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.

Can payments ever be truly invisible? In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, we’re joined by Lawrence Chan, Group CEO of NETS, as we delve into the world of payments – and trust us, NETS does far more than just payment acceptance for a domestic scheme in Singapore.

From making transactions seamless to scaling QR solutions, this conversation unpacks the universal challenges in the industry and the innovative solutions shaping its future.

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.

Payments Are Eating The World! This week on the #couch, we had the chance to speak with Daumantas Grigaravicius, the new Head of the Middle East Region at Adyen. We had an insightful conversation about the current trends in payments, both regionally and globally, and the transformative power of payment orchestration.

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.

Kicking off a special series of Couchonomics with Arjun, recorded live at the Singapore FinTech Festival 2024 in collaboration with Founders Peak! In this first episode, we welcome Nate Clark, CEO of GoTyme Bank, to talk about the future of digital banking in the Philippines and beyond. We dive into the Filipino financial services sector, the rise of fintech, the impact of AI on banking, and so much 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.

The latest episode of Couchonomics with Arjun is now live from Riyadh, in collaboration with Jeel, Riyad Bank’s innovation center. Joining us are Morrad Irsane and Sharene Lee, co-founders of Takadao, a company redefining insurance through #blockchain and #Web3 technology. Their vision? To create a decentralized, transparent alternative to traditional insurance that aligns with #IslamicFinance principles and empowers underserved communities.

Couchonomics with Arjun is beaming its inaugural episode from its new home in KSA, at Jeel, Riyadh Banks Innovation Center in the heart of Riyadh. Our guest for this week’s special episode is Maher Loubieh, Co-Founder & CEO of Hala. During this episode, Maher shares Hala’s incredible journey from its beginnings as a peer-to-peer payment platform to then pivoting their business model to focus on the MSME sector in Saudi Arabia. We discuss Hala's strategic pivots, the trials and tribulations of evolving one's business model, the challenges of serving small businesses, and their vision for building a robust financial ecosystem tailored to MSMEs' unique needs.

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!