Money Travels

For decades, migrant workers were forced to navigate incredible friction just to send money home because legacy banks shied away from serving them. This exclusion triggered a wave of innovation, allowing emerging economies to leapfrog the West with mobile wallets and real-time networks. But it also created a wide interoperability gap. Cecilia Tamez, Chief Strategy Officer at Euronet Worldwide, experienced these challenges firsthand as an immigrant navigating archaic financial systems. In this episode, Cecilia reveals the big idea that solves this global fragmentation: turning a vast remittance network into the invisible infrastructure to connect legacy banks with the unbanked. We explore why Ria was uniquely placed to build this bridge, how AI is quietly revolutionizing cross-border compliance, and why this connectivity paves the way for a future where work migrates to people rather than people migrating for work.

For decades, the retail equation was simple: a business sold a product to a customer. But today, realising they can no longer survive on their own inventory, traditional retailers are transforming into vertical marketplaces, hosting thousands of third-party sellers. As the Head of Technology, Nuvei for Platforms, Simon Hall builds the payment infrastructure that makes this possible. In this episode, Simon explains why legacy payment pipes are breaking under the weight of this new platform economy, why this pivot is transforming traditional retailers into complex financial companies, and how Nuvei is working to ensure marketplaces survive the coming wave of agentic commerce.

Stablecoins are everywhere in the conversation about the future of money—but what happens when they enter real payment systems? In this episode, Abdul Abdulkerimov, founder & Executive Chairman Paysend along with Vira Platonova, Global Head of Visa Direct, join host Maxime Guirauton to discuss the first stablecoin settlement pilot on Visa Direct. Together they unpack why fintech companies are experimenting with stablecoin settlement, what problems it might solve for cross-border payments, and how pilots like this could shape the next generation of global money movement. Learn more about Visa Direct: visa.com/visadirect Connect with Visa Direct on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/visa-direct/ Disclaimers: Visa Direct capability is enabled through a financial institution partner. Visa Direct product availability and functionality varies by market. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent. Visa neither makes any warranty or representation as to the completeness or accuracy of the information within this podcast, nor assumes any liability or responsibility that may result from reliance on such information and any information from third parties. The information contained in this podcast is not intended as investment or legal advice, and listeners are encouraged to seek the advice of a competent professional where such advice is required. All brand names, logos and/or trademarks are the property of their respective owners, and do not necessarily imply product endorsement or affiliation with Visa.

For years, the financial technology sector has operated at the bleeding edge of innovation — from embedded finance to stablecoins and AI. But product strategist and fintech thought leader Jas Shah argues that in the rush to adopt new technologies, it can be easy to lose sight of the human problems we’re trying to solve. As the founder of Bitsul and the voice behind the popular Fintech: Under the Hood newsletter, Jas helps companies bridge the gap between complex code and genuine customer needs. In this episode, Jas explains how his consulting work gets him up close to the real-world friction facing small businesses and migrant workers. We discuss why the West's focus on stablecoins often misses the point, how AI should be harnessed for intent rather than hype, and why the best financial technology is the kind the user never even notices.

The financial system operates on a paradox: the biggest companies get the best rates and fastest service, while the real economy—the painters, carpenters, and small suppliers—pay more for a poorer service. With a background in humanitarian aid and finance, Stable Sea founder Tanner Taddeo is using digital assets to fix this. In this episode, Tanner explains how he is bringing Wall Street services to Main Street, and why the future of the US dollar depends on winning the shadow race for digital currency.

For decades, the global financial system has been a Tower of Babel, with banks, wallets, and blockchains each speaking their own language, unable to work together efficiently. This fragmentation has caused massive inefficiencies, trapping billions of dollars in dead money and excluding billions of people from the global economy. Chloé Mayenobe, Deputy CEO of Thunes, is building a universal translator to fix this. In this episode, Chloé discusses the rise of the mobile-first economy, why stablecoins are the key to 24/7 liquidity, and how strict compliance became her competitive advantage in building a network that reaches 7 billion endpoints.

