Converge

As the Are You Ready for 2027? report goes live, George Vessey sits down with Antonio to explore one of the report's most important themes: the rise of the Chokepoint Economy. From critical shipping routes and energy corridors to semiconductor supply chains and AI infrastructure, they discuss why a handful of strategic bottlenecks are becoming increasingly influential in shaping global trade,...

Steven Dooley speaks to Kevin Ford for an early preview of Are You Ready for 2027? They explore why the global economy is becoming more resilient yet more fragile, and what that means for businesses. From the battle for capital and the AI investment boom to global trade chokepoints and “escalate to de-escalate”, they highlight the forces set to shape 2027.

French sovereign stress has returned to the centre of the FX conversation. As bond spreads widen and political uncertainty complicates the path toward fiscal consolidation, Kevin Ford and George Vessey consider whether comparisons with the original euro crisis are justified and what the fallout means for the euro, sterling and the ECB. The conversation then turns to the dollar’s resilience, the re...

Moving money internationally has become faster, cheaper, and easier but none of this solves the business challenges caused by currency volatility. Head of Market Insights, Steven Dooley and Content Lead, Ingmar Apinis, talk about the impact FX volatility can have on margins, cash flow, and forecasting, how businesses can rethink the relationship between payments and risk management and what global...

Rising bond yields, hawkish Fed signals and higher oil prices drove markets, while a sharp USD/JPY sell-off added volatility. The US dollar found support from stronger US jobs data, while the Japanese yen outperformed on BOJ tightening expectations and intervention speculation. Friday US inflation report is the key event to watch.  Converge is Convera’s podcast that discusses a range of financial...

A relatively small Treasury intervention has sent a much larger signal across global markets. After the US announced plans to double its long-end buybacks, yields briefly retreated and the dollar came under pressure, bringing debt sustainability and policy credibility back into focus. In this Converge Market Update, Kevin Ford, Steve Dooley and Antonio Ruggiero discuss whether this is 2025 déjà vu...

Markets continue to look through a growing list of risks. Despite ongoing uncertainty in the Middle East, elevated oil prices, sticky inflation and the prospect of further central bank tightening, equities remain near record highs and volatility sits close to yearly lows. In this week's episode, George Vessey is joined by Steven Dooley and Kevin Ford to discuss whether investors have become co...

How should businesses manage currency risk when volatility strikes? Convera's Rob Goldberg shares practical insights on hedging, USD exposure, geopolitical uncertainty and market sell-offs, explaining how CFOs and business leaders can manage margins, improve certainty and make better decisions in unpredictable markets. Converge is Convera’s podcast that discusses a range of financial services...

Markets have spent much of 2026 shrugging off geopolitical flare-ups and refocusing on fundamentals: inflation, labour markets, growth and interest rates. But with tensions between the US and Iran escalating again, energy prices jumping higher, and bond yields marching higher, investors are beginning to pay closer attention to geopolitical risks. In this week's podcast, George Vessey is joined...

Ten years on from the Brexit referendum, the shock might be over but its effects on sterling remain. Steven Dooley speaks to George Vessey and Antonio Ruggiero about how Brexit redefined the pound’s trading level and risk dynamics, and what that means for businesses managing FX exposure today. Converge is Convera’s podcast that discusses a range of financial services topics. We want to remind our...

What does this week's US–Iran peace deal mean for APAC FX? Shier Lee Lim breaks it down, while Ingmar Apinis dives into Payments 2026+: Liquidity in Motion — Convera’s latest report on how cross-border payments are evolving. Converge is Convera’s podcast that discusses a range of financial services topics. We want to remind our listeners that the information shared on this podcast is for infor...

This week’s FX Weekly podcast unpacks a market that looks stable on the surface but lacks real conviction underneath. George Vessey is joined by Steven Dooley and Antonio Ruggiero to explore how unresolved geopolitics, sticky inflation, and shifting central bank dynamics are shaping FX. The team dives into softer yet still inflationary US data, the Fed’s constrained outlook, and the RBNZ’s hawkish...

