Open banking is a hot topic these days, but depending on which side of the Atlantic you’re on, there are some large differences in the ways these markets are handling this innovative sector. As Head of International at Plaid , Keith Grose understands the differences between these markets better than most. He joined us on the show today to help untangle open banking. What we talked about: - The transatlantic differences in open banking - The difference between open banking and open finance - The ...
May 25, 2021•35 min
When it comes to Fintechs and modernizing finance, it’s all about improving user experiences. And few banking products need it more than the traditional bank wire. In this episode, Chris speaks with Marwan Forzley , CEO at Veem , about how his company is fixing the user experience issues with wiring money. They discuss: - Why partners are essential to modern finance - The effects of COVID on Veem’s business demand - The problems with traditional bank wires (and how they can be fixed) To ensure t...
May 17, 2021•21 min
There are many ways you can expand your organization’s reach. But when you want to expand your international presence, sometimes the best method is through partnerships. That’s one way Lucian Lauerman , Head of Solutions for Business at OANDA , is approaching their expanding reach as the company launches its new FX platform. In this episode, we discuss: - The history of OANDA - OANDA’s influence in the FX space - Why partnerships are the way forward for the company To ensure that you never miss ...
May 10, 2021•27 min
Buy now, pay later. It’s a useful way to manage transactional visibility, and I got to speak about it with David True , Founder and Partner at Paygility Advisors . What we talked about: - Common gaps in knowledge for non-US companies entering the US market - Sponsor bank positioning - The ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ movement - Interchange rates and subscription revenue Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - David’s LinkedIn Profile - Paygility’s website - NYPAY’s website - NYPAY’s...
May 05, 2021•28 min
Necessity is the mother of invention. We’ve all heard it, but the past year has proven it — we are finding new ways to work, to socialize, to educate, to shop and to pay. And when it comes to Fintech, crisis is the mother of innovation. In this episode, Cara speaks with Brady Harris , CEO, and Adam Steenhard , Senior Director of Corporate Strategy, at Dwolla , about how they are helping to revolutionize the payments space and why the pandemic is a boon for Fintech more broadly. They discuss: - W...
Apr 28, 2021•35 min
Buy now, pay later, a concept introduced in the ’90s, has since undergone a digital transformation for consumers across the globe. Klarna, Afterpay, and Affirm are the few of many that offer consumers a buy now, pay later option for everyday purchases online. But what about brick-and-mortar purchases? This is where Arad Levertov , CEO and co-founder of Sunbit , saw an opportunity to disrupt the buy now, pay later space, and did so in a way that encouraged strong relationships with consumers. In ...
Apr 20, 2021•40 min
Many payment solutions sit atop legacy infrastructures that don’t allow for much flexibility. New economy companies and FinTechs are looking for more. In this episode, we chat with Patricia Montesi , Co-founder and CEO of Qolo , about how she designed a next-gen payment solution that embraces modern banking capabilities. What we talked about: - The gap in the marketplace that led to the founding of Qolo - How FinTechs are forcing banks in the US to become more progressive - The value that expert...
Apr 13, 2021•22 min
Financial literacy is a hotly debated topic. How do you educate consumers to make smarter investment decisions? Sometimes, the best approach is to learn by doing. That’s why Phillip Barrar , CEO of Moka , is fostering financial literacy not through courses, but through action and participation. He joined the show to discuss how Moka’s products promote financial inclusion in a simple and intuitive way. He discusses: - Moka’s products and how they work - Why the rise of Fintech is good for the con...
Apr 05, 2021•18 min
Recently, the nation became enthralled with an underdog story of ordinary people pushing Gamestop’s stock way past its value to stick it to greedy traders only to be stopped by the power of Wall Street… Only that wasn’t the whole story. To learn what really happened, we turned to Yoshi Yokokawa , Co-founder & CEO at Alpaca , in our latest episode for some much needed context on the controversy. Yoshi explains: - What really happened with Gamestop - Why Robinhood had to stop allowing Gamestop...
Mar 30, 2021•36 min
US regulations mean we don’t see nearly as many startup banks as Europe. So, if one manages to get past the regulatory hurdles, what do they prioritize? For Rodrigo Suarez , Head of Innovation at Piermont Bank , a startup bank serving SMBs, speed and culture are the secret to success. In this episode, we discuss: - The challenges a startup bank faces - Why the SMB space is ripe for innovation - Why speed and culture matter To ensure that you never miss an episode of Payments Innovation, subscrib...
