Hello Clever has become a major fintech player in just three years, achieving 307% revenue growth since launching in 2021. The company was founded by Caroline Tran and Gavin Nguyen in Sydney and now handles over $3.5 billion in transactions across 25 currencies, with offices in five countries.
The business was built on a straightforward premise: payments should offer more than simple money transfers. Many companies accepted high card fees, delayed settlements, and fragmented loyalty programs as industry norms. Hello Clever introduced Buy-to-Earn, a real-time system that provides merchants with instant cashback for customers. In August 2022, it completed Australia’s first consumer-to-business PayTo transaction, validating the concept.
To expand globally, the company developed its own infrastructure rather than depending on third-party providers. It obtained an Australian Financial Services Licence and partnered with local banks, including GMO Aozora Net in Japan, where foreign payment services face regulatory barriers. Additional collaborations with Banking Circle supported cross-border settlements as the company scaled operations.
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Beyond cashback, the platform now integrates real-time payments with Clever AI, which processes transactions instantly to detect customer churn, excessive fees, and profit pressures—features small businesses often lack. This development aligns with a broader vision: to function as an “exchange for money movement”, directing payments through the most efficient and cost-effective channels, whether through banks, cards, or digital wallets.
It has already secured Money Transmitter Licences in three U.S. states and plans further expansion there, targeting the country as its next key market.
The company’s team, now numbering 110 employees, operates across Sydney, Singapore, Tokyo, Ho Chi Minh City, and New York. Hello Clever’s strategy focuses on redefining payments rather than merely streamlining them, positioning it to lead the next phase of fintech innovation.
