Rethinking Payments: Square and Waave on Competition, Cost, and Choice
Fri Sep 05 2025
In this episode of the Fintech Australia Podcast, we explore the evolution of Australia’s payments landscape with leaders from Square and Waave. Hosted by David Adams, senior business journalist at SmartCompany, this conversation unpacks how fintechs have transformed a once bank-dominated payments market through innovation, accessibility, and simplicity.
Marco Lamantia, Executive Director at Square Australia, reflects on the company’s founding vision, its ambitious push to help Australian businesses, and its stance on the RBA’s proposed payments reforms. Ben Zyl, co-founder and CEO of Waave, brings a perspective from the open banking frontier, highlighting how pay-by-bank innovation is challenging the traditional card model, cutting costs and expanding choice for merchants and consumers alike.
From proposed surcharging bans and interchange fees to shifting consumer behaviour and what’s next, this wide-ranging conversation captures how fintech is reshaping the future of payments in Australia.
Learn more about Square and Waave and Smart Company.
This season of FinTech Australia podcast is sponsored by Vanta.
Compliance regulations, third-party risk, and customer security demands are all growing—and changing—fast.
Is your manual audit and compliance program actually slowing you down?
If you’re thinking there must be something more efficient than spreadsheets, screenshots, and all-manual processes, you’re right: Audits and Compliance can be so. much. easier—while strengthening your security posture and actually driving revenue for your business.
Vanta’s Trust Management Platform automates key areas of your certification program—including compliance, internal and third-party risk, and customer trust—and streamlines the way you gather and manage information.
And the impact is real: A recent IDC analysis found that compliance teams using Vanta are 129% more productive.
So you get more time and energy to focus on strengthening your security posture—and protecting your business.
Vanta. Continuous Compliance…how much easier trust can be.
Go to vanta.com/fintechaustraliapodcast to get started.
More
In this episode of the Fintech Australia Podcast, we explore the evolution of Australia’s payments landscape with leaders from Square and Waave. Hosted by David Adams, senior business journalist at SmartCompany, this conversation unpacks how fintechs have transformed a once bank-dominated payments market through innovation, accessibility, and simplicity. Marco Lamantia, Executive Director at Square Australia, reflects on the company’s founding vision, its ambitious push to help Australian businesses, and its stance on the RBA’s proposed payments reforms. Ben Zyl, co-founder and CEO of Waave, brings a perspective from the open banking frontier, highlighting how pay-by-bank innovation is challenging the traditional card model, cutting costs and expanding choice for merchants and consumers alike. From proposed surcharging bans and interchange fees to shifting consumer behaviour and what’s next, this wide-ranging conversation captures how fintech is reshaping the future of payments in Australia. Learn more about Square and Waave and Smart Company. This season of FinTech Australia podcast is sponsored by Vanta. Compliance regulations, third-party risk, and customer security demands are all growing—and changing—fast. Is your manual audit and compliance program actually slowing you down? If you’re thinking there must be something more efficient than spreadsheets, screenshots, and all-manual processes, you’re right: Audits and Compliance can be so. much. easier—while strengthening your security posture and actually driving revenue for your business. Vanta’s Trust Management Platform automates key areas of your certification program—including compliance, internal and third-party risk, and customer trust—and streamlines the way you gather and manage information. And the impact is real: A recent IDC analysis found that compliance teams using Vanta are 129% more productive. So you get more time and energy to focus on strengthening your security posture—and protecting your business. Vanta. Continuous Compliance…how much easier trust can be. Go to vanta.com/fintechaustraliapodcast to get started.