Episódios
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Digital finance is no longer only about banking apps and payments.
It is becoming a question of infrastructure, trust, customer behaviour, and how financial systems evolve in emerging markets.
In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Nika Kurdiani, CEO of TBC Uzbekistan, joins the show for a sharp conversation on digital banking, AI, open banking, and why Uzbekistan is becoming one of the most interesting financial markets to watch.
Nika explains how TBC built one of the largest digital financial ecosystems in Central Asia, why customer experience matters more than legacy banking scale, and how AI is bringing the relationship manager back into the app.
From cash economies and digital adoption to regulation, ecosystem strategy, and the future of financial services, this episode explores what happens when fast-growing markets leapfrog traditional banking models.
ποΈ In this episode:
β’ Why Uzbekistan became a major opportunity for digital finance
β’ How TBC scaled to millions of users in under six years
β’ Why βcash is not a competitor, it is an opportunityβ
β’ How open banking evolved differently in Uzbekistan
β’ The strategy behind building a digital financial ecosystem
β’ Why AI is changing customer relationships in banking
β’ How TBC built its own AI and language models
β’ Why trust is the most important currency in finance
β±οΈ CHAPTERS
00:00 Trust, AI, and the future of banking
02:37 Why Uzbekistan is attracting investor attention
09:22 Lessons from Kaspi and digital banking growth
11:41 Open banking and interoperability in Uzbekistan
18:18 Building a digital financial ecosystem
25:05 Why AI became a major bet for TBC
33:46 Competition and the financial services flywheel
43:50 Regulation, agility, and emerging markets
SOCIAL LINKS
Arjunβs LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
Couchonomics LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
Instagram β https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
Twitter (X) β https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh
TikTok β https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Newsletter β https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
PARTNERS
Couchonomics with Arjun Season 04 is brought to you by:
Adyen β https://www.adyen.com/
Thunes β https://thunes.com/
Mastercard β https://mastercard.com/
e& β https://www.eand.com/
Digit9 β https://www.digitnine.com/
SC Ventures β https://scventures.io/Our website π https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0
Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Find us on our social media platforms:Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
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Cybersecurity is no longer just a technical issue, it is now a human, business, and financial system challenge.
In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun is joined by Ralph Echemendia, Ethical Hacker and Cyber Security Expert, for a sharp conversation on hacking psychology, cybercrime, AI-driven fraud, and why financial institutions need to rethink security.
Ralph explains why some of the most dangerous attacks are not built on complex code, but on human vulnerability, trust, and social engineering.
From banks and insider threats to AI, quantum computing, and the myths Hollywood created around hackers, this episode looks at the real risks sitting behind digital finance today.
ποΈ In this episode:
β’ How Ralph first entered the world of hacking
β’ What hackers really feel when they gain system access
β’ Why banks still underestimate human vulnerability
β’ How social engineering bypasses expensive security systems
β’ What Hollywood gets wrong about hackers
β’ Why cybercrime is becoming more organised and commercial
β’ How AI is changing the speed and scale of attacks
β’ Why trust, vulnerability, and security are deeply connected
β±οΈ CHAPTERS
00:00 Inside the mind of a hacker
00:54 Meet Ralph Echemendia, The Ethical Hacker
02:34 How hacking started for Ralph
16:43 Why banks struggle with human vulnerability
23:05 The penetration test that exposed a data centre
31:32 Cybersecurity myths and realities
35:07 AI, quantum computing, and the widening security gap
44:07 Trust, vulnerability, and the future of cybersecurity
SOCIAL LINKS
Arjunβs LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
Couchonomics LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
Instagram β https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
Twitter (X) β https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh
TikTok β https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Newsletter β https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
PARTNERS
Couchonomics with Arjun Season 04 is brought to you by:
Adyen β https://www.adyen.com/
Thunes β https://thunes.com/
Mastercard β https://mastercard.com/
e& β https://www.eand.com/
Digit9 β https://www.digitnine.com/
SC Ventures β https://scventures.io/Our website π https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0
Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Find us on our social media platforms:Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
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Before a trading app reaches a user, there is an entire system underneath it doing the real heavy lifting.
In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun is joined by Yoshi Yokokawa, Co-Founder and CEO of Alpaca, for a sharp and wide-ranging conversation on brokerage infrastructure, on-chain finance, market access, and what it really takes to build financial products at global scale.
It is a grounded look at how trading has shifted from web to mobile to on-chain, why financial access still needs to be designed around culture and local behaviour, and what happens when traditional markets and digital assets begin moving closer together.
From tokenised stocks and stablecoins to prediction markets and infrastructure complexity, this conversation explores the less visible layer of finance, the one powering the apps, products, and experiences users see on the surface.
They also discuss why infrastructure should behave like a utility, what responsibilities licensed platforms carry around investor protection and market integrity, and why the long-term shift toward on-chain finance may be less about ideology and more about real product-market fit.
ποΈ In this episode:
β’ What Alpaca actually does and why brokerage infrastructure matters now
β’ How trading behaviour has evolved from desktop to mobile-first experiences
β’ Why financial products cannot be copied globally without cultural context
β’ The difference between building apps and building the infrastructure beneath them
β’ Why Yoshi believes everything will eventually move on-chain
β’ Stablecoins, tokenised stocks, and where real adoption is already happening
β’ Why bridging fiat and on-chain systems is harder than it looks
β’ The role of infrastructure in investor protection, compliance, and market safety
β’ Whether finance is heading toward super apps or continued specialisation
β’ Why Yoshi thinks access matters more than the language of βdemocratisationβ
β’ Building globally across 45 countries and operating financial infrastructure at scale
β’ Yoshiβs view on Japanese founders, risk-taking, and what may change next
If you are trying to understand where financial infrastructure is heading, and how brokerage, stablecoins, tokenisation, and digital assets are starting to connect, this episode gives you a practical lens into the layer most people never see.
