Keith Raphael, Co-founder & CEO of Straddle | Episode 458

What if account-to-account payments felt as dependable as swiping a card? We sit down with Keith Raphael, Co-founder and CEO of Straddle, to explore how a trust-first approach can transform ACH, RTP, and FedNow into fast, reliable options that product teams and finance leaders can actually count on. Keith’s journey from hardcore compliance to building a unified API offers a rare, inside look at what it takes to replace “file uploads and hope” with identity-led orchestration and clear, real-time visibility.

We unpack the core idea that money moves at the speed of trust and how the lack of a strong identity layer has kept A2A stuck in 1970s-era uncertainty. Keith explains how Straddle combines KYC, fraud detection, open banking connectivity, tokenization, and multi-rail routing to solve the “where is my money” gap for subscriptions, stored-value wallets, remittances, marketplaces, and B2B flows. We also dig into US-specific headwinds: no regulatory mandate for open banking or instant payments, incumbent pricing strategies that protect debit economics, and the resulting friction for adopters.

From the rise of platforms and embedded finance to direct-to-rail integrations and the cautious reality of stablecoins, Keith lays out a pragmatic roadmap for scaling bank payments without sacrificing compliance or customer trust. The lesson from Stripe and Square still stands (simplicity wins) but it now applies to ACH, RTP, and FedNow.