Fintech Daydreaming

Nordic Fintech Highlights is back with Pål, Ville & JanneHold onto your wallets — it’s another round of Fintech Daydreaming’s Nordic Fintech Highlights! This month, the crew dives into:💸 Froda’s fresh funding round – Pål kicks things off with Froda’s impressive new investment and what it means for the embedded finance scene in the Nordics. Is Froda quietly becoming the Stripe of SME lending? Or are we just slapping “embedded” on everything now?🛍️ Klarna x Clover – Janne breaks down Klarna’s latest move to bring BNPL into U.S. brick-and-mortar stores via Clover’s POS system. Will Americans now split their taco payments into four easy installments? The gang debates Klarna’s global stretch and whether in-store BNPL is genius or just fintech déjà vu.🎟️ Coachella + BNPL – Ville brings some festival flair with a quirky story: 60% of Coachella 2025 tickets were bought using BNPL — but not through Klarna or Affirm. What’s going on here? Is “Buy Now, Cry Later” the new concert norm?As always, expect banter, bold takes, and the occasional accidental startup pitch. Warning: contains strong fintech opinions and light Coachella FOMO.Episode hosted by Pål Krogdahl & Ville SointuEpisode produced and edited by Femi Apanishile- Email us on Hello@FintechDaydreaming.com- Fintech Daydreaming home page - https://www.FintechDaydreaming.com- Fintech Daydreaming on Twitter - https://twitter.com/FintechDaydream- Fintech Daydreaming on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintech-daydreaming- Pål Krogdahl - https://www.linkedin.com/in/krogdahl/- Ville Sointu - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ville-sointu-54682b/- Femi Apanishile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/femi-apanishile-935a74a1/

In this highly anticipated episode of Fintech Daydreaming, Ville and Pål sit down with Sampsa Laine, CEO of Alisa Bank, to uncover the story behind one of Finland’s most interesting digital banks. From its fintech roots to securing a full banking license, Alisa Bank has been on quite the journey—and Sampsa takes us behind the scenes.We dig into:🏦 How Alisa Bank came to be and how it balances fintech agility with full banking capabilities📈 The bank’s sharp focus on SME banking, embedded finance, and banking-as-a-service🤖 Why going fully digital (without branches!) is a winning strategy in today’s market🌍 Alisa’s expansion plans—could new markets be on the horizon?Sampsa also shares insights on navigating regulation, the challenges of running a publicly listed bank, and what’s next for Alisa. Plus, we managed to squeeze in a fintech joke (because traditions matter).If you’re curious about the future of digital banking and how challenger banks are shaking up the industry, this is an episode you won’t want to miss!Episode hosted by Pål Krogdahl & Ville SointuEpisode produced and edited by Femi Apanishile- Email us on Hello@FintechDaydreaming.com- Fintech Daydreaming home page - https://www.FintechDaydreaming.com- Fintech Daydreaming on Twitter - https://twitter.com/FintechDaydream- Fintech Daydreaming on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintech-daydreaming- Pål Krogdahl - https://www.linkedin.com/in/krogdahl/- Ville Sointu - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ville-sointu-54682b/- Femi Apanishile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/femi-apanishile-935a74a1/

April's here, the snow is (mostly) gone, and the fintech news is blooming — sort of. In this episode, your favourite fintech trio Ville, Pål, and Janne return with a fresh batch of Nordic headlines, greetings from the Baltic Fintech Days, hot takes, and at least one minor existential crisis.Here’s what went down:Ville got us started with some light apocalyptic vibes, as we unpacked Sweden’s Riksbank prepping for war — seriously. The central bank is testing offline payments and backup systems in case of internet outages or full-on conflict. Political aspects aside, the landscape of offline payments is definitely a fascinating technical and governance dilemma.Janne brought some much-needed positivity with the news that Raisin has landed in Finland. The savings platform promises better deposit rates and a bit of healthy competition in the local market. But is the Finnish public ready to move their money for a few more basis points? Or will it take free buckets?Pål closed things out with a look at ReceiptHero’s new B2B partnership with Fennoa. It’s a big step for digital receipts and accounting automation — and a small victory in Pål’s long-standing war on paper. Spoiler: he’s still very much winning.As always, things went slightly off the rails (looking at you, Janne), but we somehow brought it all back. Tune in for fintech insights, occasional wisdom, and the only podcast where Nordic monetary policy and mushroom hunting might share airtime.Episode hosted by Pål Krogdahl & Ville SointuEpisode produced and edited by Femi Apanishile- Email us on Hello@FintechDaydreaming.com- Fintech Daydreaming home page - https://www.FintechDaydreaming.com- Fintech Daydreaming on Twitter - https://twitter.com/FintechDaydream- Fintech Daydreaming on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintech-daydreaming- Pål Krogdahl - https://www.linkedin.com/in/krogdahl/- Ville Sointu - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ville-sointu-54682b/- Femi Apanishile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/femi-apanishile-935a74a1/