β±οΈ CHAPTERS
00:00 Why infrastructure matters more than people think
01:00 Meet Yoshi Yokokawa and what Alpaca does
02:14 Why this is a big moment for brokerage infrastructure
04:54 How trading behaviour has changed over time
07:28 Why financial products need cultural context
09:30 Trading, gambling, and the role of infrastructure
12:19 Why Yoshi believes everything will move on-chain
15:14 Investor protection, fraud, and market integrity
18:05 Tokenised stocks and infrastructure complexity
20:51 Bridging fiat and on-chain finance
23:46 Bundling, unbundling, and where finance is going
27:04 Access vs democratisation in financial services
29:02 Building globally across 45 countries
33:40 Stablecoins, tokenisation, and real product-market fit
36:36 Why Alpaca stays focused on infrastructure
39:37 Yoshi on Japanese founders and startup culture
SOCIAL LINKS
Arjunβs LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
Couchonomics LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
Instagram β https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
Twitter (X) β https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh
TikTok β https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Newsletter β https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
PARTNERS
Couchonomics with Arjun Season 04 is brought to you by:
Adyen β https://www.adyen.com/
Thunes β https://thunes.com/
Mastercard β https://mastercard.com/
e& β https://www.eand.com/
Digit9 β https://www.digitniOur website π https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0
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Find us on our social media platforms:Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
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Money is no longer just held. It is moving, earning, and quietly reshaping the system around it.
In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun is joined by Anton Golub, Founding Member of RWA Labs, for a sharp, grounded conversation on what is actually happening beneath the surface of crypto, stablecoins, and tokenization.
It is a clear breakdown of how liquidity, leverage, and market structure are shaping Bitcoin cycles, why stablecoins are becoming impossible to ignore, and what happens when financial systems built for control collide with technologies built for movement.
From retail dominance in crypto markets to the real risks behind products like Strategy, and from yield-bearing stablecoins to the tension they create with traditional banks, this conversation stays rooted in what actually matters.
They also explore tokenization beyond the buzz, why most real-world asset experiments are still early, and how infrastructure gaps like liquidity, regulation, and market access continue to limit adoption.
ποΈ In this episode:
β’ What really caused recent Bitcoin volatility and liquidity drops
β’ Why retail still dominates crypto ownership more than we think
β’ Strategy, leverage, and the idea of βtoo big to failβ in crypto
β’ The reality behind stablecoin yield and why regulators are cautious
β’ How stablecoins could pressure smaller economies and currencies
β’ Tokenized deposits vs stablecoins and where each fits
β’ Why most tokenization use cases are still early or incomplete
β’ Real estate tokenization, liquidity gaps, and market readiness
β’ The future of Layer 1 blockchains and why many wonβt survive
β’ Where crypto infrastructure still falls short today
If you are trying to understand where crypto meets real financial systems, and what actually drives adoption beyond narratives, this episode gives you a practical lens to think through it.
β±οΈ CHAPTERS
00:00 Bitcoin, yield, and why stablecoins are everywhere
03:00 What broke the crypto market and liquidity after October
07:00 Who really owns Bitcoin today
11:00 Strategy, leverage, and systemic risk
14:00 Stablecoin yield and regulatory pressure
20:00 Stablecoins vs monetary policy in emerging markets
23:00 Tokenized deposits vs stablecoins explained
29:00 Cross-border payments and real-world use cases
33:00 Tokenization of real-world assets, reality vs hype
40:00 Layer 1 blockchains and future consolidation
SOCIAL LINKS
Arjunβs LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
Couchonomics LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
Instagram β https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
Twitter (X) β https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh
TikTok β https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Newsletter β https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
PARTNERS
Couchonomics with Arjun Season 04 is brought to you by:
Adyen β https://www.adyen.com/
Thunes β https://thunes.com/
Mastercard β https://mastercard.com/
e& β https://www.eand.com/
Digit9 β https://www.digitnine.com/
SC Ventures β https://scventures.io/Our website π https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0
Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Find us on our social media platforms:Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
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Fraud is not new. But the scale, speed, and sophistication have changed.
In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun is joined by Navin Gupta, CEO of Crystal Intelligence, and Nick Smart, Chief Intelligence Officer at Crystal Intelligence, to unpack the evolving world of crypto-related fraud, institutional risk, and the uncomfortable truth about financial crime in a 24/7 digital economy.
From the Lazarus Group and the Bybit hack to scam compounds operating at industrial scale, this conversation moves beyond headlines and into how crypto crime actually works, why velocity of money matters, and whether regulation is finally catching up.
They explore the intersection of traditional finance and digital assets, stablecoins, tokenization, AI-driven fraud, and the systemic risks emerging as crypto integrates deeper into the global financial system.
ποΈ In this episode:
β’ Why crypto fraud is industrialized, not amateur
β’ The Lazarus Group and lessons from the Bybit incident
β’ How blockchain transparency changes crime investigation
β’ AI as a multiplier for scams and financial crime
β’ Why 24/7 markets clash with 9β5 regulatory systems
β’ Stablecoins, velocity of money, and systemic risk
β’ Tokenization: real utility vs liquidity illusion
β’ Regulatory arbitrage and geopolitical blind spots
β’ Financial inclusion vs vulnerability in emerging markets
β’ Scam Alert and how reporting fraud protects the ecosystem
If you care about the future of finance, financial inclusion, stablecoins, or institutional crypto adoption, this episode offers a clear-eyed view of where risk really sits.
β±οΈ CHAPTERS
00:00 Fraud in the digital era and why crypto attracts it
01:00 What Crystal Intelligence actually does
05:00 Is crypto more opaque than traditional finance?
12:00 Industrial-scale scam compounds and modern fraud
16:30 The Lazarus Group and the Bybit hack
21:00 Velocity of money vs cost of fraud
26:00 Regulation catching up to digital assets
30:00 Stablecoins, custody, and institutional adoption
35:00 Exchanges, compliance, and global licensing gaps
38:00 Layer 1s, liquidity, and criminal behavior
44:00 AI, 24/7 markets, and systemic vulnerabilities
49:00 Tokenization, real world assets, and risk
52:00 Informal value transfer systems and financial inclusion
56:00 Scam Alert and collective responsibility
SOCIAL LINKS
Arjunβs LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
Couchonomics LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
Instagram β https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
Twitter (X) β https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh
TikTok β https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Newsletter β https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
PARTNERS
Couchonomics with Arjun Season 04 is brought to you by:
Adyen β https://www.adyen.com/
Thunes β https://thunes.com/
Mastercard β https://mastercard.com/
e& β https://www.eand.com/
Digit9 β https://www.digitnine.com/
SC Ventures β https://scventures.io/Our website π https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0
Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Find us on our social media platforms:Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
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Is banking really changing at the core, or are we just putting better apps on old rails?
