Purpose Driven FinTech

The AI revolution in FinTech is happening faster than you think! This week I speak with Pawel to explore how AI is transforming financial services and what it means for product leaders.

From beating competitors with limited resources to preparing for a future where your customers might be AI copilots - this episode is packed with actionable insights for FinTech leaders who want to stay ahead of the curve.

Discover:

• Why the AI transformation will happen 20x faster than the industrial revolution
• How to identify high-impact AI use cases with limited resources
• Real examples of cross-industry innovation that drove ROI in months
• The secret to building sustainable, purpose-driven AI products
• Why your 2030 customer might not be human (and how to prepare)

Perfect for FinTech leaders, product managers, and innovation teams looking to create lasting impact in an AI-first world.

👉 Follow Pawel:

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

👉Follow 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/

We cover:

[00:00:00] The biggest fear in FinTech today

[02:49:00] Building purpose-driven AI solutions

[05:17:00] How AI enables better financial habits

[08:00:00] Historical perspective: From printing press to AI

[13:32:00] Framework for identifying AI use cases

[16:10:00] Cross-industry innovation success stories

[22:06:00] The human factor in AI transformation

[25:21:00] AI-powered learning revolution

[29:25:00] Ethics and trust in AI solutions

[32:29:00] Your 2030 customer isn't human

[36:30:00] Preparing for the bot economy

[39:31:00] Building sustainable AI-powered businesses

SEARCH QUESTIONS

• How fast are competitors copying FinTech features in 2025?
• How to build purpose-driven AI products in FinTech?
• How can AI improve financial habits?
• How long will AI transformation take compared to other revolutions?
• What are the best AI use cases for FinTech?
• How to innovate with AI on a limited budget?
• Will AI replace jobs in FinTech?
• How to use AI for financial education?
• How to ensure AI solutions are trustworthy?
• What will FinTech customers look like in 2030?
• How to prepare for AI copilots in banking?
• How to build sustainable AI products?
• What is the ROI of AI in FinTech?
• How to test AI solutions quickly?
• How to find AI innovation opportunities?
• How to build an AI-ready culture?
• How to make complex financial information engaging with AI?
• What are the risks of AI in FinTech?
• How will AI change banking services?
• What regulations affect AI in FinTech?

#FinTechInnovation #AIStrategy #ProductLeadership #FutureOfFinance #PurposeDrivenTech

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.

DORA is here and if you are a FinTech in Europe you MUST listen to this conversation! DORA is the Digital Operational Resilience Act that is effective from 17th Jan, 2025; and will affect all FinTech partners – yes it’s a biggy one; potentially bigger than GDPR!

In this pod I speak with Wayne Scott, Regulatory Compliance Solutions Lead at Escode. Wayne brings his extensive global regulatory expertise and breaks down why this new European regulation is a game-changer for FinTechs worldwide - and why we should be paying attention NOW.

🔑 Key Highlights on DORA:

• DORA goes into effect January 17th, affecting 15,000+ financial institutions and 7-8,000 fintechs
• Unlike previous regulations, DORA extends to ALL critical suppliers and partners in the fintech ecosystem
• Potential fines could reach 2% of global revenue PER DAY for non-compliance
• The regulation impacts any company providing services into Europe, regardless of their location
• Not just about security - DORA focuses on operational resilience, supplier failure, and concentration risk

We discuss how regulation actually spurs innovation rather than stifling it, diving deep into the practical implications of Europe's new Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) and its global ripple effects; explore the concept of operational contagion in our interconnected fintech ecosystem, and how businesses need to prepare for the AI revolution from a regulatory standpoint.

We go wide and talk critical supply chain risk management, demystifying the process of identifying and protecting vital business infrastructure, and the future of global financial regulation in 2025 and beyond.

We cover:

[00:10:00] What is DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act) explained in plain English

[00:10:25] The scope: Affects 15,000 financial institutions and 7-8,000 fintechs

[00:11:29] Why you can't argue your way out of DORA compliance

[00:11:49] Understanding critical services - from cloud providers to core systems

[00:15:10] The five key principles for DORA compliance checklist

[00:30:22] Redefining Business Resilience - Beyond just "getting up and trying again"

[00:31:43] The real meaning of resilience in fintech operations

[00:35:03] Understanding Operational Contagion and its domino effects

[00:36:20] Real-world example: How a single outage affected global operations

[00:37:33] The Silicon Valley Bank case study - When operational fails trigger financial contagion

[00:39:35] AI's impact on financial services regulation

[00:41:00] How AI could make current tech companies obsolete

[00:42:15] Managing the risks of rapid AI adoption in financial services

[00:48:57] The regulatory roadmap for 2025 and beyond

🚀 Your Action Items:

