FLYWIRE

Data as operational bedrock Underlying all technological advancement – at Flywire and across the fintech sector more broadly – is data infrastructure.

From where Thérèse sits, data is“ everything” for modern payment companies. This is because clean, well-organised data enables operations teams to supercharge automation and optimisation. Because of this, Flywire has hired data experts and data scientists to advance capabilities in this area.

“ When I think about where I put my energy and where I put my attention, data is number one on the list,” Thérèse states, with AI and ML only able to function effectively with high-quality underlying data.

The industry-wide recognition of AI and ML’ s roles – and what it needs to support these functions – represents the moment to invest in data infrastructure that reflects broader trends in financial technology. With payment volumes increasing and complexity increasing, manual processing is unsustainable. But the automation to streamline this process requires trustworthy, structured data.

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But it’ s not just automation that data underpins. Data also enables better visibility for clients – something that payment operations have historically lacked, with funds disappearing into a black box between sender and recipient. Modern platforms must surface information about payment status, fees, timing and exceptions. By enabling transparency, both operational efficiency and regulatory compliance come about, encouraging finserv regulators globally to have increased scrutiny of payment providers, demanding clear documentation of fund flows and customer protection measures.

Embracing regulatory complexity At Flywire, the operations team recognises regulation’ s fundamental purpose in protecting financial system integrity. For Thérèse, financial system security enables people to send money wherever they want, whenever they want, through multiple channels. Just 20 years ago, though, these capabilities were far more limited.

“ It is so important that we maintain integrity in the financial system so that we can all continue with this wonderful liberty that we have,” she says, as regulation protects the soundness and security upon which modern commerce depends.“ It also means that we as business people have to be thoughtful in how we interpret and anticipate the regulations that come our way. This is all driving towards the same thing – more safety and security – as well as flywire. com