Purpose Driven FinTech

If you can't beat Wise on FX, and reality is most fintechs can't; then the smarter move is to partner with them. Let’s go into the why!

In this episode recorded live at Money20/20 Asia, I speak with Samarth Bansal, General Manager at Wise Platform.

We go behind the scenes and I ask the questions I’ve always had hypothetical answers to. For years my mandate as a Neobank Product leader was to beat Wise, and I knew unless we were to change our business model to properly compete, the answer is we can’t.

But now, FinTechs and banks can partner with Wise through Wise Platform. It’s a fascinating conversation!

We cover:

[01:00] How Wise approaches cost efficiency: the obsession behind the pricing model

[02:30] What actually drives Wise's infrastructure advantage

[04:30] Going direct into local payment rails and optimising treasury FX forecasting

[08:30] How embedding Wise Platform made life easier for banks and their customers

[09:30] Standard Chartered, Bank Mandiri, Morgan Stanley: who's using Wise Platform and why

[17:00] How Wise prioritises market expansion, and what drives corridor decisions

[19:00] Instant payment rails in APAC: PayNet, PromptPay, and what sits on top

[21:00] How Wise achieves sub 20 second transfers: compliance, liquidity, and rail access

[23:00] Where AI fits, and where Wise is being deliberate about deployment

[25:00] Why APAC will redefine global cross border payments standards within three years

👉 Follow Samarth:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samarthbansal/

Website: https://wise.com

👉 Connect with Monica

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicamillares/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@moni_millares

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moni_millares

Production and marketing by Monica Millares. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email Monica at [email protected]

Disclaimer: This episode does not constitute professional nor financial advice and does not represent the opinion nor views of my current, past or future employers. The guest has agreed to record and release our conversation for the use of this podcast and promotion in social media.

Most fintechs treat cross border payments as a cost centre. George Davis built a business that treats it as the $100B infrastructure opportunity nobody else is rebuilding, and grew 55X in 12 months doing it.

In this episode I speak with George Davis, Co-Founder and CEO of Lorum, a global clearing and settlement infrastructure business serving financial institutions across the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and beyond. George is a serial founder who previously co-founded BVNK before leaving to rebuild the layer of the payments stack that big banks have left untouched.

Key takeaways:

• The payment system isn't broken; banks running it are wrongly incentivised
• Why stablecoins add friction to cross border payments rather than removing them
• How mid market fintechs can access wholesale treasury rates and turn FX into a profit centre
• What access to clearing infrastructure actually means for remittance, payroll, and import-export businesses
• Why Lorum 55X'd in 12 months by going after the bottom of the payments stack

George also shares the founder mindset behind Lorum's growth: first principles thinking, radical adaptability, and hiring for obsession over experience.

👉 Connect with George:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgedavis-lorum/

Website: https://www.lorum.com/

👉 Connect with Monica:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicamillares/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@moni_millares

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moni_millares

Website: https://www.purposedrivenfintech.com/

[00:00:00] Why clearing and settlement is the real barrier to cross border payments

[00:01:00] George's journey: machine learning startup to co-founding BVNK to Lorum

[00:04:00] Why big banks are wrongly incentivised

[00:07:00] What clearing and settlement actually means in plain English

[00:10:00] Access is the real problem; not speed, not cost

[00:18:00] How to turn FX and clearing into a profit centre, not a cost centre

[00:26:00] Why stablecoins don’t fix cross border payments

[00:35:00] The founder mindset: first principles thinking and obsession as a superpower

[00:46:00] Lorum's OCC banking licence application and the road to $100B

[00:49:00] Why the opportunity outside the US is bigger than inside it

Production and marketing by Monica Millares. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email Monica at [email protected]

Disclaimer: This episode does not constitute professional nor financial advice and does not represent the opinion nor views of my current, past or future employers. The guest has agreed to record and release our conversation for the use of this podcast and promotion in social media.

