

Couchonomics with Arjun
Arjun Singh
Decoding the New World Order of Finance - Unfiltered, global, weeklyAs tectonic shifts reshape the financial world, Couchonomics continues to explore the trends transforming commerce, capital, and culture. This season, we expand our lens - building on our deep focus in the MENA region while bringing in voices, stories, and innovations from around the globe.Why? Because the future of finance is no longer regional - it’s interconnected. Whether it’s AI in Asia, tokenization in Europe, or fintech policy experiments in Africa, today’s financial shifts cross borders, industries, and disciplines.Whether you’re in the industry or just fintech-curious, tune in weekly as we decode the big moves, bold ideas, and brilliant minds shaping tomorrow’s economy.Episodes drop weekly. Arabic subtitles available on YouTube: youtube.com/@couchonomicswitharjunsingh438Learn more: www.couchonomics.comSeason 4 supported by:Adyen | Mastercard | SC Ventures | Thunes | Hala | e& | Digit 9About the host: Arjun's expertise covers a broad range of areas including Fintech, Payments, Digital Assets, Embedded Finance, Application of Emerging Technologies, and the Emergence of New Business Models within the Financial Services Sector in the MEA region and globally. Arjun is deeply engaged in the Tech Start-Up ecosystem. He serves as a passive investor, advisory board member, and a notable commentator on the rapidly evolving scene.In recognition of his impactful contributions, Arjun was honored as a Top Voice of the region by LinkedIn in 2020. Learn more at www.couchonomics.com.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 24, 2023 • 48min
EP32 Understanding Decentralized Autonomous Organizations & The Metaverse | Leila Hurstel, Chief Metaverse Officer at Verse Estate
Leila Hurstel might have the coolest job title ever as the Chief Metaverse Officer at Verse Estate, but today she wears the title of guest on Couchonomics. Settling comfortably into the famous couch, Leila shares a brief overview of her time spent studying fintech at Harvard before pioneering the AllStarsWomen DAO.Leila shares how the decentralized autonomous organization arose out of a deep desire to transform society, and how blockchain technology enables her to do that with a committed, dedicated community. Leila describes how community is key to many of the futuristic projects in the works, including the metaverse.Regulation for the metaverse is still massively behind the curve, and in many ways, this represents the underdeveloped metaverse environment. However, Leila is quick to point out that this represents a massive potential for growth more than anything, and many companies have begun to recognize it.Major corporations such as Gucci and Nike have taken to the metaverse for a more immersive experience, Leila explains. and the numbers indicate a massive underlying demand for the product, as up to 21 million people have actively interacted with the metaverse. Although the metaverse is, in many ways, still restricted to floating heads and half-bodies, Leila believes that this simply signals how early the market is in its ambitious development cycle. Leila points to interoperability as one of the main building blocks that will form the foundation of the metaverse.Decentralization, distinctions from web 3.0 and much more: Leila gives a complete tour of everything you need to know about the fledgling metaverse.Listen to the full episode now to discover how:Companies are making the jump into the Metaverse and how this will fuel the growth of the metaverse (05:00-15:00)The metaverse differs from web 3.0, and how the user-centric approach of web 3.0 will redefine modern instant communication (15:00-25:00)The metaverse is truly a multiverse. We also explore real-world applications of the metaverse, including digital twins and much more. (25:00-35:00)Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0Find us on our social media platforms: Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/ CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/ Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

Jan 17, 2023 • 1h 1min
EP31 Lending 3.0: The Role of Buy Now, Pay Later in Embedded Finance | Hosam Arab, Co-Founder and CEO of Tabby
