Why the Caribbean’s Fintech Moment Is Now - And Why We’re Building NICO
The future of digital banking isn’t just happening in Silicon Valley or São Paulo - it’s rising in the Caribbean. And at NICO, we’re building the first AI-native, mobile-first digital bank tailored to the region’s unique financial rhythms and realities.
As someone who’s spent the last decade scaling cutting-edge fintechs, including my role as CTO at Zilch, a BNPL unicorn in the UK, I’ve seen how transformative technology can be when applied with local empathy and user-first design. Now, I’ve turned my focus to a mission that hits closer to home: delivering financial inclusion, literacy, and prosperity to the Dominican Republic and beyond.
A Region Primed for Disruption - and Reinvention
Over 60% of Dominicans are underbanked or entirely excluded from formal finance. More than 80% of transactions still happen in cash, and the tools available - if any - are archaic, slow, and expensive. Meanwhile, $10B+ flows into the country annually through remittances, a vital economic artery with high fees and low transparency.
We’re witnessing a paradox: the region is digitally connected, socially savvy, and entrepreneurially hungry - but financial services haven’t caught up.
This isn’t just a service gap - it’s a generational opportunity
We don’t wait for the future of finance — we build it.
Empowering a new generation across the Caribbean with smarter, faster, and fairer financial tools.
As CTO of Zilch, I helped scale a BNPL platform to millions of users, raised capital in competitive global markets, and built infrastructure that met regulatory, security, and speed standards across multiple geographies. At the height of Zilch’s growth, we were handling hundreds of millions in transactions with zero compromises on UX or compliance.
But it was clear to me: if we could do that in London, why not in Santo Domingo? Why not in a region where fintech isn’t just a convenience - it’s a lifeline?
NICO is that answer.
We’re not building a copy of Western models. We’re creating a new Caribbean fintech architecture - one that starts with financial education, speaks two languages, leverages AI to reduce costs and personalise service, and ultimately empowers users to manage their money, improve their income, and thrive.
Why I Build NICO?
AI-Native by Design - Not Hype
We don’t just slap AI on top of banking.
NICO is designed from day one as an AI-native digital bank. From onboarding to budgeting, our users interact with a system that learns from behavior, coaches users, and reduces friction.
This is part of a broader shift - look no further than the $18M raised by Catena Labs to build an AI-native bank for global markets. At NICO, we’re applying these ideas locally: real-time fraud prevention, intelligent financial coaching, smart savings plans that feel like magic for the end user.
And we’re not doing this alone.
The future of the Caribbean won’t be inherited — it will be imagined, coded, and launched.
We’re building tools that don’t just move money — they move lives.
One account, one dream, one generation at a time.
Google has announced a $1.2 billion commitment to Latin America over the next five years, with a focus on AI infrastructure, digital inclusion, and financial transformation.
We’re proud to be part of that movement. Narinder Patti, Google Cloud’s Global Head of Strategic Business Fintech, is a non-executive director to NICO, actively supporting our journey from idea to impact. This partnership gives us not only technical firepower through Google Cloud and infrastructure, but also strategic guidance from someone who has seen the birth of global-scale fintechs like Monzo Bank in the UK.
This validation matters. It shows that what we’re building isn’t just ambitious - it’s credible.
Our Bold Vision - and the Road Ahead
NICO is more than a digital bank.
It’s a platform for economic empowerment.
It’s a toolbox for freelancers, gig workers, and creators to track income, plan taxes, and grow wealth.
It’s a trusted guide for first-time digital users learning how to manage a budget, save for a goal, or understand credit.
It’s bilingual, inclusive, smart - and fiercely local.
Yes, there are challenges. Regulatory complexity, low trust in financial institutions, and deep-rooted cash culture are real.
But the solution isn’t to wait. It’s to educate, inspire, and partner.
Google’s Growing Bet on LatAm
As a founder, my mission goes beyond launching a fintech.
I want to raise the financial literacy of an entire generation in the Dominican Republic - to give people the tools to understand cash flow, make informed decisions, and build financial security. The product is just the delivery mechanism. The real win is when millions of Dominicans are not just banking - they’re thriving.
My Personal Mission
Thomas K Matecki
Founder and CEO - NICO Finance
Let’s Build the Future, Together
We’re just getting started. We’re assembling a team of technologists, educators, marketers, and mission-driven builders. We’re looking for partners, talent, regulators, and believers who want to see the Caribbean leap forward, not lag behind.
If you’re a company or institution that wants to collaborate, a policymaker curious about the AI opportunity, or an individual with a passion for inclusion - reach out.
The time is now.
The Caribbean doesn’t need to follow. It can lead.
And NICO is here to make that future real.
