Challenges and Innovations in Cross-Border Payments

Ganapathy Subramaniam, CFO of TerraPay, joins CJ for a deep dive into the complex world of cross-border payments. Together they unpack the complexities of moving money internationally, such as high fees, slow processing times, and the lack of transparency. Ganapathy sheds light on the global payment landscape, highlighting key transaction corridors and the wallet share of different regions. He delves into TerraPay's business model, explaining how they monetize their payment infrastructure and manage FX margins, before sharing his perspective on trends shaping cross-border payments over the next five years. The conversation also covers the evolving role of the CFO which GS characterizes as the “chief value creation officer” before breaking down what he believes are the the pillars for creating value. The episode concludes with insights into the qualities that set great CFOs apart, offering a roadmap for finance leaders looking to elevate their roles and impact.

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Preview and Intro

(01:45) Sponsor – NetSuite | Operators Guild

(04:27) Why Moving Money Across Borders Is So Difficult

(10:20) P2P Versus B2B and the B2B Nature of TerraPay

(12:10) The Wallet Share of Different Regions Internationally

(14:19) Key Transaction Corridors

(16:01) Sponsor – Maxio | Leapfin | Mercury

(19:10) Why Instant Payments Take So Long in Some Corridors

(21:07) The Role of FX Margins in TerraPay’s Business Model

(22:50) Key Trends Shaping Cross-Border Payments in the Next Five Years

(25:58) The CFO as the Chief Value Creation Officer

(28:04) How the CFO Role Has Evolved over Time

(30:24) Pillars for Creating Value as a CFO

(37:18) The Company’s Maturity as a Factor in Value Creation

(39:24) The Qualities That Separate Good CFOs from Great CFOs

(41:06) Long-Ass Lightning Round: Communication and Solution Oriented Mindsets

(44:13) Finance Software Stack

(46:27) Craziest Expense Story