In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun is joined in studio by Jayesh Patel, CEO of Wio Bank PJSC, to unpack what real transformation inside a bank actually looks like, how AI is reshaping operating models, and why stablecoins may compress time in money movement far more than most people realize.
They break down the difference between digitizing processes and restructuring around the customer, why SME banking still has structural gaps, and how Wio is building with micro AI agents, smart offices, and long term product bets like family banking. They also dive into crypto as an investment class, regulated stablecoins in the UAE, and whether banks should issue, distribute, or build on top of digital currencies.
ποΈ In this episode:
β’ Are banks truly transforming or just digitizing bureaucracy
β’ What customer obsession looks like beyond marketing language
β’ Why SMEs still struggle with onboarding and credit access
β’ AI micro agents and the shift toward a smart office model
β’ Crypto as an investment class and real user behavior on platform
β’ Stablecoins, regulation, and where real utility begins
β’ Payments strategy and building in house vs partnering
β’ Embedded banking through TAMM and platform distribution
β’ Competition in the UAE and what the next five years could look like
π Watch the full episode if you want a grounded view of how digital banks evolve from the inside, what stablecoins could mean for liquidity and payments, and where the real structural shifts in banking are happening.
SOCIAL LINKS
Arjunβs LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
Couchonomics LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
Instagram β https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
Twitter (X) β https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh
TikTok β https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Newsletter β https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
PARTNERS
Couchonomics with Arjun Season 04 is brought to you by:
Adyen β https://www.adyen.com/
Thunes β https://thunes.com/
Mastercard β https://mastercard.com/
e& β https://www.eand.com/
Digit9 β https://www.digitnine.com/
SC Ventures β https://scventures.io/
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Is banking really changing or just digitizing old rails
01:10 Jayesh Patel on building Wio and scaling a digital bank
05:30 Customer obsession vs legacy operating models
11:40 The SME banking gap and structural constraints
18:20 AI micro agents and the smart office model
27:30 Crypto as an investment class and user behavior
35:00 Stablecoins, regulation, and real world use cases
43:20 Payments strategy and in house build vs partnership
49:30 Embedded banking and the TAMM collaboration
54:30 Competition in the UAE and what the next five years look likeOur website π https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0
Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Find us on our social media platforms:Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
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Technology is changing what people expect from money, and stablecoins are turning that into reality.
In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun is joined from New York by Stephen Richardson (CSO and Head of Banking at Fireblocks) to break down why digital assets are back at the center of banking strategy, what stablecoins are really unlocking, and where banks are at risk of getting disintermediated if they treat this like βjust another rails upgrade.β
They unpack the on-chain vs off-chain convergence, why stablecoins became the real βkiller appβ for blockchain UX, and why the next wave isnβt just crypto trading, but new product models: stablecoin acceptance, payouts, FX orchestration, stablecoin clearing, tokenized deposits, and tokenized assets that can move and settle with fewer constraints.
ποΈ In this episode:
β’ Why digital assets momentum is rising again in 2026
β’ Stablecoins as the βmoney on-chainβ unlock (and why that changed everything)
β’ TradFi + DeFi convergence: where the customer actually feels it
β’ Real-time payments vs 24/7 money movement: what banks still miss
β’ What banks should do first: acceptance, payouts, FX, clearing, interoperability
β’ Why β40 stablecoinsβ is a UX problem (and who solves it)
β’ Stablecoin-as-a-Service vs Banking-as-a-Service: what gets leapfrogged
β’ Tokenization explained: native on-chain assets vs digital twins
β’ Whatβs next to tokenize: gold, treasuries, and trade foundations
β’ What Fireblocks is building towards: commercially viable use cases, not demos
π Watch the full episode if you want a clear, non-hype view of how stablecoins and tokenization can reshape banking operating models, and what banks and fintechs should do before the new rails become the default.
SOCIAL LINKS
Arjunβs LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
Couchonomics LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
Instagram β https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
Twitter (X) β https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh
TikTok β https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Newsletter β https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
PARTNERS
Couchonomics with Arjun Season 04 is brought to you by:
Adyen β https://www.adyen.com/
Thunes β https://thunes.com/
Mastercard β https://mastercard.com/
e& β https://www.eand.com/
Digit9 β https://www.digitnine.com/
SC Ventures β https://scventures.io/
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Stablecoins, fintech platforms, and βmoney on-chainβ
01:00 Who Stephen Richardson is + what Fireblocks does
02:10 Why digital assets now: what changed since the last cycle
05:00 Stablecoins as the killer UX unlock for blockchain
08:05 On-chain + off-chain convergence: where itβs heading
14:40 Real-time payments vs 24/7 money: visibility, trust, orchestration
17:30 What banks must shift to: platform mindset + on-chain products
25:05 First moves banks can make: accept, convert, payout, FX
33:45 What holds stablecoins back: regulation, dollarization, identity/KYC
44:15 Tokenization explained + whatβs ready next (gold, treasuries, trade)Our website π https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0
Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Find us on our social media platforms:Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
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Japan is often seen as a βmatureβ financial market.
But the real story is in whatβs quietly shifting underneath.
In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun is joined from Tokyo by Pieter Franken (Co-Founder & CEO at GFTN Japan) to unpack whatβs actually changing in Japanβs fintech and digital assets landscape and what it means for founders, investors, and global players looking at the Japan opportunity.
