Japan has long been a leader in financial technology, from pioneering 24/7 ATMs to developing QR codes and digital payment systems. But in recent years, the country has struggled to keep up with the global fintech revolution. That might be about to change. In this episode, Pieter Franken, Managing Director of GFTN Japan, joins us to explore Japan’s fintech resurgence and what’s driving innovation in the region. With Japan FinTech Week and the GFTN Japan Forum on the horizon, we discuss Japan’s fintech evolution, Regulatory shifts, GFTN Japan Forum, AI, crypto & deep tech, and Startup & investor landscape.

Dubai’s AI Masterplan! That’s a wrap on Season 3 of Couchonomics! And we’re ending on a high note. In this season finale, we welcome Dr. Marwan Alzarouni, CEO of AI at the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, to the couch for an insightful discussion on how AI is reshaping industries, the evolution of blockchain, and Dubai’s vision for a tech-driven economy.

Can Capital Save the Planet? 🌍💰 In this special Couchonomics x The Founders Peak episode from Singapore Fintech Festival 2024, we sit down with Oi Yee Choo, CEO of Climate Impact X (CIX), to discuss the future of sustainability finance and carbon markets.

Japan is making big moves in AI, blockchain, and digital asset regulation. In this special episode—filmed live at the Singapore Fintech Festival 2024 with The Founders Peak Unplugged—Arjun sits down with Ryosuke Ushida, Chief Fintech Officer at Japan’s Financial Services Agency, to discuss the country’s fintech future.

Is the Middle East set to be the ultimate billionaire’s playground by 2025? In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, we're joined by Fahd Iqbal, CIO of UBS Middle East. We explore the influx of billionaires reshaping the UAE, the rise of family offices, and how AI is transforming investment strategies. Fahd shares his expert predictions for 2025 and the financial shifts happening across the region.

PropTech Power in Saudi Arabia! In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, we had an engaging conversation with Razwa Alharthi, Co-Founder of Nuzul, at Jeel, Riyadh Bank's innovation hub. Razwa shared how her PropTech startup is driving innovation and efficiency in Saudi Arabia's real estate sector through cutting-edge technology.

A New Era of Wealth Management! Couchonomics with Arjun is coming to you straight from Saudi Arabia! In this episode filmed at Jeel, Riyadh Bank's innovation hub, we chat with Ali Alorainy and Faisal Alqarni, the founders of Malaa Technologies, a wealth tech platform reshaping personal finance with a fresh, automated approach.

Future of crypto!

We’re honored to have Richard Teng, CEO of Binance, joining us for an exclusive conversation straight from the heart of the Singapore FinTech Festival. As one of the most influential leaders in the crypto space, Richard takes us through his journey at the helm of Binance, a company that’s leading the charge in crypto adoption, education, and innovation.

Tokenizing Trade Finance: A Glimpse into the Future of Digital Assets

Live from SFF 2024, we had the privilege of sitting down with Wee Kee Toh, Global Head of Business Architecture for Coin Systems at Onyx by JPMorgan, to unpack the groundbreaking innovations shaping the future of digital finance.

From interoperability to Global Layer One—a collaborative blockchain network operated by banks—we dove deep into how these advancements are revolutionizing the financial ecosystem.

Is AI a Boon or a Bane for Banks? What happens to those banks that arrive late for the party?

Our special series from the Singapore Fintech Festival—created in collaboration with Founders Peak—continues with a must-watch episode! We had the pleasure of sitting down with Tomas Skoumal, Chairman of Dyna.ai, to explore how AI is reshaping the banking landscape.

How Stable Are Stablecoins? In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, recorded live at the Singapore FinTech Festival in partnership with Founders Peak, we chat with Dante Disparte, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Policy at Circle. Dante shares how Circle is using digital assets like USDC (Stablecoin) and EURC to build a more inclusive financial system. Innovation is changing the way we think about global finance—tune in to learn more.