1. Assign someone to own DORA compliance
2. Map your critical suppliers and infrastructure
3. Document policies and procedures
4. Test scenario capabilities

👉 Connect with Scott:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/waynethomasscott/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/escodeglobal/posts/?feedView=all
• Website: https://www.escode.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/

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 Metaverse isn't just a GenZ trend -- it's our chance to rebuild financial services with trust at the core! 🔥

Join Victoria Richardson, David Birch and I as they share their findings from their book "Money in the Metaverse". We explore why identity infrastructure must be built differently this time, how native metaverse payments will transform commerce, what it really means to build safe spaces in virtual worlds, and what Gen Z is teaching us about virtual economies.

Finally, Victoria and David reveal their framework for financial institutions to navigate this transformation: from establishing presence to creating entirely new products for virtual economies, and yup, they explain why it's not about building another app! 😎

We cover:

(00:00) The Future of the Metaverse: Beyond Commerce

(06:13) Purpose Driven Innovation and the Human Element

(15:30) Trust: The Foundation of Virtual Worlds

(23:15) Digital Identity and Authentication

(27:45) The Evolution from Virtual Worlds to Metaverse

(33:20) Building Experiences vs Building Platforms

(37:00) The Future of Payments and Digital Assets

(40:15) Three-Stage Strategy for Financial Institutions

(42:45) Risk Management and Training in Virtual Spaces

(43:26) The Power of Shared Experiences

(45:32) Building Trust Through Mutual Authentication

👉Get their book "Money in the Metaverse" HERE

👉 Connect with Victoria:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-richardson-40a48b6/

👉 Connect with David:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dgwbirch/
• Website: https://dgwbirch.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/

Key Takeaways:

1. The Metaverse Purpose

• It's not just about new ways to buy - it's about human connection
• Will create entirely new job categories and ways of working
• Success depends on building safe, trusted spaces first

2.Trust Architecture

• Mutual authentication is critical (both users and companies need verification)
• Trust indicators should be built into the infrastructure (like color coding for verification status)
• Move from consumer-verified to system-verified trust

3.Metaverse Strategy Framework

• Stage 1: Establish Presence
• Stage 2: Enable Transactions
• Stage 3: Create Native Products

4.On Payments

• Keep transactions within the metaverse
• Use tokenization for efficiency
• Focus on seamless wallet experiences

5.On Risk Management

• Use the metaverse for training and risk reduction
• Consider new types of risks in virtual spaces
• Think about liability and monetization models

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.

Are you feeling that growing pressure of becoming irrelevant in today's fast-paced FinTech landscape? In this episode, I'm going solo and I'm sharing my battle-tested career development framework - the exact approach that has helped me stay ahead in an industry where yesterday's innovations become tomorrow's table stakes.

I'll show you how to transform that fear of irrelevance into your biggest advantage, building a strategic career plan that keeps you at the forefront of FinTech innovation.

Key Insights:

• Why traditional goal-setting fails and how strategic development planning leads to lasting career growth
• The power of being the driver of your career instead of letting circumstances control your path
• How to identify and leverage growth opportunities in industry, company, and team
• The importance of building distinctive capabilities that make you irreplaceable
• Why visibility planning is crucial, especially for women and introverts

We cover:

(00:00) Welcome to 2025: Why Strategic Planning Beats Goal Setting

(01:00) My personal story: From Big Banks to FinTech Startups

(02:45) The Power of Creating Your Own "Practical MBA"

(04:02) 1: Being Strategic About Your Direction

(06:00) The Importance of Clarity in Career Planning

(07:03) Exercise: Permission to Dream Big

(09:07) Being Honest With Your Self-Assessment

(13:15) 2: Following the Growth

(14:53) Identifying Growing Industries and Companies

(16:00) Analyzing Trends and Their Impact on Your Role

(19:26) 3: Building Your Capabilities

(20:29) Developing Your Value Proposition

(22:14) The Power of Unique Combinations

(24:03) Creating Your Visibility Plan

(26:00) Common Mistakes to Avoid

(27:10) Action Steps for Implementation

Take Action This Week:

1. The Dream Exercise: Give yourself permission to envision your ideal career without constraints
2. Growth Audit: Assess your current skills against where you want to be
3. Value Proposition: Create your unique combination of skills, experiences, and personality traits

Follow for more insights on building successful careers in FinTech and strategic professional development.

👉 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/

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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.

Join us for an insightful conversation with Tamara, CEO of Velexa, as we explore how FinTech is revolutionizing wealth management and financial education. From democratizing investment access to building community-driven platforms, discover how Velexa is making financial services more inclusive and less intimidating for everyone.

