Canaccord analyst Joseph Vafi said the strategic value of Green Dot's (GDOT) franchises in consumer and enterprise payments "remains quite real" and he thinks analysts and investors "cannot but help to turn their attention to a potential strategic alternatives discussion" given the increased competitive pressures in the consumer business and the recent retirements of its CEO and CFO. In that context, he said he doesn't see Green Dot as a great strategic fit for PayPal (PYPL), given his belief that PayPal is not really interested in providing full bank-like services. However, Square (SQ) is contemplating a bank charter and is "ready for an enterprise business," contends Vafi, who thinks that perhaps the biggest pushback to the argument of Square buying Green Dot would be near-term dilution to the revenue growth of the combined business. Vafi keeps a Hold rating on Green Dot shares but increased his price target on the stock to $29 from $24.

As bitcoin, ethereum and other cryptocurrencies get increasing attention from investors, Wall Street and its traditional banks continue to adjust to the shift. Catch up on... To see the rest of the story go to thefly.com. See Story Here