They go deep on stablecoins and why Japan may be ahead on regulation, the upcoming move to classify crypto and digital assets as financial instruments, and why payments remain fragmented despite Japanβs innovation legacy. The conversation also explores what could unlock faster adoption (from interoperability to cost structures), how Japanβs national digital ID rollout could become a foundational layer, and why JapanβMENA collaboration is still early but strategically important.
ποΈ In this episode:
β’ Whatβs really changed in Japan fintech over the last 12 months
β’ Stablecoins in Japan: regulation, launches, and why it matters now
β’ The big shift: crypto moving from βnon-financialβ to βfinancial instrumentβ
β’ Why Japanβs payments ecosystem is still fragmented (and what could fix it)
β’ Open banking, consumer adoption, and the cost problem for merchants
β’ The digital ID layer Japan is finally accelerating (MyNumber)
β’ JapanβMENA corridors: where collaboration is real vs. where itβs early
β’ What to expect at GFTN Forum Japan 2026: AI, tokenization, and cross-border corridors
π Watch the full conversation to understand whatβs brewing in Japan, why regulation is setting up the next phase of digital assets and payments, and where the real opportunities could emerge next.
SOCIAL LINKS
Arjunβs LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
Couchonomics LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
Instagram β https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
Twitter (X) β https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh
TikTok β https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Newsletter β https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
CHAPTERS
00:00 Japan fintech beyond the stereotypes
01:05 Who Peter Franken is + what GFTN Japan does
02:20 What shifted in Japan over the last 12 months
03:10 Stablecoins: why Japan is moving early
05:00 Crypto reclassification: what changes when it becomes a financial instrument
08:10 Open banking reality check + whatβs still missing
10:10 Cash vs digital payments: Tokyo vs the rest of Japan
12:20 Interoperability problem: too many silos, too many rails
14:10 What could unlock faster adoption (cost, standards, stablecoins, points)
16:30 Digital ID (MyNumber) as Japanβs DPI foundation
22:10 JapanβMENA corridor: whatβs real today, what could grow next
28:40 What to expect at GFTN Forum Japan 2026 (AI, tokenization, corridors)Our website π https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0
Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Find us on our social media platforms:Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
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Payments in emerging markets are often discussed as infrastructure.
But the real differentiation happens in how deeply payments are embedded into business operations.
In the final episode of this special Qatar Development Bank series of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun sits down in Doha with Saad Ishfaq, CEO of TESS Payments, to unpack how a payments company built for Qatar is scaling by solving real operational pain, not just processing transactions.
TESS Payments is a QCB-licensed payment service provider designed specifically for the Qatari market. Rather than chasing regional expansion, Saad explains why the company chose to go deep instead of wide, focusing on enterprise-grade flexibility, managed services, and bespoke integrations for large organisations across real estate, government, and critical infrastructure.
The conversation explores how payments sit at the centre of SME enablement, why micro and small businesses remain underserved across the GCC, and how fintechs and banks must collaborate rather than compete. Saad also shares how TESS evolved beyond payments into CFO tooling and digital lending, including a new sandboxed lending platform addressing Qatarβs blue-collar workforce.
From owning core infrastructure to navigating bank partnerships, regulatory sandboxes, and product adjacencies, this episode offers a grounded look at how fintech scale is built inside regulated markets.
ποΈ In this episode:
β’ Why TESS Payments is built for Qatar, not regional expansion
β’ Payments as an embedded operational layer, not a commodity
β’ Solving CFO and CTO pain through deep integrations
β’ SME and micro-SME challenges in the GCC
β’ Why banks and fintechs must work together to scale impact
β’ Building proprietary payments infrastructure in a crowded market
β’ Regulatory sandboxes as a growth enabler
β’ Expanding from payments into digital lending
β’ Addressing financial access for blue-collar workers
β’ Qatarβs role as a fintech launchpad
β’ Founder lessons from Pakistan to Qatar
β’ Grit, resilience, and building through constraint
π Watch the full conversation to understand how payments, regulation, and fintech innovation come together when products are built with local reality in mind.
SOCIAL LINKS
Arjunβs LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
Couchonomics LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
Instagram β https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
Twitter β https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh
TikTok β https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Newsletter β https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
CHAPTERS
00:00 Qatar Development Bank series wrap-up
01:30 Introducing TESS Payments and Saad Ishfaq
04:00 Key global and regional payment trends
07:00 SME and micro-SME challenges in the GCC
10:30 Embedding payments into enterprise operations
13:30 Proprietary infrastructure and differentiation
16:00 Working with banks as acquiring partners
18:30 Payments post-FIFA and infrastructure realities
20:00 Expanding beyond payments into CFO tooling
22:00 Digital lending and sandbox experimentation
25:00 Regulation as an enabler, not a blocker
27:30 Scaling depth versus geographic expansion
29:00 Founder journey from Pakistan to Qatar
31:30 Lessons on resilience, impact, and fintech scaleOur website π https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0
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Find us on our social media platforms:Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
-
Financial innovation in the GCC is often framed around payments, licenses, and launch timelines.
But the harder work happens long before a product goes live.
In this special Qatar Development Bank series of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun sits down in Doha with Mohammed Suleiman, Co-Founder and CEO of Karty, to unpack what it really takes to build a regulated fintech company from the ground up in Qatar.
Karty is not trying to out-bank banks or outscale telco wallets. Instead, it is being designed as a financial management layer that sits between spending and understanding money. A digital wallet built around insights, behaviour, and literacy rather than just transactions.
Mohammed explains why Qatarβs wallet landscape still leaves a gap for mass-affluent users, how Karty is approaching savings and financial awareness as a bundled experience, and why monetisation in fintech only works when usage comes first.
A grounded discussion on fintech realism, ecosystem maturity, and why building the right foundations matters more than rushing to market.
ποΈ In this episode:
β’ Why Qatar still needs independent digital wallets
β’ The gap between telco wallets and traditional banking
β’ Financial literacy as a bundled product, not a standalone feature
β’ How wallets monetise without pushing lending too early
β’ Multi-rail payments and the future of wallet infrastructure
β’ Round-ups, savings nudges, and behaviour-led product design
β’ Building fintech under evolving regulation in Qatar
β’ Talent, infrastructure, and the realities of building in-house
β’ AI in fintech, where it works and where it is overhyped
β’ Scaling through partnerships vs direct market expansion
β’ Why Karty sees itself as a layer after banking, not a replacement
π Watch the full conversation to understand how fintech is actually being built in Qatar, before the headlines, before the hype, and before launch.