Couchonomics is back! For our inaugural episode of Season 02 we're examining the Buy Now, Pay Later model with Mr. Buy Now, Pay Later himself, Hosam Arab: Co-Founder and CEO of Tabby.Buy Now, Pay Later has been an exciting sector to watch. Just a few years ago many viewed it as the golden child of the embedded finance space and now just as many people view it as an objective failure. Hosam believes the truth is more nuanced.According to Hosam, BNPL brings tremendous value to the right markets, but the model is not a panacea that can be blindly applied to any scenario. By dutifully serving their customer base in MENA, Hosam describes how Tabby has managed to avoid many common BNPL pitfalls to ascend to a leader in the region with over 3 million customers and 5,000 businesses using their services.In this episode, Hosam also reveals:The demand for BNPL in regions such as the UAE, Egypt, and Saudi ArabiaA possible source for a lot of the negativity thrown towards BNPL servicesHow does a BNPLs' risk appetite compare to traditional lenders such as banksCouchonomics with Arjun Season 02 is brought to you by our partners:AdyenToYouVisaGeideaM2PFind us on our social media platforms:Arjun's LinkedInCCN LinkedInInstagramTwitterTikTokSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch.Follow 'Couchonomics with Arjun Singh' on any app you listen to podcasts and subscribe to Couchonomics YouTube channelOur website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0Find us on our social media platforms: Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/ CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/ Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

Oct 25, 2022 • 39min
Couchonomics x Adyen: Special Episode with Roelant Prins
Couchonomics kicks off its Amsterdam Special with the Chief Commercial Officer at Adyen, Roelant Prins. Having led a career in fintech for over 20 years, Roelant has personally experienced the rapid development of the sector. He worked with the Royal bank of Scotland in early 2000 before moving on to head numerous leadership and management roles in payments technology. Roelant has been a speaker on major platforms such as Money 20/20 Asia, Vivatech 2019 & 2022. In this special episode recorded in Adyen offices in Amsterdam, Roelant talks us through the evolution of commerce and fintech. He describes how the two have slowly merged over the years under a concept known as “unified commerce”.Roelant also shares how Adyen has positioned itself as an industry leader, not just in the payments space, but in the financial technology sector. Other topics discussed include:● The fine, but vital distinction between multichannel commerce and unified commerce● The concept of invisible payments and how that may be achieved● Adyen’s expansion in coming years.Timeline00:00— Introduction03:00— Unified Commerce09:00— Digitization is The Future15:00— Adyen’s Expansion Beyond Payments21:00— Choosing the Right Customers27:00— Leaping into Issuing33:00— What Makes the Middle East Unique39:00— ConclusionAdyen: https://www.adyen.com/The Season 2 of Couchonomics is coming soon, so stay tuned!Follow 'Couchonomics with Arjun Singh' on any app you listen to podcasts.Check out Couchonomics website for all new updates: www.couchonomics.comHOSTBased in Dubai, Arjun is actively engaged with the Fintech & Start-up ecosystem across the MENA Region and beyond- as a passive investor, an advisory board member and as a commentator on the rapidly evolving scene.FINTECH NEWSSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter Couchonomics Crunch to receive daily interesting news from the world of Fintech, DeFI, Crypto and beyond: www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6899436665924837377/PARTNERSCouchonomics with Arjun Singh is brought to you by our partners from:Adyen, a reliable end-to-end payments solution that enables businesses to turn payments into a strategic growth driver:https://www.adyen.com/Connect with Couchonomics:Websitehttps://www.couchonomics.com/Twitterhttps://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/TikTokhttps://vm.tiktok.com/ZMLQYGHoa/Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0Find us on our social media platforms: Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/ CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/ Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

Oct 12, 2022 • 43min
EP30 Digital Innovation Drives Transformation in Banking Worldwide | Dr Bernd van Linder, Commercial Bank of Dubai
