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# Why Embedded Finance Wins Where Banks Can't Reach, with Tom Sellin from Airwallex
- URL: https://www.embeddedfinancereview.com/podcasts/why-embedded-finance-wins-where-banks-cant-reach-with-tom-sellin-from-airwallex/
- Published: 2026-05-07T05:40:51.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-16T08:46:37.000Z
- Description: Airwallex Head of Growth DACH Tom Sellin on the embedded finance API, who is already using it, and what it takes to bring a global fintech to the German market.
- Author: Lars Markull
- Tags: Podcast, Embedded Payments, Embedded Banking, Airwallex, Enabler, Europe

What does Lego have to do with embedded finance? Well, the pieces already exist, but the question is which ones you need and how you put them together.

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Listen now on [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/episode/30vKEnERQM9WTIXyKhRWm1?si=8e652d93a42440ef&ref=embeddedfinancereview.com), [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/why-embedded-finance-wins-where-banks-cant-reach-with/id1748335340?i=1000766561869&ref=embeddedfinancereview.com), or [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgILCGNhLrw&ref=embeddedfinancereview.com).

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Prefer to read? The full transcript of this episode is available [here](https://www.embeddedfinancereview.com/tom-sellin-airwallex-transcript/).

In this episode, I speak with [**Tom Sellin**](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomsellin/?ref=embeddedfinancereview.com), Head of Growth DACH at [**Airwallex**](https://www.airwallex.com/?ref=embeddedfinancereview.com). Tom is the first person on the ground building the German business. Airwallex runs on two tracks: a direct product for businesses managing international payments and spend, and an infrastructure layer that lets platforms and fintech companies embed those same capabilities into their own product. This episode was recorded live at FIBE, the Fintech Berlin conference.

**Key Takeaways:**

- Why Airwallex describes itself as a financial operating system, and what that means in practice
- How the embedded finance API works and which companies are already using it, including Moss and Navan
- Why 80% of German SMEs are still with their house bank and what that means for a global fintech entering the market
- What minimum viable localization actually means when bringing a product to Germany
- The build versus buy decision: why time to market and licensing complexity almost always tip the balance