AI agents are about to start spending our money, and we as a payments industry are not ready.

I love this episode as it’s recorded live at Money2020’s famous MoneyPot podcast booth! Yea the fancy, cool one LOL

Today I’m joined by Camilla Bullock, CEO of Emerging Payments Association Asia, and we unpack one of the most pressing questions in FinTech right now: when an AI agent transacts on your behalf, who is actually in control and who is liable when something goes wrong?

Key highlights:

• Why "shared liability" is not an answer; and what the industry needs to define first
• The emerging KYA (Know Your Agent) framework and why banks may refuse agentic transactions without it
• How real time payments in APAC already show us what agentic fraud will look like at scale
• The quantum encryption threat that less than 20% of senior payments leaders are actively tracking
• Why standards interoperability is the single most important unlock for agentic commerce

We discuss: the $1 trillion agentic payments opportunity in APAC, the governance and audit trail gap, intent vs. authorization in agentic transactions, data sharing as fraud defense, the quantum threat to payments encryption, who is setting the rules (and who isn't yet), and why trust industry-wide, not just brand-level is the real battleground.

👉 Connect with Camilla

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camillabullock/

Website: https://emergingpaymentsasia.org/

👉 Connect with Monica

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicamillares/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@moni_millares

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moni_millares

Website: https://www.purposedrivenfintech.com/

Production and marketing by Monica Millares. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email Monica at [email protected]

Disclaimer: This episode does not constitute professional nor financial advice and does not represent the opinion nor views of my current, past or future employers. The guest has agreed to record and release our conversation for the use of this podcast and promotion in social media.

The encryption protecting banks was built 50 years ago, and quantum computing is about to break it. In this pod I sit down with Maxwell, Founder and CEO of Quantum Chain, to unpack why AI and quantum computing together represent the biggest untold threat to global financial security, and what FinTech leaders need to do about it before 2029.

• Why 50 year old encryption is no longer sufficient to protect financial services
• How AI is already being used to exploit smart contracts and financial infrastructure today
• Why quantum + AI together create a 24/7 attack threat no current protocol is ready for
• Why trust, not technology, is the real battleground for the future of finance

We cover:

[00:00:00] The $4M hack that started a mission to secure global finance

[00:01:00] What is Quantum Chain and why does it exist

[00:02:00] Quantum computing explained in plain English

[00:03:00] Why 50 year old financial encryption is already failing

[00:04:00] The real risks to banks, neobanks and financial services

[00:05:00] Trust is the new security

[00:08:00] AI as the elephant in the room

[00:09:00] Quantum + AI: the compounding threat no one is preparing for

[00:12:00] From military to banking: Max's unconventional founder background

[00:15:00] How banks can become quantum safe

[00:16:00] Quantum assets, QRC standards and the quantum blockchain alliance

[00:17:00] What every neobank CPO and founder should be doing right now

[00:18:00] Founder mindset: resilience, consistency and showing up every day

👉 Follow Max:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxwell-denega-14300178/

Website: https://www.quantumcha.in/

👉 Connect with Monica

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicamillares/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@moni_millares

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moni_millares

Website: https://www.purposedrivenfintech.com/

Production and marketing by Monica Millares. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email Monica at [email protected]

Disclaimer: This episode does not constitute professional nor financial advice and does not represent the opinion nor views of my current, past or future employers. The guest has agreed to record and release our conversation for the use of this podcast and promotion in social media.

Recorded live at Money20/20 Bangkok, 2026

The FinTech infrastructure race isn't just about payments anymore. Neofin has spent three years rebuilding from a geo-agnostic lending tool into a full financial super app engine; and the businesses buying in aren't banks. They're retailers, telcos, and gas station networks.

In this short conversation recorded live at Money2020, I catch up with Svitlanka, Co-Founder of Neofin (and 2nd time Purpose Driven FinTech podcast guest), on what's changed, who they're building for, and why transactions alone no longer create loyalty.

