Over the past two or so years, fintech, or financial technology, has been growing in the Caribbean. In the first of our new series on Fintech in the Caribbean, and with financial innovator, private banker and serial entrepreneur, Telly Valerie Onu, we discuss: the state of fintech in the Caribbean region; key challenges that might be affecting innovation and development (supply), and adoption and take-up (demand); and the areas or segments that hold the best opportunities in the Caribbean region.

 

This episode is also available on SoundCloud, Apple iTunes, Google Play Music, Spotify, Amazon Music (NEW!) and on Stitcher!

Financial technology, or fintech, is one of the major growth areas in the Caribbean ICT/technology space, and it is expected to continue to grow into the foreseeable future. However, and although there is considerable excitement about what is happening in the region’s fintech space, it is happening in small pockets, and so we may not always be aware of the developments that have been occurring.

For 2022, and for at least one episode per month, we wish to focus on Fintech in the Caribbean region. We hope to have interesting conversations with individuals in the space, along with highlighting some of the innovative ventures that have been developed here in the region.

In this our first episode, we felt it best to start with an overview or introduction. So in addition to explaining what fintech is and the state of fintech in the region, we also discuss the challenges that might be hindering its development both on the supply and demand sides. We eventually wrap of the conversation by highlight where the best opportunities for the region might be.

 

Introduction our guest

Telly Valerie Onu

Telojo “Telly” Valerie Onu has been at the forefront of the digital financial innovation and ecosystem building with over 20 years’ experience as a financial and impact innovator, digital economist and digital transformation expert. She is a thought leader and a co-author of The Insurtech Book and The Wealthtech Book.

She is currently  the Head of Governance and Execution for the Bantu Blockchain Foundation, a Seychelles Foundation with offices in Lagos, Nigeria, which governs the Bantu Network Infrastructure. She is also the International Director of Governance and Compliance for the JD Euroway Finance Group (Private Banking), which is headquartered in Canada, and is also the Director of Governance and Compliance and a Transactions Specialist for JDE FINEX, a regulated institutional digital asset exchange and liquidity provider.

Telly is the Founder of Valerie Capital (formerly Beyond Capital Market), a digital financial market infrastructure (DFMI) and digital asset management firm focused on embedded and alternative finance.  She is also the Founder of Quintessence Consulting Inc, a global strategy and management consulting firm that has led multimillion-dollar investment facilitation and transformation projects and their implementation.

 

Insights into our conversation

An examination of fintech in the Caribbean can be a daunting undertaking. A lot is occurring, but to a considerable degree, it is all happening in isolation to each other. As a result, it can be a challenge to truly get a sense of how big the industry is, so far, along with who are the players in the space, which are the growth areas, and even what resources might be needed to better support the key growth areas.

One of the good things about having a conversation with Telly is that she is really knowledgeable about fintech, and she has been doing a lot of work both here in the region and internationally in the space – evidenced by the brief bio shared in the previous section. Also, having working in other parts of the world, she is able to compare the experience and observations there with what obtains in the Caribbean.

  1. When one thinks of fintech in the Caribbean, a few products readily come to mind, but these are only scratching the surface. What are some of the other products or services that fall under fintech?
  2. How would you assess the state of fintech in the Caribbean region?
  3. Are there any key challenges you have identified that could be affecting fintech innovation and development in the region?
  4. And what about with respect to adoption or take-up by consumers?
  5. In being part of the Bantu Blockchain Foundation, what differences have you noticed between African fintech development versus that occurring here in the Caribbean region?
  6. General observation suggests that the region is being used more as test bed for innovation, in order to leverage more lucrative opportunities in other parts of the world. What are you seeing in the space?
  7. In what areas or segments of fintech do you believe hold the best for opportunities the Caribbean region?

 

We would love to hear from you!

Do leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages, or via Twitter, @ICTPulse.

Also, if you or a member of your network is interested in joining us for an episode, do get in touch.
Let’s make it happen!

 

Select links

Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that either were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise, might be useful:

 

 

Image credits: T Onu; Raisin – Finance Stock Images (flickr);; Stevepb (Pixabay); AhmadArdity (Pixabay); MichaelWuensch (Pixabay)

Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell;

Podcast editing support: Mayra Bonilla Lopez