Converge

2026 has started with a bang. Geopolitical risks are piling up - from US military intervention in Venezuela to fresh threats across the Americas, Iran, and even Greenland. And if that wasn’t enough, the US administration’s globally destabilising attack on the Federal Reserve has added another layer of chaos to the start of the year. Yet markets remain remarkably calm. And that’s the real danger. T...

To kick off 2026, host Alex Lawrence discusses the challenges ahead in navigating cross border payments and global business growth with UK-based small business leaders Colin Watton and Nalin Perera of LSP Group and Sunrise Products, Ltd. They explore the significance of FX risk for small businesses going in to the new year, the impact of geopolitical shifts on profitability, and strategies for man...

In this episode of the Converge, Steven Dooley and Shier Lee Lim discuss the current state of currency markets, focusing on the US dollar's recent performance and its implications for global finance. They explore the breakdown of the dollar as a safe haven, the slow evolution of de-dollarization, and the impact of US policy on Asian currencies. The conversation highlights the complexities of r...

This conversation, hosted by Steven Dooley and featuring Kevin Ford as the speaker, explores how monetary policy is evolving, with growing attention on fiscal dominance and its impact on interest rates and foreign exchange markets. It also looks at how geopolitical tensions and shifts in central bank independence are adding new layers of complexity, making it increasingly difficult to forecast cur...

This week, host Alex Lawrence sat down with Sarah Madden , CISO at Convera, and fintech advisor and Voalyre founder, Ted Huff, to discuss the implications of AI in the financial sector, particularly in the context of cybersecurity and fraud prevention. They reflect on their experiences at Money 2020, emphasizing the rapid adoption of AI technologies and the challenges that come with it. The discus...

George Vessey and Antonio Ruggiero discuss the evolving nature of geopolitical risk, emphasizing its expansion beyond traditional armed conflict to include populism, protectionism, and anti-globalization narratives. They highlight the implications of these changes on the global economic landscape, From tariff-driven central bank dilemmas to the erosion of traditional fiscal anchors. Disclaimer: Co...

This week, we're bringing you a panel discussion recorded live at Money2020 USA on Oct. 27th, 2025. The conversation is hosted by David Savage of the Tech Talks podcasts, and features Sudipto Das , VP of Engineering at Convera, Nilesh Dusane, Head of Institutional Payments at AWS, and Shawnna DelHierro, Chief Information Officer of SoundHound AI. They explore the intersection of AI and cross-b...

In this episode of the Converge podcast, Steven Dooley and George Vessey discuss the insights from the 'Are You Ready for 2026' research report, reflecting on the past year's market influences and looking ahead to the key themes shaping the FX landscape in 2026. They explore the impact of tariffs, monetary policy, and geopolitical factors on global growth and currency forecasting, focu...

This week, we sat down with Brian Hamilton, President of Origence Lending, to discuss the evolution of the lending landscape, the impact of technology, AI, automation, and the importance of compliance as the lending sector evolves. We cover how Origence has adapted to changes in consumer behavior and economic conditions, emphasizing the need for a frictionless experience in lending. We also chat a...

This week, Frances Zelazny , CEO of Anonybit, sat down to discuss all things authentication in financial services, including how biometrics are revolutionizing identity verification, tackling fraud, and enhancing security. Frances shares her expertise on the challenges faced by small banks and the transformative power of privacy-preserving technologies. We cover the future of digital identity and...

In this week's Market Update, Alex Lawrence and Steven Dooley discuss the recent movements in global currency markets, driven by central bank decisions. They analyze the impact of the Federal Reserve's rate cut on market sentiment, the performance of major currencies like the US dollar, euro, and pound, and highlight resilient currencies such as the Swiss franc and Mexican peso. The conver...

In this episode of the Converge Podcast, Travis Mottershead from Very Good Security (VGS) discusses the intersection of compliance and payment infrastructure. He shares insights on how VGS differentiates itself in the fintech space by embedding compliance as a strategic asset rather than a mere checkbox. The conversation explores Travis's background, the unique implementation strategies at VGS, an...

