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Cross-border payments. Mobile money. Stablecoins. Crypto.
Elizabeth Rossiello has lived through every cycle, not from a trading desk, but the front lines of African markets.
Now, the founder of AZA Finance is selling her company to global fintech giant dLocal, a signal that the line between crypto and traditional finance is blurring fast.
In this episode, she talks about:
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How stablecoins are powering 24/7 commerce in emerging markets
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Why new entrants keep failing to gain traction
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And how liquidity, not tech, will determine who wins this new game
All that, plus the inside story of AZA’s journey from a Nairobi-based Bitcoin exchange to one of the most important fintech players in Africa.
Visit our website for breaking news, analysis, op-eds, articles to learn about crypto, and much more: unchainedcrypto.com
Elizabeth Rossiello, CEO and Founder of AZA Finance
Previous appearance on Unchained: BitPesa's Elizabeth Rossiello on Necker Island
Links
dLocal announces intention to acquire AZA Finance to strengthen
AZA Finance: dLocal announces intention to acquire AZA Finance to strengthen presence in Africa and expand capabilities
- American Banker: What experienced payment execs can pass to a new generation
- The Startup Leap: Building A Remittance App for Africa’s $1tr Market | Elizabeth Rossiello | Aza Finance
- Jack Zhang of Airwallex tweet saying he doesn’t see “a single use case” for crypto
Timestamps:
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🎬0:00 Intro
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🌍 3:30 What Africa’s early payments scene looked like and how Elizabeth launched the first Bitcoin exchange there
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📲 10:54 How the continent’s payment rails evolved
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🔥 16:15 How Western Union dropped its pricing after her company launched
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💸 20:42 Why stablecoins became a game-changer for cross-border payments
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📊 25:24 What the real volume drivers are
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🌐 28:53 How crypto adoption in Africa shifted post-COVID
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🤝 37:00 Why AZA decided to acquire two companies
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⚠️ 38:46 How the FTX partnership hurt AZA
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💼 41:37 How the dLocal deal came together behind the scenes
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🔄 45:08 Why crypto and fintech are on a fast path to convergence
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🏁 50:58 Which players Elizabeth thinks will win in the new payments race
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📵 53:47 Why “mobile money” is still tough competition for crypto
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💥 56:48 How USDT has an edge in emerging markets
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🇨🇳 58:50 How China’s deep ties to Africa have shaped the game
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🚀 1:01:37 What it’s been like to build AZA as a young woman founder in crypto
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Senaste avsnitt
En liten tjänst av I'm With Friends. Finns även på engelska.