William Lorenz, Co-founder Ixaris and fintech advisor: Deep dive into the European banking and payment ecosystem

In this insightful episode, William Lorenz, a seasoned FinTech consultant and entrepreneur, shares his extensive experience in embedded finance and payment infrastructure. As the co-founder of Ixaris (now owned by Nium) and a current fractional fintech consultant working with 4-6 companies simultaneously, William brings valuable perspectives on the evolution of embedded finance, from its early days of prepaid cards to today's deeply integrated solutions.

Key Insights on Embedded Finance Evolution

• The industry has progressed through approximately four iterations, with each version becoming more deeply embedded in user journeys

• Early solutions like standalone virtual cards (2002) have evolved into seamlessly integrated services like BNPL

• Modern success in embedded finance requires deeper integration into user flows and solving real-world problems

• Market trends show a shift from speculative products to solutions addressing specific pain points

• Funding environment favors niche solutions over general consumer neobanks

Practical Advice for Fintech Founders

• Time to market typically takes 6-12 months, contrary to common 8-week expectations

• Regulatory compliance should be a primary consideration, not an afterthought

• Early-stage startups should consider "compliance as a service" rather than building in-house

• Partner selection should prioritize stability and compliance over pricing

• Choose single-source solutions over piecing together multiple partners to reduce complexity

• Focus on narrow, deep solutions rather than broad, shallow product offerings

• Select banking partners based on long-term geographic expansion plans and licensing strategy