Airtm × BVNK (Mastercard): Why Stablecoin Payments Are "Islands" — and How They Now Connect To 190 Markets
Stablecoins are supposed to fix cross-border payments. Instead, says BVNK's Kimberly Mescal-Julian, they have created islands, or rather, wallets that can hold value but can't spend it, receive payroll into it, or reach the banking features around it.In this episode of Deep Dive Podcast (recorded at Stellar Meridian in Lisbon on Oct. 29, 2026, the day Airtm and BVNK announced their partnership), Rubén Galindo – CEO and co-founder of Airtm – and Kim Mescal-Julian – Global Head of Partnerships at BVNK – explain what it takes to connect those islands. This includes a wallet address replaced by an email, a five-second settlement on Stellar where three days of correspondent banking used to sit, and a payout network covering 190 markets.Rubén and Kim also discuss the Mastercard acquisition of BVNK, the "global money platform" being built on top of it, why Airtm deliberately targets the 80% of markets that represent 20% of volume, whether one stablecoin will ever rule them all, and why both of them think agentic payments are the next inflection point.This week's guest(s):Rubén Galindo Steckel is the co-founder and CEO of Airtm, a fintech company built around a digital dollar wallet for people who earn from abroad. Rubén started Airtm in Mexico City in 2015. Today it’s the account where freelancers, remote workers and digital entrepreneurs across more than 190 countries get paid in dollars, hold them as stablecoins, spend them on a card, and convert to local currency through over 500 local payment methods.Kimberly Mescal Julien is the Global Head of Partnerships at BVNK, where she leads strategic relationships shaping the future of money movement. With leadership experience spanning Stripe, Worldpay, Marqeta, and American Express, Kimberly has built a track record of translating complex market opportunities into scalable partnerships and commercial outcomes. She is passionate about the intersection of innovation, global commerce, and the evolution of the financial system.Sign up for the weekly Deep Dive newsletter: https://deepdivepodcast.beehiiv.com/ If you are interested in sponsoring upcoming episodes, please reach out [email protected]🎙️Podcast Info:Deep Dive Podcast is rated as the best 100 web3 podcasts on Feedspot: https://podcast.feedspot.com/web3_podcasts/?feedid=7263526&_src=f1_featured_email Amazon Podcasts: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f4dd2741-2600-4be5-b894-de55b1bb1456/web3-deep-dive Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/web3-deep-dive/id1679236043 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/04DRjy4kNwf9RK5u78pSG2 IheartRadio Podcasts: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-deep-dive-podcast-111544807/ Social Links:⚡️Follow AirTM on X: https://x.com/airtminc ⚡️Follow BVNK on X: https://x.com/BVNKFinance ⚡️Follow Deep Dive Podcast on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/web3-deep-dive/?viewAsMember=true ⚡️Follow Deep Dive Podcast on Instagram: https://instagram.com/web3deepdive_podcast?igshid=YjNmNGQ3MDY= 👋 Follow Rachel on social media:X: https://twitter.com/Rachelwolf00 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelswolfsonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachwolf/Show production team:🙌 Show Production: Produced by 4LabsDigitalProduced by Brandon Zemp💡 OTHER RESOURCES: Rachel's Website: https://www.rachelwolfson.me/ Rachel's Cointelegraph Column: https://cointelegraph.com/authors/rachel-wolfson Rachel’s Cryptonews Column: https://cryptonews.com/editors/rachel-wolfson/ Rachel's Bitcoin E-Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08WLHXRS3 Rachel's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/rachelswolfsonBest Podcast on Feedspot: https://podcast.feedspot.com/web3_podcasts/?feedid=7263526&_src=f1_featured_email DISCLAIMER This show is for entertainment purposes only and does not provide financial advice. Before making any decisions consult a professional.
