Episodes

  • 960. Insights: The future of Revolut with UK CEO Francesca Carlesi

    960. Insights: The future of Revolut with UK CEO Francesca Carlesi
    May 8 2025
    About this episode: In this episode of Fintech Insider Insights, David M. Brear welcomes Francesca Carlesi, the CEO of Revolut UK, for an in-depth conversation about one of the most transformative years in Revolut’s history. With a strong background in fintech and traditional banking, including co-founding the UK’s first digital mortgage lender, Francesca has brought a wealth of experience and entrepreneurial spirit to her role at Revolut. Over the past year, Revolut secured its highly anticipated UK banking licence, crossed the milestone of 10 million UK customers, and made significant strides towards becoming the primary bank of choice for millions. Francesca shares the inside story of what it took to achieve these milestones, how Revolut’s fast-paced, customer-first culture enabled rapid innovation, and what building a “super app” for financial services really looks like from the inside. The conversation also dives into Revolut’s bold expansion into wealth management, SME banking, lending products, and beyond. This week's guest: Francesca Carlesi - UK CEO of Revolut -- Links to check out: Join our WhatsApp community, where you can get the inside track on all all things 11:FS, as well as having your say on the things we should be paying attention to. ⁠⁠https://chat.whatsapp.com/KpA4gFbbWDlLFm7kx39raf -- Advertisements: Sign up for a new account on Lightyear and receive $15 worth of a US fractional share when you use this link: http://lightyear.com/11fs or enter the code 11FS manually in the Promotions section. Code conditions: Complete onboarding and fund at least £50 into your General Investment Account after entering the code. The code can only be used if you haven’t redeemed any code before. Once conditions are met, you’ll get $15 worth of a US fractional share of your choice.Capital at risk, ISA rules apply. Provider of the investment services is Lightyear U.K. Ltd for the UK and Lightyear Europe AS for the EU. Terms apply: https://lightyear.com/terms. Seek qualified advice if necessary. This is not investment advice. -- About Fintech Insider: Fintech Insider by 11:FS is a bi-weekly podcast that covers everything from finance and banking to technology and the latest trends in financial services. Our expert hosts, with hands-on industry experience, are joined by key decision-makers, VCs, and top reporters from across the financial landscape, including guests from companies like Stripe, Revolut, Plaid, PayPal, and Monzo. Together, they break down the biggest news and innovations shaping the space. Our weekly news show drops every Monday, covering major stories like mergers, new product launches, regulatory shifts, and emerging tech trends. On Thursdays, our Insights show goes deeper into the hottest topics driving the future of finance, including AI in banking, decentralised finance, and the evolving landscape of embedded finance. Whether you're already in the fintech game or just starting to explore, this is the #1 podcast for you. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! Got a question for us? Email ⁠⁠podcasts@11fs.com⁠⁠! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    51 mins
  • 959. News: Nubank lands Mexico licence, Thunes raises $150m and Robinhood Gold hits 3.2m subscribers

