Core Viewpoint - The SEC is shifting its regulatory strategy towards supporting innovation in the cryptocurrency sector, moving away from a strict enforcement approach to provide clearer rules and support for financial innovation, particularly in digital assets [1][3]. Group 1: Regulatory Changes - SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins criticized past enforcement practices that suppressed the cryptocurrency industry, stating that this approach harmed U.S. jobs, innovation, and capital [1][3]. - The new initiative, termed "crypto project," aims to modernize securities regulations to support the migration of markets to blockchain technology, providing clear guidance for innovators [3][4]. Group 2: Clarification of Regulatory Boundaries - Atkins emphasized that most cryptocurrencies are not securities, and the SEC will work to clarify these boundaries to reduce legal uncertainties for market participants [4]. - The SEC will ensure that entrepreneurs can raise funds on-chain without facing endless legal risks, and will support the innovation of "super apps" trading platforms that can offer multiple services under a single regulatory framework [4]. Group 3: Future Financial Landscape - Atkins forecasted the emergence of on-chain capital markets and "AI agentic finance," where autonomous AI agents will execute trades and manage risks at unprecedented speeds while ensuring compliance with securities laws [5]. - The combination of AI and blockchain technology is expected to enhance market efficiency, reduce costs, and democratize access to strategies previously available only to large Wall Street firms [5]. Group 4: International Perspective - Atkins acknowledged the progress made by international counterparts, particularly praising the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation as a comprehensive framework for digital assets, suggesting that the U.S. can learn from it [6]. - Despite this, he reaffirmed the commitment to ensure that the U.S. remains a leader in creating an environment that supports financial innovation [6].

Group 1: Company Recognition and Achievements - Airwallex co-founder Lucy Liu was included in Fortune's 2025 "40 Under 40" list, highlighting her leadership in the fintech sector [1] - Airwallex has rapidly become a global fintech unicorn since its establishment in 2015, achieving a valuation of $6.2 billion after raising $300 million in Series F funding [3] - The company reported a 95% year-over-year increase in annualized revenue, reaching approximately $850 million, and a 102% increase in annualized transaction volume, totaling around $180 billion as of June 2025 [3] Group 2: Global Expansion and Market Presence - Airwallex has expanded its global footprint, holding financial service licenses in over 60 countries and regions, including major markets like the UK, Australia, and the EU [6] - The company has recently entered the Brazilian and Mexican markets and obtained a service license in Israel, enhancing its compliance foundation for expansion in Latin America, the Middle East, and Europe [6] - Airwallex serves over 150,000 enterprise clients, including renowned companies such as McLaren, Arsenal Football Club, SHEIN, and Canva [6] Group 3: Technological Innovation and AI Integration - Airwallex is leveraging AI to enhance operational efficiency and improve payment processing, achieving 95% same-day settlement for users [7] - The company has allocated significant budget towards AI and integrated key technologies into its products, introducing the "AI Agentic Finance" service to streamline financial workflows for clients [7][8] - Airwallex was ranked third in the fintech category of Fast Company's 2025 World's Most Innovative Companies list, reflecting its innovative capabilities and adaptability in the changing trade landscape [8] Group 4: Leadership and Vision - Lucy Liu's leadership has been pivotal in Airwallex's growth, transitioning from a broad role in the early days to focusing on strategic development, global expansion, and brand building [5] - The founders of Airwallex are committed to building a leading company in the fintech space, emphasizing resilience and a strong belief in their vision [9]

Group 1: Core Insights - Airwallex has successfully completed a $300 million Series F funding round, achieving a post-money valuation of $6.2 billion, positioning itself as a benchmark in the fintech sector amid a challenging market environment [1] - The funding round attracted top-tier venture capital firms such as Square Peg and Lone Pine Capital, along with strategic investment from Visa Ventures, highlighting market recognition of Airwallex's innovative model [1] Group 2: Performance and Global Strategy - Airwallex's valuation is supported by impressive performance metrics, with an annualized revenue of $720 million by March 2025, reflecting a 90% year-over-year growth, and processing transaction volumes exceeding $130 billion [2] - The company has established a strong presence in the Americas and Europe, with a compound annual growth rate of over 250% in gross profit in these regions over the past four years [2] - Airwallex has set up branches in 37 countries and regions, holding over 60 financial licenses, including recent acquisitions of payment service provider MexPago in Mexico and a payment institution license from the Central Bank of Brazil [2] Group 3: Technological Innovation - Airwallex has built a global clearing network that reduces 95% of cross-border payments to hours, with 68% processed in real-time, contrasting with traditional banks reliant on the SWIFT system [3] - The company leverages AI to enhance its technological advantages, reducing account misjudgment rates by 50% through machine learning-based risk control models and helping clients mitigate foreign exchange losses with an intelligent foreign exchange engine [3] - The introduction of the "AI agent finance" concept aims to integrate AI into cash flow forecasting and tax compliance decision-making processes, redefining service boundaries for cross-border payment platforms [3] Group 4: Market Opportunity - Airwallex is targeting a significant market gap in cross-border financial services for SMEs, with an estimated potential market size of $570 billion by 2027 [5] - The company offers a suite of solutions including multi-currency accounts, global acquiring, and embedded APIs to reduce service costs and enhance operational efficiency for businesses [5] Group 5: Future Outlook - With the new $300 million funding, Airwallex plans to expand its global financial services network and deepen the application of AI technology in cross-border payments [7] - The company's trajectory from addressing SMEs' cross-border payment challenges to building a financial infrastructure covering over 180 countries exemplifies how technology is reshaping cross-border finance [7]