George Vessey and Antonio Ruggiero join from London with host Steven Dooley. In this episode, the team unpacks a volatile moment for global markets, with rising bond yields, persistent geopolitical tension, and a stronger US dollar shaping the macro narrative. They explore what’s driving the latest market moves, how shifting rate expectations are impacting currencies, and why the dollar continues...

In this episode, Alex Lawrence, Alanna Frost and Akash Patel sit down with Geetha Panchapakesan, Founder and CEO of Tesser and Dana Weinstein, Head of Product and Operations at Tesser to unpack why cross-border payments are still so broken, how stablecoins can make money movement faster and more predictable, and why banks and PSPs don’t need to become crypto startups to get on chain. They also exp...

In this Market Update, host Alex Lawrence sits down with Kevin Ford to break down a volatile Q1 2026 shaped by geopolitical shocks, uneven market performance, and rising uncertainty around inflation and growth. They discuss how the US‑Iran conflict, higher oil prices, and tightening financial conditions are affecting markets—alongside pressure from large‑scale AI spending and growing concerns in p...

This week, we sat down with Stefan Deiss , CEO of The Hashgraph Group, to discuss the transformative potential of Hedera Hashgraph in cross-border payments, digital identity, ESG markets, and enterprise solutions. Stefan reveals how trust, transparency, and innovative projects are shaping the future of digital infrastructure, with highlights of impactful financial services projects built for the H...

This week, host Alex Lawrence sat down with FX and Macro Analyst Antonio Ruggiero to analyze the impact of the escalating Middle East conflict on global markets, central bank policies, and the US dollar. They explore how geopolitical tensions influence energy prices, inflation expectations, and currency dynamics, providing insights for investors navigating uncertain times. Disclaimer: Converge is...

This week, host Alex Lawrence sat down with Meaghan Riley , newly appointed Chief Commercial Officer at Convera, to dive into her journey as a female leader in tech and finance in celebration of International Women's Day. Meaghan shares her views on the importance of diversity and inclusion, and explores the future of cross-border payments and AI in financial services where the signal is going bey...

In this episode, Steven Dooley, head of market insights at Convera, discusses the recent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, their impact on global markets, oil prices, safe havens, and implications for risk management and macroeconomic outlooks. Disclaimer: Converge is Convera’s podcast that discusses a range of financial services topics. We want to remind our listeners that the information...

On this episode of Converge, host Alex Lawrence sits down with market strategist George Vessey to unpack the chaos shaping today’s global economy. From the shockwaves of AI disruption to mounting trade friction and escalating geopolitical tensions, George breaks down what’s driving the turbulence — and what it all means for investors trying to navigate an increasingly unpredictable world. Disclaim...

Join host Alex Lawrence, Akash Patel and Alanna Frost of Convera as they sit down with  Damian Dugauquier , co-founder and CEO of IPID (International Payment Identity). With experience at SWIFT, Damian and his team are building the "seat belts" for the global financial highway. In this episode, we dive into: The Power of the "Green Tick":  How real-time account verification is...

In this episode, Alex Lawrence and Kevin Ford break down the latest US job numbers and what they reveal about the current state of the economy. Their conversation examines the fragility of the labor market, the unexpected job growth seen in January, and the growing disconnect between economic expansion and job creation. They also discuss how AI is influencing productivity and employment trends, as...

This week, Alex Lawrence speaks with Adva Lewitte from ShareForce about modernizing global reward programs. They discuss the challenges of traditional incentive management, the importance of automation and integration, and how technology can enhance employee engagement. Adva shares insights on navigating complexities in multi-country share plans and the impact of remote work on employee ownership....

In this week's market update, Alex Lawrence and Stephen Dooley discuss the significant movements in the FX markets over the past week, particularly the Japanese yen's weakness against the US dollar. They explore the potential for coordinated intervention by central banks, historical precedents like the Plaza Accord, and the current fiscal pressures facing Japan. The conversation highlights...

This week we're sharing a conversation from last month's The PIE webinar featuring Convera's Head of Content Alex Lawrence and the University of Denver's Janet Burkhardt . They delve into the escalating cyber threats faced by higher education institutions, particularly focusing on the rise of sophisticated fraud tactics such as ghost students and identity theft. They also discuss the vulnerabiliti...