Why He Turned Down $1.2 Billion from Stripe to Build Airwallex (CEO & Founder Jack Zhang)

Описание: My Fintech Newsletter for more interviews and the latest insights:
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In this episode, Jack, founder of Airwallex, shares his journey—from working odd jobs in Australia to leading a company that rejected a $1.2B acquisition offer from Stripe and now generates close to $900M in annual revenue. Jack reveals how Airwallex evolved through three distinct phases—from FX infrastructure to a comprehensive business banking platform—serving 150,000 customers globally. We discuss pivotal moments with investors, rapid scaling, and the challenges of global money movement. Jack also shares candid views on stablecoins, go-to-market strategies—including major brand partnerships like McLaren F1 and Arsenal—and dives into Airwallex's ambitious AI plans that aim to revolutionize finance. Tune in to hear about bold decisions, lessons from near-bankruptcy, and what's next for one of fintech’s fastest-growing companies.

Jack Zhang: linkedin.com/in/jack-zhang-05200222

00:00 - Why Airwallex turned down Stripe's $1.2B offer
00:37 - Jack’s journey: Odd jobs to founder
01:08 - Stablecoins and global money movement: Useless or gamechanger?
03:22 - Unlocking initial hypergrowth: Key customers and industries
05:20 - Pivoting product: What didn’t work and why
07:37 - Three phases of Airwallex’s growth
08:58 - Building a layered business banking platform
10:06 - From student magazines to diverse side businesses
13:37 - Lessons from early failures and successes
15:34 - Creating borderless financial infrastructure
16:56 - Are stablecoins really practical for payments?
19:18 - Scaling payments: Liquidity, costs, and geographies
21:36 - Airwallex today: Revenue and growth stats
22:23 - Market scope and expansion plans
24:18 - The million-dollar meeting: Raising capital
27:04 - Hardest fundraises and investor stories
29:28 - Go-to-market strategy: Brand and partnerships
33:25 - Investing in brand: The timing and payoff
34:24 - Founder visibility: Why Jack speaks out now
37:05 - Impact of storytelling on growth and hiring
38:32 - Life outside Airwallex: Hobbies & balance
38:44 - Expansion in the US: Offices and hiring plans
40:13 - Airwallex Copilot: AI agents for autonomous finance
41:42 - AI-powered products: The future of business ops
42:22 - Major product launches: Full-stack billing for AI companies
43:15 - Crossing $1B ARR: What’s next for Airwallex
44:13 - Airwallex Billing: Features, rollout, and free offer

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