    959. News: Nubank lands Mexico licence, Thunes raises $150m and Robinhood Gold hits 3.2m subscribers
    May 5 2025
    About this episode:Host Benjamin Ensor - Director of Research and Strategy at 11:FS is joined by a fantastic panel of guests as we dive into some of the biggest stories from the worlds of fintech, banking, and wider financial services this week. Stories covered on the podcast: Robinhood publishes its Q1 results showing an increase in both revenue and profit as it launches its latest offering, Robinhood Gold , to the wealth management market. Mexico’s National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV) has approved Nubank Mexico’s banking license enabling the firm to evolve into a full service bank. Cross border payments company Thunes furthers its expansion into the US market with a $150million raise in a Series D funding round. Crypto giant Coinbase have teamed up with venture studio, Founders Factors to launch a UK based crypto and AI accelerator and we take a look at Revolut’s first movements into the mobile markets as they launch phone plans. This week's guests: Steve Quirk - Chief Brokerage Officer at Robinhood Miguel Armaza - General Partner at Gilgamesh Venture Kate Drew - Director of Research, CCG Catalyst Timestamps/stories: Intro - (00:00) Robinhood tops estimates amid volatility as crypto slows- (06:34) ⁠Nubank receives banking licence approval in Mexico - (21:29) ⁠Thunes raises $150 million in Series D funding- (33:16) Coinbase and Founders Factory to launch UK crypto and AI accelerator - (44:38) UK fintech Revolut expands lifestyle reach with mobile plans - (54:35) Chicago: security truck drops money bags worth $300,000 on its rounds- (56:32) -- Advertisements: Sign up for a new account on Lightyear and receive $15 worth of a US fractional share when you use this link: http://lightyear.com/11fs or enter the code 11FS manually in the Promotions section. Code conditions: Complete onboarding and fund at least £50 into your General Investment Account after entering the code. The code can only be used if you haven’t redeemed any code before. Once conditions are met, you’ll get $15 worth of a US fractional share of your choice.Capital at risk, ISA rules apply. Provider of the investment services is Lightyear U.K. Ltd for the UK and Lightyear Europe AS for the EU. Terms apply: https://lightyear.com/terms. Seek qualified advice if necessary. This is not investment advice. -- Links to check out: Join our WhatsApp community, where you can get the inside track on all all things 11:FS, as well as having your say on the things we should be paying attention to. ⁠⁠https://chat.whatsapp.com/KpA4gFbbWDlLFm7kx39raf -- About Fintech Insider: Fintech Insider by 11:FS is a bi-weekly podcast that covers everything from finance and banking to technology and the latest trends in financial services. Our expert hosts, with hands-on industry experience, are joined by key decision-makers, VCs, and top reporters from across the financial landscape, including guests from companies like Stripe, Revolut, Plaid, PayPal, and Monzo. Together, they break down the biggest news and innovations shaping the space. Our weekly news show drops every Monday, covering major stories like mergers, new product launches, regulatory shifts, and emerging tech trends. On Thursdays, our Insights show goes deeper into the hottest topics driving the future of finance, including AI in banking, decentralised finance, and the evolving landscape of embedded finance. Whether you're already in the fintech game or just starting to explore, this is the #1 podcast for you. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! Got a question for us? Email ⁠podcasts@11fs.com⁠! ⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • 958. Insights: The rise of digital wealth management – a conversation with Monument CEO Ian Rand

    958. Insights: The rise of digital wealth management – a conversation with Monument CEO Ian Rand
    May 1 2025
    On this special edition of Fintech Insider Insights, David M. Brear, Group CEO at 11:FS, is joined by Ian Rand, CEO of Monument Bank - a pioneering digital private bank designed for mass affluent individuals. Ian took the helm at Monument in 2022, bringing extensive experience from Barclays to lead the bank through a period of rapid growth. We dive into the key ingredients behind Monument’s success and explore what’s next for the future of high-end banking. -- Advertisements: Sign up for a new account on Lightyear and receive $15 worth of a US fractional share when you use this link: http://lightyear.com/11fs or enter the code 11FS manually in the Promotions section. Code conditions: Complete onboarding and fund at least £50 into your General Investment Account after entering the code. The code can only be used if you haven’t redeemed any code before. Once conditions are met, you’ll get $15 worth of a US fractional share of your choice.Capital at risk, ISA rules apply. Provider of the investment services is Lightyear U.K. Ltd for the UK and Lightyear Europe AS for the EU. Terms apply: https://lightyear.com/terms. Seek qualified advice if necessary. This is not investment advice. -- For those listening in GCC and Turkey, this episode is sponsored by XM: ⁠https://bit.ly/FintechCopyTrade⁠ -- Links to check out: Join our WhatsApp community, where you can get the inside track on all all things 11:FS, as well as having your say on the things we should be paying attention to. ⁠https://chat.whatsapp.com/KpA4gFbbWDlLFm7kx39raf⁠ -- About Fintech Insider: Fintech Insider by 11:FS is a bi-weekly podcast that covers everything from finance and banking to technology and the latest trends in financial services. Our expert hosts, with hands-on industry experience, are joined by key decision-makers, VCs, and top reporters from across the financial landscape, including guests from companies like Stripe, Revolut, Plaid, PayPal, and Monzo. Together, they break down the biggest news and innovations shaping the space. Our weekly news show drops every Monday, covering major stories like mergers, new product launches, regulatory shifts, and emerging tech trends. On Thursdays, our Insights show goes deeper into the hottest topics driving the future of finance, including AI in banking, decentralised finance, and the evolving landscape of embedded finance. Whether you're already in the fintech game or just starting to explore, this is the #1 podcast for you. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! Got a question for us? Email ⁠podcasts@11fs.com⁠! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    48 mins
  • 957. News: Global Payments bags Worldpay, Circle launches cross-border network, and is Starling for sale?

