Executive Conversations by The Paypers with Banking Circle: Infrastructure behind global payments

Building a genuine payments infrastructure rather than simply routing transactions through it has become one of the defining challenges for banks and fintechs operating in global payments. As real-time, cross-border money movement grows more complex, financial institutions are being forced to rethink what it actually takes to own the rails rather than rent access to someone else's.

In this episode of Executive Conversations by The Paypers, host Dwayne Gefferie sits down with Mikkel Grønlykke, President of Banking Circle, to explore how Banking Circle is becoming a legitimate infrastructure for global payments and why owning the licences and clearing access directly makes it hard to replicate.

Spotify: Executive Conversations by The Paypers with Banking Circle | Episode 2: Building Payments Infrastructure

Apple Podcasts: Executive Conversations by The Paypers with Banking Circle | Episode 2: Building Payments Infrastructure

Key topics covered in the episode include:

• How growth happens when Banking Circle goes live in a new market
• What sets direct clearing apart from a single-API approach to global money movement
• Which of the world's biggest payment corridors still sit outside the bank's own rails
• Why is owning licences and clearing access directly difficult to replicate
• What it takes to build a payments infrastructure that lasts

As global payment volumes continue to grow, the ability to own direct clearing access rather than depend on intermediaries will become a critical differentiator for financial institutions seeking speed, control, and resilience in cross-border money movement.

During the conversation, Mikkel Grønlykke offers a strategic look at Banking Circle's approach to expansion, the tradeoffs between building direct infrastructure and pitching a single API for global reach, and where the biggest remaining gaps in global payment corridors lie.

Watch the full conversation to hear an expert perspective on what it actually takes to build payments infrastructure that lasts.

About Executive Conversations by The Paypers

Executive Conversations by The Paypers is a podcast series that brings together senior industry executives and leading voices in global payments and fintech for high-level discussions on the trends, tensions, and opportunities shaping the industry today.

Each episode is a genuine on-the-record exchange on relevant conversations with the people driving change in payments, fintech, and more. Hosted by Dwayne Gefferie, the series gives listeners direct access to the thinking of the executives and experts who are defining where the industry is headed next.