This one’s special! We joined forces with none other than Breaking Banks for a crossover episode featuring the legendary Brett King alongside Pål and Ville. In true fireside chat style, we dove deep into the biggest shifts shaping fintech today and what’s coming next.Topics? Oh, we covered it all, including but definitely not limited to:🔥 The Nordic fintech scene — what are the big names from the Nordic scene after all?🧑‍💻 Q-Day and the rise of quantum banking (yes, really!) and what it could mean for financial services🤖 Machine-to-machine payments and future industrial economy —because why should humans have all the fun?📖 A sneak peek into Brett’s upcoming book and the ideas that are keeping him up at nightPacked with insights, bold predictions, and a good dose of banter, this is one episode you don’t want to miss. Tune in as Fintech Daydreaming meets Breaking Banks for a fintech deep dive like no other!Episode hosted by Brett King, Pål Krogdahl & Ville SointuEpisode produced and edited by Provoke.fm- Email us on Hello@FintechDaydreaming.com- Fintech Daydreaming home page - https://www.FintechDaydreaming.com- Fintech Daydreaming on Twitter - https://twitter.com/FintechDaydream- Fintech Daydreaming on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintech-daydreaming- Pål Krogdahl - https://www.linkedin.com/in/krogdahl/- Ville Sointu - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ville-sointu-54682b/- Femi Apanishile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/femi-apanishile-935a74a1/

We can pay for everything digitally, so why are we still walking away with crumpled paper receipts? In this episode of Fintech Daydreaming, Pål and Ville sit down with Chris Moore, Director of International Business at ReceiptHero, to discuss the journey of bringing receipts into the digital age.Chris walks us through the challenges of transforming an underserved market, the practicalities of making digital receipts happen, and the business models that could drive adoption. From sustainability benefits to seamless integrations, we explore why digital receipts are more than just a convenience—they’re a fintech opportunity waiting to be unlocked.Tune in for a deep dive into a space that’s long overdue for disruption—because the only paper we should be dealing with is money, not receipts! And while you’re at it - don’t forget to listen all the way to the end for the most on-topic (and horribly bad) joke so far in this season!Episode hosted by Pål Krogdahl & Ville SointuEpisode produced and edited by Femi Apanishile- Email us on Hello@FintechDaydreaming.com- Fintech Daydreaming home page - https://www.FintechDaydreaming.com- Fintech Daydreaming on Twitter - https://twitter.com/FintechDaydream- Fintech Daydreaming on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintech-daydreaming- Pål Krogdahl - https://www.linkedin.com/in/krogdahl/- Ville Sointu - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ville-sointu-54682b/- Femi Apanishile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/femi-apanishile-935a74a1/

February may be short, but Nordic fintech didn’t hold back! In this Fintech Daydreaming episode, Pål, Ville, and Janne sit down for another round of Nordic Fintech Highlights. As always, we covered the biggest fintech news—but not before Janne cracked a joke so bad it nearly derailed the entire recording. (We survived… barely.)Here’s what we tackled this time:🚀 Lunar’s big BaaS bet – Pål took a deep dive into Lunar’s spin-off Moonrise, a Banking-as-a-Service platform set to shake up the Nordic embedded finance space.💰 Lunar’s lending expansion – Janne continued the Lunar talk with their new SME lending partnership with Froda, unlocking more financing options for businesses.🚗 Klarna goes automotive – Ville explored Klarna’s partnership with FINN, bringing flexible payments to the car subscription market. Because who wouldn’t want a BNPL option for their next ride?With plenty of fintech insights, strong opinions, and a few moments of near-total chaos, this episode is packed with everything you love about Fintech Daydreaming. Buckle up and enjoy the ride!Episode hosted by Pål Krogdahl & Ville SointuEpisode produced and edited by Femi Apanishile- Email us on Hello@FintechDaydreaming.com- Fintech Daydreaming home page - https://www.FintechDaydreaming.com- Fintech Daydreaming on Twitter - https://twitter.com/FintechDaydream- Fintech Daydreaming on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintech-daydreaming- Pål Krogdahl - https://www.linkedin.com/in/krogdahl/- Ville Sointu - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ville-sointu-54682b/- Femi Apanishile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/femi-apanishile-935a74a1/