    957. News: Global Payments bags Worldpay, Circle launches cross-border network, and is Starling for sale?
    Apr 28 2025
    Advertisements: Sign up for a new account on Lightyear and receive $15 worth of a US fractional share when you use this link: http://lightyear.com/11fs or enter the code 11FS manually in the Promotions section. Code conditions: Complete onboarding and fund at least £50 into your General Investment Account after entering the code. The code can only be used if you haven’t redeemed any code before. Once conditions are met, you’ll get $15 worth of a US fractional share of your choice.Capital at risk, ISA rules apply. Provider of the investment services is Lightyear U.K. Ltd for the UK and Lightyear Europe AS for the EU. Terms apply: https://lightyear.com/terms. Seek qualified advice if necessary. This is not investment advice. -- For those listening in GCC and Turkey, this episode is sponsored by XM: https://bit.ly/FintechCopyTrade -- About this episode: Host Laura Watkins, Director of Media & Marketing, 11:FS is joined by a fantastic panel of guests as we dive into some of the biggest stories from the worlds of fintech, banking, and wider financial services this week. Stories covered on the podcast: Global Payments is buying Worldpay, also selling its Issuer Solutions unit to FIS in a major two-part deal which once closed is expected to turn Global Payments into a streamlined, pure-play merchant solutions company with boosted enterprise and e-commerce capabilities. Saudi Arabia has surpassed the UAE to drive Venture Capital funding in the MENA region to its highest levels since 2023. Circle, the company behind the USDC stablecoin is set to launch a cross border payments network in the coming weeks as they gear up for a long awaited IPO. Haboo money has partnered with Griffin to launch a "save as you repay" wallet scheme. British mid-sized lender Shawbrook has made a tentative £5 billion approach to a merger with digital bank Starling, as it explores alternatives to a lukewarm IPO market. We’re also looking at some of the most overused ‘buzzwords’ in Fintech, checking out some of the ones you could be using instead. This week's guests: Hannah Baynham - Co-founder of haboo money Nick Philpott - Co-founder and Head of Partnerships at Zodia Markets Doug Mackenzie - Freelance Fintech Content Lead Timestamps/stories: Intro - (00:00) Global Payments to acquire Worldpay in $24bn deal - (05:28) Saudi Arabia, UAE lead MENA VC funding to highest since 2023 - (18:01) Circle to launch Stablecoin-powered Cross-Border payments network in May - (31:48) haboo money partners with Griffin - (43:18) Shawbrook weighs alternative to float with £5bn Starling merger approach - (55:03) The most overused buzzwords in fintech and what to say instead - (59:14) -- Links to check out: Join our WhatsApp community, where you can get the inside track on all all things 11:FS, as well as having your say on the things we should be paying attention to. https://chat.whatsapp.com/KpA4gFbbWDlLFm7kx39raf About Fintech Insider: Fintech Insider by 11:FS is a bi-weekly podcast that covers everything from finance and banking to technology and the latest trends in financial services. Our expert hosts, with hands-on industry experience, are joined by key decision-makers, VCs, and top reporters from across the financial landscape, including guests from companies like Stripe, Revolut, Plaid, PayPal, and Monzo. Together, they break down the biggest news and innovations shaping the space. Our weekly news show drops every Monday, covering major stories like mergers, new product launches, regulatory shifts, and emerging tech trends. On Thursdays, our Insights show goes deeper into the hottest topics driving the future of finance, including AI in banking, decentralised finance, and the evolving landscape of embedded finance. Whether you're already in the fintech game or just starting to explore, this is the #1 podcast for you. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! Got a question for us? Email podcasts@11fs.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • 956. Insights: The product leader’s guide to fighting fraud