Core Viewpoint - Airwallex is building a future-oriented global economic infrastructure that is efficient, smooth, and capable of global expansion, marking a significant step in empowering local enterprises to achieve globalization [1][4]. Group 1: Investment Landscape - Despite the impact of U.S. tariff policies on global trade, venture capital investment in the cross-border payment sector remains strong, with Airwallex recently completing a $300 million Series F funding round, bringing its valuation to $6.2 billion [2][5]. - The growth of the cross-border payment industry has been driven by globalization and the rapid development of cross-border e-commerce, but new uncertainties arise from recent tariff policies [2][5]. - Investment logic has shifted, with a focus on local manufacturing needs and the inadequacy of traditional banking services to meet the fragmented, high-frequency, and small-scale payment requirements of local enterprises [3][5]. Group 2: Company Performance - Airwallex's annualized revenue reached $720 million in March, a 90% year-on-year increase, with a global transaction volume exceeding $130 billion [5]. - The company aims to achieve a $1 billion annualized revenue target this year, supported by its revenue growth trend [5]. Group 3: Technological Advancements - Airwallex is leveraging AI technology to enhance operational efficiency and reduce costs, with significant improvements in KYC processes and transaction accuracy [14]. - The company is developing a technology-driven global financial service infrastructure that allows businesses to generate local accounts in over 60 countries and process transactions quickly [8][10]. - The emergence of AI-driven financial models, such as "AI Agentic Finance," is expected to transform the cross-border payment landscape, enhancing product barriers and attracting further investment [13][15]. Group 4: Market Dynamics - The demand for cross-border payment services is expected to grow as more local enterprises seek to expand internationally, driven by a shift in global manufacturing focus [7][11]. - Traditional financial services are often inadequate for local enterprises' cross-border payment needs, prompting a new wave of infrastructure development in the cross-border payment sector [7][11]. Group 5: Future Outlook - The ongoing exploration of new business opportunities and robust business models by domestic cross-border payment companies is crucial in the face of changing global trade dynamics [4][11]. - The ability to obtain local payment licenses and business permits in various countries is vital for cross-border payment companies to attract venture capital investment [11].

Core Insights - Despite the impact of US tariff policies on global trade, venture capital firms continue to invest robustly in the cross-border payment sector, exemplified by Airwallex's recent $300 million Series F funding round [2][3] - The changing global trade landscape is expected to increase demand for local enterprises to expand internationally, presenting new growth opportunities for cross-border payment companies [3][6] - Traditional banking services are often inadequate for the fragmented, high-frequency, and small-value cross-border payment needs of local businesses, indicating a need for new financial infrastructure [3][6] Investment Trends - Venture capital firms are optimistic about the cross-border payment sector due to the increasing demand from local businesses for international trade solutions [3][6] - Airwallex's valuation reached $6.2 billion following a revenue increase of 90% year-over-year, with projected annual revenue of $1 billion for the current year [4][5] - The focus on financial performance is becoming crucial for venture capital firms when considering investments in cross-border payment companies [5] Technological Advancements - The integration of AI technology is seen as a transformative factor for cross-border payment ecosystems, enhancing operational efficiency and risk management [11][12] - Airwallex has implemented AI-driven solutions to improve customer onboarding processes and operational accuracy, significantly reducing manual work [12][13] - The concept of "AI Agentic Finance" is emerging, where AI could take on roles traditionally held by financial professionals, potentially increasing the competitive edge of cross-border payment firms [13] Market Dynamics - The global trend of local enterprises seeking to expand internationally is expected to accelerate the development of new cross-border payment infrastructures [6][9] - Domestic cross-border payment companies are actively pursuing local payment licenses in various countries to enhance their service capabilities [10] - The competitive landscape in the cross-border payment sector is intensifying, necessitating companies to identify new revenue growth points to stand out [8][11]