For decades, the global financial infrastructure was designed as a one-way street: excellent at collecting money from consumers, but slow and inefficient at giving it back. Rodney Robinson, a 40-year veteran of the payments industry, recognized that for the digital economy to work, money needed a reverse gear. In this episode, Rodney discusses why legacy institutions didn’t share his vision, how TabaPay is now the invisible plumbing for the apps we all use, and why democratizing instant money movement is the key to preventing debt cycles for millions of Americans. 00:00 Welcome to Money Travels: The Push and Pull Problem 01:15 Lightning Round: 40 Years of Payments Wisdom 04:40 The Asymmetry of Money Movement: Pull vs Push 07:11 Solving the Impossible: Building Two-Way Instant Payments 08:22 The Invisible Infrastructure Powering Your Favorite Apps 11:12 The New Normal: Speed as a Consumer Expectation 11:49 From Corporate Rejection to Entrepreneurial Success 15:28 Flip Phones and Failed Experiments: Learning from Mobile Payment History 17:10 Breaking the Debt Trap: The Real Impact of Instant Payments 20:42 The FinTech-Bank Clash and the Future of Payments Learn more about Visa Direct: visa.com/visadirect Connect with Visa Direct on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/visa-direct/ Disclaimers: Visa Direct capability is enabled through a financial institution partner. Visa Direct product availability and functionality varies by market. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent. Visa neither makes any warranty or representation as to the completeness or accuracy of the information within this podcast, nor assumes any liability or responsibility that may result from reliance on such information and any information from third parties. The information contained in this podcast is not intended as investment or legal advice, and listeners are encouraged to seek the advice of a competent professional where such advice is required. All brand names, logos and/or trademarks are the property of their respective owners, and do not necessarily imply product endorsement or affiliation with Visa.

Money Travels Podcast Season 4, Episode 1 With the global financial system often failing to serve emerging markets, Chris Maurice, CEO and Co-Founder of Yellow Card, has built an innovative solution from the ground up. What started as a personal mission to solve crippling remittance fees evolved into Africa's leading stablecoin infrastructure, facilitating billions in commerce. In this episode, Chris dives into his founder journey—from selling Pokémon cards to flying into Lagos on a six-day-old passport—and explains how Yellow Card leveraged stablecoins to solve Africa’s payments problems. We’ll discuss his work with governments to build regulatory clarity, his vision for using stablecoins to strengthen the global dollar system, and how this new financial infrastructure is laying the foundation for an equitable and connected global economy. Learn more about Visa Direct: visa.com/visadirect Disclaimers: Visa Direct capability is enabled through a financial institution partner. Visa Direct product availability and functionality varies by market. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent. Visa neither makes any warranty or representation as to the completeness or accuracy of the information within this podcast, nor assumes any liability or responsibility that may result from reliance on such information and any information from third parties. The information contained in this podcast is not intended as investment or legal advice, and listeners are encouraged to seek the advice of a competent professional where such advice is required. All brand names, logos and/or trademarks are the property of their respective owners, and do not necessarily imply product endorsement or affiliation with Visa.

Money Travels Podcast Season 3, Episode 14 What does the "edge of money" actually look like? In our Season 3 finale, hosts Rich and Max look back at the most groundbreaking conversations of the year—from the digital transformation of aid in conflict zones to how AI is finally giving creators the financial tools they deserve. We dive deep into why "inclusion" is about more than just a bank account—it’s about dignity, choice, and moving money at the speed of life. Whether it’s solving the trillion-dollar friction in B2B payments or making "money roaming" as easy as mobile roaming, this episode summarizes the innovations that are redefining our global economy. Learn more about Visa Direct: visa.com/visadirect Disclaimers: Visa Direct capability is enabled through a financial institution partner. Visa Direct product availability and functionality varies by market. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent. Visa neither makes any warranty or representation as to the completeness or accuracy of the information within this podcast, nor assumes any liability or responsibility that may result from reliance on such information and any information from third parties. The information contained in this podcast is not intended as investment or legal advice, and listeners are encouraged to seek the advice of a competent professional where such advice is required. All brand names, logos and/or trademarks are the property of their respective owners, and do not necessarily imply product endorsement or affiliation with Visa.

Money Travels Podcast Season 3, Episode 14 What does the "edge of money" actually look like? In our Season 3 finale, hosts Rich and Max look back at the most groundbreaking conversations of the year—from the digital transformation of aid in conflict zones to how AI is finally giving creators the financial tools they deserve. We dive deep into why "inclusion" is about more than just a bank account—it’s about dignity, choice, and moving money at the speed of life. Whether it’s solving the trillion-dollar friction in B2B payments or making "money roaming" as easy as mobile roaming, this episode summarizes the innovations that are redefining our global economy. Learn more about Visa Direct: visa.com/visadirect Connect with Visa Direct on LinkedIn:   / visa-direct   #Fintech #DigitalPayments #MoneyTravels #FinancialInclusion #CreatorEconomy #AI #FutureOfFinance Disclaimers: Visa Direct capability is enabled through a financial institution partner. Visa Direct product availability and functionality varies by market. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent. Visa neither makes any warranty or representation as to the completeness or accuracy of the information within this podcast, nor assumes any liability or responsibility that may result from reliance on such information and any information from third parties. The information contained in this podcast is not intended as investment or legal advice, and listeners are encouraged to seek the advice of a competent professional where such advice is required. All brand names, logos and/or trademarks are the property of their respective owners, and do not necessarily imply product endorsement or affiliation with Visa.