The Stablecoin Podcast Stablecoins, Regulation & Real‑World Impact: Ahmed Zifzaf & Erick Schneider
Nov 18, 2025
In this discussion, Erick Schneider, Global Head of Payments at Kraken, and Ahmed Zifzaf, Head of Crypto Partnerships at Worldpay, dive into the dynamic world of stablecoins. They examine the evolving regulatory landscape and its impact on adoption and trust. Ahmed shares insights on merchant demand for stablecoins, particularly in emerging markets, while Erick highlights Kraken's interoperability efforts and how they're facilitating financial services. Together, they explore the balance between privacy and practicality for enterprises looking to embrace digital assets.
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Border Travel Sparked A Payments Career
- Ahmed Zifzaf traced his crypto interest to growing up crossing borders and seeing payment frictions first‑hand.
- That personal experience shaped his career and WorldPay's early engagement with exchanges since 2014.
From Traditional Finance To Crypto
- Erick Schneider described following payments technology from legacy finance to blockchain as his career path.
- He credited early projects like Ripple and Stellar for triggering his move into crypto in 2017.
Merchants Pull Not Push Stablecoin Demand
- WorldPay sees merchant demand coming to them for treasury efficiency and dollar access rather than them evangelizing stablecoins.
- Early adopters are airlines, exchanges, and gambling because their customers and margins favor faster dollar access.