Fintech Insider Podcast by 11:FS

About this episode: Join host Laura Watkins in this episode of Fintech Insider as we reflect on another wild year in fintech. She’s joined by 11:FS experts Joe Colchester and David Barton-Grimley to break down the year’s most memorable moments. From the fintech feel-good story of the year and the buzziest new term, to the partnership that caught everyone off guard and the glow-up that wowed the industry - we cover it all. Plus, we revisit that one jaw-dropping moment that made everyone say, “WTF?” This week's panel: Laura Watkins - Director of Media and Marketing at 11:FS Joe Colchester - Head of Product at 11:FS Pulse David Barton-Grimley - Director of Strategy and Head of Product at 11:FS -- Links to check out:  Join our WhatsApp community, where you can get the inside track on all all things 11:FS, as well as having your say on the things we should be paying attention to. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://chat.whatsapp.com/KpA4gFbbWDlLFm7kx39raf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support our charity partner School-Home Support ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --  About 11:FS At 11:FS, we don’t just talk digital - we make it happen. We're building truly digital financial services by partnering with bold teams to take them from market insights to real-world products. Whether you're an incumbent innovating or a startup breaking new ground, we bring the strategy, research, design, and delivery to make it real. Less talk, more impact.Proud winners of the British Bank Award for Consultancy of the Year - five times and counting. 👉 Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠11fs.com/ventures⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- About Fintech Insider: Fintech Insider by 11:FS is a bi-weekly podcast that covers everything from finance and banking to technology and the latest trends in financial services. Our expert hosts, with hands-on industry experience, are joined by key decision-makers, VCs, and top reporters from across the financial landscape, including guests from companies like Stripe, Revolut, Plaid, PayPal, and Monzo. Together, they break down the biggest news and innovations shaping the space. Our weekly news show drops every Monday, covering major stories like mergers, new product launches, regulatory shifts, and emerging tech trends. On Thursdays, our Insights show goes deeper into the hottest topics driving the future of finance, including AI in banking, decentralised finance, and the evolving landscape of embedded finance. Whether you're already in the fintech game or just starting to explore, this is the #1 podcast for you. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! Got a question for us? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About this episode: Host Kate Moody, Customer Strategy Director at 11:FS, is joined by a fantastic panel of guests as we dive into some of the biggest stories from the worlds of fintech, banking, and wider financial services this week. Stories covered on the podcast this week include: On this week’s podcast, we dive into Airwallex’s massive funding raise and explore what it could mean for the company’s future. We also discuss Abu Dhabi’s launch of a new fintech centre with a focus on digital assets, featuring insights from our panel. New data shows that US fintech funding is projected to drop by 6% in 2025, as big-ticket deals over $100 million slow down - but what do our panellists make of this trend? We also cover PensionBee’s call for the government to end pension transfer gridlock. What could this mean for everyone’s pensions? Kate shares her thoughts on Fifth Third’s new Commercial Card and Brex’s Financial Technology Powered solutions. Finally, inspired by all the Spotify Wrapped buzz, we get playful and discover what our panellists’ “fintech age” would be! This week's guests: Ruth Foxe Blader - Managing Partner at Foxe Capital Lisa Picardo - Chief Business Officer UK at PensionBee Thierry Coopman - Partnerships and Payments Lead at Formance Also featuring a voice note from: Shannon Scott - CPO at Airwallex Timestamps/stories Intro - (00:00)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Airwallex raises $330 million at a valuation of $8 billion-⁠⁠⁠⁠(05:36) Abu Dhabi launches fintech centre with focus on digital assets -(16:38) ⁠⁠⁠⁠US FinTech funding on track to drop 6% in 2025 as deals over $100m dry up-⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠(28:27) Broken Beyond Excuse: PensionBee Calls on Government to End Pension Transfer Gridlock - (35:59) Fifth Third to Offer Commercial Card and Financial Technology Powered by Brex- ⁠⁠⁠(45:39) -- Links to check out: ⁠Support PensionBee's petition⁠ Join our WhatsApp community, where you can get the inside track on all all things 11:FS, as well as having your say on the things we should be paying attention to. