How International Payroll Can Solve the Last Mile Problem

International payroll gets the math right, but the money still has to reach the worker. Albert Owusu-Asare, co-founder and CEO of Cadana, builds the global payroll and payments infrastructure that other work tech platforms run on. He sees the industry's biggest opportunity in what happens after the calculation. Albert grew up in Ghana and studied astrophysics before a Goldman Sachs internship pulled him into software. He explains why a cross-border paycheck can pass through a chain of banks and lose 5 to 7% before it lands, and why he calls earned wage access "a bit of a bug, not a feature." On this episode of Work Tech Weekly, Steve Smith talks with Albert about the difference between payroll and payments, and where stablecoins fit for workers in high-inflation markets. For Albert, payroll is done when the worker has the money, on time and in full. Topics covered: Why international payroll doesn't end at the calculation How cross-border payments lose time and money in transit Why earned wage access is a symptom of slow pay What AI changes about global payroll compliance Where stablecoins fit for workers abroad ⏳ In this video: 00:00 - Intro 01:57 - From exoplanets to global payroll 03:57 - Why paying across borders is so complex 08:31 - Payroll vs. payments 12:22 - Earned wage access 22:09 - What's making true global payroll possible 26:56 - Trust in the AI era 29:56 - Stablecoins, simply explained 38:28 - Is instant global payroll on the horizon? Sign up for the Work Tech Weekly newsletter: https://go.repcap.com/en-us/work-tech... Learn more about Rep Cap: https://www.repcap.com