News and Views by the Fintech Times

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225

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Apr 2026

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About the show

News & Views is a weekly podcast centred around all things fintech and financial services. Representing the voice of the industry, The Fintech Times editorial team and their guests discuss the latest news and hottest new developments within the rapidly transforming financial and tech sectors from around the globe. Whether you’re a fintech aficionado, work in the industry or just eager to learn more, then News and Views has got you covered. What are you waiting for? Listen now! If you enjoyed News & Views, don't forget to subscribe and please leave a review. 🔗Help us improve our podcast content, take the 1-min survey here: https://bit.ly/3ZTqne5 🔗View our show website: https://thefintechtimes.com/news-views-podcast/

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April 25, 202615 min

Milan Radia: Liquid Cooling and the Future of AI Data Centres

The Density Shift: Why Nvidia GB300 chips are pushing rack power requirements to 150kW, necessitating a move to liquid cooling. Regional Hub Status: How the Middle East is leveraging subsea cable connectivity and reliable power to become a global data hub. Infrastructure Obsolescence: The risks facing investors in legacy "powered shell" data centres as technology requirements leap forward. Data Sovereignty: The growing demand for "on-soil" data centres to protect confidential government and enterprise information. Inferencing vs Training: Why the next wave of data centres must be distributed and low-latency to support real-time AI applications. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to The FinTech Times News and Views. 00:41 - Milan Radia on his background in data centres and Taranis Capital. 01:32 - The transition from "glorified real estate" to high-complexity compute hubs. 05:15 - Subsea cables and the Middle East as a strategic information highway. 07:30 - Why the UAE and Saudi Arabia are winning the data centre race. 10:45 - The impact of Nvidia Blackwell architecture on data centre design. 13:20 - Moving from AI training to real-time inferencing and the latency challenge. 15:44 - Conclusion and closing remarks. The Fintech Times News &Views Podcast delivers strategic insight into the trends redefining global financial services, with commentary from industry leaders and innovators. Discover more coverage, interviews, research, and partnership opportunities at thefintechtimes.com and follow The Fintech Times across all major social platforms.

April 18, 20265 min

Kimberly Waldron: Internationalising FinTech and the Application of AI

Key Topics Covered: Regional Growth: Comparing the energy and investment landscapes of Web Summit events in Lisbon, Rio, and Qatar. Scaling Success: How Started PR evolved alongside its clients from pre-seed stages through to international expansion. Market Trends: The current industry focus on AI applications and the role of stablecoins in modern finance. Globalisation Hurdles: Strategies for internationalising regulated fintech solutions across different jurisdictions. Impact Measurement: Moving beyond hype to identify where AI is delivering tangible results in onboarding and credit. Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction to TFT News and Views 00:41 – Kimberly Waldron on the energy of Web Summit Qatar 01:50 – Transitioning PR strategies from startups to larger brands 03:00 – Key trends: AI, stablecoins, and capital efficiency 05:10 – 2026 Outlook: Moving from talking points to case studies 06:40 – Conclusion The Fintech Times News &Views Podcast delivers strategic insight into the trends redefining global financial services, with commentary from industry leaders and innovators. Discover more coverage, interviews, research, and partnership opportunities at thefintechtimes.com and follow The Fintech Times across all major social platforms.

April 11, 202612 min

Philip Rathle: Unlocking the Trillion-Dollar Potential of Context Graphs

Episode Notes: The Graph Advantage: Shifting from rigid data tables to mathematical nodes and relationships to mirror real-world systems. Financial Crime Prevention: How the ICIJ used graph databases to untangle the complex shell company webs of the Panama Papers. AI’s "Left Brain": Using knowledge graphs to provide deterministic logic, explainability, and access control for Large Language Models. Data Sovereignty: Managing the balance between on-premise security for regulated banks and managed cloud services like AWS, GCP, and Azure. The Context Revolution: Why venture capital identifies context graphs as a trillion-dollar opportunity for the next wave of AI deployment. Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction to The Fintech Times News and Views. 00:41 – Meet Philip Rathle, CTO at Neo4j. 01:35 – Why networks fail when shoved into traditional tables. 03:32 – Case Study: Untangling the Panama Papers. 05:32 – Market nuances and expansion in the Middle East. 06:41 – AI agents and the transition to graph-based queries. 08:19 – Solving AI hallucinations and the need for explainability. 10:11 – Data sovereignty and cloud security options for banks. 11:32 – The future: From AI buzz to the "trillion-dollar" context graph. The Fintech Times News &Views Podcast delivers strategic insight into the trends redefining global financial services, with commentary from industry leaders and innovators. Discover more coverage, interviews, research, and partnership opportunities at thefintechtimes.com and follow The Fintech Times across all major social platforms.