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://chat.whatsapp.com/KpA4gFbbWDlLFm7kx39raf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ About Fintech Insider: Fintech Insider by 11:FS is a bi-weekly podcast that covers everything from finance and banking to technology and the latest trends in financial services. Our expert hosts, with hands-on industry experience, are joined by key decision-makers, VCs, and top reporters from across the financial landscape, including guests from companies like Stripe, Revolut, Plaid, PayPal, and Monzo. Together, they break down the biggest news and innovations shaping the space. Our weekly news show drops every Monday, covering major stories like mergers, new product launches, regulatory shifts, and emerging tech trends. On Thursdays, our Insights show goes deeper into the hottest topics driving the future of finance, including AI in banking, decentralised finance, and the evolving landscape of embedded finance. Whether you're already in the fintech game or just starting to explore, this is the #1 podcast for you. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! Got a question for us? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About this episode: Banks aren’t just building apps anymore - they’re building digital CFOs. Join Kate Moody in this episode of Fintech Insider as she explores how SMB banking is evolving from simple dashboards to intelligent financial guidance. Small businesses don’t just want to see their balance - they want insight, advice, and a GPS for their finances. Tune into this episode, in partnership with Pleo, to discover how to navigate smarter, save time, and unlock the path your SMB really needs. This is the GPS your SMB has been waiting for. This week's guests:  Kunal Galav, VP of  Pleo Embedded Simon Gilson-Fox, SVP Small & Medium Enterprises , Mastercard Europe Learn more at⁠: https://embedded.pleo.io/ -- Links to check out:  Join our WhatsApp community, where you can get the inside track on all all things 11:FS, as well as having your say on the things we should be paying attention to. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://chat.whatsapp.com/KpA4gFbbWDlLFm7kx39raf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support our charity partner School-Home Support ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --  About 11:FS At 11:FS, we don’t just talk digital - we make it happen. We're building truly digital financial services by partnering with bold teams to take them from market insights to real-world products. Whether you're an incumbent innovating or a startup breaking new ground, we bring the strategy, research, design, and delivery to make it real. Less talk, more impact.Proud winners of the British Bank Award for Consultancy of the Year - five times and counting. 👉 Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠11fs.com/ventures⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- About Fintech Insider: Fintech Insider by 11:FS is a bi-weekly podcast that covers everything from finance and banking to technology and the latest trends in financial services. Our expert hosts, with hands-on industry experience, are joined by key decision-makers, VCs, and top reporters from across the financial landscape, including guests from companies like Stripe, Revolut, Plaid, PayPal, and Monzo. Together, they break down the biggest news and innovations shaping the space. Our weekly news show drops every Monday, covering major stories like mergers, new product launches, regulatory shifts, and emerging tech trends. On Thursdays, our Insights show goes deeper into the hottest topics driving the future of finance, including AI in banking, decentralised finance, and the evolving landscape of embedded finance. Whether you're already in the fintech game or just starting to explore, this is the #1 podcast for you. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! Got a question for us? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About this episode: Host David Barton-Grimley, Fintech Strategy Director and Head of Product at 11:FS, is joined by a fantastic panel of guests as we dive into some of the biggest stories from the worlds of fintech, banking, and wider financial services this week. Stories covered on the podcast this week include: Wise has received its first regulatory licence in Africa. This licence allows Wise to offer cross-border money transfers to personal customers in South Africa, giving users access to faster, lower-cost international transfers with more transparent exchange rates than many legacy remittance services. HSBC and Mistral AI have joined forces to accelerate AI adoption across the global bank. We take a closer look at what this partnership could mean for the wider industry. