Islamic finance is growing globally, but the companies pushing it forward are not always the ones talking about it the loudest.

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Abdullo Kurbanov, CEO and Co-founder of Ayan Capital, shares how he helped build Alif from a $200,000 start in Tajikistan into a profitable fintech processing $1.2 billion in transactions every month, and why he is now building again from scratch in the UK.

SMEs are central to the UAE economy, yet access to credit remains one of their biggest challenges.

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Hassan Reda, Co-Founder & CPO of CredibleX, and Anand Nagaraj, Co-Founder & CEO of CredibleX, unpack why SME lending has remained difficult for banks and fintechs, and what needs to change to close the financing gap.

Digital banks have spent years chasing customer growth. But scale alone does not create profitability.

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Simon Loong, Founder and Group CEO of WeLab, explains what it takes to build a successful digital bank across Asia.

He shares why lending remains central to profitability, why standalone fintechs face a harder path, and how banking licences, AI, stablecoins and regional expansion are shaping the next phase of digital banking.

Every day we create data, but almost none of us know who really owns it.

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, André Vellozo, Founder and CEO of DrumWave, joins the show to explore one of the biggest questions facing the digital economy: what if people could own their data the same way they own money?

André explains why privacy is only the beginning of the conversation, why AI is accelerating the need for data ownership, and why he believes the world needs entirely new infrastructure that allows people, businesses, and governments to exchange data securely while creating value for everyone involved.

Can Europe build the next generation of global fintech leaders?

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Stefan Klestil, General Partner Fintech EMEA, joins the show to discuss venture capital, fintech investing, AI, digital assets, founder psychology, and why the Middle East and Africa have become one of the world's most compelling investment opportunities.

Is digital banking really about technology anymore?

It is becoming a battle for customer relationships, trust, data, and who owns the financial experience.

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Raheel Ahmed, Group CEO of RAKBANK, returns to discuss open finance, AI, stablecoins, SME banking, regulation, and the future of financial services in the UAE.

Digital finance is no longer only about banking apps and payments.

It is becoming a question of infrastructure, trust, customer behaviour, and how financial systems evolve in emerging markets.

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Nika Kurdiani, CEO of TBC Uzbekistan, joins the show for a sharp conversation on digital banking, AI, open banking, and why Uzbekistan is becoming one of the most interesting financial markets to watch.

Cybersecurity is no longer just a technical issue, it is now a human, business, and financial system challenge.

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun is joined by Ralph Echemendia, Ethical Hacker and Cyber Security Expert, for a sharp conversation on hacking psychology, cybercrime, AI-driven fraud, and why financial institutions need to rethink security.

Before a trading app reaches a user, there is an entire system underneath it doing the real heavy lifting.

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun is joined by Yoshi Yokokawa, Co-Founder and CEO of Alpaca, for a sharp and wide-ranging conversation on brokerage infrastructure, on-chain finance, market access, and what it really takes to build financial products at global scale.

Money is no longer just held. It is moving, earning, and quietly reshaping the system around it.

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun is joined by Anton Golub, Founding Member of RWA Labs, for a sharp, grounded conversation on what is actually happening beneath the surface of crypto, stablecoins, and tokenization.

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun is joined by Navin Gupta, CEO of Crystal Intelligence, and Nick Smart, Chief Intelligence Officer at Crystal Intelligence, to unpack the evolving world of crypto-related fraud, institutional risk, and the uncomfortable truth about financial crime in a 24/7 digital economy.

Is banking really changing at the core, or are we just putting better apps on old rails?

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun is joined in studio by Jayesh Patel, CEO of Wio Bank PJSC, to unpack what real transformation inside a bank actually looks like, how AI is reshaping operating models, and why stablecoins may compress time in money movement far more than most people realize.

Technology is changing what people expect from money, and stablecoins are turning that into reality.

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun is joined from New York by Stephen Richardson (CSO and Head of Banking at Fireblocks) to break down why digital assets are back at the center of banking strategy, what stablecoins are really unlocking, and where banks are at risk of getting disintermediated if they treat this like “just another rails upgrade.”

Japan is often seen as a “mature” financial market.
But the real story is in what’s quietly shifting underneath.

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun is joined from Tokyo by Pieter Franken (Co-Founder & CEO at GFTN Japan) to unpack what’s actually changing in Japan’s fintech and digital assets landscape and what it means for founders, investors, and global players looking at the Japan opportunity.

Japan is often seen as a “mature” financial market.
But the real story is in what’s quietly shifting underneath.

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun is joined from Tokyo by Pieter Franken (Co-Founder & CEO at GFTN Japan) to unpack what’s actually changing in Japan’s fintech and digital assets landscape and what it means for founders, investors, and global players looking at the Japan opportunity.

Financial innovation in the GCC is often framed around payments, licenses, and launch timelines.

But the harder work happens long before a product goes live.

In this special Qatar Development Bank series of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun sits down in Doha with Mohammed Suleiman, Co-Founder and CEO of Karty, to unpack what it really takes to build a regulated fintech company from the ground up in Qatar

Most startup stories focus on what companies become.

This one focuses on how they are built.

In this special Qatar Development Bank series of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun sits down in Doha with Hamad Al-Hajri, Founder and CEO of Snoonu, to explore how one of Qatar’s most successful tech companies was built and why its journey matters for the region.

Innovation ecosystems in the GCC are often judged by funding numbers and startup announcements.

But the real work happens in how institutions, capital, and regulation move together.

In this special Qatar Development Bank series of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun sits down in Doha with Mohammed Al-Emadi, Executive Director of Incubation and VC Investment at QDB, to unpack how Qatar is intentionally building its startup and venture capital ecosystem.

Venture capital is often discussed through funding totals and headline deals.
But the real signal sits underneath the numbers.

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun is joined by Philip Bahoshy, Founder and CEO of MAGNiTT, to break down what the latest venture data actually says about emerging markets and where capital is really moving.

Startup success is often explained through geography, capital, or timing.

But the real story is about people, resilience, and long-term commitment.

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun is joined by Allen Taylor, Managing Partner at Endeavor Catalyst, to unpack how world-class companies are being built far beyond Silicon Valley.