Business

AI powered Chatbots as personal financial advisors: Interview with Avi Ben Ezra of SnatchBot

Published

7 years ago

May 5, 2019

We live in a time where there are tremendous technological advancements. Although people have come to expect extraordinary things there still is lack of awareness as far as chatbots are concerned.

ChatBots are simply artificial intelligence entities which are running on a software program. They can be integrated into messaging apps where they can effectively perform a variety of tasks. They had been used extremely effectively in many industries where they have accomplished sophisticated tasks very efficiently. There is simply no reason why chatbots cannot be programmed to become personal financial advisors. Such a chatbot can be easily programmed to keep track of all our little daily expenses. They can issue warnings which can prevent us from overspending. There can be no doubt that there are many individuals who can benefit from this technology.

One of the companies which have already been looking at some of these possibilities is Fintech. According to Ben Ezra the CTO of SnatchBot it has been emphatically proven that a chatbot can be programmed to accomplish just about anything you can imagine. This is why it is entirely possible for financial service organizations to create something like a personal financial advisor which will be able to assist people with investments, with budgeting and with more effective spending of available finances.

What exactly could people expect to see in the nearby future?

People have already seen for themselves the tremendous impact which the Internet had on our planet in the last couple of decades. Therefore, there is justification when people think that when it comes to artificial intelligence, there are very few limits. There are very large financial institutions today that have all of the necessary resources to create very sophisticated chatbots who could literally transform the way in which people handle their finances. There will be benefits both for financial institutions and also for individuals. The cost savings for financial institutions could be substantial. Furthermore, the use of artificial intelligence will help to eliminate unnecessary human errors. Ben Ezra is particularly excited about the convenience which customers will experience. Chatbots will make it possible to effectively manage several accounts at once. It will also be entirely possible to have frequent feedback regarding the state of certain accounts and many other things.

It will be just as good as having a bank in your home or in your pocket. It is possible to conduct a whole range of automated transactions and to do frequent payments. All of this can be accomplished by making use of your chatbot and you won’t even need additional apps. People today have become spoiled by technology and therefore they have high expectations. New technologies have barely been implemented when consumers have new demands. They want more secure solutions, personalized transactions, greater speed and a higher level of consumer convenience. All of this can become possible when people are provided with a personal virtual assistant. Such an assistant will immediately respond to every message whereafter it will instantly access any customer data as well as information on a whole range of financial products.

What other surprises does artificial intelligence have in store for people?

There is a company by the name of Gartner’s who has done extensive research. The acquired data indicate that within the next year or two almost 90% of consumer interaction with their company will be accomplished without human assistance. Ben Ezra is urgently encouraging all business owners to immediately look at the tremendous benefits which can be derived from the implementation of chatbots. Just imagine having a personal financial advisor on your smartphone or on your PC which can provide you with accurate and current advice which can help you to invest your finances where the best return on investment can be guaranteed. Your personal financial advisor can also provide you with all of the information which you may require when it becomes necessary to obtain a new motor vehicle. Just imagine how much frustration can be avoided when you have a professional in your corner that can help you to organize your life and your finances. Financial experts working at large financial institutions acquire a higher level of language usage which can confuse the layman and to interact with them can be intimidating. However, now it is possible to have your own personal financial advisor who will have the ability to simplify the terminology used in finances and to translate all that complicated it terms into layman’s language.

Will there be any other benefits?

It is entirely possible to develop a chatbot that can help you analyze your finances in order to help you determine where you can cut back on expenses. One such chatbot is already operating very effectively and this AI entity is known as Trim. This is specifically a chatbot for finances that can assist the individual with a whole range of tasks. This financial chatbot can check bank balances, manage other expenses such as subscriptions and can even assist the individual in the setting up of a spending alert so that the user knows when critical levels have been reached. Such a financial chatbot is completely at home on the Facebook messenger, SMS messenger, and many similar applications. According to statistics, the chatbot Trim has been instrumental in helping a large number of users save more than $6 million.

Conclusion

The benefits of having a personal financial advisor are just about immeasurable. So many mistakes are made because people forget. This can result in many financial problems such as additional interest and fines for late paying. However, having a chatbot as a personal financial advisor can help a person to avoid all of these frustrating human shortcomings. Because once a chatbot has been informed about anything it can never forget unless it becomes a victim of a critical system failure. But even then most reputable chatbot companies such as SnatchBot will always have backup systems in place to ensure that the consumer does not suffer any unnecessary harm. There is no reason why you should not benefit from a personal financial advisor. The technology is available and the benefits far outweigh the cost of implementation.

Suggested reading: Follow weekly news by Avi Ben Ezra or access his personal site here.

Youtube video – A vision of the future, by SnatchBot:

Business

Inside the $4.3B Quarter: What’s Fueling Black Banx’s Record Revenues

Published

7 days ago

January 16, 2026

Matthew Wiles

Every quarter brings fresh headlines in fintech, but few make the kind of impact achieved by Black Banx in Q2 2025. The Toronto-based global digital banking group, founded by Michael Gastauer, reported an extraordinary USD 4.3 billion in revenue and a record USD 1.6 billion in pre-tax profit, while improving its cost-to-income ratio to 63%.