• Why education and community are key to next-generation FinTech solutions
• How Brazil became a leader in neobank adoption with 43% population penetration
• The importance of hybrid approaches in empowering women investors
• Why Southeast Asia leads in digital wealth management innovation
• The role of AI and ChatGPT in shaping the future of investment advice
• Building scalable B2B solutions while keeping focus on end-user needs

We cover:

(00:00) The Essence of FinTech: Revolutionizing Money Management

(02:08) Brazil's FinTech Success Story: From Unbanked to Digital Leaders

(03:29) Velexa's Mission: Democratizing Investment Access

(05:07) The B2B Approach to Achieving Global Impact

(06:10) The Future of WealthTech and Investment Adoption

(08:31) Financial Stress and Education: Building Better Solutions

(11:03) Gen Z's Approach to Financial Health

(14:13) Building Community-Driven Financial Products

(15:27) Women in Investment: Challenging Industry Misconceptions

(18:38) Velexa's Customer Base and Global Market Differences

(22:29) Overcoming Legacy Infrastructure Challenges

(24:09) Velexa's Award-Winning Vision and Success Factors

(29:18) The Role of AI in Investment Decision-Making

(34:56) Responsible Innovation in Financial Education

(36:34) Leadership Insights: Creating a Winning Strategy

(39:00) CEO Mindset: The Importance of Team and Vision

(41:34) The Future of FinTech: Prioritizing Financial Education

If you're interested in the intersection of FinTech, financial education, and inclusive wealth management, this episode provides valuable insights into building purpose-driven financial solutions that make a real difference in people's lives.

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

👉 Connect with Tamara:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamara-kostova-0818001/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/velexa/
• Website: https://velexa.com/
• https://velexa.com/news/2024/06/velexa-disrupting-start-ups-money2020-europe/

👉 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/

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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.

Imagine a world where rural communities thrive with access to financial services tailored to their unique needs. That’s exactly what Tim Scheffmann, CEO of LTS Ventures, is making possible with the largest digital village banking network in Southeast Asia.

In this episode, we dive into the transformative power of FinTech in underserved regions and how Tim is redefining financial inclusion. From adopting cutting-edge AI to ensuring communities have access to emergency funds, LTS Ventures bridges the gap between technology and humanity to create lasting change.

• How LTS reached profitability
• Why a strong business model is key to driving meaningful impact
• How AI supports fair and efficient credit decisions in rural communities
• The role of standardization in scaling financial inclusion
• Climate challenges in Laos and how FinTech is helping villages stay resilient
• The secret to building trust in small communities with technology and human connection

Tim also shares his journey from growing up in a German village to leading a social enterprise in Laos and the lessons learned from early hesitations to now championing digital village banking.

If you’re curious about how FinTech can solve real-world problems and how AI is reshaping the credit landscape, this episode is for you!

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

We cover:

(02:15) Transitioning from NGO Roots to a Profitable Social Enterprise

(05:00) The Importance of Business Models in Financial Inclusion

(08:00) Scaling to 900+ Villages: Standardization and Technology

(10:50) Leveraging AI for Credit Decisioning and Fraud Prevention

(15:30) Building Trust: The Role of Community and AI in Lending

(18:45) Financial Literacy and Behavioral Change in Rural Communities

(22:10) Addressing Climate Challenges with Village Banking

(27:30) Village Banking as a Hub for Knowledge and Community Building

(31:40) The Human Element in Rural Financial Services

(36:10) Lessons Learned: Advocating for Digital Village Banking

(39:20) Transforming Financial Inclusion in Rural Laos

👉 Connect with Tim:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scheffmann/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ltsventures/posts/?feedView=all
• Website: https://www.ltsventures.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/

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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.

Purpose Driven FinTechs are predicated on accessibility and inclusiveness - it's not about building a product that a very few people really love and admire and adore and become early adopters.

Fasset is an all-in-one financial super app that allows people and businesses to securely invest, earn, and make payments and they are targeting a broader subsegment of society with financial services using blockchain technology — so that more people to benefit from it!

Come behind the scenes with me all the way to the UAE. Meet Umair Javed, Chief Business Officer at Fasset. We discuss how to reach 98% of society with Fasset Connect, the complexities of building a high-performance culture, handling execution challenges, and fostering innovation without getting swayed by technology hype, financial education, rethinking traditional business models to achieve long-term impact - what and much more!

Remember to like and subscribe for more episodes like this!

