Bitesize Payments

Epizodes

• The New Settlement Reality 19.06.2026 24min

  Welcome back to Bitesize Payments: Digital. I’m Paul Thomalla. There is an extended version of this on my Substack channel here. Last time we talked about programmable money — the idea that value itself could carry rules and conditions. Today we’re going somewhere that sounds like pure upside but isn’t. We’re talking about settlement. Specifically, we’re asking: what happens when settlement becomes instant? Not faster. Not near real-time. Actually, genuinely, irrevocably instant. Because he...
• Programmable Value 14.05.2026 18min

  Welcome to Bitesize Payments: Digital. I’m Paul Thomalla. The expanded Substack version is here :- https://bitesizepayments.substack.com/p/programmable-value Imagine a banknote that could decide whether you’re allowed to spend it. Or a coin that automatically splits itself when certain conditions are met. Or money that flows continuously from your account without you touching it, based on rules it’s executing. Money that acts. Money with agency. Money that doesn’t just sit there wai...
• When Scarcity Isn’t the Constraint 26.04.2026 20min

  Welcome to Bitesize Payments: Digital. I’m Paul Thomalla. You use money every day. You work for it. You worry about it. You plan your life around whether you have enough of it. But what is it? Not what does it buy. Not how does it work. Not who controls it. What actually is it? This seems like an obvious question. Of course we know what money is. It’s the thing in your bank account. The numbers on your screen. The stuff you use to buy coffee. But here’s what’s strange: when you tr...
• The Physical-to-Digital Break 30.03.2026 22min

  There is also an expanded read here on my Substack channel here Remember the Gringotts scene in Harry Potter? Those carts racing through underground tunnels, goblins moving gold from one vault to another, the physical reality of value stored in specific locations, transported through space, guarded by dragons. That's still how we think about payments. In 2025. You tap your phone at the coffee shop. The payment happens instantly. Money moves from your account to the merchant's account. Digital...
• Introduction to Bitesize Payments: Digital 22.03.2026 11min

  There is an extended version of this on my substack channel here https://bitesizepayments.substack.com/publish/post/191148138?r=5zpu1m&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true In 1995, I picked up Nicholas Negroponte's Being Digital. The premise was simple but profound: the world was shifting from atoms to bits. Physical things were becoming digital information, and that transformation was going to change everything about how we live, work, and interact. I ...
• The Sovereignty Container Breaks 05.03.2026 24min

  Welcome back to Bitesize Payments Digital. The expanded Substack version is here: https://bitesizepayments.substack.com/p/the-sovereignty-container-breaks Today I’m going to cover a topic that one way or another is front and centre in Europe in particular. But frankly it’s a global issue. My aim here isn’t to be political but to try and explain. Today I’m covering: The Sovereignty Container Breaks. You’re in a café in Paris. You tap your phone to pay. Four euros fifty disappears...
• Wrapping Up Series 1: Why I Started Bitesize Payments — and What Comes Next 01.09.2025 19min

  After more than 30 episodes, I wanted to take a moment to reflect. This isn’t a deep dive into real-time payments, standards, or compliance. This episode is about why Bitesize Paymentsexists in the first place — and what I’ve learned from doing it. I started the series to give back. To share what I’ve learned from years in payments — and from the many brilliant people I’ve worked alongside. The goal was always to make complex topics clearer, more human, and a little easier to navigate. In thi...
• Sovereignty (and Payments) 04.07.2025 24min

  In this episode of Bitesize Payments, we zoom out from the usual rails and rules of payments to explore a much bigger force shaping the industry: sovereignty. From the ancient control of coinage by kings to today’s battles over digital currencies, data, and cross-border standards, sovereignty has always been about power — who has it, who wants it, and what happens when that power is challenged. We unpack the history, the players (from governments and central banks to Big Tech and crypto), and...
• Compliance, KYC, and All That Stuff 10.03.2025 27min

  Welcome back to Bite-Size Payments, where we dive into their history, how they work, and, of course, who does what. Today, we’re tackling compliance—yes, that lovely, complex topic that often seems like it gets in the way. But it’s essential, and we’ll explain why. Yes, it’s complex, but it’s also the backbone of a secure financial system. Today, I am joined by the rock star that is Susan Hall to walk you through it...... Here we go… Send ...
• Cross border Payments 06.01.2025 38min

  Welcome to Bitesize Payments where we discuss their history how they work and of course who does what. In today’s episode, we’ll unravel the fascinating world of Cross-Border Payments. With so many payment terms, brand names, and confusing jargon out there, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But at its core, cross-border payments are actually a straightforward concept—and we’re here to simplify it for you. Let’s start with the history of cross-border payments, which stretches all the way ba...
• Fintechs - the disruptors 07.10.2024 35min

