Airwallex's Jack Zhang on Fintech, Failure, and Growth

Airwallex's Jack Zhang on Fintech, Failure, and Growth

June 29, 2026 · 1h 12m · Episode 288

About this episode

Jack Zhang discusses the challenges and decisions that led Airwallex to recover from a significant revenue loss and achieve a valuation of $11 billion.

In 2020, Airwallex lost nearly half its revenue overnight. Today it's worth $11 billion. Jack Zhang reflects on the decisions that kept the company alive, raising capital during uncertainty, and leading through its toughest chapter. This episode is a candid look at why Jack chose to keep building, even when a $1.2 billion acquisition was on the table. Guest: Jack Zhang, founder and CEO, Airwallex Connect with Jack Zhang X LinkedIn Connect with Joubin X LinkedIn Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com Follow Grit on: LinkedIn X ​Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

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Guest: Jack Zhang

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Organizations: Airwallex, Kleiner Perkins, LinkedIn

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