Key takeaways: Why non FinTech businesses with large user bases are Neofin's core customer

• How NeoFin sits between the retailer and the bank, and what each party covers
• The product evolution from standalone lending to wallet, BNPL, and full financial ecosystem
• Why 360 experiences beat pure transaction infrastructure for long-term retention
• What's next….agentic payments and a major European launch

We cover:

(00:00) Three years on, what's changed at Neofin

(01:30) From lending infrastructure to full FinTech ecosystem

(02:30) Who NeoFin's customers are and why retailers are launching BNPL wallets

(03:45) The bank + Neofin partnership model explained

(04:30) Why transactions don't build loyalty; and what does

Follow for more discussions on building FinTech products with customer and commercial impact and to stay updated on the latest episodes.

👉 Connect with Svitlanka:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/svitlanaromaniuk/

Website: https://neo-fin.com/

👉 Connect with Monica

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicamillares/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@moni_millares

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moni_millares

Website: https://www.purposedrivenfintech.com/

Production and marketing by Monica Millares. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email Monica at [email protected]

Disclaimer: This episode does not constitute professional nor financial advice and does not represent the opinion nor views of my current, past or future employers. The guest has agreed to record and release our conversation for the use of this podcast and promotion in social media.

Recorded live at Money20/20 Bangkok, 2026

What if the next big embedded finance opportunity isn't payments or lending, but connectivity?

In this live conversation from Money20/20 Bangkok I sit down with Vince, Co-Founder of Fristy, to unpack why the world's leading neobanks and super apps are quietly embedding telecom into their product stack.

Fristy is building what Stripe did for payments and Wise did for FX; but for global telecom infrastructure. Already live with Grab, Uber, GXS Bank. Firsty is turning connectivity from a consumer pain point into a retention and revenue driver for FinTechs.

In this episode:

• How Grab and Uber are using embedded connectivity to reduce revenue leakage from traveling users
• The B2B infrastructure layer that lets neobanks offer seamless global connectivity without building it themselves
• Why connectivity should be on your product roadmap
• The founder mindset on failure: VInce shares how he turns setbacks into forward momentum

We cover:

(00:00) Telecom meets FinTech: The opportunity nobody's building for

(01:30) The consumer pain point: roaming fees, SIM swaps, and broken experiences

(02:30) The B2B problem

(03:30) Why neobanks should embed telecom; the Grab and Uber case study

(05:30) How Fristy works: one connection, every operator, local pricing globally

(06:30) Where to access Fristy today: Grab, GXS Bank, KBC

(07:30) The commercial case: retention, revenue, and user experience metrics

(09:00) Founder mindset: How Vince approaches failure and keeps moving forward

👉 Connect with Vince & Fristy

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vince-vissers/

Website: https://www.firsty.app/

👉 Connect with Monica

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicamillares/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@moni_millares

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moni_millares

Website: https://www.purposedrivenfintech.com/

Production and marketing by Monica Millares. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email Monica at [email protected]

Disclaimer: This episode does not constitute professional nor financial advice and does not represent the opinion nor views of my current, past or future employers. The guest has agreed to record and release our conversation for the use of this podcast and promotion in social media.

In this pod,Carla Canino, CEO of Kindlee AI, shares with us how AI bias is costing lenders $443 billion annually and what financial institutions can do about it.

Key highlights:

• 65% of loan declines are actually creditworthy customers being misclassified by biased AI models

• Traditional lending models ignore 23% disabled, 20% elderly, and 22% neurodiverse populations

• Small banks waste $4-5M annually on operational friction caused by bias in customer interactions

• European AI Act requires independent third-party auditing of high-risk AI systems

• Inclusive lending models can increase profitability while ensuring regulatory compliance

We also go personal, and Carla shares her journey from payments expert to solo founder, explaining how her experience as a disabled immigrant showed her gaps in financial services that inspired her to start a company that solves for these.