Mar 22, 2021•29 min
In retail, digital transformation is everywhere and obvious. You buy a product online, it gets delivered to your home. No more browsing aisles or waiting in checkout lines. But B2B lags behind — especially when it comes to subscriptions. Why is that? Today’s guest, Daniel Saks , President & Co-CEO at AppDirect , says it’s all to do with the demands of the digital supply chain. And at AppDirect, he’s helping companies meet those demands. What we talked about: - AppDirect’s place in the digita...
Mar 16, 2021•24 min
Remote work leveled the playing field for working moms. The dogs, babies, and kids showing up in Zoom chats have revealed the human side of our colleagues. Shouldn’t we be thinking about creating a more flexible, sustainable, and human work environment for everyone? After all, every one of us can do something to challenge the norm. This International Women's Day, women in technology have the opportunity to lead the challenge by being visible and vulnerable according to Neve Taylor , Equality, Di...
Mar 07, 2021•30 min
These days, everything we could ever need is a click away. From groceries to furniture, every purchase is on-demand… Shouldn’t our paychecks be, too? After all, your money is yours when you’ve earned it — not when your employer pays it. That’s what motivates Matt Kopko in his role as Vice President of Public Policy at DailyPay , a fintech company making the monthly obsolete by giving employees access to wages they’ve already earned whenever they need them. What we talked about: Why the monthly p...
Mar 02, 2021•43 min
SMEs face a unique set of challenges and risks that traditional banks have historically been weary to take on. But thanks to fintech, SMEs have never been better served. Sometimes, disruption is the only way to achieve financial inclusion. In our latest episode, we speak with Pedro Pinto , Head of Growth at Neat , one of the fintechs spurring on the financial inclusion revolution and helping SMEs increase their chances of success. We discuss: Why SMEs have been traditionally seen as risky How fi...
Feb 23, 2021•19 min
GPI stands for global payments initiative. Think: the Amazon parcel tracking equivalent in the international payments space. Is SWIFT gpi about to go the way of the dinosaur? That’s what we’re here today to debate. In this episode of Payments Innovation, host Richard Arundel, Co-founder & Chief Evangelist at Currencycloud catches up with David Birch , author and FinTech thought leader, and Piers Marais , Product Director at Currencycloud . Richard, Dave, and Piers discuss... The 4 benefits S...
Feb 16, 2021•31 min
It’s a global phenomenon: People are being more cautious with their finances. Last year brought home the importance of saving, investing, and getting out of debt. Everyone deserves access to tools to help them achieve financial wellness. (Good news — there’s Plum.) In this episode of Payments Innovation, host Lauren Passey chats with Thanos Bismpigiannis , Head of Product at Plum Fintech , about financial wellness and resiliency. The two discuss… Why financial wellness is what customers need mos...
Feb 09, 2021•34 min
Is the rise of neobanks another case of out with the old, in with the new ? Not necessarily. Traditional community banks have the opportunity to leverage their funds and connections in the new world of Banking as a Service (BaaS). Not to mention, there’s still plenty of space for fintechs to partner up with established players and go to market. In this episode of Payments Innovation, host Chris D’Antuono catches up with Founder & CEO of the only BaaS consultancy in the U.S. , Cokie Hasiotis ...
Feb 02, 2021•27 min
These days, we are one click on a smartphone away from buying anything we need. Everything is immediate. Well, except for the money we’ve earned. But thanks to innovations like Earnings On Demand, that’s changing. In this episode, I sit down with James Herbert , Founder & CEO at Hastee , to find out how his company is helping people unlock the money they’ve earned when they need it. What we talked about: The outdated way we are paid Why the link between effort and reward needs to be more obv...
Jan 26, 2021•28 min
The pandemic may have accelerated it, but the remote revolution is upon us. It’s unlikely that work will ever be the same again. But if remote work is here to stay, we need the financial tools to fuel it. In today’s episode, I speak with Sahin Boydas , CEO & Founder at RemoteTeam.com , about the pros and cons of remote work and the role of fintech in the new world of work. What we talked about: The advantages of working from home What to watch out for in remote work Why fintech is essential ...
Jan 19, 2021•48 min
No matter what vertical you’re in, small businesses are always looking for ways to save money and — ultimately — time. One big time suck? Back office administrative duties. Claudio Romano , Founder & CEO of ORCHID B , has set out to help new SMEs navigate administrative duties and manage all back office operations in one single platform. In this episode of Payments Innovation, Claudio discusses… Why operating an SME is so complicated How ORCHID B takes new owners from anxious to competent fo...
