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.

With 7.7 million Venezuelan refugees globally and 2.9 million in Colombia alone, the challenge of distributing humanitarian aid effectively is huge. Using cash is slow and risky, and lacks transparency, raising problems for NGOs and migrants alike. In this episode, we’re joined by the team from AAvance, a fintech working with Visa to tackle this problem head-on. We’ll explore how their digital wallet is replacing insecure cash with prepaid cards, giving dignity and financial freedom to migrants. We’ll hear the human stories behind AAvance’s work, and learn how it’s creating a pathway to economic independence for migrants across Colombia. And we’ll discover just why it matters so much to AAvance’s founders themselves John Herreño and Magreth Gutierrez Vargas.

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 12
For migrant workers sending remittances back home, cross-border payments can be slow, complex and expensive. It was this challenge Ambar Sur set out to solve when he left his telecom background and co-founded Terrapay in 2014. Inspired by telecom’s seamless global connectivity, Ambar set about building a robust network to enable instant, low-cost digital transactions, helping workers move more money more quickly across borders and increasing financial inclusion in the process. In this episode, we talk to Ambar about his Terrapay journey and how digital wallets are reshaping financial ecosystems to meet UN Sustainable Development Goals. We discuss the power of interoperability, explore the real-world impact of digital wallets, and ask about the challenges still to be addressed in the quest for borderless financial connectivity.

Learn more about Visa Direct:
visa.com/visadirect

Connect with Visa Direct on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/visa-direct/

Timestamps:

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction to Ambar Sur
• 00:00:45 Welcome to Money Travels
• 00:02:10 What is a digital wallet?
• 00:03:20 How do digital wallets fit into today’s financial ecosystem?
• 00:04:40 Making wallets “roam” globally
• 00:06:00 Why do small-value remittances matter?
• 00:08:20 How does TerraPay work with regulators on compliance?
• 00:10:00 Guiding emerging market regulators on cross-border flows
• 00:11:30 Ensuring reliability and delivering fast transfers
• 00:13:00 Insights from Ambar’s telco background
• 00:14:10 The shift from cash to digital
• 00:15:30 Why are some workers still paid in cash?
• 00:17:00 Cash vs. digital adoption in emerging markets
• 00:18:10 TerraPay’s early market entry strategy
• 00:20:00 The vision for global interoperability
• 00:22:30 Making low-value transfers affordable for gig workers
• 00:24:10 How do regulators shape digital wallet expansion?
• 00:26:40 Stablecoins, FX considerations, and keeping flows regulated
• 00:29:00 Building trusted, scalable global payment rails
• 00:31:20 TerraPay’s mission: money movement as seamless as mobile roaming
• 00:34:10 Future outlook for global wallets and remittances
• 00:36:40 Closing and next episode nominations

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 11
As CEO at Paysend, Ben Chisell is revolutionising how money moves across borders. In this episode, we talk with Ben about his personal journey, his passion for improving financial inclusion, and the challenges faced by millions when it comes to sending and receiving money. We explore the inefficiencies in traditional systems, the impact of new technologies, and how Paysend’s secret recipe for settling international payments could solve “the single biggest problem in financial services” — to the benefit of businesses and individuals alike.

Learn more about Visa Direct:
visa.com/visadirect

Connect with Visa Direct on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/visa-direct/

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction to Ben Chisell
• 00:00:57 Welcome to Money Travels
• 00:01:50 Persistent challenges in moving money
• 00:03:47 The impact of solving backend payment issues and who benefits
• 00:05:54 How new innovation affects businesses and SMBs, particularly around cash flow
• 00:09:46 Industry shifts driving focus on backend payment infrastructure
• 00:15:55 Ben Chisell’s experience at Paysend: identifying problems and proposing strategic change
• 00:20:55 Developing and refining Paysend’s mission and strategy
• 00:22:30 Key conversations that helped shift company priorities
• 00:24:03 How other companies have adapted to similar strategic approaches
• 00:28:00 Core challenges in global money movement:

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 10
With so many people struggling to manage their finances effectively, the financial services industry is steadily shifting its focus from increasing financial inclusion to improving financial health. For more than two decades, Jennifer Tescher has been pursuing this cause with the Financial Health Network, with the aim of ensuring a fair shake for the “little guy.” Now, with the emergence of agentic AI and open banking, Jennifer is helping to usher in a new era of personalised financial solutions, from AI-powered advisers that improve financial decision-making, to “self-driving wallets” that can take action on behalf of consumers. In this episode, Jennifer explains what consumers stand to gain from these advances, how banks will benefit too, and how the work being done now is laying the foundation for a more equitable financial future.

Learn more about Visa Direct:
visa.com/visadirect

Connect with Visa Direct on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/visa-direct/

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction to Jennifer Tescher
• 00:01:05 Welcome to Money Travels
• 00:02:05 Unpacking financial health and inclusion
• 00:03:00 Defining and measuring financial health
• 00:06:17 Partnering with Queen Máxima on financial health advocacy
• 00:09:13 The power of data in improving financial outcomes
• 00:11:20 Financial literacy vs. financial health — key differences
• 00:13:54 Who benefits from this work: consumers, businesses, or both
• 00:15:30 Leveraging AI to enhance financial health: opportunities and challenges
• 00:17:00 Mitigating AI risks: data bias, representation, and responsible guidance
• 00:20:00 Future of AI providers: banks, fintechs, and evolving partnerships
• 00:23:27 The industry outlook: coexistence and collaboration between banks and fintechs
• 00:25:57 Financial Health Network’s approach: research, partnerships, consulting, and fintech investment
• 00:28:30 How these efforts provide value and drive change across the industry
• 00:31:29 Why financial health matters for banks and fintechs
• 00:35:10 Measuring success and long-term impact
• 00:38:00 Generational and economic shifts shaping financial health (crypto, policy, labor trends)
• 00:39:30 Jennifer Tescher’s journey from journalism to financial advocacy
• 00:45:30 The future of financial health: challenges, innovation, and what keeps her motivated
• 00:50:20 Looking ahead: what success will mean in the next decade
• 00:56:20 Closing and next episode nominations

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.