She demonstrates why reducing bias isn't just about social responsibility - it's about capturing enormous untapped market opportunities while maintaining risk standards and regulatory compliance.

Follow for more discussions on building FinTech products with customer and commercial impact and to stay updated on the latest episodes.

Socials:

👉 Follow Carla Canino:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlakerstenscanino/

Website: https://www.kindlee.ai/

👉 Follow Monica:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicamillares/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@moni_millares

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moni_millares

We cover:

[00:00:00] The $443 billion lending opportunity being missed

[00:28:00] Core question: How to lend more without losing money

[02:21:00] Why 65% of good customers get declined by AI

[04:46:00] The invisible customers AI models ignore

[08:07:00] Personal banking discrimination story

[10:17:00] Who exactly are these declined customers

[13:24:00] Biometric authentication bias problems

[18:21:00] What Kindly AI does for financial institutions

[23:43:00] Zero integration implementation approach

[28:50:00] European AI Act compliance implications

[33:02:00] Quantifying operational waste from bias

[37:54:00] Build versus buy decision framework

[45:16:00] Career pivot to solo founder journey

[55:14:00] Key startup pivot moments and lessons

SEARCH QUESTIONS

How to reduce AI bias in lending decisions

What is the cost of algorithmic bias in finance

How to approve more customers without increasing risk

European AI Act compliance for banks

Why do good loan applications get rejected

How to measure bias in credit scoring

What causes AI lending discrimination

How to build inclusive financial products

AI bias detection platforms for fintech

How to reduce false loan declines

What is systematic bias in banking

How to serve disabled customers in fintech

Solo founder challenges in AI startups

How to comply with new AI regulations

What is ROI of bias reduction initiatives

How to audit AI models for fairness

Why biometric authentication fails minorities

How to calculate operational costs of bias

What is Kindly AI technology

How to retrain discriminatory AI models

--

Production and marketing by Monica Millares. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email Monica at [email protected]

Disclaimer:This episode does not constitute professional nor financial advice and does not represent the opinion nor views of my current, past or future employers. The guest has agreed to record and release our conversation for the use of this podcast and promotion in social media.

The retirement crisis is a women's crisis - and the numbers are shocking! For every dollar men have in wealth, women have just 32 cents. Even worse? That gap is growing, not shrinking.

In this episode, I speak with Kristine Beese, Founder and CEO of Untangle Money, about the alarming wealth gap affecting women and why traditional financial services aren't designed for our needs. Kristine shares powerful insights from her journey as a former stock analyst and portfolio manager to building a FinTech solution that's actually helping women take control of their financial futures.

We explore the real drivers behind wealth inequality, the hidden costs women face throughout their careers (hint: it's between $500K-$1M in lost earnings in the US and Canada), and why financial stress hits women harder. Kristine also breaks down her practical "hours worked" framework that removes judgment from spending decisions and explains why robo-advisors might be your best investment ally.

🔑 Key Highlights:

• Women have lost ground on wealth accumulation — from 36 cents to 32 cents per dollar over just one decade
• Why women plateau in earnings at age 40 while men continue earning $10K-$25K more annually for 25+ years
• The powerful "hours worked" framework that transforms how you think about money and joy
• Why every rich person has a financial plan, but middle-income earners don't — and how that needs to change
• How living to 95 (not 90) completely changes your retirement planning strategy

👉 Kristine Beese

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinebeese/

Website: https://www.untangle.money/

👉 Monica

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicamillares/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@moni_millares

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moni_millares

Follow for more discussions on building FinTech products with customer and commercial impact and to stay updated on the latest episodes.