  Welcome back to Bitesize Payments where we discuss their history, how they work and of course who does what…. Today we are looking at key stakeholder in payments, fintech's… The new young things of the industry or are they… ? So today we are discussing Fintech’s, and I am super pleased to be joined by Caleb, CEO of Tilled. It was not long ago that the industry was the Fintech's were all tech and no fin….. not so sure that is true any longer … anyway we shall see ….. Hold on,...
• The rise of Mobile Payments 01.09.2024 20min

  Welcome to Bitesize Payments, where we discuss their history, how they work and of course who does what… Today we are going to discuss mobile payments…. Remember when losing your wallet was the ultimate nightmare? These days, losing your phone feels like losing your entire life—and your wallet’s just a passenger on that ride! Let’s take a quick journey through time. Once upon a time, cash was king. Coins and notes ruled the economy for centuries. Then came the 20th century, bringing us ...
• Gold - All that Glitters is not Gold 07.08.2024 16min

  Welcome back to bitesize Payments, where we explain their history, how they work and of course who does what. Today we’re diving into a topic that has fascinated civilizations for thousands of years: gold. Did you know that all the gold ever mined would fit into a cube just 21 meters on each side? All that Glitters is not Gold – comes from Shakespeare don’t you know!! But it's history and role in Payments is Pivotal from a currency to the gold standard. Perhaps you’re now thinking of Fo...
• European Payment Systems from a US PoV 21.07.2024 51min

  Welcome back to Bitesize Payments. Where we discuss their history, how they work and who does what. Today we are going to do the reverse of the last podcast with Eric Grover – we will be looking at Europe from an American's point of view. We say Europe, but what do we mean? What’s the EU, SEPA, and EEA? We will walk you through that. Obviously, European history is a little more complex as, among other things, we had nearly 30 different currencies and all that entails. Last time Eric spoke, we...
• The US Payments System from a Europeans PoV 02.06.2024 40min

  Welcome back to Bitesize Payments where we look at their history, how they work and who does what. When we look at the payment systems of another region, they often seem impenetrable due to different brand names, terminologies, use cases, and cultural nuances. You might be thinking, aren’t payments just payments around the world? Well, yes and no. While there are common elements like high-value payments, ACHs, and cards, you need to peel back a few layers to find the similarities. Ther...
• Banks - The invisible network 19.04.2024 29min

  Welcome back to bitesize payments where we discuss the history, how they work and who does what? Today we are going to discuss banks, what do they do? We have discussed a little of their history in previous episodes, we talk through them as key stakeholders as well, banks are right at the top of the list. So we're zooming in on banks - institutions as ancient as civilization yet as contemporary as the latest fintech news. It may well seem obvious what they do but ...
• Clearings - Its groundhog day 26.03.2024 24min

  Welcome back to bitesize Payments were we discuss their history, how they work and of course who does what. In this episode we're discussing Clearings. Clearings what are they? Well, they are sometimes called rails, schemes or the last mile either way there are a lot and I mean a lot, as I have mentioned before there is a clearing for every type of payment – RTGS, IP etc for every country. Not only that but they are different in every country even though they do effectively ...
• Fraud and Scams - The dark underbelly of Payments 13.03.2024 18min

  Welcome back to Bitesize Payments, in today's episode we dive into the murky waters of payment fraud and scams. From ancient swindlers to modern-day cybercriminals, we're charting the course of deceptive practices that have evolved alongside our financial systems. Fraud is a personal and often distressing experience, and while we won't dwell on the emotional aspects, it's important to recognise its impact. Our story begins in ancient civilisations, where currency first sparked op...
• Corporates - the power house of Payments 22.02.2024 40min

  Welcome back to Bitesize Payments, in this episode we are going to discuss a Major Stakeholder that is not always discussed as much as they should have. As an example, when the EU asked for feedback in preparation for PSD2 the “corporates” gave more feedback than all the other groups put together, yet we seem to put them in a distant place. While we think of us citizens as the super user, as we discussed in episode 8, but much of the tools or networks, have been set up specificall...
• Regulators - Are they helping? 07.02.2024 32min

  Welcome back to Bitesize Payments, where we delve into the world of payments, exploring their history, how they work, and the key players involved. Today, we're tackling a crucial topic: regulators. Love them or hate them, they play a vital role in shaping the payments landscape. From ensuring fair competition to protecting consumers, their influence is undeniable. But navigating the complexworld of regulations can be tricky. That's why I'm thrilled to be joined by Monica Monaco, the rockst...