Payments Are Eating The World!
This week on the #couch, we had the chance to speak with Daumantas Grigaravicius, the new Head of the Middle East Region at Adyen.
We had an insightful conversation about the current trends in payments, both regionally and globally, and the transformative power of payment orchestration. 

Join us as we explore the changing face of payments and consumer experiences in the Middle East and beyond. 

 #Couchonomics #Payments #Innovation #DigitalPayments #BNPL #PaymentOrchestration #Fintech #MiddleEast #Adyen #DigitalAssets #FutureOfFinance


Couchonomics with Arjun Season 03 is brought to you by our partners:
Adyen https://www.adyen.com/
ToYou https://toyou.io/ar
Mastercard https://mastercard.com/
Thunes https://thunes.com/
M2P https://m2pfintech.com/

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How Stable Are Stablecoins? 
In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, recorded live at the Singapore FinTech Festival in partnership with Founders Peak, we chat with Dante Disparte, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Policy at Circle. Dante shares how Circle is using digital assets like USDC (Stablecoin) and EURC to build a more inclusive financial system.
Innovation is changing the way we think about global finance—tune in to learn more.

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Kicking off a special series of Couchonomics with Arjun, recorded live at the Singapore FinTech Festival 2024 in collaboration with Founders Peak! 🛋️

In this first episode, we welcome Nate Clark, CEO of GoTyme Bank, to talk about the future of digital banking in the Philippines and beyond. We dive into the Filipino financial services sector, the rise of fintech, the impact of AI on banking, and so much more.

Tune in for Nate's insights on digital banking's future and how GoTyme is leading the charge!

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Super apps are the talk of the town and in the latest episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, we’re diving into this hot topic with Kaniyet Rayev, CEO of Boxo. Based in Kazakhstan and Singapore, Kaniyet leads Boxo—a platform that empowers apps to become super apps by seamlessly integrating e-commerce, travel, and financial services.

We cover the rise of super apps, Boxo’s innovative mini-app tech, and the future of digital innovation across global markets.

Watch now! ▶️📺

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The latest episode of Couchonomics with Arjun is now live from Riyadh, in collaboration with Jeel, Riyad Bank’s innovation center. Joining us are Morrad Irsane and Sharene Lee, co-founders of Takadao, a company redefining insurance through #blockchain and #Web3 technology. Their vision? To create a decentralized, transparent alternative to traditional insurance that aligns with #IslamicFinance principles and empowers underserved communities.

Tune in now to discover how Takadao is changing the narrative with ethical, technology-driven solutions for community support! This episode is available on all platforms

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• Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
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Couchonomics with Arjun is beaming its inaugural episode from its new home in KSA, at Jeel, Riyadh Banks Innovation Center in the heart of Riyadh. 

Our guest for this week’s special episode is Maher Loubieh, Co-Founder & CEO of Hala. During this episode, Maher shares Hala’s incredible journey from its beginnings as a peer-to-peer payment platform to then pivoting their business model to focus on the MSME sector in Saudi Arabia. We discuss Hala's strategic pivots, the trials and tribulations of evolving one's business model, the challenges of serving small businesses, and their vision for building a robust financial ecosystem tailored to MSMEs' unique needs.

Tune in for insights into Saudi Arabia's evolving fintech landscape and Hala's mission to empower local businesses!

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• Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
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This week on #Couchonomics, Arjun sits down with Walter De Oude, the visionary Founder & CEO of Chocolate Finance—a high-yield cash management platform designed to bring better returns on idle cash.  Joining from Singapore, Walter shares his inspiring journey from launching SingLife to creating Chocolate Finance, along with his vision for empowering “lazy savers” with higher returns.

In this episode, Arjun and Walter dive into:
- The inspiration behind Chocolate Finance  
- How Chocolate Finance stands out in the market  
- The regulatory approach shaping its growth  
- Trends in FinTech, including digital assets, AI, and efficiency  
- The incredible story behind SingLife  

Catch this conversation on simplifying cash management, unlocking value for consumers, and Walter’s big plans for the future! 🎧

Watch now on YouTube or tune in on all audio platforms.

Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0

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• Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
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Exciting plans for Season 4 are already in motion, and in this 100th-episode special, Arjun takes a turn on the other side of the #couch! 

Hosting this special edition is Vuk Zlatarov, Co-founder and CEO of Poddster, who delves into Arjun’s journey behind the scenes. Vuk leads Arjun through a candid discussion about the journey of building the show, from its early days to becoming a space for the region's most insightful conversations. They explore the challenges, standout moments, and the future direction of the show as it continues to grow. 

Plus, Vuk surprises Arjun with a quiz to test how well he really knows his own show. Want to see how he did? Tune in to find out! 

Catch this unique behind-the-scenes conversation with Vuk as we celebrate 100 episodes of learning, innovation, and community! Available now on YouTube and all audio platforms 

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• Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
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We continue celebrating the 100th episode of Couchonomics with Arjun!

For this milestone episode, we’re happy to welcome back Roelant Prins, Chief Commercial Officer at Adyen. Roelant and Arjun had an interesting conversation at the end of Season 1, where we filmed a special episode in Amsterdam.
Today, Roelant joins us remotely to discuss the evolving payments landscape and explore the critical shifts happening in both Europe and the Middle East.
Catch this insightful conversation with Roelant as we celebrate 100 episodes of learning innovation, and community!

Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0

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• Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
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We’re celebrating the 100th episode with the return of Ramana Kumar, CEO of Magnati! Ramana first joined us in Season 1, and now he’s back to share how Magnati has evolved into a leading cloud-based payments company.

In this special episode, we explore the shift to tech-driven payments, the rise of embedded finance, cross-border payment challenges in the MENA region, the role of CBDCs, and the potential of stablecoins in transaction banking. Plus, how Magnati is navigating the regulatory landscape across the UAE and Saudi Arabia. 

Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0

Find us on our social media platforms:

• Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
• CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
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