We cover

[00:00:00] The retirement crisis is a women's crisis

[00:02:00] Shocking stats: 32 cents on the dollar wealth gap

[00:06:00] Why the wealth gap keeps growing

[00:11:00] Untangle Money: Building purpose-driven FinTech

[00:15:00] Women's financial superpowers we don't talk about

[00:18:00] The $500K-$1M career earnings gap explained

[00:24:00] The longevity paradox: Why living longer is actually a superpower

[00:28:00] How financial stress affects women differently

[00:33:00] Why Untangle Money threw out traditional financial planning

[00:39:00] The revolutionary "hours worked" spending framework

[00:49:00] Managing spending with joy, not judgment

[00:55:00] Why robo-advisors beat 80% of professional investors

[01:00:00] Planning for 95, not 90: The retirement reality check

[01:08:00] Key takeaway: Every rich person has a financial plan

SEARCH QUESTIONS

Why is the retirement crisis worse for women?

What is the women's wealth gap in 2025?

How much less do women earn than men over their careers?

Why do women plateau in earnings at age 40?

How to calculate what I can afford using hours worked?

What is Untangle Money and how does it work?

Why are women better investors than men?

How much money do I need to retire at 65?

What is the best robo-advisor in Canada?

Should I use Wealthsimple?

How to remove judgment from spending decisions?

Why is financial stress worse for women?

How to align spending with joy and values?

What is the pink tax and how does it affect women?

How to start investing with limited money?

Why should financial plans go to age 95 not 90?

How to create a financial plan on a budget?

What can women do about the wealth gap?

How to make a financial plan without thousands of dollars?

Why do traditional financial services fail women?

#WomenAndWealth #FinancialPlanning #WealthGap #PurposeDrivenFinTech #RetirementPlanning

Disclaimer: This episode does not constitute professional nor financial advice and does not represent the opinion nor views of my current, past or future employers. The guest has agreed to record and release our conversation for the use of this podcast and promotion in social media.

What if home ownership could start with just 1% down and you could build equity without taking on any debt? This revolutionary approach is transforming how people achieve the dream of owning their own home.

In this episode, I speak with Chris Smith, Founder and CEO at Bloxxs. We explore an alternative to traditional mortgages that's opening doors for people who thought home ownership was out of reach. Chris shares his powerful journey from banking executive to unpaid startup founder, building a solution that directly connects capital to aspiring homeowners.

We dive into the innovative “subscription” model that's making home ownership accessible, how indigenous values are reshaping our approach to property and community, and why Chris and his team of 20 executives have worked unpaid for years to bring this mission-driven vision to life. This conversation reveals how one bold idea is creating pathways to happier, healthier lives through the stability and security of home ownership.

Follow for more discussions on building FinTech products and teams with customer and commercial impact and to stay updated on the latest episodes.

👉 Follow Chris: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therealchris-smith/

Website: https://www.bloxxhome.com/

👉Follow Monica: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicamillares/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@moni_millares 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moni_millares

We cover:

[00:00:00] The mission: Making home ownership accessible to everyone

[00:03:00] Why home ownership creates happier and healthier societies

[00:05:00] From banking executive to unpaid founder: The inspiring journey

[00:08:00] Lessons from 2008: Understanding what needs to change

[00:10:00] Building a values-driven company with 20 unpaid executives

[00:13:00] The power of sacrifice: Protecting the mission over profits

[00:16:00] How capital really flows in the housing market

[00:18:00] The Blocks breakthrough: Subscription to home ownership explained

[00:20:00] Starting with 1% deposit instead of 20%: Opening new doors

[00:23:00] Built-in flexibility: Supporting homeowners through life's challenges

[00:27:00] Indigenous values: Community-driven approach to home ownership

[00:30:00] The vision: Taking Blocks global and helping millions

[00:32:00] From social housing to solutions: Why this mission is personal

[00:34:00] Creating pathways to stability, security, and intergenerational wealth

SEARCH QUESTIONS

How to buy a house with 1% deposit?

What is Blocks home ownership platform?

How does home ownership without a mortgage work?

Can you buy a home without taking on debt?

What are innovative alternatives to traditional mortgages?

How do subscription home ownership models work?

What is equity-based home buying?

How to get into home ownership in 2025?

