviewers are trained to see through rehearsed responses—they want to hear real experiences, not textbook lines.

What to do instead:
Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to tell clear, honest stories about your past experiences. Be specific, reflective, and even willing to share small failures—paired with what you learned. That shows maturity and coach ability.

In finance, raw numbers aren't enough. Whether you're pitching a deal, presenting a budget, or building a model, your value often comes from your ability to explain what the numbers mean and why they matter—especially to non-finance stakeholders like clients, executives, or cross-functional teams.

Practice breaking down your analysis into simple insights: What changed? Why? What should happen next? Use charts, analogies, or simple summaries to turn complex data into a compelling narrative. This ability will set you apart in interviews, presentations, and day-to-day work.

Finance isn't just about calculating numbers — it's about interpreting them and making them actionable. Executives, clients, or colleagues in operations or marketing may not care that EBITDA increased 12% unless you can explain:

That’s where storytelling comes in.

The world of finance is competitive, fast-moving, and full of smart people who can build models or memorize ratios. What will set you apart isn't just your technical ability — it's how you think critically, communicate clearly, and stay relentlessly curious. Whether you’re reading earnings reports, preparing for interviews, or building content for students, always ask yourself: “What does this mean, and how can I explain it better?” That mindset will turn you into not just a great candidate, but a great communicator — and ultimately, a great professional.

Next semester is right around the corner, just weeks for most of us. Refine your knowledge and skills, get ahead of everyone early on. Impress your professors. Get excited.

Welcome to Campus Capital. Each week, we’ll break down the finance world in 5 minutes or less.
Got feedback or questions? Hit reply and let us know what you want to learn.

Share with a friend: Know someone interested in finance? Forward this to them!

My name is Braunsen Bax, I’m a honors finance and accounting student-athlete at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois (45 mins outside of Chicago). I graduated from Walton High School in Marietta Georgia. Outside of the classroom I compete in the throws events for the Track & Field team, 35 time NCAA DIII national champions. I’ve had a love of finance and the business world since my sophomore year of high school and started Campus Capital to share that love with my community and like minded individuals in a similar position, with similar goals. My mission is to help people like me shape their futures to ensure they reach their goals while being up to date and educated in the Finance industry.