These results not only highlight the company’s operational efficiency but also mark a pivotal moment in its journey from challenger to global leader. The big question is: what’s fueling such impressive financial performance?

Customer Growth as the Core Driver

One of the clearest engines of revenue growth is Black Banx’s expanding customer base. By Q2 2025, the platform had reached 84 million clients worldwide, up from 69 million at the end of 2024. This 15 million net gain in six months demonstrates both the attractiveness of its services and the scalability of its model.

Unlike traditional banks, which rely heavily on branch expansion, Black Banx leverages digital-first onboarding that allows customers to open accounts within minutes using just a smartphone. This approach is especially effective in regions underserved by legacy institutions, where access to affordable financial tools is in high demand.

More customers don’t just mean higher transaction volumes—they generate a compounding effect where network size, brand trust, and service adoption reinforce one another.

Real-Time Payments and Cross-Border Solutions

A major contributor to Q2 revenues is the platform’s real-time payments infrastructure. Black Banx enables instant cross-border transfers across its 28 supported fiat currencies and multiple cryptocurrencies, helping both individuals and businesses bypass the traditional bottlenecks of international banking.

For freelancers, SMEs, and multinational clients, this means faster liquidity, reduced foreign exchange costs, and simplified global operations. The demand for real-time financial services is growing rapidly—Juniper Research projects global real-time payments turnover to hit USD 58 trillion by 2028—and Black Banx is strategically positioned to capture a significant share of this market.

Crypto Integration as a Revenue Stream

Another key revenue driver is crypto integration. While many traditional institutions remain hesitant, Black Banx embraced digital assets early and has built infrastructure to support Bitcoin, Ethereum, and the Lightning Network. In Q2 2025, 20% of all transactions on the platform were crypto-based, reflecting strong customer appetite for hybrid banking services that bridge fiat and digital assets.

Revenue comes not only from transaction fees but also from value-added services like crypto-to-fiat conversion, staking yields (4–12% APY), and blockchain-enabled payments. For customers in markets with unstable currencies, these services act as a financial lifeline, further expanding the platform’s relevance.

AI-Powered Efficiency and Risk Management

Record revenues would be less impressive if costs ballooned at the same rate. But Black Banx has proven adept at balancing growth with efficiency. Its cost-to-income ratio improved to 63% in Q2, down from 69% a year earlier, thanks to heavy reliance on AI-powered automation.

AI now drives fraud detection, compliance, and customer onboarding—areas where traditional banks often struggle with cost inefficiencies. By automating these processes, Black Banx can process millions of transactions securely while maintaining profitability at scale. This level of efficiency is rare in fintech, where high growth often comes at the expense of margins.

Regional Expansion and Untapped Markets

Geography also plays a role in fueling revenues. Much of the Q2 growth came from Africa, South Asia, and Latin America—regions where demand for mobile-first banking continues to soar. In 2024 alone, Black Banx reported a 32% increase in SME clients from the Middle East and Africa, signaling the strength of its positioning in underserved markets.

By extending services to populations previously excluded from formal banking—migrant workers, rural communities, and small businesses—Black Banx taps into vast pools of latent demand. The strategy proves that financial inclusion and profitability are not mutually exclusive but mutually reinforcing.

Diversified Revenue Streams

Another factor behind Q2’s record revenues is Black Banx’s diversified business model. Income is not tied to a single service but spread across multiple streams, including:

Transaction fees from cross-border transfers and payments.
Crypto trading and exchange services.
Premium account features for high-net-worth clients.
Corporate services for SMEs and international businesses.

This diversification insulates the company against volatility in any single segment, creating stable revenue growth even in shifting market conditions.

Michael Gastauer’s Strategic Blueprint

Behind these results is Michael Gastauer’s long-term strategy: scale aggressively but with efficiency, innovation, and inclusion at the core. His vision has always been to create a borderless financial ecosystem, and Q2 2025’s performance is evidence that this vision is not only achievable but sustainable.

By balancing mass-market accessibility with premium features, and by blending fiat with digital assets, Gastauer has positioned Black Banx as a category-defining player in global finance.

The Road Ahead: Toward 100 Million Clients

Looking forward, the company’s goal of reaching 100 million customers by the end of 2025 will likely be the next catalyst for revenue growth. More customers mean more transactions, more data insights, and more opportunities to refine and expand its service offering.

If current momentum holds, the USD 4.3 billion quarterly revenue milestone could be just the beginning of an even larger growth story. The challenge will be ensuring systems scale securely while maintaining trust in an environment where privacy and compliance are paramount.

A Record That Signals More to Come

Black Banx’s Q2 2025 performance—USD 4.3 billion in revenue, USD 1.6 billion in pre-tax profit, 84 million clients worldwide, and a lean 63% cost-to-income ratio—is more than a financial milestone. It is a signal of how the future of banking is being rewritten by platforms that are borderless, crypto-inclusive, and data-driven.

What fueled this record-breaking quarter is not one innovation but a combination of strategies—scalable onboarding, real-time payments, crypto integration, AI efficiency, and expansion into underserved regions. Together, they form a model that doesn’t just challenge traditional banking but actively builds the foundation for global dominance.

For Black Banx, the road ahead is clear: the $4.3 billion quarter is not an endpoint but a launchpad for even greater scale and profitability.