Hot Takes, Cool Guests & The Best Kind of Fintech MayhemFor this special episode, we packed our mics, grabbed some strong coffee, and took Fintech Daydreaming on the road to Stockholm Fintech Week! 🎤🚀 Amidst the fintech frenzy, Pål and Ville caught up with some of the sharpest minds in the industry for rapid-fire chats, bold predictions, and a few fintech hot takes.Our all-star lineup included:Christie H. Kristensen (Danske Bank) – On whether banks and fintechs are actually friends or just frenemies, and what happens with customer experience in all of this?Chris Skinner (Author, Speaker) – Dropping fintech wisdom like only he canBaard Slaattelid (VippsMobilePay) – Making the case for why regional digital wallets are more important than everSofi Håkanson (Centiglobe) – Solving cross-border payments so we can perhaps all finally ditch some of those outrageous feesChris Crespo (Nordic Fintech Magazine) – Breaking down the Nordic fintech scene like a true insiderFrom insightful discussions to behind-the-scenes laughs, we had a blast recording this one—now it’s your turn to tune in and enjoy the ride!Episode hosted by Pål Krogdahl & Ville SointuEpisode produced and edited by Femi Apanishile- Email us on Hello@FintechDaydreaming.com- Fintech Daydreaming home page - https://www.FintechDaydreaming.com- Fintech Daydreaming on Twitter - https://twitter.com/FintechDaydream- Fintech Daydreaming on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintech-daydreaming- Pål Krogdahl - https://www.linkedin.com/in/krogdahl/- Ville Sointu - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ville-sointu-54682b/- Femi Apanishile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/femi-apanishile-935a74a1/

We’re kicking off this episode of Fintech Daydreaming with something special—welcoming our new editor and producer, Femi Apanishile, to the team! 🎉 But after the celebrations, it’s straight back to business with another Nordic Fintech Highlights session.This time, things got... heated. Pål, Ville, and Janne dived into the latest fintech news, but the conversation quickly turned into a colorful rant about crypto. Here’s what made the headlines:• Janne introduced us to the first MiCA-compliant memecoin from Swan—because apparently, regulatory-approved dog coins are a thing now.• Ville tackled MobilePay’s decision to start charging transaction fees over €400, sparking a discussion on the future of digital payment business models and their sustainability.• Pål dug into Lunar Bank’s move into crypto trading in Norway—cue the skepticism.With Pål and Ville trying to inject realism to the resurgent crypto hype and Janne still on the fence, this episode delivers strong opinions, probably somewhat divisive insights, and a few fintech hot takes you won’t want to miss. Grab your favorite energy drink and have a listen—it’s a lively one!Episode hosted by Pål Krogdahl & Ville SointuEpisode produced and edited by Femi Apanishile- Email us on Hello@FintechDaydreaming.com- Fintech Daydreaming home page - https://www.FintechDaydreaming.com- Fintech Daydreaming on Twitter - https://twitter.com/FintechDaydream- Fintech Daydreaming on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintech-daydreaming- Pål Krogdahl - https://www.linkedin.com/in/krogdahl/- Ville Sointu - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ville-sointu-54682b/- Femi Apanishile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/femi-apanishile-935a74a1/

In this episode of Fintech Daydreaming, Ville and Pål welcome back the one and only Leda Glyptis, PhD—advisor, speaker, and author of Beyond Resilience and Bankers Like Us. Leda brings her sharp insights and candid humor to the mic as we explore her latest book and the patterns of success (and failure) shaping the fintech industry. From debunking the myth of the "rockstar founder" to rethinking Silicon Valley's "build fast and break things" mantra, Leda challenges conventional wisdom with research-backed observations and practical advice. Among callbacks to many former guests of Fintech Daydreaming we discuss the critical importance of product-market fit, why some innovations are just "too early," and how resilience—or sisu, as Finns call it—can be balanced with the need to pivot. Tune in for a lively, thought-provoking conversation packed with stories, strategies, and plenty of wit. If you’re looking for inspiration and practical takeaways to navigate the world of fintech, look no further. - Email us on Hello@FintechDaydreaming.com - Fintech Daydreaming home page - https://www.FintechDaydreaming.com - Fintech Daydreaming on Twitter - https://twitter.com/FintechDaydream - Fintech Daydreaming on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintech-daydreaming - Pål Krogdahl - https://www.linkedin.com/in/krogdahl/ - Ville Sointu - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ville-sointu-54682b/

Welcome to 2025 and season 11 of Fintech Daydreaming! We’re back, well-caffeinated, and ready to dive into another year of fintech wonders. To kick things off, Pål, Ville, and Janne put on their trend-spotting hats and take a look at what’s buzzing in the Nordics and beyond. What’s hot? What’s not? And what might just surprise us all in 2025? Of course, it wouldn’t be Fintech Daydreaming without some juicy fintech news: Pål dives into how Enfuce and Alisa Bank are giving Finnish SMEs the plastic they deserve with a shiny new business credit card. Janne tackles Lunar Bank’s bold leap into mortgages in Sweden—because who doesn’t want a fintech twist on home loans? Ville brings us SEB Embedded’s latest play: a co-branded grocery card with Hemköp. Is this the future of shopping? We have questions. Join us for a fun, insightful, and occasionally witty look at the trends and stories shaping the Nordic fintech scene. Season 11 is here—let’s get dreaming! - Email us on Hello@FintechDaydreaming.com - Fintech Daydreaming home page - https://www.FintechDaydreaming.com - Fintech Daydreaming on Twitter - https://twitter.com/FintechDaydream - Fintech Daydreaming on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintech-daydreaming - Pål Krogdahl - https://www.linkedin.com/in/krogdahl/ - Ville Sointu - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ville-sointu-54682b/