What are alternatives to traditional mortgages?

How does home ownership create happiness and stability?

Can you buy a home without a 20% deposit?

What is the subscription model for home ownership?

How to build equity in a home without debt?

What is purpose-driven FinTech innovation?

How do indigenous values apply to property ownership?

What are solutions to the housing affordability challenge?

How to make home ownership accessible to first-time buyers?

What happens if I need flexibility with home payments?

How is technology changing home ownership?

What is the future of affordable housing?

#HomeOwnership #FinTechInnovation #AffordableHousing #PurposeDrivenTech #FutureOfHousing

Disclaimer: This episode does not constitute professional nor financial advice and does not represent the opinion nor views of my current, past or future employers. The guest has agreed to record and release our conversation for the use of this podcast and promotion in social media.

In this episode, I speak with Akhil Nigam, CoFounder at Finmo, and we answer the critical question: How can global businesses transform their fragmented treasury operations into unified, intelligent systems that drive growth?

He shares insights on why SMEs deserve better treasury solutions, how real-time payment rails are transforming cash management, and why MO AI is becoming the intelligent co-pilot every finance team needs.

👉 Follow Akhil Nigam:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akhilnigam562/

Website: https://finmo.net/

👉 Follow Monica:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicamillares/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@moni_millares

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moni_millares

We cover:

[00:00:00] Why SMBs should be at the center of treasury innovation

[00:01:00] The economic impact of SME financial health on the wider economy

[00:03:00] Why SMBs are fast-moving segments banks ignore for enterprise clients

[00:05:00] How automation frees finance teams from manual work to focus on growth

[00:07:00] Enterprise vs SMB treasury: The critical differences explained

[00:10:00] The connected finance challenge: Why bank integration matters

[00:12:00] The purpose behind building Finmo's complex treasury platform

[00:15:00] Why the founding team's diverse skill set made payments possible

[00:16:00] How to keep purpose alive when you're in the trenches

[00:19:00] Reimagining treasury workflows: Real-time visibility and forecasting

[00:20:00] The cosmetics company spending $1M on treasury with 6-month reporting delays

[00:22:00] Outcome-driven product development: From features to measurable KPIs

[00:23:00] Introducing MO AI: The intelligent advisor for CFOs

[00:27:00] The practical transition: From FinTech to AI-powered FinTech

[00:30:00] How Finmo uses AI to help AI build AI (yes, really!)

[00:33:00] Upskilling product teams on vector databases, MCPs, and AI infrastructure

[00:34:00] Advice for PMs: How to upskill on AI when it's not your day job

[00:37:00] The cost reality of AI: Why capital intensity matters for innovation

[00:38:00] Final message: From reactive reporting to growth driver

Search Questions

What is the difference between enterprise and SMB treasury management?

How can SMEs get real-time cash visibility across multiple currencies?

Why do finance teams spend so much time on manual reconciliation?

What is MO AI and how does it help CFOs?

How to transform fragmented treasury operations into unified systems?

What are real-time payment rails and why do they matter?

How much does treasury management software cost for SMBs?

Why is connected finance important for global businesses?

How to automate cash flow forecasting for small businesses?

What is the biggest challenge SME finance teams face?

How to build AI-powered features in FinTech products?

What skills do product managers need to understand AI?

How to upskill on AI for non-technical product teams?

Why is AI implementation so expensive for startups?

What is vector database and MCP in AI development?

How to justify AI costs in early-stage FinTech companies?

What is purpose-driven product development in FinTech?

How to measure success in treasury management platforms?

What are the key KPIs for SME cash management?

How to choose between building in-house AI vs using cloud APIs?

#TreasuryManagement #FinTechInnovation #AIinFinance #SMEFinance #ProductLeadership

Disclaimer: This episode does not constitute professional nor financial advice and does not represent the opinion nor views of my current, past or future employers. The guest has agreed to record and release our conversation for the use of this podcast and promotion in social media.