
Financial Forward: The Future of Consumer Finance & Banking Crebit: Cheaper, Faster Tuition Payments from Brazil/Mexico to U.S. Schools
Oct 2, 2025
15:49
Episode summary
Paying U.S. college tuition from abroad can be slow, expensive, and confusing. Crebit says it fixes that by letting families in Brazil and Mexico pay locally (PIX or bank transfer), converting funds to USD, and delivering a check directly to the school—positioning itself as a faster, lower-cost alternative to incumbents like Wise and Flywire. We unpack how the product works, the regulatory plumbing (KYC/AML, FX/US checks), where the savings come from, and what this means for international families and bursar offices.
crebitpay.com+1
Guests
- Simmi Sen (Crebit)
- J. Coonradt (Crebit)
(Both joined to discuss the product and roadmap; roles/titles may evolve.)
Key takeaways
- What Crebit does: Families pay in local currency (e.g., BRL via PIX), Crebit converts to USD and issues a check to the university—streamlining a process that’s often fragmented across banks and payment platforms.
crebitpay.com - Why it matters: International tuition payments are fee-heavy and time-consuming. Crebit markets “faster transfers and better rates” than Wise/Flywire; the team breaks down where those savings may emerge (FX spread, fee structure, operational model). (Claim per company site.)
getcrebit.com - Brazil context: PIX has transformed domestic payments in Brazil (trillions of BRL annually), creating user behavior and rails that cross-border services like Crebit can tap.
PagBrasil - School operations: Receiving a USD check directly simplifies reconciliation for bursars and avoids wire-related mystery fees.
crebitpay.com - Who benefits first: Families in Brazil and Mexico paying U.S. tuition; potential expansion paths to other corridors.
Topics & suggested chapter markers
(Adjust times to your actual edit.)
- The problem — international tuition pain points (fees, delays, opaque FX).
- Crebit’s flow — local pay-in (PIX/bank), FX conversion, USD check delivery.
crebitpay.com - Comparing to incumbents — where rates/speeds diverge vs. Wise/Flywire; what “better” means in practice. (Company positioning.)
getcrebit.com - Regulatory plumbing — KYC/AML, corridor compliance, school receiving processes.
- Brazil spotlight — the PIX effect and why BRL→USD corridors are unique.
PagBrasil - Roadmap & expansion — additional countries, payment methods, campus integrations.
- Advice for families — how to compare fees, FX spreads, and delivery times across providers (what to ask before sending).
- What’s next for Crebit — product integrations and university onboarding.
Notable quotes (paraphrased for show notes)
- “Pay locally, settle in USD—schools get what they expect without wire surprises.”
crebitpay.com - “Our goal is faster transfers and better rates than the legacy options.” (Company claim.)
More from Jim:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mccarthyhatch/
https://www.mccarthy-hatch.com/
