This Week in Fintech's Podcast How Nubank Rewrote Brazil’s Banking Rules with Cristina Junqueira
Dec 4, 2025
Christina Junqueira, co-founder of Nubank and a visionary in fintech, shares her journey from a traditional bank to revolutionizing Brazil's banking. She discusses overcoming challenges in a tough market and the importance of customer-centric products. Christina also emphasizes emotional intelligence in leadership and the need for compelling storytelling. With a focus on transforming customer experiences, she highlights the impact of fair credit and savings, and predicts the future of banking through AI and open finance.
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From Corporate Frustration To Startup Birth
- Cristina Junqueira quit a large incumbent bank after failing to convince them to build products customers wanted and started Nubank from scratch in 2013.
- The founding team worked from a tiny house with no logo, office, or funding while Cristina was pregnant and Edward lived upstairs.
Built Through Repeated Crises
- Nubank survived multiple harsh credit cycles, extreme interest-rate swings, and Brazil's deep recession while skeptics predicted failure.
- Cristina frames the company's history as continuous hardship, saying they've only ever experienced rough times.
Make Emotional Space Before Reacting
- Practice emotional intelligence by creating space between events and your reactions to control what you can: how you respond.
- Reflect on your processing style regularly to improve leadership and decision-making.