Case Studies Bless Payments About Contact Book a call
Founder track record

Building Bless Payments — a globally regulated fintech, from scratch.

Bless Payments is a global money service business built to serve migrants sending money home — a segment global financial infrastructure has historically underserved. Since co-founding Bless with technologist Mo Zaatar in 2022, Affy has led it as CEO. This isn't a client case study — it's proof of what it takes to build governance, compliance and risk functions from scratch, under the same regulatory scrutiny he advises other organisations on.

2
Money Service Business licences — Australia and Canada
60+
Countries customers send money to
$3.75M
Seed round raised; Series A now underway
~$40M
Valuation at seed

What's been built

01
Licensing and regulatory standing. Secured Money Service Business licences in both Australia and Canada, operating under active AML/CTF and compliance obligations — the same regime he advises clients on.
02
Governance from scratch. Built the company's governance structure, including recruiting an experienced Chair (Peter Khoury, former BDO SA managing partner) and finance leadership.
03
Capital and investor relationships. Raised a $3.75M seed round backed by global FX company Forte Securities and billionaire Shahin family office. Currently leading a Series A raise.
04
Market and product expansion. Launched a no-fee travel card and entered the Canadian market, while managing licensing, vendor and regulatory relationships across two jurisdictions.

Why this matters for a consulting engagement

Most remediation and governance consultants can talk about what good governance looks like. Very few have personally built it — answering to a Board, investors and two regulators as the accountable executive. That lived experience shapes how Affy advises: practically, commercially, and with a clear sense of what's actually achievable inside real operating constraints.

Currently taking on advisory and delivery engagements alongside Bless.

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