When Dr Bernd van Linder attained his PhD in artificial intelligence over 20 years ago, the field was viewed as intensely academic with few practical applications. Not desiring to pursue an academic career, Dr Van Linder entered the world of finance in the early 2000s. Over his 20 plus year career he has slowly worked his way to CEO of Commercial Bank of Dubai.In his new position, Dr Van Linder is excited to drive innovation and change in the region by expanding how banks view their competition. As consumers become conditioned to interfaces from some of the world’s biggest tech companies, they begin to expect that same level of ease and connection when it comes to dealing with their banks. Dr van Linder believes that the future will see an explosion of banks applying digital innovation across all levels, and he is focused on optimising the process from end to end.Dr van Linder also shares his views onHow decentralized finance will change the world of bankingThe importance of seeking talent beyond the banking industryA few differences between banking in Europe and banking in the UAETimeline00:00 – Introduction04:00 – Practical Applications of AI in Banking10:00 – The War for Talent19:00 – Ideas Accelerated by Covid33:00 – Serving the Under-served41:00 – ConclusionFollow 'Couchonomics with Arjun Singh' on any app you listen to podcasts.Check out Couchonomics website for all new updates:www.couchonomics.comHOSTBased in Dubai, Arjun is actively engaged with the Fintech & Start-up ecosystem across the MENA Region and beyond- as a passive investor, an advisory board member and as a commentator on the rapidly evolving scene.FINTECH NEWSSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter Couchonomics Crunch to receive daily interesting news from the world of Fintech, DeFI, Crypto and beyond:https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6899436665924837377/PARTNERSCouchonomics with Arjun Singh is brought to you by ourpartners from:Adyen, a reliable end-to-end payments solution that enables businesses to turnpayments into a strategic growth driver:https://www.adyen.com/LuLu Financial Group, a global financial services provider headquartered in Abu Dhabiand operating in 11 countries:https://www.lulufin.com/M2P, Asia’s leading payment infrastructure company that enables businesses of anyscale to embed financial products:https://m2pfintech.com/Connect with Couchonomics:Websitehttps://www.couchonomics.com/TikTokhttps://vm.tiktok.com/ZMLQYGHoa/InstagramOur website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0Find us on our social media platforms: Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/ CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/ Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

Oct 5, 2022 • 44min
EP29 Surviving as a Fintech In The Current Market | Madhu and Prabhu, M2P
Madhusudanan and Prabhu Rangarajan are the Co-founders of M2P, an innovative, India-born fintech company with ambitious expansion goals for Dubai. However, word on the streets suggests that the party is over for startups, fintech companies included. Madhu and Prabhu start the conversation by highlighting what sets them apart from other fintech companies and offer valuable insights into which fintech companies have what it takes to make it through this difficult time.Innovation is one thing; sustainable innovation is a whole other story. Madhu’s unique lens into the true function of fintech suggests that the problem that fintech is solving, actually is inclusion. Prabhu offers the interesting perspective that smaller players possess the drive to go deeper, as opposed to broader, enabling them to occupy an advantaged position in the market.We also discuss:· Is the party really over for fintech startups or did it just move?· Will incumbents emerge stronger than ever from the recent fintech bubble?· What does M2P bring to MENA? Timeline00:00 – Introduction03:00 – Valuation reset or something more foundational?10:00 – Outlasting the downward spiral18:00 – How embedded finance might grow in MENA24:00 – Big banks, small banks and each of their roles30:00 - Motivations for international expansion36:00 – Democratizing financial access41:00 – Conclusion Follow 'Couchonomics with Arjun Singh' on any app you listen to podcasts.Check out Couchonomics website for all new updates:www.couchonomics.comHOSTBased in Dubai, Arjun is actively engaged with the Fintech & Start-up ecosystem across the MENA Region and beyond- as a passive investor, an advisory board member and as a commentator on the rapidly evolving scene.FINTECH NEWSSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter Daily Fintech Crunch to receive daily interesting news from the world of Fintech, DeFI, Crypto and beyond:https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6899436665924837377/PARTNERSCouchonomics with Arjun Singh is brought to you by ourpartners from:Adyen, a reliable end-to-end payments solution that enables businesses to turnpayments into a strategic growth driver:https://www.adyen.com/LuLu Financial Group, a global financial services provider headquartered in Abu Dhaband operating in 11 countries:https://www.lulufin.com/M2P, Asia’s leading payment infrastructure company that enables businesses of anyscale to embed financial products:https://m2pfintech.com/Connect with Couchonomics:Websitehttps://www.couchonomics.com/TikToOur website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0Find us on our social media platforms: Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/ CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/ Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