SOCIAL LINKS
Arjunβs LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
Couchonomics LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
Instagram β https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
Twitter β https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh
TikTok β https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Newsletter β https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
CHAPTERS
00:00 Qatar Development Bank series and context
02:00 Why Qatar needs another digital wallet
05:30 The gap between telco wallets and banks
09:00 Financial literacy as a product, not content
13:30 Monetisation, margins, and wallet realities
17:00 Multi-rail payments and infrastructure thinking
21:00 Regulation, licensing, and ecosystem support
25:00 Talent, tech, and building in-house in Qatar
29:00 AI in fintech and practical constraints
33:00 Expansion strategies and infrastructure plays
37:00 Launch readiness and what comes nexOur website π https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0
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Find us on our social media platforms:Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
-
Most startup stories focus on what companies become.
This one focuses on how they are built.
In this special Qatar Development Bank series of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun sits down in Doha with Hamad Al-Hajri, Founder and CEO of Snoonu, to explore how one of Qatarβs most successful tech companies was built and why its journey matters for the region.
Hamad explains why Snoonu was never meant to be just a delivery app, but a speed-led business designed for small, fragmented markets. From brand identity and culture to engineering excellence and profitability, the conversation unpacks what it really takes to scale from Qatar.
The episode also covers Snoonuβs acquisition by Jahez, the role of AI in product discovery, and how platform-led expansion could shape the next phase of growth.
An honest discussion on super apps, culture as infrastructure, and building globally relevant companies from the Middle East.
ποΈ In this episode:
β’ Why Snoonu was built as a speed-first business, not a delivery app
β’ The real meaning behind the Snoonu name and brand identity
β’ Why super apps work in smaller, fragmented markets
β’ How Snoonu achieved profitability while others struggled
β’ Engineering excellence and product craftsmanship as a moat
β’ AI-powered discovery and real-world use cases
β’ The Jahez acquisition and lessons from consolidation
β’ Platform-as-a-service versus direct market expansion
β’ Qatarβs evolving startup ecosystem and founder flywheel
β’ What it takes to build global tech companies from the GCC
π Watch the full conversation to understand how culture, technology, and long-term vision are shaping the next chapter of Middle Eastern innovation.
SOCIAL LINKS
Arjunβs LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
Couchonomics LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
Instagram β https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
Twitter β https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh
TikTok β https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Newsletter β https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
CHAPTERS
00:00 QDB series and setting the context
02:00 The story behind Snoonuβs name
06:30 Why super apps work in the GCC
11:00 Profitability and engineering culture
16:00 AI, discovery, and product excellence
22:00 The Jahez acquisition
27:00 Platform-led expansion strategy
33:00 Qatarβs startup ecosystem evolution
39:00 Building globally from the Middle EastOur website π https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0
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Find us on our social media platforms:Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
-
Innovation ecosystems in the GCC are often judged by funding numbers and startup announcements.
But the real work happens in how institutions, capital, and regulation move together.
In this special Qatar Development Bank series of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun sits down in Doha with Mohammed Al-Emadi, Executive Director of Incubation and VC Investment at QDB, to unpack how Qatar is intentionally building its startup and venture capital ecosystem.
Rather than operating as a single funding body, QDB plays a lifecycle role across incubation, acceleration, venture capital, regulation readiness, and market access. Mohammed explains how founders are supported from idea stage through to regional and global expansion, with each layer designed to reduce friction rather than add complexity.
The conversation explores how Qatarβs ecosystem players collaborate closely, why talent and pilot access matter more than market size, and how capital, regulation, and infrastructure are aligned to support long-term innovation.
ποΈ In this episode:
β’ How QDB supports startups from idea to international markets
β’ Why ecosystem coordination matters more than isolated programs
β’ The role of incubation, acceleration, and venture capital working together
β’ Preparing startups for regulation before entering licensing
β’ Venture studios and fund-of-funds as ecosystem building blocks
β’ Talent attraction, education, and retention as infrastructure
β’ Market pilots and testing as a growth advantage
β’ Fintech beyond payments, including insurance and Islamic finance
β’ The role of exits in validating the ecosystem
β’ Positioning Qatar as a regional launchpad, not just a local market
π Watch the full conversation to understand how Qatar is building its startup and venture ecosystem quietly, deliberately, and with long-term intent.
SOCIAL LINKS
Arjunβs LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
Couchonomics LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
Instagram β https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
Twitter β https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh
TikTok β https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Newsletter β https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
CHAPTERS
00:00 Qatar Development Bank series and context
02:00 QDBβs role in the startup ecosystem
05:00 Supporting founders from idea to scale
08:30 Ecosystem coordination and institutional alignment
12:30 Talent, education, and capability building
16:30 Regulation readiness and sandbox pathways
20:30 Venture capital, fund-of-funds, and studios
24:30 Market pilots and testing environments
28:30 Fintech focus areas beyond payments
32:30 Exits, maturity, and long-term ecosystem goalsOur website π https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0
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Find us on our social media platforms:Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
-
Venture capital is often discussed through funding totals and headline deals.
But the real signal sits underneath the numbers.In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun is joined by Philip Bahoshy, Founder and CEO of MAGNiTT, to break down what the latest venture data actually says about emerging markets and where capital is really moving.
Drawing from MAGNiTTβs newest annual report, Philip unpacks the divergence across emerging markets, the growing dominance of the GCC in venture funding, and why Saudi Arabia and the UAE are increasingly shaping the regionβs venture outcomes. The conversation goes beyond raw numbers to explore liquidity, exits, fund cycles, and what maturity really looks like for venture ecosystems.
The episode dives deep into FinTechβs continued dominance, the realities behind mega rounds, why exits remain the biggest unlock for founders and investors, and how AI, private credit, and digital assets are reshaping capital allocation.
