Episode Description
What if your crypto wallet could replace your bank?
In this forward-looking episode of the Efani Features Podcast, host Mark Kreitzman sits down with Marcos Nunes, CEO of Tangem Pay, to explore how payments, crypto, and self-custody are converging into something much bigger: the banking model of the future.
With over a decade in global payments - spanning Visa, Mastercard ecosystems, and decentralized finance - Marcos breaks down how Tangem is evolving from a secure hardware wallet into a full financial ecosystem where users can store, spend, and grow their wealth without relying on traditional banks .
💳 Inside This Episode:
- What Tangem Pay is and how it turns your crypto into a usable, everyday payment method
- How a Visa-powered crypto card integrates with self-custody wallets
- Why Tangem separates wealth storage (cold wallet) from spending accounts for maximum security
- The concept of becoming your own bank — and why DeFi is enabling it
- How global payment rails (ACH, SEPA, PIX, etc.) are being integrated into crypto ecosystems
- Why most financial systems still rely on 1960s infrastructure — and what replaces it next
- The difference between custodial vs. non-custodial finance — and why it matters
- How Tangem Pay handles compliance, identity, and regional restrictions without controlling your funds
🏦 The Big Idea: Banking 3.0
Marcos introduces a powerful shift in financial thinking:
- Banking 1.0 → Traditional banks with physical branches
- Banking 2.0 → Neobanks and mobile apps
- Banking 3.0 → Self-custody + decentralized finance
In this new model:
- You control your assets
- You decide when and how to spend
- You choose which services to use (lending, staking, payments)
- And no single institution has full control over your money
As Marcos puts it, the goal is simple:
Give users the rails - not custody of their wealth.
🔐 Security by Design
One of the most critical takeaways from this episode is how Tangem approaches security:
- Your cold wallet remains completely separate from your spending account
- Only the funds you move to Tangem Pay are linked to your identity
- Your core assets remain private, unlinked, and fully under your control
This architecture ensures that even in worst-case scenarios - hacks, restrictions, or compliance blocks - your primary assets remain untouched.
🚀 Why This Matters
The line between crypto and traditional finance is disappearing.
From Apple Pay integrations to crypto-backed debit cards, the future isn’t about choosing between fiat and crypto - it’s about seamless interoperability.
Tangem Pay is building toward a world where:
- You can tap your phone or card anywhere
- Spend crypto like cash
- Earn yield on idle assets
- And never give up custody of your wealth
🎯 Who This Episode Is For
- Crypto investors and self-custody advocates
- Anyone exploring crypto debit/credit card solutions
- High-net-worth individuals focused on asset protection
- Users frustrated with traditional banking limitations
- Anyone curious about the future of money
🔗 Learn more about Tangem Pay: https://tangem.com/en/tangem-pay
📱 Secure your mobile identity with Efani: https://efani.com
🎙 Hosted by Mark Kreitzman, General Manager at Efani