At 11:FS, we don’t just talk digital - we make it happen. We're building truly digital financial services by partnering with bold teams to take them from market insights to real-world products. Whether you're an incumbent innovating or a startup breaking new ground, we bring the strategy, research, design, and delivery to make it real. Less talk, more impact.Proud winners of the British Bank Award for Consultancy of the Year - five times and counting.

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About this episode:

Host Laura Watkins, Director of Media & Marketing, 11:FS is joined by a fantastic panel of guests as we dive into some of the biggest stories from the worlds of fintech, banking, and wider financial services this week.

Stories covered on the podcast:

Global Payments is buying Worldpay, also selling its Issuer Solutions unit to FIS in a major two-part deal which once closed is expected to turn Global Payments into a streamlined, pure-play merchant solutions company with boosted enterprise and e-commerce capabilities. Saudi Arabia has surpassed the UAE to drive Venture Capital funding in the MENA region to its highest levels since 2023. Circle, the company behind the USDC stablecoin is set to launch a cross border payments network in the coming weeks as they gear up for a long awaited IPO. Haboo money has partnered with Griffin to launch a "save as you repay" wallet scheme. British mid-sized lender Shawbrook has made a tentative £5 billion approach to a merger with digital bank Starling, as it explores alternatives to a lukewarm IPO market. We’re also looking at some of the most overused ‘buzzwords’ in Fintech, checking out some of the ones you could be using instead.

This week's guests:

Timestamps/stories:

Intro - (00:00)

Global Payments to acquire Worldpay in $24bn deal - (05:28)

Saudi Arabia, UAE lead MENA VC funding to highest since 2023 - (18:01)

Circle to launch Stablecoin-powered Cross-Border payments network in May - (31:48)

haboo money partners with Griffin - (43:18)

Shawbrook weighs alternative to float with £5bn Starling merger approach - (55:03)

The most overused buzzwords in fintech and what to say instead - (59:14)

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Links to check out:

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About Fintech Insider:

Fintech Insider by 11:FS is a bi-weekly podcast that covers everything from finance and banking to technology and the latest trends in financial services.

Our expert hosts, with hands-on industry experience, are joined by key decision-makers, VCs, and top reporters from across the financial landscape, including guests from companies like Stripe, Revolut, Plaid, PayPal, and Monzo. Together, they break down the biggest news and innovations shaping the space.

Our weekly news show drops every Monday, covering major stories like mergers, new product launches, regulatory shifts, and emerging tech trends. On Thursdays, our Insights show goes deeper into the hottest topics driving the future of finance, including AI in banking, decentralised finance, and the evolving landscape of embedded finance.

Whether you're already in the fintech game or just starting to explore, this is the #1 podcast for you.

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