In this conversation, Alex Lawrence and Kevin Ford discuss the recent political interference in the Federal Reserve, particularly focusing on the implications of Trump's actions and the potential reactions from foreign investors. They explore how these political dynamics are affecting market stability and investor sentiment, especially in light of upcoming economic data releases. The discussio...

This week, George Vessey and Alex Lawrence discuss the current state of global markets, focusing on the impact of tariffs, labor market dynamics, and the influence of political events on economic data. They explore how recent tariff announcements have affected trade flows and inflation, the Federal Reserve's response to labor market data, and the Bank of England's recent decisions regardin...

This week, we sat down with Dave Trier , VP of Product at ModelOp to discuss the critical importance of AI governance in financial services. We cover the challenges enterprises face in moving AI initiatives from ideation to production, the complexities of compliance in regulated industries, the impact of fragmented systems on operational efficiency, and the significance and surprising lack of AI a...

For this week's Market Update, Alex Lawrence and Steven Dooley discuss the current state of global markets, highlighting the positive mood in equity markets, the divergence in central bank policies, and the implications of recent global PMI data. They delve into the performance of the US dollar and other major currencies, as well as the key risks and uncertainties that lie ahead, particularly...

What is "rational privacy," and how would it apply to our financial lives? This week, we sat down with Fahmi Syed , president of the Midnight Foundation, to discuss the importance of privacy in blockchain technology. He shared his journey from the finance world to the blockchain space, emphasizing the need for "rational privacy" that allows individuals to selectively disclose i...

This week, Alex Lawrence and Alanna Frost welcomed Tedd Huff - consultant, media maven and curator of the popular Fintech Confidential channel. In this episode, Tedd shares his extensive background in the industry, discussing the evolution of payment systems and the current landscape of digital assets. The conversation delves into key themes such as the impact of AI on fraud detection, the signifi...

This week, Alex Lawrence and Alanna Nardella Frost sat down with Sammy Chowdhury to explore the complexities of security and compliance in the FinTech and cross-border payments industry. They discuss the challenges and hurdles faced by startups in achieving compliance, the importance of layered security controls, and the evolving landscape of regulatory requirements. They also delve into the role...

We sat down with Sid Gautam , Head of Enterprise at Flutterwave, to discuss the challenges and innovations in cross-border payments, particularly in Africa. He shares insights on the evolution of stablecoins from his time with BVNK, the unique regulatory landscape in Africa, why stablecoins are so promising for emerging and underbanked markets, and how Flutterwave aims to simplify payments across...

This week, Head of Market Insights Steven Dooley discusses the current state of the market amidst ongoing uncertainty, particularly focusing on tariffs, equity market performance, the dynamics of the US dollar, and the strength of European currencies. He touches on how recent legal rulings on tariffs have impacted business operations and market sentiment, the rebound in equity markets, and the shi...

In this episode, hosts Alex Lawrence and Alanna Frost discuss the growing role of AI in finance - including how AI agents are now capable of managing end-to-end payment processes. They touch on the increasing interest in stablecoins among traditional banks, the rising demand for speed in payments, and how fintech is shifting towards deeper partnerships and operational efficiency. The conversation...

In this episode of the Converge Market Update, George Vessey and Steven Dooley discuss the recent developments in financial markets, focusing on the US-China trade deal, US fiscal concerns, the performance of the US dollar, and the implications of Australia's monetary policy shift. They analyze how these factors are shaping market sentiment and investor behavior, highlighting the ongoing uncer...

In this episode, Bryce Deeney, CEO and founder of Equipifi, discusses the innovative approach of his company in the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) space. He shares his unique journey from being a professional poker player to leading a fintech startup that aims to disrupt traditional banking models. The conversation delves into the challenges of launching a new financial product, the future of embedded f...

In this episode of Converge, host Steven Dooley and Convera's lead APAC FX and global macro strategist, Shier Lee, discuss the significant movements in Asian currencies, particularly the Taiwanese dollar, and their implications for the broader FX market. The factors driving these changes include tariff worries, of course, but also trade and foreign equity flows, illustrating why these currenci...