A 12-year fintech pioneer and 5-year crypto player who thrives on building high-growth, disruptive products. As Founder & ex-CEO, built ArivalBank.com (left after decacorn’s acquisition proposal) from a concept into a crypto-friendly, US-licensed digital bank serving international SMEs, achieving $1B+ in transaction volume with a zero-marketing budget. A proven compliance expert with hands-on experience navigating global regulations (US, SG) and engaging directly with FinCEN. Deeply networked in the crypto ecosystem, with early involvement with figures from Telegram/TON, Snap and Ethereum, and now focused on the next frontier of digital identity and decentralized finance.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Fintech & Digital Banking: Product Strategy & Development | Full-Stack Banking Architecture (Core, Middleware, Frontend) | Cross-Border Payments & Correspondent Banking | SMB & B2B Banking Solutions
Venture Capital & Growth Equity: Deal Sourcing & Due Diligence | Portfolio Management & Founder Mentorship | Fundraising & Investor Relations | Early-Stage & Growth Investing (Pre-Seed to Series B)
AI, Crypto & Digital Identity: Decentralized Finance (DeFi) & Web3 | Crypto-Friendly Banking & Custody | Digital Identity & Proof-of-Humanity | Applied AI & ML in Fintech | CBDCs & Stablecoins
Global Compliance & Regulation: US & International Banking Licenses | AML/KYC & Sanctions | Regulatory Strategy & Engagement (FinCEN, MAS) | RegTech & Compliance-as-a-Service
Leadership & Vision: Startup Founder (0-to-1) & CEO | Go-to-Market Strategy | Thought Leadership & Public Speaking | Building & Scaling Global Teams

PILLARS OF EXPERIENCE

Pillar I: Founder & Operator — Building the Future of Finance

The journey of ArivalBank.com (left after decacorn’s acquisition proposal) demonstrates a rare capacity to navigate the highest barriers to entry in finance—technology, regulation, and product-market fit—simultaneously.

ARIVAL BANK (Founder, CEO & Chief Product Officer | 2018-2023)

Vision & Execution: Conceived and launched Arival as a pioneering "fintech bank" to address the critical banking gap for underserved international SMEs, crypto entrepreneurs, and the global creator economy. Led the company from a 3-person concept to a 60+ employee global organization with operational hubs in the US, Singapore, and Lithuania. This journey involved building the corporate structure, securing initial funding, and establishing the strategic roadmap for a multi-jurisdictional financial institution.
Product & Technology Leadership: Drove the product vision and personally oversaw the in-house development of a complete, SOC1/SOC2 certified digital banking stack. This proprietary platform included a modern front-end, adaptable middleware, a robust core-banking system, and an innovative AI-driven compliance engine designed for high-risk industries. Architected a crypto-native product suite featuring fiat/crypto custody, seamless on/off ramps, and secure wallet integrations with industry leaders like Fireblocks and Gemini, demonstrating a deep understanding of the technical requirements for bridging traditional and decentralized finance.
Regulatory & Compliance Triumph: Successfully navigated the complex US regulatory landscape to obtain a brand-new international banking license (IFE #065) from the Office of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions (OCIF) in Puerto Rico, a part of the New York Federal Reserve Area. This rare achievement for a startup founder underscores an ability to meet the highest standards of governance and compliance. This was further validated through active engagement with top US regulators as a member of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Innovation Hours Program, where Arival's technology was showcased.
Growth & Capitalization: Secured over $25M in venture funding across Seed, Pre-Series A, and Series A rounds from US and European investors. The strength of the product was evidenced by exceptional organic growth: the bank attracted over 500 B2B clients from 26 countries and grew to over $150M in Assets Under Management (AUM), processing more than $1B in transaction volume with a zero-marketing budget. This powerful product-market fit demonstrates an ability to build solutions that solve such a deep-seated customer pain point that they generate their own momentum.
Successful Exit: Steered the company to a strategic exit event. After receiving a formal acquisition offer from decacorn DEEL in April 2022, a transition was orchestrated, culminating in stepping down from all operational roles in March 2023 while retaining a minority shareholding. This completes the full entrepreneurial lifecycle from idea to value realization.

Pillar II: Venture Capitalist & Investor — Catalyzing Global Tech Disruption

The investment track record is not one of isolated successes but of a systematic, thesis-driven approach that has generated significant returns and a portfolio of category-defining companies. This experience provides a unique dual perspective of both an operator and a capital allocator.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

PILLARS OF EXPERIENCE

Pillar I: Founder & Operator — Building the Future of Finance

ARIVAL BANK (Founder, CEO & Chief Product Officer | 2018-2023)

Pillar II: Venture Capitalist & Investor — Catalyzing Global Tech Disruption

SREDA.VC (Founder & Managing Partner | 2014-2018)