Business

Mayur Patankar’s Journey from a Small Town in India to the Cinematic World of Los Angeles

Published

3 years ago

April 5, 2023

Mayur Patankar’s story is one of passion, courage, and a relentless drive to succeed in an industry far removed from his roots. Hailing from Bramhapuri, a rural town in Maharashtra, India, Mayur took a leap of faith seven years ago, moving across the world to Los Angeles to pursue a Master’s in Cinematography at the prestigious New York Film Academy. It was a decision that would change his life, opening doors to working with some of the biggest names in entertainment and advertising. “It was the scariest and most unconventional decision I’ve ever made,” Mayur recalls, but one that turned out to be the best for his career.

Mayur’s journey didn’t follow the typical path of someone born with a camera in hand. In fact, he began his career with a degree in forensic science, unsure of his true calling. “I didn’t have one of those ‘I wanted to be a cinematographer since I was a kid’ stories,” he explains. His interest in photography developed gradually as he started working at a sports broadcast company in Delhi, where he began covering sporting events and after-parties. His love for shooting videos led to travel blogs and, eventually, the realization that filmmaking was his true passion. With YouTube as his initial teacher, he dived into learning the basics of photography and cinematography, leading him to the New York Film Academy.

Mayur’s work ethic and willingness to adapt and learn quickly gained him a foothold in the competitive world of filmmaking. His resume now boasts collaborations with renowned artists and companies, including Billie Eilish, Nike, Netflix, and more. “My most humbling experience was working on Space Jam 2 with LeBron James,” Mayur says, recalling his early days on set after graduating film school. “I thought I knew it all, but quickly realized it was only the beginning. That project taught me to empty my cup, be open to learning, and constantly improve my craft.”

Mayur also highlights his work on The Guilty with Jake Gyllenhaal and lighting Billie Eilish for her music videos as some of his most memorable projects. “Every project is different, whether I’m the cinematographer, gaffer, or playing any other role. I push my creative boundaries and give my best every time,” he says, adding that his best keeps getting better with each new challenge.

Despite his success, the road to becoming a prominent cinematographer wasn’t always easy. Growing up in a small town where filmmaking is an unconventional career choice, Mayur faced initial skepticism from his family. “My dad thought it was a prank when I said I wanted to go to America for a diploma,” he laughs. However, his family’s support never wavered, and once they saw his determination, they did everything they could to help him pursue his dreams.

Navigating the cultural and professional differences between India and Los Angeles also posed significant challenges. From dealing with stereotypes to building trust in a competitive industry, Mayur learned to adapt and thrive. “I realized the importance of being open-minded and respecting different cultures,” he says. “It’s about standing out with your unique creative vision, but also being someone people want to work with.”

Mayur’s story is proof that hard work, resilience, and following your passion can lead to extraordinary success. With his unique blend of technical expertise, creativity, and the cultural richness of his Indian roots, Mayur Patankar continues to make a mark in the world of cinematography, inspiring others to take risks and pursue their dreams.

Business

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

Published

7 hours 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.