59 | Stop Losing Money Across Borders – Smarter Payments for Digital Nomads

Moving money across borders is one of those things many digital nomads know is important – but still find confusing, frustrating, and sometimes painfully expensive.

In this episode, Palle Bo sits down with Zoey Lee, co-founder of Glintz, to make sense of cross-border payments in normal human language. Zoey grew up in Taiwan, worked in fintech in Singapore, relocated to Canada, and has spent more than a decade building payment infrastructure across different countries.

But even with that background, she kept running into the same problem many nomads face: earning in one currency, spending in another, saving somewhere else, and never being completely sure where the money disappears along the way.

Zoey explains the hidden money tax many globally mobile people pay without noticing – including deposit fees, exchange-rate markups, withdrawal fees, and the difference between the fee you see and the actual amount you receive.

We also get into Wise, Revolut, PayPal, Western Union, bank transfers, SWIFT, local payment rails, and why the cheapest option is not always obvious. Zoey breaks down the idea of "single rail" and "multi-rail" payments, why different routes work better for different transfers, and how smart routing could help nomads keep more of their own money.

The conversation also covers the Vancouver kitchen table story that led to Glintz, Zoey's startup journey with her co-founder, fundraising in Silicon Valley, and why stablecoins like USDC may become part of the future of global payments.

If you have ever wondered whether you are sending money the stupid way, this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways

• Moving money across borders is not just about exchange rates – the real question is how much money arrives after all fees.
• Many providers show one clean number, but hidden costs can still appear through deposits, currency conversion, withdrawals, intermediary banks, or payment methods.
• Wise and Revolut can be great options, but they are not always the best route for every transfer.
• A "payment rail" is simply the route your money travels on – for example bank to bank, Wise to Wise, local transfer, SWIFT, or stablecoin.
• A single-rail approach means relying on one provider or route. A multi-rail approach compares several routes and chooses the best one for that specific transfer.
• For digital nomads, freelancers, and globally mobile people, the best payment method depends on amount, currency, speed, country, client setup, and how easy it is for both sides.
• Stablecoins such as USDC may offer fast and cheap global transfers, but they also require both sender and receiver to understand the setup.
• Glintz is building a smart routing platform that compares different providers and helps users see which route gives them the best received amount after fees.
• The problem is not only for digital nomads – anyone earning in one country and spending in another can face the same money movement challenges.
• Zoey's own startup came from lived experience: too many apps, too many accounts, too many currencies, and no simple way to know the best route.

Relevant Links

• Glintz: https://www.tryglintz.com
• Zoey on Substack: https://zoeylee.substack.com
• Substack article – "Where Does Your Money Actually Go?": https://zoeylee.substack.com/p/where-does-your-money-actually-go