Fintech Chatter: Conversations with Fintech Leaders

In this episode of Fintech Chatter, Dexter Cousins speaks with Morty Tollo, co-founder of Elbaite and Faststables.com, about the intersection of traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralised finance (DeFi). 

They discuss the evolution of Elbaite, the importance of stablecoins in solving everyday business problems, and the challenges posed by regulation and banking in the crypto space. 

Morty shares insights on the future of crypto, and his observations from Token 2049 in Singapore. The need for optionality in payment solutions paints a bright future for stablecoins in the evolving landscape of financial services.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Elbaite and Morty Tollo
02:20 Bridging TradFi and DeFi
10:22 Challenges and Successes of FastStables
17:04 The Future of Stablecoins and Banking
27:37 Connecting with Elbaite and Closing Thoughts

Find out more: https://www.faststables.com/

https://elbaite.com/au

Connect with Morty on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mortytollo/

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In this final episode on Housing Affordability, Fintech Chatter host, Dexter Cousins speaks with Dean Fraser, founder of BrickFloor.

BrickFloor aims to help "Forever Renters" through innovative property technology and fintech solutions, including a market price guarantee product that locks in a price for sellers before they go to market.

Find out more - https://brickfloor.com.au/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Housing Affordability Solutions
02:39 Understanding BrickFloor's Business Model
05:32 Navigating the Challenges of the Housing Market
08:21 Regulatory Hurdles and Product Innovation
11:08 Success Stories and Customer Experiences
17:02 Future Plans for BrickFloor

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In this episode of Fintech Chatter, host Dexter Cousins speaks with Matt McKenzie, CEO and co-founder of Nuj, a Regtech company making serious strides in the Aus$ 4trn Superannuation sector. Nuj’s plug-and-play solution streamlines workflows while ensuring compliance with all current and upcoming regulations.

The platform enables quick integration, with automated workflows, audit trails, and real-time updates.

Nuj raised a $4m seed round in early 2025 and counts Bluechip names like MUFG and AMP as clients.

Find out more - https://www.nujsuper.com/

Key topics covered in the chat:

• Nudge was founded during COVID-19 in 2020.
• The superannuation industry has significant legacy challenges.
• Client acquisition requires proving value in a slow-moving market.
• Funding strategies can include leveraging early client relationships.
• Growth in fintech requires patience and resilience.
• Remote work has become integral to Nudge's culture.
• Establishing authentic company values is crucial for team alignment.
• Hiring should focus on cultural fit and embracing collective wisdom.
• Networking within the fintech community provides valuable insights.
• Future growth at Nuj will leverage AI and technological innovations.

Connect with Matt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-mckenzie/

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Another instalment of our series on Housing Affordability! In this episode, Dexter speaks with OSQO CEO Stuart McGregor on how they're using Blockchain technology to solve housing affordability and the last frontier of finance yet to be adapted for the internet - Debt!

Starting with deposit gap loans - Stuart shares his bold and ambitious vision https://depositgaploans.com/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Housing Affordability Challenges
01:21 Osco's Innovative Approach to Home Ownership
02:51 The Role of Technology in Fintech Solutions
08:19 Navigating Regulatory Challenges in Fintech
11:53 The Evolution of Osco's Business Model
15:02 Future Opportunities and Market Adaptation
21:11 Connecting Capital Supply and Demand for Home Ownership

Find out more - https://depositgaploans.com/

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Kicking off a new career series on Fintech Chatter, Dexter Cousins speaks with Alan Costello, employee number two at Afterpay, about his journey from the early days of the company to its current status as a global leader in the fintech space. 

As Alan reflects on 10 years with the business he shares insights on the challenges of rapid growth, the importance of timing in business, and what it was like to meet founder Nick Molnar and join the rocket ship.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Afterpay's Journey
02:59 Alan's Background and Joining Afterpay
06:28 Early Challenges and Growth Strategies
11:28 Recognizing Success and Market Timing
14:50 The Role of Relationships in Growth
17:33 Scaling the Business and Cultural Changes
19:26 The Journey of Afterpay: From Startup to Success
24:42 Navigating Challenges: Regulatory Pressures and Media Narratives
27:48 Sustaining Motivation: The Highs and Lows of Startup Life
30:43 Looking Ahead: Future Aspirations and Lessons Learned

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In this episode of Fintech Chatter, we continue our series on the challenges of housing affordability in Australia. Dexter Cousins speaks with Michael Ragavan, founder of Our Leg Up.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Housing Affordability
02:48 The Concept of OurLegUp
05:37 Innovation in Financial Products
08:37 Challenges in Product Development
12:17 Investor Relations and Capital Raising
14:21 Legal Wins and Product Feasibility
16:08 Future Plans and Market Strategy

Find out more: https://www.ourlegup.com/

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In this episode of our special series on Housing Affordability, Dexter speaks with Lynda Coker, co-founder of Co-Operty, about their innovative solution enabling fractional co-ownership of property.

Here's what's discussed.

00:00 Introduction to Housing Affordability and Co-Opity
01:51 Understanding Co-Ownership as a Solution
04:48 The Role of Parents in Home Buying
07:42 Navigating the Lending Landscape
10:49 Challenges in Integrating with Lenders
13:03 Innovative Approaches to Property Ownership
15:29 Future Roadmap for Co-Operty
18:26 Fractional Property Ownership

Find out more about Co-operty https://co-operty.com/

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In this episode of Fintech Chatter, host Dexter Cousins speaks with Ritchie Cotton, co-founder of Valiant Finance, about the company's journey over the past decade. 

Key Talking Points

• Valiant connects small businesses with the right finance options.
• The company has helped nearly 25,000 small businesses with over $2bn in funding.
• How Ritchie and Co-founder Alex Molloy met and the genesis for Valiant.
• Building one of the best working environments in Fintech.
• Valiant's push into embedded finance solutions.
• Getting the right combination of technology and human touch.
• How COVID-19 was a pivotal moment for Valiant.
• Valiant's plans for global expansion.
• The companies customer centric values.
• Ritchie's leadership style and focus on empowering teams and fostering collaboration.

Find out more https://www.valiantfinance.com/careers

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In this episode of Fintech Chatter, Dexter Cousins speaks with Mark Macduffie of Downsizer about the pressing issue of housing affordability in Australia. 

They discuss the challenges faced by the downsizer segment, the innovative solutions being implemented in the FinTech space, and the importance of collaboration within the industry to address these challenges. 

• Downsizer helps baby boomers find properties with zero cash deposit.
• There are 1.9 million homeowners in Australia looking to downsize.
• Downsizer has sold $168 million of property off the plan to downsizers.
• The 'bank of mum and dad' is becoming a common transaction method.
• Future plans include launching in the UK and expanding their white label technology offerings.
  
  

Find out more https://Downsizer.com.au

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In the third part of our Fixing Housing Affordability series, host Dexter Cousins speaks with Nir Golan and Robbie Baskin from Frontya.

We showcase another innovative approach to tackling housing affordability in Australia. Frontya have identified the challenges faced by first home buyers are amplified by the role of property investors.

Frontya's innovative funding model aims to double deposits for home buyers, enabling them to access the property market more effectively. On the other side of the problem they've developed a managed fund geared specifically to property investors, helping them spread their risk whilst also supporting first time buyers.

To find out more go to https://frontya.com.au/

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