In a world where agility and precision are key to financial success, spend management is undergoing a fintech-fueled transformation. Our recent livestream, hosted by Marqeta’s own Israel Owolabi (also known as Izzy, the karaoke king) brought together expert voices from Mastercard, Moss, and TransactPay to talk about what's next for corporate spend.
Our panel included:
- Ante Spittler, Co-founder and CEO, Moss
- Renold Vasili, B2B Payments & Virtual Cards, Mastercard
- Aaron Carpenter, CEO, TransactPay
- Israel Owolabi, Business Development, Marqeta
Together, they explored how businesses can manage corporate spend more intelligently and sustainably, and offered candid reflections on careers in fintech. If you missed it, here’s a quick recap on what matters—and why.
Smarter spend management: Efficiency, control, and innovation
Our panel agreed—legacy tools are struggling to keep up with modern demands. Today’s corporations require real-time visibility, automation, and control, especially as workforces become increasingly decentralized and expectations grow for immediate insights into financial flows.
"Spend management is no longer just a back-office function - it’s a strategic enabler.”
- Ante Krsanac, Moss.
Key Takeaways:
- Automation is essential: Manual reconciliation is out. The future lies in API-first, integrated platforms that connect expense data with accounting systems in real time.
- Empower, don’t restrict: Corporate cards aren’t just about spending limits. When configured intelligently, they empower employees while giving finance teams peace of mind through dynamic controls and insights.
- From control to strategy: Mastercard’s Renold Vasili emphasized how spend visibility enables better forecasting and smarter capital allocation, turning finance from a cost center into a strategic partner.
- Cross-border and FX efficiencies: With international operations becoming the norm, smart spend solutions also help manage FX exposure and local compliance, especially when tied into modern card issuing rails.
“When you design spend programs around the user, not just the process, that’s where adoption and impact scale.”
- Renold Vasili - Mastercard
Fintech careers: Honest takes from the frontlines
In the latter half of the conversation, we pivoted. The panel shared their career journeys, including how they got into fintech, what has kept them there, and the advice they’d give to others.
While their paths were different, some common threads emerged:
- Curiosity and adaptability are more valuable than a finance-based degree.
- Culture matters: The best teams are collaborative, mission-driven, and unafraid to question the status quo.
- Continuous learning is a must. Fintech doesn’t stand still - and neither can you.
"I didn’t plan a career in fintech—I followed the problems I found interesting, and that led me here."
- Aaron Carpenter, TransactPay
"Be a sponge. The space moves so fast, you need to keep evolving alongside it.”
- Ante Spittler, Moss
In summary: Smarter spend, smarter teams
As fintech continues to reshape B2B payments, spend management is rising as a competitive lever, not just a cost control mechanism. The conversation made it clear that innovation in this space is only just getting started.
Whether you’re modernizing finance infrastructure or building your career in fintech, the future belongs to the curious, the bold, and those ready to rethink “business as usual.”
Keep an eye out for future ‘API Chronicles’ livestreams or explore how Marqeta’s modern card issuing platform can help you build smart spend programs that scale with your business.
Watch the livestream for the full conversation here.