April 3, 202611 min

Open Finance in the Middle East and Africa: Future Trends and Insights with Nihala Buhattas

Key Topics Covered: Leapfrogging Development: Why the Middle East and Africa are moving directly to open finance rather than following the incremental UK/Europe model. Inclusion over Competition: How regional frameworks are designed to foster collaboration between banks and fintechs to reach underserved segments. Infrastructure Foundations: The role of standardisation and quality APIs in building the "pipe work" necessary for market-wide connectivity. Modernising Legacy Payments: Utilising open finance to solve regional-specific challenges, such as transitioning away from physical rent checks. AI and Data Synergy: The potential for agentic AI to transform consented financial data into automated, high-value recommendations for users. Measuring Future Success: Why the industry focus will shift from technical connectivity to tangible social and economic impact by next year. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to News and Views 00:27 - Guest Introduction: Nihal Abughattas 01:32 - The State of Open Finance in the Middle East 03:05 - Use Cases: Inclusion, APIs, and the SME Gap 06:14 - Beyond Banking: Insurance and Rent Payment Innovation 08:45 - The Marriage of Open Finance and Agentic AI 10:43 - Predictions for the Coming Year The Fintech Times News &Views Podcast delivers strategic insight into the trends redefining global financial services, with commentary from industry leaders and innovators. Discover more coverage, interviews, research, and partnership opportunities at thefintechtimes.com and follow The Fintech Times across all major social platforms.

March 28, 20269 min

Navigating FinTech Growth and Family Office Expansion in the UAE with Oscar Orellana-Hyder

Key Topics Covered: The surge of new entrants in the Dubai and Abu Dhabi FinTech ecosystems, with a 20% increase in investment managers setting up shop annually. Trends in regional asset classes: Growth of private credit, hedge funds, and regulation of virtual assets and cryptocurrencies overseen by FATF and VARA. Challenges in attracting experienced talent for emerging asset classes, emphasizing the importance of local knowledge and the risks of international recruitment. The rise of family offices in the UAE, including generational shifts and increasing appetite for diversified and regulated investments like hedge funds, private credit, and virtual assets. The strategic role of regulatory frameworks in scaling family businesses and attracting global capital into the UAE's vibrant ecosystem. Oscar’s perspectives on the importance of infrastructure investments in virtual assets and the evolving gaming sector, highlighting the region's dynamic growth. Timestamps: 00:00 - Welcome and podcast overview 00:17 - Introduction to Oscar Orellana-Hyder and his background 01:05 - Changes in the regional fintech landscape over recent years 01:28 - Increase in new entrants setting up investment management firms in the region 01:59 - Trends in asset classes: growth of private credit and hedge funds 02:25 - Regulatory developments in virtual assets and crypto funds 03:18 - Challenges in hiring experienced talent for emerging asset classes 03:44 - Strategies for talent acquisition and retention in nascent markets 05:34 - Oscar’s purpose at the Family Office Summit and regional ecosystem development 06:20 - The evolving role of family offices and generational wealth transfer in the UAE 07:01 - Regulating and legitimizing Emirati and global family businesses 07:54 - Cultural and lifestyle highlights in the region's ultra-luxury investments 08:13 - Key takeaways from the event: infrastructure investments in virtual assets and gaming Resources & Links: FATF - Financial Action Task Force VARA - Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority The Fintech Times News &Views Podcast delivers strategic insight into the trends redefining global financial services, with commentary from industry leaders and innovators. Discover more coverage, interviews, research, and partnership opportunities at thefintechtimes.com and follow The Fintech Times across all major social platforms.