Core Insights - Airwallex successfully completed a $300 million Series F funding round, achieving a valuation of $6.2 billion, with participation from various venture capital firms and strategic investors like Visa Ventures [1][2] - The company reported a significant growth trajectory, with annualized revenue exceeding $720 million and a 90% year-over-year increase, alongside a rise in annual transaction payment volume from $50 billion in 2022 to over $130 billion [2][4] Funding and Valuation - The recent funding round included $150 million from secondary share transfers, indicating a slight increase in valuation from $5.6 billion in the previous round [1] - Airwallex's valuation is considered credible and reflects the company's solid position in the global financial market despite challenges faced by fintech companies [2] Business Model and Market Position - Airwallex has evolved its business model from primarily serving Chinese enterprises to catering to local businesses globally, with 30% of its operations in Europe and the Americas and 70% in the Asia-Pacific region [4] - The company aims to redefine global fund flows and has expanded its product offerings, including multi-currency accounts and card products, with the cloud-based Visa card contributing nearly 30% to total revenue [4] Competitive Advantage and AI Integration - Airwallex leverages AI technology to enhance its competitive edge over traditional banks, focusing on data integration and processing capabilities [5] - The company is developing "AI agent finance" to automate traditional financial functions, significantly improving efficiency and accuracy in financial services [5]

Core Insights - Airwallex has successfully completed a $300 million Series F funding round, achieving a post-money valuation of $6.2 billion, up from $5.6 billion in the previous round [1][2] - The company has demonstrated significant growth, with annualized revenue exceeding $720 million, a 90% year-on-year increase, and annual transaction payment volume surpassing $130 billion [2] - Airwallex is positioning itself as a global financial operating system for businesses, aiming to facilitate seamless and real-time financial transactions [8] Funding and Valuation - The recent funding round included $150 million from secondary share sales, with participation from various venture capital firms and strategic investors like Visa Ventures [1] - The valuation increase reflects a strategic choice by the company to maintain its value amidst a challenging investment climate for fintech companies [1][2] Business Model and Market Expansion - Airwallex has shifted its focus from primarily serving Chinese enterprises to catering to global local businesses, enhancing its global market presence [4][5] - The company has diversified its revenue sources, with a significant increase in revenue from regions outside of Greater China, now accounting for 30% from Europe and the Americas [5][6] Product Development and Innovation - Airwallex has expanded its product offerings beyond basic payment solutions to include a comprehensive suite of financial services, such as multi-currency accounts and expense management tools [6][7] - The company is leveraging AI to enhance its services, improving customer onboarding and compliance processes, and aims to develop AI-driven financial agents to automate traditional finance roles [9][10][11] Competitive Landscape - Airwallex views its primary competition as traditional banks rather than other fintech companies, capitalizing on its agility and understanding of the Asia-Pacific market [9] - The company differentiates itself by addressing the unique needs of Asian businesses, which have been underserved by Western payment giants [7]

Core Viewpoint - Airwallex has successfully completed a $300 million Series F funding round, achieving a post-money valuation of $6.2 billion, reflecting a slight increase from its previous valuation of $5.6 billion in 2022 [1][2]. Group 1: Funding and Valuation - The recent funding round included $150 million from secondary share transfers, with participation from various venture capital firms and strategic investors like Visa Ventures [1]. - The valuation of $6.2 billion is claimed to be free of any inflation, with the company projecting an average growth rate of no less than 50% over the next five years [2]. Group 2: Business Growth and Market Position - Airwallex's annualized revenue has exceeded $720 million, marking a 90% year-on-year growth, while its annualized global payment transaction volume has surpassed $130 billion, up from $50 billion in 2022 [2]. - The company holds over 60 payment licenses across more than 150 countries, serving 150,000 businesses with 95% of transactions completed within hours or the same day [2]. Group 3: Global Expansion and Product Development - Airwallex has shifted its business model from primarily serving Chinese enterprises to catering to global local enterprises, with revenue from Europe and the Americas now accounting for 30% and the Asia-Pacific region for 70% [5]. - The company has seen a compound annual growth rate of over 250% in gross profit from the Americas and EMEA regions [6]. Group 4: Technological Innovation and AI Integration - Airwallex aims to leverage AI to enhance its financial services, with advantages over traditional banks in data integration and regulatory frameworks [10]. - The company is developing AI agents to automate financial operations, potentially transforming traditional CFO roles by managing tasks such as vendor management and payment approvals [12].