👉 Connect with Umair:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mumairjaved/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fassethq/posts/?feedView=all
• Website: https://fasset.com/

👉 Monica’s Socials

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicamillares/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@moni_millares
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moni_millares

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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.

Come behind the scenes of one of the largest NeoBanks in Southeast Asia! Zubin Rada Krishnan, CEO at BigPay, shares BigPay's mission of leveling up people's lives through accessible and simple financial services and explains how BigPay aims to promote financial well-being by shaping positive spending habits and providing innovative financial products.

We discuss the unique challenges and opportunities in the Southeast Asian fintech market, the importance of empathy in product development and leadership, BigPay's exciting developments like their expansion into Thailand, their partnership with AirAsia MOVE, their innovative stashes solutions and much more!

BigPay is committed to providing the financial services that Southeast Asians need to live better lives, by providing accessible, transparent, simple and secure digital financial services. From cross-border and domestic payments to international transfers, credit, micro-insurance, personal loans, and smart budgeting, BigPay continues to innovate to level-up Southeast Asian lives - one transaction at a time.

👉 Connect with Zubin:

• LinkedIn Zubin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zubin-rada-krishnan-aa93172/
• LinkedIn BigPay: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bigpayme/
• Website: https://bigpayme.com/

👉 Monica’s Socials

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicamillares/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@moni_millares
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moni_millares

Remember to like and subscribe for more episodes like this!

We cover:

(00:00) Intro

(03:58) BigPay's Mission and Vision

(14:51) Leadership and Empowerment

(20:32) Fintech Growth in Southeast Asia

(24:19) Addressing Financial Pain Points

(25:31) Understanding BigPay Customers

(27:30) Innovative Savings Solutions

(30:09) BigPay goes live in Thailand!

(32:44) Embedded Finance with AirAsia MOVE

(39:30) Defining Great Products

(46:55) Final Thoughts on the one thing to change to make FinTech better for everyone

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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 future is about Fintech & Bank Partnerships! And FinConecta is here to make it easier, cheaper and more efficient for all!

If you are bank you know you have legacy systems, and that you need new tech to innovate

As a B2B FinTech it is likely you are solving a problem for Banks... Well FinConecta makes it easy for both parties to find each other - And more importantly, to connect to multiple partners with one API.

FinConecta supports Financial Institutions in their digital transformation journey. They've created an interconnected network of modern FIs and FinTech solutions from around the world linked through a proprietary platform. and they are building the first global integrated FinTech marketplace.

In this episode I had the pleasure to speak with Jorge A. Ruiz M. CEO at FinConecta

We talk about:

- Purpose

- Financial Inclusion

- FinConecta's marketplace

- The benefits of the platform

- Utilizing AI for efficiency

- Building high-performance teams

- The global reach of FinConecta,

- The future of interoperability in Financial Services

and much more!

Worth reaching out to Jorge if you are a FinTech looking to grow,

If you enjoyed this Purpose Driven FinTech pod, follow for more discussions on how to build great FinTech products with customer and commercial impact and to stay updated on the latest episodes.

👉 You can find Jorge here

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorgearuiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/finconecta/
• Website: https://finconecta.com/

👉 And you can find Monica here:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicamillares/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@moni_millares
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moni_millares
• Website: https://moni-millares.mystrikingly.com/

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Production and marketing by Monica Millares. For inquiries about being in the show, coaching, consulting, creative collabs, sponsoring the podcast or creating or editing your podcast email [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.

500M own crypto, 30% want to pay with it — are you ready?

Customer expectations are changing fast

And crypto payments are rapidly becoming the new normal!

In today's episode I spoke with Max Krupyshev. CEO at CryptoProcessing.com by CoinsPaid

to deep dive and understand what's going on!

We cover:

- How crypto is solving for real customer problems

- Argentina as use case

- Freelancers! A biggy one!

- Pain points crypto payments are solving for

- De-bust the myth about volatility... love it!

- What makes a great product

- The CEO mindset

And much more!

If you are interested in learning more about accepting crypto payments, reach out to Max and the team!

If you enjoyed this Purpose Driven FinTech pod, follow for more discussions on how to build great FinTech products with customer and commercial impact and to stay updated on the latest episodes.

👉 You can find Max here

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mkrupyshev/?originalSubdomain=ee
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cryptoprocessing-com/posts/?feedView=all
• Website: https://coinspaid.com/
• Website: https://en.cryptoprocessing.com/

👉 And you can find Monica here:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicamillares/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@moni_millares
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moni_millares
• Website: https://moni-millares.mystrikingly.com/

—

Production and marketing by Monica Millares. For inquiries about being in the show, coaching, consulting, creative collabs, sponsoring the podcast or creating or editing your podcast email [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.