In this episode of Stableminded, This Week in Fintech's stablecoin-focused series, Drew Rogers sits down with Eytan Messika, co-founder and CEO of Nilos, a payment platform that leverages stablecoins to address cross-border payment challenges, particularly in emerging markets.

Eytan brings a diverse background in mathematics, venture capital, and crypto investing to Nilos. Originally from France and now based in Tel Aviv, he developed his interest in crypto during the 2017 bull run and deepened his knowledge by starting a tech-focused newsletter called "Overload" that reached 1,000 subscribers in six months.

Nilos began with a focus on creating infrastructure for web3 companies with on-chain revenues, but pivoted significantly after Eytan traveled to Argentina and discovered that stablecoins were primarily solving problems "on the edges" - in emerging economies where traditional banking presents significant challenges.

Today, Nilos focuses on connecting local payment rails with blockchain infrastructure to enable faster, cheaper global payments across 15 countries in Africa and numerous emerging markets. The company has transformed how remittance companies and fintechs approach cross-border payments by eliminating the need for pre-funded correspondent bank accounts in each country. Rather than immobilizing capital in volatile currencies, Nilos enables clients to convert directly from major currencies like USD, EUR, or GBP into local currencies through stablecoins in what Eytan calls the "stablecoin sandwich model."

Eytan identifies three key use cases for stablecoins in emerging markets: dollar access in countries with capital controls, optimizing remittance flows without pre-funding requirements, and providing yield opportunities similar to the Circle-Nubank partnership in Brazil. He believes every company will eventually become "a stablecoin-based company" due to the efficiency and flexibility these technologies provide.

What's particularly impressive about Nilos is how they've leveraged AI to operate efficiently with just 11 team members. Eytan shares that his focus on content creation and automation has transformed their lead generation - shifting from 80% outbound to 100% inbound leads. His recently viral stablecoin directory exemplifies this approach of creating curated, valuable content that drives business growth.

To learn more about Nilos and their growth story, watch the full episode below!

Thank you to Dfns for sponsoring this episode of Stableminded. Dfns is the wallet infrastructure platform securing over $1 billion monthly, with zero hacks, and trusted by 130+ global fintechs, banks, and enterprises. From Fidelity to Coinbase, top players rely on Dfns to manage digital assets with unmatched security and seamless API integrations.