    956. Insights: The product leader’s guide to fighting fraud
    Apr 24 2025
    For those listening in GCC and Turkey, this episode is sponsored by XM. https://bit.ly/ClaimBonusFintech -- About this episode: Host David Barton-Grimley is joined by some great guests to explore what fintech product leaders are doing to combat fraud. Fraud isn’t going away anytime soon. Scammers now use artificial intelligence, deepfake video calls, and emotionally manipulative tactics - like romance scams - to exploit a growing population of digital-first but fraud-naive users. For bad actors, it’s a golden era. But fintechs aren’t standing still. They’re turning that same technology into defensive tools, aiming to stop fraud before it even starts. In this episode, we unpack the modern fraud landscape and explore what it means to fight fraud at the product-build level - asking how product managers are tackling fraud from the very start of the creation journey and at every step thereafter. This week's guests: Joe Colchester - Head of Product at 11:FS Pulse Tony Brancato - Chief Product Officer at Charlie Monica Millares - Chief Product Officer at BigPay -- Links to check out: Find out more about 11:FS Pulse Join our WhatsApp community, where you can get the inside track on all all things 11:FS, as well as having your say on the things we should be paying attention to. https://chat.whatsapp.com/KpA4gFbbWDlLFm7kx39raf About Fintech Insider: Fintech Insider by 11:FS is a bi-weekly podcast that covers everything from finance and banking to technology and the latest trends in financial services. Our expert hosts, with hands-on industry experience, are joined by key decision-makers, VCs, and top reporters from across the financial landscape, including guests from companies like Stripe, Revolut, Plaid, PayPal, and Monzo. Together, they break down the biggest news and innovations shaping the space. Our weekly news show drops every Monday, covering major stories like mergers, new product launches, regulatory shifts, and emerging tech trends. On Thursdays, our Insights show goes deeper into the hottest topics driving the future of finance, including AI in banking, decentralised finance, and the evolving landscape of embedded finance. Whether you're already in the fintech game or just starting to explore, this is the #1 podcast for you. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! Got a question for us? Email podcasts@11fs.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    45 mins
  • 955. News: Revolut vs Amex, Stitch's big fundraise, and BNPL hits Coachella

    955. News: Revolut vs Amex, Stitch's big fundraise, and BNPL hits Coachella
    Apr 21 2025
    For those listening in GCC and Turkey, this episode is sponsored by XM: https://bit.ly/FintechCopyTrade About this episode: Host Laura Watkins, Director of Media & Marketing, 11:FS is joined by a fantastic panel of guests as we dive into some of the biggest stories from the worlds of fintech, banking, and wider financial services this week. Stories covered on the podcast: Revolut is currently developing a new points-based credit card. South African fintech Stitch has just raised USD 55 million to expand and optimise its unified payments platform across the country. Wise has announced a new full-stack hub in Hyderabad. Earned wage access platform Tapcheck has raised USD 225 million. About 60% of attendees used Coachella's ticket payment plan to spread out the cost of their USD 499 general admission ticket. The founder of Nate, an AI-powered shopping app, has been charged with fraud after it was revealed that the app's checkout process was actually powered by human workers, not AI. This week's guests: Sam Maule - Head of Business Development at Moov Kiaan Pillay - CEO and Co-Founder of Stitch Money Veronica Glab - Independent Fintech Consultant Timestamps/stories: Intro - (00:00:00) Revolut to take on American Express with move into reward credit cards - (02:30:28) Stitch secures $55m in new funding round - (15:18:25) Wise making big tech moves in India - (30:55:00) Tapcheck Raises $225 Million in Equity and Debt Funding to Redefine Payday for America’s Workforce - (40:40:12) Many Coachella Attendees Are Buying Tickets Through BNPL - (52:27:09) Nate founder charged with fraud over 'AI' shopping app secretly powered by humans - (55:02:04) Links to check out: Join our WhatsApp community, where you can get the inside track on all all things 11:FS, as well as having your say on the things we should be paying attention to. https://chat.whatsapp.com/KpA4gFbbWDlLFm7kx39raf About Fintech Insider: Fintech Insider by 11:FS is a bi-weekly podcast that covers everything from finance and banking to technology and the latest trends in financial services. Our expert hosts, with hands-on industry experience, are joined by key decision-makers, VCs, and top reporters from across the financial landscape, including guests from companies like Stripe, Revolut, Plaid, PayPal, and Monzo. Together, they break down the biggest news and innovations shaping the space. Our weekly news show drops every Monday, covering major stories like mergers, new product launches, regulatory shifts, and emerging tech trends. On Thursdays, our Insights show goes deeper into the hottest topics driving the future of finance, including AI in banking, decentralised finance, and the evolving landscape of embedded finance. Whether you're already in the fintech game or just starting to explore, this is the #1 podcast for you. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! Got a question for us? Email podcasts@11fs.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • 954. Insights: Is the ground shifting for fintech funders and founders?

