Interview with our CBDO: Impressions from Money 20/20 Asia

Q: Hi Bogdan, what were your first impressions of the event?

Bogdan: So, last week, Bangkok threw the ultimate fintech party—Money20/20 Asia 2025—and everyone who’s anyone in payments showed up. Think thousands of suits and hoodies (mostly hoodies, let’s be honest) trying to predict the future of money while surviving on endless cups of coffee.

Q: What themes dominated the conversations?

Bogdan: Cross-border payments were hotter than Thai street food. Everyone was obsessed with stablecoins, those digital assets that promise lightning-fast global transfers. But the big banks are still circling cautiously, waiting for the cool kids to make the first move.

Q: Any recurring tech trends?

Bogdan: AI was the uninvited guest who showed up everywhere. From fraud prevention to transaction optimization, Artificial Intelligence is shaping the future of payments, slicker, smarter, and hopefully not turning into Skynet.

Q: What about industry cooperation?

Bogdan: Everyone was buzzing about interoperability, systems across countries playing nicely together. India’s UPI and Brazil’s Pix were cited like celebrities. Seamless payments across borders? That’s our version of world peace.

Q: Were regulators part of the picture?

Bogdan: Surprisingly, yes, and not as party poopers. Regulatory sandboxes came up a lot. Think of them as safe playgrounds where fintechs can try big ideas without worrying about legal red cards.

Q: Did financial inclusion make it onto the main stage?

Bogdan: Absolutely. The spotlight was on mobile banking adoption in cash-heavy regions. In Southeast Asia, mobile payments are spreading faster than TikToks. The idea is simple: skip the branch, bank in your pocket.

Q: What was the vibe around partnerships?

Bogdan: It was like speed dating for fintech. Banks, tech firms, regulators—everyone realized they need each other. Collaboration, not competition, is becoming the new fintech mantra.

Q: How would you sum up the event in one line?

Bogdan: Asia’s fintech scene is booming louder than Bangkok traffic. The only thing missing? A karaoke night. Maybe next year.

Q: What’s next for 8B in this landscape?

Bogdan: At 8B, we’re not building a super app, we’re connecting local alternative payment methods (LPMs) to global businesses and PSPs. We help global platforms go local. Central Asia is our big focus: there’s incredible momentum in payments infrastructure there, and we’re ready to plug in.

4 Key Takeaways from Money20/20 Asia 2025

1. Stablecoins are maturing, but institutional trust is still catching up.
2. AI is deeply embedded in fraud, UX, and infrastructure discussions.
3. Interoperability—via models like UPI and Pix—is shaping global payment norms.
4. Central Asia is emerging as a bold, fast-moving fintech hub.

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