Core Insights - Airwallex, founded by Jack Zhang, has grown from a small coffee shop venture to a global fintech leader with a valuation of $6.2 billion as of May 2025, showcasing a remarkable journey of resilience and innovation [2][17]. Company Background - Jack Zhang, originally from Shandong, China, faced significant challenges as a teenager in Australia, working multiple jobs to support his education and living expenses [3][4]. - The initial idea for Airwallex emerged from the difficulties faced in cross-border payments while running a coffee shop, leading to the realization of a structural problem in the payment industry [7][8]. Growth and Development - Airwallex's early funding included a pivotal $1 million investment from Lucy Liu, which allowed the company to transition from a coffee shop to a tech startup focused on payment solutions [6][9]. - The company faced multiple near-death experiences during its early stages, including challenges in securing funding and developing a viable product [8][11]. Strategic Decisions - A significant turning point was the decision to pivot from a peer-to-peer payment model to building a comprehensive payment infrastructure, which involved direct engagement with banks [10][12]. - The refusal of a $1.2 billion acquisition offer from Stripe in 2018 marked a critical moment for Airwallex, as the team chose to pursue a larger vision of becoming a global financial platform [14][16]. Current Position and Future Goals - As of 2023, Airwallex has achieved profitability and offers a wide range of services, including global payments, corporate cards, and embedded finance solutions, with a consistent annual growth rate exceeding 100% [17]. - The company's goal is to become the "AWS of finance," enabling small and medium enterprises to access financial services globally with ease [17].