Welcome to ELI! In this episode, we dive deep into the world of cross-border payments with Anand Balaji, co-founder of XFlow, a cutting-edge fintech startup solving India’s B2B payment challenges. From his early days in engineering to shaping Amazon India’s launch and leading Stripe’s India operations, Anand shares his journey of building a global payment infrastructure that’s fast, transparent, and trusted by thousands of businesses. ---### **📌 Key Topics Discussed** - **00:03** Intro to Anand’s journey: Engineering, Amazon India, Stripe, and the birth of XFlow - **06:53** The complexities of cross-border payments in India and gaps XFlow addresses - **11:05** How XFlow solves the “black box” problem with real-time tracking & next-day settlements - **18:25** Transparency in FX pricing: Tools XFlow built to bridge perception vs. reality - **21:21** Entrepreneurial challenges: Hiring, culture, and early customer acquisition - **30:25** Advice for fintech founders: Tackling inefficiencies in India’s regulatory landscape - **36:00** The future of cross-border payments and XFlow’s global ambitions ---### **💡 Why Watch?** - Learn how to build solutions for **complex, regulated industries** like fintech. - Discover strategies to **scale startups** in India’s competitive ecosystem. - Gain insights into fostering a **culture of ownership** and first-principles thinking. - Understand the **hidden costs** of traditional cross-border payments and how tech is disrupting it. ------**👍 Like, Share, and Subscribe** for more stories from visionary entrepreneurs! **💬 Comment below**: What’s the biggest challenge you face in cross-border transactions? Let’s discuss! #Fintech #CrossBorderPayments #StartupIndia #Entrepreneurship #B2B #XFlow #Podcast #BusinessInnovation --- *Disclaimer: This episode is not sponsored. All opinions expressed are the guest’s own.*