March 21, 20267 min

Navigating Market Risks and the Impact of AI in FinTech with Forex.com Analyst

Key topics discussed: How family offices and portfolio managers approach risk management during high volatility, especially in gold and silver markets The importance of portfolio diversification amidst global political and economic upheavals The shifting investment landscape from passive to active assets in response to policy changes The rising integration of AI in portfolio management and market analysis The debate over AI's potential to replace human roles in finance and journalism Strategic insights for managing risks in the current global economic climate Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to the importance of market analysis and risk management 00:44 - The role of Forex.com and StoneX Group in connecting global markets 01:11 - Differences in needs between family offices and other investment sectors 01:47 - The impact of recent market trends on risk strategies 02:44 - How market conditions influence diversification and risk mitigation 03:24 - Insights into assets, including digital and traditional assets, in volatile markets 04:03 - The effect of geopolitical shifts on asset classes and investment strategies 05:21 - The trending role of AI in global finance and portfolio management 05:54 - Concerns and opportunities surrounding AI's influence on jobs and markets 06:22 - The human element in finance amidst AI advancements 07:17 - Closing remarks and gratitude Resources & Links: Forex.com StoneX Group AI in Finance - McKinsey Report The Fintech Times News &Views Podcast delivers strategic insight into the trends redefining global financial services, with commentary from industry leaders and innovators. Discover more coverage, interviews, research, and partnership opportunities at thefintechtimes.com and follow The Fintech Times across all major social platforms.

March 14, 202624 min

Future of Payments: Stablecoins, Blockchain, and Global Infrastructure

Key topics: Evolution of payment infrastructure over the last 3-4 years, driven by fintech innovations and the pandemic The role of stablecoins and blockchain in enabling faster, cheaper cross-border transactions Challenges and opportunities in regulatory frameworks for stablecoins globally The potential of Ripple, Circle, and other networks to create interoperable payment rails The impact of consumer expectations and B2B needs on adoption of innovative payment solutions Predictions: 30-40% stablecoin adoption in payments within the next 2 years How traditional legacy systems like SWIFT compare with emerging blockchain-based rails The importance of global standards and proactive regulation to enable widespread adoption Timestamps: 00:00 - Welcome to the Future of Payments with stablecoins and blockchain innovation 01:08 - Overview of recent developments in cross-border payments and fintech evolution 02:15 - How pandemic accelerated demand for faster, cheaper high-value payments 03:44 - The rise of stablecoins and crypto solutions as reliable settlement tools 04:36 - Challenges caused by lack of regulation and trust issues in crypto history 05:47 - How regulation like the GENIUS Act is shaping stablecoin adoption 07:00 - Consumer expectations driving banks and fintechs towards instant transactions 08:22 - The growth of stablecoins in emerging markets during macroeconomic pressures 09:52 - Younger generations' curiosity and global access shaping demand 11:32 - How messaging infrastructure differs from traditional money movement 12:56 - Payments ecosystem’s lack of transparency and the need for better understanding 13:16 - Adoption hurdles and the need for global regulatory frameworks 14:36 - Role of major networks like Ripple and Circle; are they enough? 16:14 - Main trends: stablecoins as a primary global settlement method in next 18-24 months 17:04 - Regulatory developments in Europe and their impact on stablecoin models 18:52 - The importance of proactive, global regulation and industry standards 20:44 - Future payment rails: multiple networks and interoperability needed 22:38 - Predicting stablecoins' market share in payments by 2025 24:24 - The transformational potential of real-time settlement and cost reduction 25:00 - Final thoughts: exciting transition ahead for the payments ecosystemResources & Links: Ripple Circle - CPN Network GENIUS Act SWIFT USDT (Tether) USDC Connect with Nkiru: LinkedIn Twitter The Fintech Times News &Views Podcast delivers strategic insight into the trends redefining global financial services, with commentary from industry leaders and innovators. Discover more coverage, interviews, research, and partnership opportunities at thefintechtimes.com and follow The Fintech Times across all major social platforms.

