✦ The only Substack bringing Asia's FinTech to the West—Start here!

Rich Turrin

Mar 26, 2025

Welcome to my newsletter. I’m Rich, and I'm delighted that you dropped by!

I write about Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), Fintech, and AI from a uniquely Asian and China-centric perspective.

Reading Cashless will help you better understand how Asia’s mastery of digital finance will shape the West’s future and better equip you to face “The Asian Century.”

You’re so, so wise to be here.

Most people don’t understand that Asia is a leader in fintech, CBDC, and AI applications.

Asia’s love of technology is astounding, and its willingness to adopt new technology in pursuit of GDP growth is unparalleled.

Understanding how Asia leverages technology is akin to having a crystal ball to the future, as it provides insights into what the West will adopt tomorrow.

China and Asia Inspired My Books

As a banker, I spent most of my time between New York City and the EU, but I had an epiphany when I started living in Shanghai fifteen years ago.

The breakneck speed of innovation in Asia motivated me to write two bestsellers! The first is on innovation, and the second is on my firsthand experience living through China’s conversion to a “cashless” society.

My goal in this newsletter and my books is to share amazing stories about how technology is applied in Asia and China so that readers can better understand the innovations shaping our future.

Cashless now has over 350 reviews and scores 4.5 stars on Amazon! Cashless lays out how China and Asia are using digital payments in ways unimagined in the West and explains China’s new central bank digital currency. Read more: HERE

Innovation Lab Excellence also scores 4.5 stars with over 100 reviews and is timeless as it explains how to use a shared team to deliver innovation. Everything in ILE works for deploying AI! Read more: HERE

As a subscriber, you receive

One weekly email with expert insight on our shared “cashless” future, focusing on Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC), China, Payments, and Financial Inclusion.
A unique point of view directly from Asia focuses on how the region is “leapfrogging” the West in payments, AI, and digital services. It’s a message that’s often controversial and does not conform with mainstream outlets;
All of the latest “digital dollar” and “digital euro” developments are analyzed in detail. CBDCs are no longer theoretical but coming soon;
In-depth analysis of how our AI revolution impacts finance and will change how we interact with financial services.
Original fintech analysis direct from Shanghai, all with an emphasis on using top PDFs as a learning tool;
Perspective on how the world of finance is bifurcating into US and Chinese systems right before our eyes and what this means;
Trusted by over 50,000 executives, innovators, investors, policymakers, journalists, academics & open-minded crypto-holders daily!

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This premium service provides access to exclusive, hard-to-find insights, which I only include in a paid section—all in PDF format with my brief expert commentary.

These reports are based on my extensive research or provided by trusted sources and may be from the grey market or have limited distribution.

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If that interests you and you want to support independent news sources like mine, do us both a favor and opt for a premium subscription.

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Why trust me?

Your time is the most precious commodity of all, and if you’re going to read “Cashless,” you need to understand the person writing it:

I became an expert on fintech and Asia the hard way, with no shortcuts! I spent 18 years as an investment banker, five years at IBM working on AI and financial software, and fifteen years living in Shanghai.
I’m proud to be the No. 4 fintech influencer in the world on Onalytica’s ranking and have over 55,000 daily readers on LinkedIn and Twitter who enjoy my Asia-focused point of view.
I wrote two best-sellers that capture how innovation is changing our world and how the world is going cashless. I’m proud of these books and the warm reception they received.
My opinions are sought after because they are practical, gritty, and real-world, just as they are here in this substack newsletter.
I no longer work for big companies; my take on fintech is often irreverent and provocative.

On top of the charts

While I never told my mother that I would grow up to become an “influencer,” I take pride in the accolades I’ve received over the years. The term “influencer” still bothers me a bit, but the awards listed below all correspond with people clicking on and engaging with quality writing.