Sep 28, 2022 • 26min
EP28 How Facial Recognition will Sculpt the Future of Finance | Mihai Draghici, PayByFace
Mihai Draghici joins us on the couch from a busy day on the road. Travelling all the way from Bucharest, he brings with us the exciting story of how the idea for his innovative FinTech company, PayByFace, came about. Coming from an engineering background, Mihai had the bright idea that facial recognition could prove to be a convenient, safe payment system. After all, you never forget your face at home.Mihai paints a picture of how transactions will be affected by facial recognition payments. This reveals Mihai’s vision for the company: he believes there is a way for transactions to transcend payments. With some effort and attention, Mihai hopes to gamify payments and turn them into a fun, enjoyable experience.Mihai also shares with us· Why he believes facial recognition will out-perform other biometrics· Applications of facial recognition beyond commerce· How to face privacy concerns around facial recognitionTimeline00:00 – Introduction03:00 – What sets facial recognition technology apart10:00 – Opportunities for facial recognition16:00 – Data and privacy concerns22:00 – Facial recognition in MENA26:00 - ConclusionFollow 'Couchonomics with Arjun Singh' on any app you listen to podcasts.Check out Couchonomics website for all new updates:www.couchonomics.comHOSTBased in Dubai, Arjun is actively engaged with the Fintech & Start-up ecosystem across the MENA Region and beyond- as a passive investor, an advisory board member and as a commentator on the rapidly evolving scene.FINTECH NEWSSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter Daily Fintech Crunch to receive daily interesting news from the world of Fintech, DeFI, Crypto and beyond:https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6899436665924837377/PARTNERSCouchonomics with Arjun Singh is brought to you by ourpartners from:Adyen, a reliable end-to-end payments solution that enables businesses to turnpayments into a strategic growth driver:https://www.adyen.com/LuLu Financial Group, a global financial services provider headquartered in Abu Dhabiand operating in 11 countries:https://www.lulufin.com/M2P, Asia’s leading payment infrastructure company that enables businesses of anyscale to embed financial products:https://m2pfintech.com/Connect with Couchonomics:Websitehttps://www.couchonomics.com/TikTokhttps://vm.tiktok.com/ZMLQYGHoa/Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/LinkedInOur website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0Find us on our social media platforms: Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/ CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/ Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

Sep 23, 2022 • 42min
EP27 P2P Payments Solutions - And Why This One Actually Works | Co-Founders of Ziina
The Global P2P Payment Market Size accounted for USD 1,872 Billion in 2021 and is estimated to achieve a market size of USD 9,135 Billion by 2030. The P2P payments market is a very fragmented market. Important players either acquire new rivals or combine with them. The others invest significant money in research and development initiatives. These initiatives lead to market growth for P2P payments and technological advancements, updates, and new P2P payment capabilities.That is why, we are delighted, to present to you the conversation about the possibilities of P2P payments with Andrew Gold and Faisal Toukan, two-thirds of a trio that started Ziina, the UAE’s first peer-to-peer payment app.Andrew is Co-Founder and Head of Engineering at Ziina with Apple and Coinbase on his belt as his previous emprises. Together with Faisal Toukan, Co-Founder & CEO at Ziina, they explained why they believe that their model of P2P payments, which focused on the social component is a winning formula.Faisal provided for us, in this episode of Couchonomics, his overview of the MENA ecosystem and p2p players that are here to stay.Jump in and get to know:- What Ziina has to offer that no other p2p payment solution provider does?- Is it worth expanding p2p to p2m?