ποΈ In this episode:
β’ Why venture funding in emerging markets is diverging
β’ How Saudi Arabia and the UAE came to dominate MENA venture capital
β’ What the data reveals about deal volume versus deal quality
β’ Why exits, not funding rounds, define ecosystem maturity
β’ The real state of FinTech, digital assets, and venture debt
β’ How AI is changing venture economics beyond the hype
β’ What founders should understand about liquidity and long-term outcomes
β’ Where emerging markets could see the next wave of growthπ Watch the full conversation to understand how venture capital in the Middle East is evolving, what the data is really saying beneath the headlines, and why the next phase of growth will be defined by exits, not valuations.
PARTNERS
Couchonomics with Arjun Season 04 is brought to you by:
Adyen β https://www.adyen.com/
Thunes β https://thunes.com/
Mastercard β https://mastercard.com/
e& β https://www.eand.com/
Digit9 β https://www.digitnine.com/
SC Ventures β https://scventures.io/SOCIAL LINKS
Arjunβs LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
Couchonomics LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
Instagram β https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
Twitter (X) β https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh
TikTok β https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Newsletter β https://bit.ly/3WI4A6ECHAPTERS
00:00 Venture capital beyond the headlines
02:00 What MAGNiTT tracks and why the data matters
05:30 The divergence across emerging markets
09:30 Why the GCC now dominates MENA venture funding
14:30 Saudi Arabia vs UAE. Scale, capital, and strategy
20:30 Mega rounds, outliers, and what they really signal
26:30 The exit problem and why liquidity matters
33:00 FinTechβs continued dominance and where it is evolving
39:00 Digital assets, regulation, and investor risk appetite
44:30 Venture debt and the rise of private credit
49:30 AI investment trends and what is real versus hype
55:00 What founders should prepare for in 2026
1:00:30 The future of emerging venture ecosystemsOur website π https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0
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-
Startup success is often explained through geography, capital, or timing.
But the real story is about people, resilience, and long-term commitment.
In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun is joined by Allen Taylor, Managing Partner at Endeavor Catalyst, to unpack how world-class companies are being built far beyond Silicon Valley.
Allen shares how Endeavor identifies and backs the top 1% of founders across emerging and underserved markets, why venture outcomes are shaped over decades not fund cycles, and how resilience and ambition matter more than location. From Latin America and Eastern Europe to the Middle East and frontier markets like Nigeria and Pakistan, the conversation explores what it really takes to build billion-dollar companies from anywhere.
The episode also dives into how venture capital is evolving, why the traditional 10-year fund model no longer reflects reality, how AI is changing both startups and investing, and what creates durable entrepreneurial ecosystems over time.
ποΈ In this episode:
β’ Why billion-dollar companies can now be built from anywhere
β’ How Endeavor identifies and supports the top 1% of founders globally
β’ The power of role models, second-generation founders, and ecosystem flywheels
β’ Why resilience matters more than ideas in long-term company building
β’ How frontier markets create asymmetric venture returns
β’ The limits of the traditional VC model and what needs to change
β’ Where AI truly adds value in startups and venture investing
β’ Why ambition should move from regional champions to global companies
π Watch the full conversation to understand how global entrepreneurship is shifting, why emerging markets matter, and what the next decade of venture creation could look like.
#CouchonomicsWithArjun #Entrepreneurship #VentureCapital #Endeavor #GlobalStartups #EmergingMarkets #FounderMindset #AI #FutureOfVenture #Leadership
PARTNERS
Couchonomics with Arjun Season 04 is brought to you by:
Adyen β https://www.adyen.com/
Thunes β https://thunes.com/
Mastercard β https://mastercard.com/
e& β https://www.eand.com/
Digit9 β https://www.digitnine.com/
SC Ventures β https://scventures.io/
SOCIAL LINKS
Arjunβs LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
Couchonomics LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
Instagram β https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
Twitter (X) β https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh
TikTok β https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Newsletter β https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
CHAPTERS
00:00 Building billion-dollar companies from anywhere
02:10 What Endeavor really does and why it exists05:30 How Endeavor Catalyst invests differently
09:00 The globalisation of startups beyond Silicon Valley
13:30 Latin Americaβs rise and why it matters
18:00 Europeβs overlooked innovation markets
22:40 The Endeavor network and founder flywheels
27:30 Frontier markets, geopolitics, and long-term bets
33:00 How co-investment and trust actually work
38:30 Is the VC model outdated
43:20 Fund life cycles, liquidity, and LPβGP dynamics
48:30 AIβs real impact on startups and investing
53:00 What the Middle East needs to do next
58:00 Role models, exits, and ecosystem maturity
1:03:30 Resilience, ambition, and what defines great foundersOur website π https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0
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Banking innovation usually gets reduced to apps and features.
But the real changes are happening underneath.
In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Richard Davies, CEO of Allica Bank, joins the couch to talk about how challenger banks are actually rebuilding SME banking in the UK.
Richard breaks down why established SMEs need a very different banking model, why go-to-market is harder than building the technology, and how value, trust, and low cost structures become the real advantage over time.
The conversation moves through how digital banking has matured in the UK, what open banking really delivers today, how AI is being used inside regulated banks, and where stablecoins and tokenised money actually make sense and where they do not.
An honest discussion on SME credit gaps, the limits of the super-app idea, the role of humans in an AI-led bank, and what the next decade of challenger banking could realistically look like.
ποΈ In this episode:
β’ Why challenger banks are replacing major banks for SMEs, not just competing with them
β’ The hidden problem of fragmentation in SME finance
β’ How Allica is building an all-in-one bank for established businesses
β’ What open banking gets right and where it still falls short
β’ AI inside banks: productivity, agents, and the limits of automation
β’ Why SMEs are not ready for complexity in digital assets
β’ The real use cases for stablecoins and cross-border payments
β’ What creates a defensible moat in modern digital banking
β’ How regulation helps and hinders SME lending in the UK
β’ What the next 3 to 5 years of SME banking could look likeπ Watch the full conversation to understand how challenger banks are scaling trust, profitability, and relevance in a post-hype fintech world.