Super apps are the talk of the town and in the latest episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, we’re diving into this hot topic with Kaniyet Rayev, CEO of Boxo. Based in Kazakhstan and Singapore, Kaniyet leads Boxo—a platform that empowers apps to become super apps by seamlessly integrating e-commerce, travel, and financial services.

This week on Couchonomics, Arjun sits down with Walter De Oude, the visionary Founder & CEO of Chocolate Finance—a high-yield cash management platform designed to bring better returns on idle cash. Joining from Singapore, Walter shares his inspiring journey from launching SingLife to creating Chocolate Finance, along with his vision for empowering “lazy savers” with higher returns.

Exciting plans for Season 4 are already in motion, and in this 100th-episode special, Arjun takes a turn on the other side of the #couch! Hosting this special edition is Vuk Zlatarov, Co-founder and CEO of Poddster, who delves into Arjun’s journey behind the scenes. Vuk leads Arjun through a candid discussion about the journey of building the show, from its early days to becoming a space for the region's most insightful conversations. They explore the challenges, standout moments, and the future direction of the show as it continues to grow.

We continue celebrating the 100th episode of Couchonomics with Arjun! For this milestone episode, we’re happy to welcome back Roelant Prins, Chief Commercial Officer at Adyen. Roelant and Arjun had an interesting conversation at the end of Season 1, where we filmed a special episode in Amsterdam. Today, Roelant joins us remotely to discuss the evolving payments landscape and explore the critical shifts happening in both Europe and the Middle East. Catch this insightful conversation with Roelant as we celebrate 100 episodes of learning innovation, and community!

We’re celebrating the 100th episode with the return of Ramana Kumar, CEO of Magnati! Ramana first joined us in Season 1, and now he’s back to share how Magnati has evolved into a leading cloud-based payments company. In this special episode, we explore the shift to tech-driven payments, the rise of embedded finance, cross-border payment challenges in the MENA region, the role of CBDCs, and the potential of stablecoins in transaction banking. Plus, how Magnati is navigating the regulatory landscape across the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Celebrating the 100th episode of Couchonomics With Arjun with a special guest, Mr. FinTech himself, Sopnendu Mohanty, Chairman of the Board at Elevandi and Chief FinTech Officer at the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). In our humble opinion, he's been the chief catalyst in turning Singapore into a FinTech powerhouse.

In this part of our 100th-episode special, Sopnendu and Arjun explore significant shifts in the FinTech landscape, including the evolution of digital assets and CBDCs, the impact of AI, and Singapore’s initiatives for a seamless digital finance ecosystem and cross-border payments. They also discuss Singapore’s role in the FinTech ecosystem and the upcoming 9th edition of the Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF), which has become one of the most influential FinTech events globally.

Joining us on the latest episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, all the way from Tbilisi, Georgia 🇬🇪, is Salim Dhanani, founder and CEO of Pave Bank—the world’s first programmable bank. 

In our conversation, Salim explains how Pave Bank is shaping the future of financial services by leveraging blockchain and smart contracts to revolutionize trust and eliminate counterparty risks. We also dive into why they adopted the full reserve banking model, the impact of tokenization, and how evolving regulations are influencing the fintech space.

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, we're joined by Rahul Banerjee, Founder & CEO of Bondblox, to explore the future of bond trading. Rahul shares how Bondblox is transforming access to bonds, opening up opportunities for retail investors in a market traditionally controlled by institutions. Arjun and Rahul discuss the rapid growth of the bond market, particularly in Asia, and how technology is playing a key role in bridging the gap between institutional and individual investors.

Chit-fund with a digital twist!

Ahmed Wadi, Founder and CEO of Money Fellows is our latest guest on the show. Money Fellows is a pioneering startup from Egypt that has digitized the ancient financial concept of ROSCAs, where a group of individuals act as an informal financial institution. In our chat, Ahmed shares insights on Money Fellows' operational strategy, the challenges and opportunities of building a startup in Egypt, and the overall fintech landscape in the country.

Discover how Money Fellows is revolutionizing this millennia-old concept!