March 8, 20266 min

The Future of Stablecoins: A New Era in Digital Payments

Join Mark Walker as he delves into the world of stablecoins with Vincent Chok, CEO of First Digital. Recorded at Abu Dhabi Finance Week, this episode explores the latest announcements from First Digital, including their public listing and the launch of a new platform for agentic payments. Vincent shares insights on the future of stablecoins, the role of digital currency in Web3, and the importance of a multi-network approach. Discover how stablecoins are set to revolutionize digital payments and what the future holds for this transformative technology.Chapters:Introduction to FinTech Times(0:00)Vincent Chok's Introduction and First Digital's Announcements(1:30)The Role of Stablecoins in Agentic Payments(5:00)Future of Digital Currency and Web3(10:00)Multi-Network Approach and Global Adoption(15:00)Closing Thoughts and Reflections on Abu Dhabi Finance Week(20:00) Topics Discussed:Introduction to FinTech Times and Abu Dhabi Finance WeekFirst Digital's public listing and new platform launchThe significance of stablecoins in agentic paymentsPredictions for the future of digital currency and Web3The necessity of a multi-network approach for global adoptionUseful Timestamps:1:30 - Vincent Chok introduces First Digital5:00 - Discussion on agentic payments and stablecoins10:00 - Insights on digital currency and Web315:00 - Multi-network approach and its importance20:00 - Reflections on Abu Dhabi Finance Week The Fintech Times News &Views Podcast delivers strategic insight into the trends redefining global financial services, with commentary from industry leaders and innovators. Discover more coverage, interviews, research, and partnership opportunities at thefintechtimes.com and follow The Fintech Times across all major social platforms.

March 1, 20268 min

Crypto's Global Evolution: Insights from Abu Dhabi Finance Week

In this engaging episode, Mark Walker, Editorial Director at the FinTech Times, sits down with Matthew Hougan, Chief Investment Officer at Bitwise Asset Management, at Abu Dhabi Finance Week. They explore the UAE's emerging role as a leader in the digital asset space, highlighting its regulatory clarity and technological advancements. Matthew shares Bitwise's journey from launching the world's first crypto index fund to becoming a major player in the ETF and ETP markets. The conversation delves into the challenges of gaining regulatory approval and educating institutional investors about crypto. They also discuss the transformative potential of AI in finance, emphasizing the inevitability of crypto's integration into mainstream financial systems. The episode concludes with reflections on the vibrant atmosphere of Abu Dhabi Finance Week and the promising future of digital finance.Timestamps:[00:00] Introduction to the FinTech Times News and Views podcast[02:15] Matthew Hougan on the UAE's leadership in digital assets[05:30] Bitwise's journey and the creation of the first crypto index fund[10:45] Challenges in gaining regulatory approval[15:00] The role of AI in the future of finance[20:00] Reflections on Abu Dhabi Finance Week The Fintech Times News &Views Podcast delivers strategic insight into the trends redefining global financial services, with commentary from industry leaders and innovators. Discover more coverage, interviews, research, and partnership opportunities at thefintechtimes.com and follow The Fintech Times across all major social platforms.

February 22, 202611 min

Exploring the Future of Crypto and Stablecoins

In this episode of the FinTech Times News and Views podcast, Mark Walker interviews Samantha Yap, founder of Yap Global, at Abu Dhabi Finance Week. They discuss the explosive growth of digital assets and Web3, the role of stablecoins in cross-border payments, and the regulatory environment in the UAE.TakeawaysBitcoin hit all-time highs, indicating explosive industry growth.Stablecoins are becoming essential for cross-border payments.FinTechs are bridging crypto and traditional finance worlds.UAE offers a favorable tax environment for crypto companies.Regulatory clarity in the UAE attracts global crypto players.Yap Global focuses on the evolving crypto story.Stablecoins offer instant payments, beneficial for service providers.Klarna's stablecoin launch could drive mainstream adoption.Multiple stablecoins for different currencies are expected.Amazon might soon accept stablecoin payments.Sound bitesBitcoin hit all-time highs.Stablecoins are essential for payments.UAE's favorable tax for crypto.Regulatory clarity attracts players.Yap Global on crypto evolution.Instant payments with stablecoins.Klarna's stablecoin launch impact.Multiple stablecoins expected.Amazon's potential stablecoin use.Crypto and traditional finance merge.Chapters00:00:00 Introduction to FinTech Times00:01:00 Samantha Yap on Digital Assets00:03:00 Trends in Crypto and Web300:05:00 Stablecoins and Cross-Border Payments00:07:00 UAE's Regulatory Environment00:09:00 Yap Global's Crypto Journey00:11:00 Future of Stablecoins The Fintech Times News &Views Podcast delivers strategic insight into the trends redefining global financial services, with commentary from industry leaders and innovators. Discover more coverage, interviews, research, and partnership opportunities at thefintechtimes.com and follow The Fintech Times across all major social platforms.