#CouchonomicsWithArjun #SMEBanking #ChallengerBanks #Fintech #UKFintech #DigitalBanking #AIinBanking #FutureOfBanking #Leadership #FinancialServices
PARTNERS
Couchonomics with Arjun Season 04 is brought to you by:
Adyen β https://www.adyen.com/
Thunes β https://thunes.com/
Mastercard β https://mastercard.com/
e& β https://www.eand.com/
Digit9 β https://www.digitnine.com/
SC Ventures β https://scventures.io/
SOCIAL LINKS
Arjunβs LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
Couchonomics LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
Instagram β https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
Twitter β https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh
TikTok β https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Newsletter β https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
CHAPTERS
00:00 Why SME banking is being rebuilt
02:40 The maturity of UK challenger banks
06:30 The real SME credit gap problem
10:20 Fragmentation vs all-in-one banking
15:00 Go-to-market challenges in SME banking
19:30 Open banking realities for SMEs
24:30 AI inside regulated banks
30:10 Human banking in an AI-first world
36:00 Stablecoins, tokenisation, and real use cases
42:00 What creates a defensible banking moat
47:30 Regulation, growth, and the road to 2030Our website π https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0
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Find us on our social media platforms:Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
-
Innovation in banking is often talked about, but rarely understood.
In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Giovanni Everduin, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer and Head of Ventures at Commercial Bank International, joins the couch to unpack what innovation really looks like inside a regulated bank.
From legacy systems and institutional mindsets to AI, digital assets, and on-chain finance, this conversation goes beyond buzzwords to explore where real value is being created and where the industry may be getting ahead of itself.
Giovanni shares why regulation can act as a catalyst for innovation, how banks and fintechs are moving from competition to partnership, and why the future of finance will be hybrid rather than fully on-chain or off-chain.
A candid discussion on tokenization, stablecoins, privacy, and why understanding the problem always matters more than chasing the latest technology.
ποΈ In this episode:
β’ What innovation actually means inside a regulated bank
β’ Why legacy systems, data, and mindsets slow transformation
β’ How fintechs shifted from challengers to infrastructure partners
β’ The real opportunities and misconceptions around tokenization and stablecoins
β’ Why privacy will be critical for institutions moving finance on-chain
β’ How banks can experiment safely without breaking trust
β’ Why partnership-driven innovation is becoming the dominant model
β’ What the next 3 to 5 years of banking could realistically look likeπ Watch the full conversation to understand how banks are navigating innovation without losing trust, stability, or relevance.
#CouchonomicsWithArjun #BankingInnovation #Fintech #DigitalAssets #AIinBanking #Tokenization #FutureOfBanking #UAE #Leadership #FinancialServices
PARTNERS
Couchonomics with Arjun Season 04 is brought to you by:
Adyen β https://www.adyen.com/
Thunes β https://thunes.com/
Mastercard β https://mastercard.com/
e& β https://www.eand.com/
Digit9 β https://www.digitnine.com/
SC Ventures β https://scventures.io/
Hala β https://hala.com/SOCIAL LINKS
Arjunβs LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
Couchonomics LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
Instagram β https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
Twitter β https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh
TikTok β https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Newsletter β https://bit.ly/3WI4A6ECHAPTERS
00:00 What innovation really means in banking
02:30 Why regulation shapes how banks operate
05:30 Legacy systems, data, and mindset challenges
09:00 Fintechs shifting from disruption to partnership
13:30 AI, hype vs real impact inside banks
18:00 Tokenization and stablecoins explained clearly
24:00 Why privacy matters for institutions on-chain
30:00 CBIX and experimenting safely outside the bank
36:00 The hybrid future of finance
41:00 What the next 3 to 5 years could look likeOur website π https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0
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-
Banking in the UAE is entering a phase where digital expectations, AI, and trust are forcing banks to rethink everything from processes to culture.
Arjun sits down with Dr. Bernd van Linder, CEO of Commercial Bank of Dubai, to unpack how customer experience, technology and trust are reshaping the future of banking.
ποΈ In this episode:
Why customer experience has become the only real competitive advantage in banking
How digitization moved from a COVID era surprise to a baseline expectation
Why the UAE banking sector keeps evolving faster than global peers
How banks can rewire legacy systems without breaking what works
Why fintechs are now partners, not threats, and how the best banks use them
The real impact of AI on productivity, governance and the workforce
How trust, safety and regulation shape decision making in a digital-first world
What the next five years of banking will look like in the region
π Watch now to understand how customer experience, fintech partnerships, AI and trust will define the next era of banking.
#CouchonomicsWithArjun #Banking #DigitalTransformation #AI #Fintech #UAE #CustomerExperience #FutureOfBanking #Leadership #Innovation
PARTNERS
Couchonomics with Arjun Season 04 is brought to you by:
Adyen β https://www.adyen.com/
Thunes β https://thunes.com/
Mastercard β https://mastercard.com/
E& β https://www.eand.com/
Digit9 β https://www.digitnine.com/
SC Ventures β https://scventures.io/
Hala β https://hala.com/
SOCIAL LINKS
Arjunβs LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
Couchonomics LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
Instagram β https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
Twitter β https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh
TikTok β https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Newsletter β https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
Chapters
00:00 The new realities of customer expectations
02:00 Why UAE banks are evolving faster than global peers
04:00 Customer experience as the only real competitive advantage
07:00 Rewiring people and processes for a digital-first world
10:00 How fintech partnerships are reshaping bank capabilities
14:00 The future role of branches in a digital-first banking model
18:00 Moving from legacy tech to open, integrated systems
22:00 The real impact of AI on productivity, risk and governance
30:00 Trust, safety and how customers choose banks today
36:00 What the next 3 to 5 years of banking will look like
Our website π https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0
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Find us on our social media platforms:Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
-
Core banking is no longer a back-office topic.
Cloud, payments, AI and digital assets are forcing banks to rethink the foundations of how money moves.
