In this episode, Filipe Portugal, Partner at Canary, sits down with Freddy Juez, founder and CEO of Karta — a fintech building U.S. credit cards for Latin Americans, without the need for a Social Security number or U.S. credit history.

While Karta is still in its early days, the company is already showing strong signs of product-market fit and rapid growth, fueled by a product-obsessed mindset, user-first experience, and a unique go-to-market strategy powered by partnerships and community.

Originally from Ecuador, Freddy is building a truly global business from day one: a U.S.-based company purpose-built for Brazilians and Latin American users.
It’s a rare cross-border model — one that combines bold ambition with significant operational complexity. In our conversation, we explore how Karta is navigating those challenges, why customer experience is its ultimate moat, and how Freddy’s team is leveraging stablecoins, WhatsApp, and AI to unlock new efficiencies in cross-border payments and credit access.

We also dive into Freddy’s founder journey — from early ventures in lending to the pivot that led to Karta — and how staying close to customers has been the foundation for everything from product development to growth.

Whether you’re a founder, fintech operator, or product-minded builder, or just curious about what it takes to create financial products and infrastructure for a new generation, this episode is packed with insights on how to ship quickly, iterate fast, and build trust in one of the most competitive verticals in tech.

Guest: Freddy Juez
Freddy is the founder and CEO of Karta, a fintech providing U.S.-issued credit cards to Latin American customers — without the friction of traditional banks. Born in Ecuador and now based in Miami, Freddy previously founded a lending business that grew to manage over $200 million in AUM. Karta is backed by investors like Canary, Clocktower, FJ Labs, and Interaudi Bank.

Follow Freddy on LinkedIn.

Host: Filipe Portugal
Filipe Portugal is a Partner at Canary, one of Brazil’s leading venture capital firms. Since joining the firm in 2018, he has led the investment team and built significant experience in the Brazilian and Latin American venture capital ecosystem.

Follow Filipe on LinkedIn

Highlights:
00:00 – 02:10: Intro – Setting the Stage for Karta’s Journey
02:20 – 03:32: Freddy’s Background and Early Steps as an Entrepreneur
03:33 – 07:10: From Crypto Mortgages to Credit Cards: The Pivot That Sparked Karta
07:10 – 10:48: The Pain of Paying in Dollars: Why Latin Americans Need Better Credit Options
10:48 – 11:17: Karta’s Value Proposition for Brazilian Consumers
11:20 – 12:50: What Traditional Banks Can’t Offer — and Why Karta Can
12:52 – 15:00: Customer-First by Design: Building Through WhatsApp
15:00 – 17:20: Product at the Core: Early Experiments and Customer-Led Iteration
17:20 – 20:43: Acquisition Strategy: Scaling with Low CAC and Customer Education
22:00 – 24:00: Stablecoins Behind the Scenes: How Karta Powers Cross-Border Efficiency
24:00 – 27:00: AI Meets WhatsApp: 95% of Support Tickets Resolved Without Humans
27:20 – 29:21: Building in Brazil Without Being Brazilian: Challenges and Advantages
29:28 – 30:44 “Karta Não É Para Amadores”: Challenges of Scaling a Fintech
30:44 – 32:13: Going B2C in LatAm: Opportunities and Friction
32:22 – 33:15: Advice for Founders Building B2C Lending Fintechs
33:23 – 35:47: Positioning Karta: Standing Out in a Crowded Cross-Border Space
36:04 – 36:37: Traction Check: Key Milestones and Growth Metrics
36:40 – 38:25: What’s Next: Karta’s Roadmap and Expansion Plans
38:27 – 39:40: The Feedback That Proved Karta’s Impact
39:40 – 41:40: Biggest Mistake, Biggest Win, and Lessons from the Journey
41:48 – 42:09: What Freddy Would Tell His Younger Self
42:30 – 42:50: Karta’s Vision
42:52 – 43:29: Recommended Reading for Founders

Recommended content:
What It Takes: Lessons in the Pursuit of Excellence by Steven Schwarzman (Book)

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