Celebrating the 100th episode of Couchonomics With Arjun with a special guest, Mr. FinTech himself, Sopnendu Mohanty, Chairman of the Board at Elevandi and Chief FinTech Officer at the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). In our humble opinion, he's been the chief catalyst in turning Singapore into a FinTech powerhouse.

In this part of our 100th-episode special, Sopnendu and Arjun explore significant shifts in the FinTech landscape, including the evolution of digital assets and CBDCs, the impact of AI, and Singapore’s initiatives for a seamless digital finance ecosystem and cross-border payments.  

They also discuss Singapore’s role in the FinTech ecosystem and the upcoming 9th edition of the Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF), which has become one of the most influential FinTech events globally.

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Today we’re joined by Sitoyo Lopokoiyit, CEO of M-PESA Africa, who has played a pivotal role in growing M-PESA across 8 African markets. 

Sitoyo shares the fascinating story behind M-PESA’s evolution from a mobile money service into a full-fledged digital ecosystem, empowering consumers, businesses, and developers through an open API program. 

We also covered:

- The role of regulation in fintech

- Cross-border payments and cost reduction

- The adoption of blockchain and AI  

- Balancing innovation and competition with open architecture 

- The future of CBDCs in Africa  

- National payment infrastructure players and their impact

Don't miss this insightful conversation on how M-PESA is reshaping financial inclusion across Africa and leading the fintech revolution. 

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Joining us on the latest episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, all the way from Tbilisi, Georgia, is Salim Dhanani, founder and CEO of PaveBank—the world’s first programmable bank. 

In our conversation, Salim explains how PaveBank is shaping the future of financial services by leveraging blockchain and smart contracts to revolutionize trust and eliminate counterparty risks. We also dive into why they adopted the full reserve banking model, the impact of tokenization, and how evolving regulations are influencing the fintech space.

Tune in to discover what it means to be the world’s first programmable bank and hear about Pave Bank's exciting plans for the future!

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India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has broken records yet again, processing over 15 billion transactions in September alone—setting the global standard for faster payments.

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, we dive into the incredible success of UPI with Ritesh Shukla, CEO of NPCI International. Ritesh shares insights on how he's taking India's groundbreaking digital payments system to the world stage.

Beyond UPI, we explore:

🛋️ Key trends reshaping the payments industry  

🛋️ The evolution of faster payments  

🛋️ The GCC’s rapid adoption of digital payments  

🛋️ The rise of CBDCs  

🛋️ NPCI’s game-changing collaborations with fintechs  

This is a must-listen for anyone interested in payments, the rise of national payment infrastructure, how NPCI is pushing boundaries in payments both in India and worldwide, and much more.

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In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, we're joined by Rahul Banerjee, Founder & CEO of Bondblox, to explore the future of bond trading. Rahul shares how Bondblox is transforming access to bonds, opening up opportunities for retail investors in a market traditionally controlled by institutions.

Arjun and Rahul discuss the rapid growth of the bond market, particularly in Asia, and how technology is playing a key role in bridging the gap between institutional and individual investors. If you're curious about the bond market's impact on your wealth or interested in the latest financial innovations, this conversation is one you won’t want to miss!

Tune in to gain a fresh perspective on bonds and finance in the modern era.

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Over the past 8 months, we have had the privilege of engaging in insightful conversations with some of the top minds from our industry, and I'm excited to share these valuable nuggets with you. So here is a roundup of the most effective insights shared by leading experts in the banking and fintech sectors.

#Banking #Fintech #IndustryInsights #Strategy #ExpertAdvice #FinancialServices

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In this episode of #CouchonomicswithArjun, we're joined by Deepak Mehra, Chief Economist at Commercial Bank of Dubai. 🎙️

We explore the megatrends that are shaping our world—from the impact of AI and environmental changes to the challenges posed by aging populations across various countries. 🌍

Our conversation covers the complexities of wealth management, trading strategies, and the best approaches to investing in today’s unpredictable markets. 💹

We also take a closer look at the economies of the UAE and Saudi Arabia, discussing their reliance on fossil fuels and their ongoing efforts to diversify. 🇦🇪 🇸🇦

Lastly, we touch on the inspiration behind Deepak's latest book, 'Think Like a Golfer, Win Like a Golfer.' ⛳📖

Tune in to gain insights that could shape your financial future.

#Investing #WealthManagement #AI #Sustainability #Economics #UAE #SaudiArabia #FinancialFuture #Banking #trading #fossilfuel 

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FULL EPISODE - AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY IN AUDIO ONLY

In this episode, Arjun engages in a fascinating conversation with Mikhail Lomtadze, CEO and co-founder of Kaspi, the groundbreaking super app that is transforming daily life in Kazakhstan and beyond. 

Mikhail shares Kaspi's journey from traditional banking and financial services to becoming a super app that offers everything from shopping and payments to government services and even marriage registrations—all within one platform.

They explore the mission behind Kaspi's innovative mobile services, the challenges faced in its early stages, and how Kaspi is adding value to consumers' lives by making everyday activities more accessible, affordable, and convenient. 

With over 14 million users, Kaspi is one of the most engaging applications globally, setting a new standard for digital transformation in the financial and service industries.

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In this episode, Arjun sits down with Roger Rouhana, CEO of Alpheya, to explore the future of wealth management in the MENA region.

Their conversation delves into global wealth and asset management trends, highlighting the growing demand for innovative digital solutions and the crucial role of robo-advisors in making wealth management more accessible.

They also discuss Alpheya's mission and foundation, the evolving landscape of wealth management in the GCC region, and the impact of trading apps on the wealth tech industry. 

Don’t miss our insightful discussion on how technology is reshaping the world of wealth management. Tune in now!

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Digital Leadership: Embracing the New Tech Age

This week, we sit down with Pedro Sousa Cardoso, Chief Digital Officer at Emirates NBD, to explore the state of banking in the UAE. We have an in-depth conversation on the evolving role of CDOs, increasing collaboration between banks and fintechs, and venture building within banks, using Liv Bank as an example.

Tune in to discover how Emirates NBD is leading the charge in banking innovation.

#CouchonomicsWithArjun #DigitalTransformation #FinTech #BankingInnovation #EmiratesNBD #Banking #BaaS #BeyondBanking #CDO #Innovation

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