In this episode, Arjun sits down with Vishal Dalal, Global CEO of Pismo, to unpack the evolution of modern core banking, the rise of cloud-native architectures, and why migration, resilience and payments complexity are the real bottlenecks shaping the future.
From a startup getting thrown out of buildings in Brazil to powering global banks across 70 plus countries, Vishal breaks down the hard truths of building critical infrastructure in a world that expects zero downtime, instant scalability and absolute safety.
In this episode:
β’ How Pismo went from a 5,000-card pilot to powering tens of millions of accounts
β’ Why resilience, recovery and disaster readiness are now core banking table stakes
β’ The real challenges of migrating 200 million accounts from legacy systems
β’ Why every country building its own payment rails increases global complexity
β’ How stablecoins, tokenized deposits and CBDCs force a rethink of the entire backend
β’ Why digital assets and real-time settlement are pulling core banking into a new era
β’ How AI is reshaping migrations, operations, debugging and developer speed
β’ Why being cloud-only opens some markets and immediately disqualifies others
β’ How leaders should balance velocity with safety in a geopolitical environment full of risk
π Watch now to understand the next chapter of core banking.
#CouchonomicsWithArjun #Banking #CoreBanking #Fintech #Payments #Cloud #AI #DigitalAssets #Stablecoins #CBDC #Migration #FutureOfFinance #Innovation
Partners
Couchonomics with Arjun Season 04 is brought to you by:
Adyen β https://www.adyen.com/
Thunes β https://thunes.com/
Mastercard β https://mastercard.com/
E& β https://www.eand.com/
Digit9 β https://www.digitnine.com/
SC Ventures β https://scventures.io/
Hala β https://hala.com/
Follow us on social media
Arjunβs LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
Couchonomics LinkedIn β https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
Instagram β https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
Twitter β https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh
TikTok β https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Newsletter β https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
Chapters
00:00 The Pismo origin story and early Brazil journey
02:00 Winning trust through a 5,000-card pilot
04:00 Landing ItaΓΊ and scaling to millions of accounts
06:00 Citiβs 76-country ledger and going global
08:00 What modern core banking must deliver today
12:00 The realities of migrating from legacy mainframes
16:00 Payments rails, localization and rising global complexity
20:00 How digital assets, stablecoins and CBDCs reshape the backend
26:00 AIβs impact on migrations, operations and developer speed
34:00 Why safety, resilience and governance matter more than ever
Our website π https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0
Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Find us on our social media platforms:Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
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Fintech is entering a new phase where technology, regulation and global markets are reshaping value at a deeper level.
Arjun sits down with Sandeep Patil, Partner and Head of Asia at QED Investors, to break down how fintech is evolving beneath the surface.
ποΈ In this episode:
-Why the global fintech reset isnβt over
- How stablecoins are becoming the quiet rails of global trade
- How AI will reshape underwriting and distribution
- Why regulatory fluency is now essential for founders
- Where real value creation will happen over the next 3β5 years
π Watch now to understand how AI, stablecoins, global flows and regulation are writing the next chapter of fintech.
Couchonomics with Arjun Season 04 is brought to you by our partners:
Adyen β https://www.adyen.com/
Thunes β https://thunes.com/
Mastercard β https://mastercard.com/
E& β https://www.eand.com/
Digit9 β https://www.digitnine.com/
SC Ventures β https://scventures.io/
Hala β https://hala.com/
Chapters
00:00 Episode Teaser
01:00 How global volatility is shaping fintech
03:10 Are we through the fintech reset or not
05:00 Where real value will emerge in the next 3 to 5 years
06:30 Stablecoins and the rewiring of global trade
09:00 How AI is reshaping underwriting, distribution and trust
12:20 What categories are losing momentum
17:00 AI washing vs real AI-led companies
20:10 Why founders must understand regulation deeply
31:00 The Middle East and Saudi. Rising themes and opportunitiesOur website π https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0
Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Find us on our social media platforms:Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
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What if the future of money isnβt about new currencies, but about rebuilding how value moves?
Arjun sits down with Keith Grose, Senior Country Director at Coinbase UK, to explore how crypto is moving from hype to real infrastructure.
They talk about the UKβs second-mover advantage in regulation, the role of stablecoins in global trade, and how Coinbase is building the bridge between traditional finance and the on-chain world.
ποΈ In this episode:
β Why Coinbaseβs mission is to increase economic freedom for a billion people
β How crypto complements, not replaces, real-time payment systems
β Why stablecoins are becoming the settlement layer for global trade
β What the UKβs second-mover advantage means for innovation
β How regulation can balance control with growth
β Why private stablecoins may move faster than CBDCs
β What it takes to make crypto secure, compliant, and trusted
β How on-chain transparency is reshaping user protection
π Watch now to understand how crypto, regulation, and finance are converging into the next chapter of global money movement.
Couchonomics with Arjun Season 04 is brought to you by our partners:
Adyen β https://www.adyen.com/
Thunes β https://thunes.com/
Mastercard β https://mastercard.com/
E& β https://www.eand.com/
Digit9 β https://www.digitnine.com/
SC Ventures β https://scventures.io/
Hala β https://hala.com/
Chapters
00:00 Episode Teaser
01:02 Introducing Keith Gross and Coinbase
02:07 Coinbase's Mission and Crypto's Promise
03:55 The Role of Regulation in Crypto
04:14 Global Payment Systems and Crypto's Potential
11:11 The Promise and Growth of Stablecoins
13:48 Institutional Adoption and Tokenized Deposits
18:50 The Future of Crypto Regulation in the UK
25:18 Understanding Wholesale CBDC and Stable Coins
25:39 The Role of Stablecoins in Government Bonds
26:27 Yield and Regulatory Challenges of Stablecoins
27:58 Coinbase's Offerings for Retail and Institutional Customers
29:49 Defi Lending and Borrowing Innovations
34:10 Security and Custody in Crypto Trading
41:06 Regulatory Collaboration and Industry Standards
46:53 Balancing Growth and Risk in Crypto
48:57 Future Metrics and Tokenization Trends
50:13 Conclusion and Future DiscussionsOur website π https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0
Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Find us on our social media platforms:Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
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