Stablecoins, Wallets, and the Rise of Embedded Cross-Border Payments

The future of payments won’t be card-swiped or cash-counted — it’ll be fast, digital, and deeply integrated. In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Floris de Kort, CEO of Thunes, joins to unpack what it really takes to build a global payments network across 130+ markets, from wallets to banks to mobile rails. What’s inside: Why real-time payments still face real-world friction How Thunes is turning compliance into a competitive edge The rise of B2B payouts — and why corporates are driving the volume Why MENA is now a proving ground for wallet innovation The growing role of stablecoins in global finance If you're building in fintech, infrastructure, or cross-border payments, this one’s essential listening. 🎧 Watch or listen on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. #CouchonomicsWithArjun #Thunes #Payments #Fintech #FutureOfFinance #Stablecoins #DigitalBanking #MENA #GCCStartups #BankingInnovation #CrossBorderPayments Couchonomics with Arjun Season 04 is brought to you by our partners: Adyen https://www.adyen.com/ Thunes https://thunes.com/ Mastercard https://mastercard.com/ E& https://www.eand.com/ Digit9 https://www.digitnine.com/ SC Ventures https://scventures.io/ Hala https://hala.com/ Find us on our social media platforms: Arjun's LinkedIn   / arjunvirsingh   Couchonomics LinkedIn   / couchonomics-with-arjun-singh   Instagram   / couchonomics   Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20 TikTok   / couchonomics   Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E Chapters: 00:00 Episode Highlights 00:48 Introduction 01:34 State of the Payments Industry 03:39 The Rise of B2B Payments 05:33 Real-Time Payments and Global Trends 11:26 The Role of Stablecoins in Modern Payments 20:34 Regulation and the Future of Stablecoins 23:27 Cost and Efficiency of Modern Payment Systems 23:52 Regulatory Evolution and Market Disruption 24:17 Thunes' Recent Milestones and Future Plans 24:50 Challenges and Strategies in the US Market 25:30 Investment and Growth Focus 26:29 AI Integration in Financial Services 29:41 Navigating Complex Regulatory Environments 38:37 Middle East Expansion and Local Strategies 42:23 Conclusion and Future Outlook