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has launched proposals to regulate ESG‑ratings providers, aiming to rebuild trust by introducing new rules for transparency, governance, and oversight. But can it deliver on these promises? We also explore Revolut’s new “Street Mode” feature, designed to help combat transfer mugging. Meanwhile, David shares his thoughts on Visa’s push for digital wallets across Europe. And to finish, there’s a cricket-themed challenge: can our panellists tell their cricket abbreviations from their fintech ones? Do they stand up to the test? This week's guests: Aditi Subbarao, Account Executive at Snowflake James O’Sullivan, CEO and Founder of Nuke from Orbit Virginie O'Shea, Founder and CEO of Firebrand Research Also featuring a voice note from: Nadia Costanzo - Director of Banking and Expansion in Latin America and the Middle East at Wise Watch the 11:FS R.I.C.H.E.S Explores video here Timestamps/stories Intro - (00:00)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Wise enters Africa-⁠(05:31) HSBC and Mistral AI Join Forces to Accelerate AI Adoption Across Global Bank- (19:56) ⁠⁠⁠FCA aims to rebuild trust in ESG ratings- ⁠⁠⁠(36:59) ⁠Revolut launches 'street mode' to combat transfer mugging-⁠⁠⁠(50:29) Visa in digital wallet push across Europe⁠-(1:01:37)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- Links to check out: Join our WhatsApp community, where you can get the inside track on all all things 11:FS, as well as having your say on the things we should be paying attention to. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://chat.whatsapp.com/KpA4gFbbWDlLFm7kx39raf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ About Fintech Insider: Fintech Insider by 11:FS is a bi-weekly podcast that covers everything from finance and banking to technology and the latest trends in financial services. Our expert hosts, with hands-on industry experience, are joined by key decision-makers, VCs, and top reporters from across the financial landscape, including guests from companies like Stripe, Revolut, Plaid, PayPal, and Monzo. Together, they break down the biggest news and innovations shaping the space. Our weekly news show drops every Monday, covering major stories like mergers, new product launches, regulatory shifts, and emerging tech trends. On Thursdays, our Insights show goes deeper into the hottest topics driving the future of finance, including AI in banking, decentralised finance, and the evolving landscape of embedded finance. Whether you're already in the fintech game or just starting to explore, this is the #1 podcast for you. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! Got a question for us? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About this episode: Benjamin Ensor takes you deep into one of digital finance’s most complex - and fastest-evolving - frontiers: stablecoin regulation. With the US GENIUS Act reshaping digital-asset oversight, the EU’s MiCA rules setting a unified standard, and the UK opening the door for stablecoins as an official form of payment, one thing is clear: stablecoins are going mainstream, fast. In this special episode, brought to you in partnership with Formance, we break down what fintechs, platforms, payment players, merchants, and corporates need to know right now. If you want the shortcut to becoming stablecoin-ready, you’re in the right place. This week's guests:  Thierry Coopman - Partnerships and Payments Lead at Formance Inna Kostiuk - Business Development Manager, Crypto vertical at Worldline Dea Markova - Director of Policy at Fireblocks Learn more at https://www.formance.com/ Links to check out:  Join our WhatsApp community, where you can get the inside track on all all things 11:FS, as well as having your say on the things we should be paying attention to. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://chat.whatsapp.com/KpA4gFbbWDlLFm7kx39raf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support our charity partner School-Home Support ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --  About 11:FS At 11:FS, we don’t just talk digital - we make it happen. We're building truly digital financial services by partnering with bold teams to take them from market insights to real-world products. Whether you're an incumbent innovating or a startup breaking new ground, we bring the strategy, research, design, and delivery to make it real. Less talk, more impact.Proud winners of the British Bank Award for Consultancy of the Year - five times and counting. 👉 Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠11fs.com/ventures⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- About Fintech Insider: Fintech Insider by 11:FS is a bi-weekly podcast that covers everything from finance and banking to technology and the latest trends in financial services. Our expert hosts, with hands-on industry experience, are joined by key decision-makers, VCs, and top reporters from across the financial landscape, including guests from companies like Stripe, Revolut, Plaid, PayPal, and Monzo. Together, they break down the biggest news and innovations shaping the space. Our weekly news show drops every Monday, covering major stories like mergers, new product launches, regulatory shifts, and emerging tech trends. On Thursdays, our Insights show goes deeper into the hottest topics driving the future of finance, including AI in banking, decentralised finance, and the evolving landscape of embedded finance. Whether you're already in the fintech game or just starting to explore, this is the #1 podcast for you. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! Got a question for us? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices