Couchonomics with Arjun
Decoding the New World Order of Finance - Unfiltered, global, weekly
As tectonic shifts reshape the financial world, Couchonomics continues to explore the trends transforming commerce, capital, and culture. This season, we expand our lens - building on our deep focus in the MENA region while bringing in voices, stories, and innovations from around the globe.
Why? Because the future of finance is no longer regional - it’s interconnected.
Whether it’s AI in Asia, tokenization in Europe, or fintech policy experiments in Africa, today’s financial shifts cross borders, industries, and disciplines.
Whether you’re in the industry or just fintech-curious, tune in weekly as we decode the big moves, bold ideas, and brilliant minds shaping tomorrow’s economy.
Episodes drop weekly. Arabic subtitles available on YouTube: youtube.com/@couchonomicswitharjunsingh438
Learn more: www.couchonomics.com
Season 4 supported by:
Adyen | Mastercard | SC Ventures | Thunes | Hala | e& | Digit 9
About the host:
Arjun's expertise covers a broad range of areas including Fintech, Payments, Digital Assets, Embedded Finance, Application of Emerging Technologies, and the Emergence of New Business Models within the Financial Services Sector in the MEA region and globally.
Arjun is deeply engaged in the Tech Start-Up ecosystem. He serves as a passive investor, advisory board member, and a notable commentator on the rapidly evolving scene.
In recognition of his impactful contributions, Arjun was honored as a Top Voice of the region by LinkedIn in 2020.
Learn more at www.couchonomics.com.
Couchonomics with Arjun
Why Open Finance Could Change UAE Banking
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
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.
Raheel explains why open finance is being built for customers rather than banks, why products and pricing are becoming increasingly commoditized, and how financial institutions must rethink where they create value in a more transparent and competitive market.
The conversation explores how AI is already being deployed inside banks, the opportunities around stablecoins and tokenization, the future of SME financing, and why customer relationships may become the most important asset banks have.
From digital transformation and regulation to competition and emerging technologies, this episode examines how banking is evolving and what it will take to stay relevant in the years ahead.
🎙️ In this episode:
• Why open finance is a bigger disruption than many banks realize
• How AI is already transforming banking operations
• Why customer relationships matter more than products
• The future of stablecoins and tokenized deposits
• How RAKBANK approaches partnerships and innovation
• The evolution of SME banking and financing in the UAE
• Why regulation is accelerating change rather than slowing it down
• What banks must do to remain competitive in the next decade
⏱️ CHAPTERS
00:00 The future of banking, AI, and open finance
01:59 How UAE banks handled recent uncertainty
06:27 Regulation and the changing banking landscape
08:48 Why digital banking still needs a human touch
12:24 Payments, partnerships, and customer data
15:35 Stablecoins and tokenized deposits
22:11 Why open finance is a major disruption
27:13 The future of SME banking and lending
SOCIAL LINKS
Arjun’s LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
Couchonomics LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
Twitter (X) → https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh
TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Newsletter → https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
PARTNERS
Couchonomics with Arjun Season 04 is brought to you by:
Adyen → https://www.adyen.com/
Thunes → https://thunes.com/
Mastercard → https://mastercard.com/
e& → https://www.eand.com/
Digit9 → https://www.digitnine.com/
SC Ventures → https://scventures.io/
Our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3jk7UH0
Find us on our social media platforms:
- Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
- CCN LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
- Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
- Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20
- TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics
Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E
.png)
Podcasts we love
Check out these other fine podcasts recommended by us, not an algorithm.