- Is there a place for crypto in the P2P space? Timeline:00:00 – Intro01.16 – The beginnings of Ziina07.17 – From P2P to P2M and beyond13.58 – Competition in the P2P payment solution segment25.16 – Let’s talk crypto37.31 - Is there a place for crypto in P2P? Follow 'Couchonomics with Arjun Singh' on any app you listen to podcasts.Check out Couchonomics website for all new updates: www.couchonomics.comHOSTBased in Dubai, Arjun is actively engaged with the Fintech & Start-up ecosystem across the MENA Region and beyond - as a passive investor, an advisory board member and as a commentator on the rapidly evolving scene. FINTECH NEWSSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter Daily Fintech Crunch to receive daily interesting news from the world of Fintech, DeFI, Crypto and beyond: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6899436665924837377/ PARTNERSCouchonomics with Arjun Singh is brought to you by our partners from:Adyen, a reliable end-to-end payments solution that enables businesses to turn payments into a strategic growth driver: https://www.adyen.com/LuLu Financial Group, a global financial services provider headquartered in Abu Dhabi and operating in 11 countries: https://www.lulufin.com/M2P, Asia’s leading payment infrastructure company that enables businesses of any scale to embed financial products: https://m2pfintech.com/Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0Find us on our social media platforms: Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/ CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/ Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

Sep 20, 2022 • 41min
EP26 Building Wealth-Tech in MENA | Feras Jalbout, Baraka
Investing has often been viewed as an expensive, costly process that only a privileged few can access. But as technology evolves and grows, companies like Baraka are finding increasingly creative ways to give people access to financial markets.Founder and CEO of Baraka, Feras Jalbout, joins us for a lively discussion that sparks off with a bit of a hot-take. Since Baraka charges no commission, its clients often engage in online trading, a practice that some have described as part-gambling and part-gaming. However, Feras sees things entirely differently.For Feras, the investment philosophy he hopes will shine through his company is long-term appreciation over short-term gain. Although this is the case, he also believes that it the priority is to give people access to markets, and the wealth-app accomplishes precisely that.Our conversation takes us through some other hot topics in the FinTech space, such as:Have Baraka considered an expansion into Saudi Arabia?Zero-commission or robot advisory; what drove Feras’ choice?What role does education play on their platform?Timeline:00:00 – Introduction06:02 – Zero commission V. robot advisory12:17 – Fractional shares and retail investors19:41 – How will Baraka carve a niche for itself?25:10 – Surviving the stock market31:10 – Is Crypto the future?39:01 – ConclusionFollow 'Couchonomics with Arjun Singh' on any app you listen to podcasts.Check out Couchonomics website for all new updates:www.couchonomics.comHOSTBased in Dubai, Arjun is actively engaged with the Fintech & Start - up ecosystem across the MENA Region and beyond - as a passive investor, an advisory board member and as a commentator on the rapidly e volving scene.FINTECH NEWSSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter Daily Fintech Crunch to receive daily interesting news from the world of Fintech, DeFI, Crypto and beyond:http s://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6899436665924837377/PARTNERSCouchonomics with Arjun Singh is brought to you by ourpartners from:Adyen, a reliable end - to - end payments solution that enables businesses to turnpayments into a strategic growth driver:https://www.adyen.com/LuLu Financial Group, a global financial services provider headquartered in Abu Dhabiand operating in 11 countries:https://www.lulufin.com/M2P, Asia’s leading payment infrastructure company that enables businesses of anyscale to embed financial products:https://m2pfintech.com/Connect with Couchonomics:Websitehttps://www.couchonomics.com/TikTokhttps:Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0Find us on our social media platforms: Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/ CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/ Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

Sep 14, 2022 • 60min
EP25 The Future of Fintech | Abdullah Al-Othman, Founder & Chairman of Geidea