    954. Insights: Is the ground shifting for fintech funders and founders?
    Apr 17 2025
    For those listening in GCC and Turkey, this episode is sponsored by XM. https://bit.ly/ClaimBonusFintech -- About this episode: On this week's Fintech Insider Insights, hosts Ross Gallagher and David Barton-Grimley are joined by some great guests to dive into funding. Some have argued that the fintech industry was born in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crash, fuelled by low interest rates, abundant capital, and the promise of building something better than what came before. For years, the playbook was simple: raise big, scale fast, and disrupt everything. After those heady heights, however, the dynamic has shifted. As reported by Innovate Finance, global investment in fintech dropped to $51.2 billion in 2023—a 48% decline from the previous year’s figure of $99 billion—following the pandemic. So, where does this leave our entrepreneurs? Being a fintech founder can be a lonely, even terrifying prospect—unless you’ve got the backing of the best. Today, we’re going to explore what the current funding landscape actually looks like for fintech founders and funders. This week's guests: Tom Easterby - Head of FinTech, Venture & Growth Banking at HSBC Innovation Banking Ruth Foxe Blader - General Partner at Foxe Capital -- Links to check out: Join our WhatsApp community, where you can get the inside track on all all things 11:FS, as well as having your say on the things we should be paying attention to. https://chat.whatsapp.com/KpA4gFbbWDlLFm7kx39raf About Fintech Insider: Fintech Insider by 11:FS is a bi-weekly podcast that covers everything from finance and banking to technology and the latest trends in financial services. Our expert hosts, with hands-on industry experience, are joined by key decision-makers, VCs, and top reporters from across the financial landscape, including guests from companies like Stripe, Revolut, Plaid, PayPal, and Monzo. Together, they break down the biggest news and innovations shaping the space. Our weekly news show drops every Monday, covering major stories like mergers, new product launches, regulatory shifts, and emerging tech trends. On Thursdays, our Insights show goes deeper into the hottest topics driving the future of finance, including AI in banking, decentralised finance, and the evolving landscape of embedded finance. Whether you're already in the fintech game or just starting to explore, this is the #1 podcast for you. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! Got a question for us? Email podcasts@11fs.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    48 mins
  • 953. News: Tariff turmoil, what might be the fallout for fintech?

    953. News: Tariff turmoil, what might be the fallout for fintech?
    Apr 14 2025
    For those listening in GCC and Turkey, this episode is sponsored by XM. https://bit.ly/ClaimBonusFintech About this episode: Host Ross Gallagher, Head of Ventures, 11:FS is joined by a fantastic panel of returning guests as we dive into some of the biggest stories from the worlds of fintech, banking, and wider financial services this week. Stories covered on the show: Tariff turmoil: what might be the impact of the changing international tariffs on fintech and IPOs? Research from HSBC Innovation banking shows early-stage investments dominate UK term sheet Brazil central bank to launch Pix instalment feature in September Toulouse lets commuters pay for travel with crypto This week's guests: Sophie Winwood, Co-Founder & CEO at unlock VC & Operating Partner at Foxe Capital Sarah Kocianski, CEO of Fintech Wales. Alex Johnson, founder of Fintech Takes Plus soundbite from: Glen Waters, Head of Early Stage Tech and Life Sciences at HSBC Innovation Banking Timestamps/stories : Intro - (00:00) Klarna pauses its IPO amid tariff turmoil - (04:59) Early-stage investments dominate UK term sheets- (29:40) Brazil central bank to launch Pix installment feature in September - (43:57) Singapore start-up Airwallex to seek UK and US banking licences -(57:19) Toulouse lets commuters pay for travel with crypto - (59:05) -- Links to check out: Join our WhatsApp community, where you can get the inside track on all all things 11:FS, as well as having your say on the things we should be paying attention to. https://chat.whatsapp.com/KpA4gFbbWDlLFm7kx39raf About Fintech Insider: Fintech Insider by 11:FS is a bi-weekly podcast that covers everything from finance and banking to technology and the latest trends in financial services. Our expert hosts, with hands-on industry experience, are joined by key decision-makers, VCs, and top reporters from across the financial landscape, including guests from companies like Stripe, Revolut, Plaid, PayPal, and Monzo. Together, they break down the biggest news and innovations shaping the space. Our weekly news show drops every Monday, covering major stories like mergers, new product launches, regulatory shifts, and emerging tech trends. On Thursdays, our Insights show goes deeper into the hottest topics driving the future of finance, including AI in banking, decentralised finance, and the evolving landscape of embedded finance. Whether you're already in the fintech game or just starting to explore, this is the #1 podcast for you. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! Got a question for us? Email podcasts@11fs.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 5 mins