Jan 12, 2021•24 min
Financial innovation is happening at a record pace. But when it comes to small businesses… If you aren’t solving their cashflow problems, nothing else matters. In today’s episode, I speak with Derik Sutton , VP of Marketing at Autobooks , to learn why cash flow is everything when it comes to small businesses. What we talked about: The cashflow problem for small businesses How fintechs have squeezed out banks for deposits The different incentives for banks and fintechs To ensure that you never mi...
Jan 05, 2021•32 min
Financial literacy is one of the most crucial things to master for anyone. If you want good outcomes in life, it pays to understand money. Yet, we aren’t teaching our kids finance — at home or in school. Benjamin Nachman , Founder & CEO at Jassby , is trying to change that. His company is offering banking services for kids as young as 8 years old that will help parents teach financial literacy — without any boring lectures. In today’s episode, he joined me to discuss: Why finance isn’t being...
Dec 29, 2020•34 min
Those who innovate in trying times are often the names that stick around. Everyone agrees this year has been more trying than most. But it could have been a whole lot worse without the innovators leading us through. And when it comes to finance, Paul Golding , Senior Equity Research Analyst at Macquarie Group , has studied all the innovators making a difference in these uncertain times. He joins me on the show to share his insights on the world we find ourselves in for 2020 and beyond. We discus...
Dec 22, 2020•30 min
When was the last time you dealt with a government agency? The experience is rarely something to write home about. But when it comes to payments, that could be changing. That’s because Danny Shader , CEO at PayNearMe , is reinventing the payment experience for government agencies. He joined me on a recent podcast to talk about how PayNearMe’s new platform is helping to make dealing with the government a little easier. In this episode, we discuss: How to fix less-than-stellar payment experiences ...
Dec 15, 2020•33 min
Most people think they’re bad at banking, but they’re not. People just don’t take the time to develop better financial habits because, well… Banking is boring. But Steve Le Roux , Founder & CEO at Envel , thinks he can change that. His company is tapping into behavioral science to reward people for banking better — and not rewarding the bank when they don’t. In this episode, Steve explains: How the broken banking system inspired Envel How behavioral science and AI can fix it Why user experie...
Dec 08, 2020•34 min
One of the biggest challenges for small businesses is accessing capital. Weeks can pass before sales result in payment — especially for online merchants. But what if there was a way to access that money as soon as you make the sale? That’s exactly what Keith Smith , Co-Founder & CEO at Payability , is bringing to small businesses, allowing them to unlock that capital and use it when they need it. In this episode, we discuss how Payability addresses: The capital concerns for small businesses ...
Dec 01, 2020•30 min
With so much uncertainty in the pandemic… The last thing anyone wants to worry about is getting paid. Luckily, like everything else digital, the pandemic is accelerating existing trends. And that’s making it easier for everyone to get paid when they need it. My guest today is Andrew Garner , Senior Vice President/General Manager, Business Partnerships at Netspend , where he’s helping solve payroll problems for the pandemic and beyond. In this episode, we discuss: How the pandemic is affecting pa...
Nov 24, 2020•28 min
In the payments space, there’s one area that shouldn’t be overlooked: Digital gifting. It’s a rapidly growing area of payments. And with that growth comes innovation. In this episode, my guests are two of the people driving that innovation: Brett Narlinger , Head of Global Commerce, and Helena Mao , VP of Global Product Strategy, from Blackhawk Network. We discuss: How the gifting world is changing The effect COVID-19 has had on gifting How the demographics for digital gifting have changed To en...
Nov 17, 2020•35 min
Your product has one purpose… Solving a customer’s problem. But what do you do when they don’t even know they have a problem? That’s a challenge Mark Ridley , Co-Founder & Managing Director at Green Shoots FX , tackled in starting his FX company. He joins the show today to share the lessons he’s learned in launching Green Shoots. We discuss: How to educate your customers How to enter a crowded market What to do about your customers’ other problems To ensure that you never miss an episode of ...
Nov 10, 2020•25 min
How you treat your customers matters. But for many banks, the level of service you can expect is direct correlated to your account balance. That needs to change. And Archie Ravishankar , Founder and CEO at Cogni , is on a mission to do just that. At Cogni, he’s rising to the challenge with a platform to help the underserved, Gen Z and everyone else with their financial needs. What we talked about: -Why customer service matters -Why Gen Z are an important demographic to reach -How digital banks a...
Nov 03, 2020•24 min