Abdullah Al-Othman joins us on the couch today to share his views on an ever-evolving fintech landscape. As the founder of Geidea, one of Saudi Arabia’s leading fintech companies, Abdullah’s first order of business is to solve a small mystery for us: what does the name Geidea mean?Once that’s cleared up, Abdullah shares his view on what makes fintech in Saudi Arabia unique from other places in the world. His insightful opinion sheds light on the disappointing scores of copycats currently flooding the market, as well as many other interesting topics such as:· The evolving relationship between banks and fintech companies in the region· New gaps that being identified as future opportunities· Tailoring solutions for businesses at different scalesTime Line00:00 – Introduction03:10 – Rules of the game09:40 – Banks and legislation15:44 – The growth of Geidea20:47 – Key differences between Saudi Arabia and the UAE31:13 – Constant learning and adaptation41:11 – Finding the perfect match for every role51:55 – Cash ain’t king58:17 – ConclusionFollow 'Couchonomics with Arjun Singh' on any app you listen to podcasts.Check out Couchonomics website for all new updates:www.couchonomics.comHOSTBased in Dubai, Arjun is actively engaged with the Fintech & Start - up ecosystem across the MENA Region and beyond - as a passive investor, an advisory board member and as a commentator on the rapidly e volving scene.FINTECH NEWSSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter Daily Fintech Crunch to receive daily interesting news from the world of Fintech, DeFI, Crypto and beyond:http s://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6899436665924837377/PARTNERSCouchonomics with Arjun Singh is brought to you by ourpartners from:Adyen, a reliable end - to - end payments solution that enables businesses to turnpayments into a strategic growth driver:https://www.adyen.com/LuLu Financial Group, a global financial services provider headquartered in Abu Dhabiand operating in 11 countries:https://www.lulufin.com/M2P, Asia’s leading payment infrastructure company that enables businesses of anyscale to embed financial products:https://m2pfintech.com/Connect with Couchonomics:Websitehttps://www.couchonomics.com/TikTokhttps://vm.tiktok.com/ZMLQYGHoa/Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingOur website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0Find us on our social media platforms: Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/ CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/ Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

Sep 7, 2022 • 38min
EP24 Exploring Egypt’s Fintech Expansion | Walid Hassouna, ValU
In terms of fintech adoption, Egypt has been a little slow on the take compared to other nations. However, companies like ValU are changing that.As innovative companies and dynamic leaders forge a path to the future, Egypt emerges as one of the most exciting regions on the fintech map. Our guest and guide today is Walid Hassouna, founder and CEO of ValU. He breaks down some of the key factors driving Egypt’s recent fintech growth.As regulations and infrastructure start catching up to technical ability in Egypt, fintech starts showing its utility. Companies like ValU are redefining the way people think about money and credit. In this episode, we explore how this marked transition has affected the region, as well as some of the factors that have influenced it. Our conversation takes us far and wide, exploring topics such as:- How regulations have reacted to changing demands- Evolutions in consumer behaviour- Key innovations along the way.Timeline00:00 - Introduction03:00 - Genesis of ValU09:00 - Standout functions of ValU16:30 - Navigating nuanced debt challenges in Egypt22:24 - The merchant challenge31:00 - The future of ValU36:00 - ConclusionFollow 'Couchonomics with Arjun Singh' on any app you listen to podcasts.Check out Couchonomics website for all new updates:www.couchonomics.comHOSTBased in Dubai, Arjun is actively engaged with the Fintech & Start-up ecosystem across the MENA Region and beyond- as a passive investor, an advisory board member and as a commentator on the rapidly evolving scene.FINTECH NEWSSubscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter Daily Fintech Crunch to receive daily interesting news from the world of Fintech, DeFI, Crypto and beyond:https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6899436665924837377/PARTNERSCouchonomics with Arjun Singh is brought to you by ourpartners from:Adyen, a reliable end-to-end payments solution that enables businesses to turnpayments into a strategic growth driver:https://www.adyen.com/LuLu Financial Group, a global financial services provider headquartered in Abu Dhabiand operating in 11 countries:https://www.lulufin.com/M2P, Asia’s leading payment infrastructure company that enables businesses of anyscale to embed financial products:https://m2pfintech.com/Connect with Couchonomics:Websitehttps://www.couchonomics.com/TikTokhttps://vm.tiktok.com/ZMLQYGHoa/Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0Find us on our social media platforms: Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/ CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/ Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E