60/40 Podcast

Tech in Asia
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Go beyond the headlines on Asia's business, tech, and startup news. We tell the stories behind the biggest news, most innovative companies, and the people making it all happen - from Asia to the world 🌏.

  1. MAR 10

    The SaaSpocalypse Is Here. Who Survives?

    A "research memo" set in 2028 made a splash in tech and investor circles and moved markets (at least, for one day). Part thought experiment, part fan fiction, and part collective anxiety attack — the Citrini Report imagines a world where AI drives unprecedented productivity while quietly pulling the foundations out from under the modern economy. Tech stocks sold off. Investors rotated. And a question that's been simmering for years finally boiled over: what happens when AI stops assisting and starts replacing? In this episode of 60/40, we break down the SaaSpocalypse thesis, the market reaction, and the real state of AI agents — what they can actually execute today versus what we're projecting onto them. The software debate is real, but it's not the most critical one. The deeper question is about people. Specifically, the ones just starting out. When AI handles the bottom of the learning curve — the entry-level work, the low-stakes decisions, the things that used to build judgment over time — what's left? We explore what the next generation of workers is actually walking into, and which human capabilities hold their value when machines get very good at everything else. Spoiler: it's not hard skills. It's the things that have always been the hardest to teach — judgment, relationships, taste, and the ability to lead through ambiguity. Timestamps [00:00] Cold open — SaaS is not dead, but the business model might be [01:28] Intro & episode overview — markets, agents, and the future of jobs [02:56] Breaking down the Citrini Report — fan fiction or fire alarm? [06:51] The bull case hiding inside the doom — why some tech might actually be a buy right now [09:13] Not all SaaS is created equal — who survives and who doesn't [15:30] The land-and-expand model is dead. Are SaaS multiples coming back? (Spoiler: probably not) [23:04] Asia in the AI reshuffle — South Korea, Taiwan, India, and the BPO question [28:02] Introducing "Boring AI" — and what Prashanth has actually been building with OpenClaude [33:37] Agents vs. anti-bot tech — how to book a padel court (or burnt ends) using AI [40:38] Thought experiment: can AI replace your Chief of Staff? [47:03] The omnipresent AI — why the real value isn't replacing the CoS, it's making them 10x better [49:05] The waterfall model — who makes the 51/49 calls, and who gets the 60/40 ones [53:33] The 22-year-old problem — what happens to the career ladder when the bottom rung disappears? [01:02:50] AI slop, taste, and what actually differentiates human creativity [01:04:25] The pace problem — why this shift is scarier than the printing press or the internet [01:05:17] Reality check: we're probably at sub-1% global penetration Give us feedback or nominate topics & speakers at 6040podcast@techinasia.com. 60/40 is a bi-weekly podcast co-hosted by Prashanth Ranganathan, Peter Bithos, Aleksey Mironenko, and Maria Li. A podcast by Tech in Asia, a member of SPH Media.

    1h 7m

  2. FEB 14

    Airwallex’s AML Probe, AI Laws & the Humans Optional Economy — A Founder-Level Breakdown

    This week’s 60/40 is a peer review of one of Asia’s biggest fintech stories. AUSTRAC has escalated its AML probe into Airwallex. But beyond the headlines, three seasoned fintech founders and investors — Walter de Oude (Chocolate Finance), Prashanth Ranganathan (Zinc & PayU), and Aleksey Mironenko (Leo Wealth) — break down what this really means. Every financial institution has exposure to fraud.Every startup drops something while chasing growth. The real question isn’t perfect compliance — it’s whether you’re trying hard enough, and how you respond when regulators step in. From multi-jurisdiction scrutiny to IPO risk and investor confidence, this is operator-level analysis. Then we zoom out. South Korea’s new AI Basic Act signals a shift toward structured AI governance. Is regulation becoming a competitive advantage? And as AI reshapes productivity, are we entering a “Humans Optional” economy — or simply raising the bar for entry-level talent? Across fintech, AI, and jobs, one theme emerges: Asia’s tech ecosystem may be entering its governance era. Timestamps 00:00 – The Ferrari Problem: Is breaking rules just the cost of hypergrowth? 01:05 – What AUSTRAC’s probe into Airwallex really means 04:30 – Multi-jurisdiction fintech risk: When regulators talk to each other 08:00 – Are AML fines meaningful — or symbolic? 12:00 – How founders should respond to regulatory heat 14:00 – IPO risk: Can Airwallex move forward with this hanging over them? 23:00 – South Korea’s AI Basic Act: Asia’s first real AI regulation 26:00 – Why the US isn’t regulating AI (and why smaller countries are) 29:00 – Guardrails vs innovation: Can regulation be pro-growth? 33:00 – Humans Optional? Is AI hurting fresh grads? 37:00 – The “Superhuman” thesis: AI as productivity multiplier 44:00 – Are markets rotating away from Big Tech? 46:00 – $150B in AI capex — bubble or necessary infrastructure? 49:30 – What investors are re-rating right now Give us feedback or nominate topics & speakers at 6040podcast@techinasia.com. Special thanks to Walter de Oude, Chocolate Finance, for joining us this episode! 60/40 is a bi-weekly podcast co-hosted by Prashanth Ranganathan, Peter Bithos, Aleksey Mironenko, and Maria Li. A podcast by Tech in Asia, a member of The Business Times.

    50 min

  3. JAN 13

    From Wrappers to Agents: Why AI Startups Are Cashing Out

    In the first 60/40 episode of 2026, the team breaks down one of the most talked-about AI deals in Singapore — Meta’s acquisition of Manus — and asks the uncomfortable question: what if it doesn’t go through? We unpack why Manus sold at a reported $2B valuation, what Meta is really buying (hint: it’s not just tech), and how geopolitics, export controls, and trust are reshaping the global AI landscape. From there, we zoom out to the surprising IPO debuts of Chinese AI darlings MiniMax and Zhipu in Hong Kong, why they’re listing earlier and at higher revenue multiples than their Western peers, and what this tells us about “sovereign AI” in 2026. We close with a look ahead: China, Hong Kong, and India’s IPO pipelines, which markets will stay hot, and what could still derail the AI boom. If you care about where AI, capital, and power are actually heading — this episode is for you. Timestamps 00:00 – "We’re all talking about it as if it’s done — but it may not be” 02:10 – Meta acquires Manus: deal overview 03:45 – The revenue math: is a 16× multiple crazy? 06:00 – Why Manus sold now (and not later) 22:10 – Are AI startups selling too early? (Manus vs Groq) 32:30 – Zhipu & MiniMax IPO: what just happened in Hong Kong 39:00 – Sovereign AI and why revenue multiples look “wrong” 42:00 – Why global investors want China AI exposure 47:30 – China vs Hong Kong vs India IPO pipelines 49:00 – India names to watch: PhonePe, Flipkart, OYO 50:40 – What could actually derail the IPO boom 54:30 – Closing thoughts: Asia’s AI moment in 2026 Give us feedback or nominate topics & speakers at 6040podcast@techinasia.com. 60/40 is a bi-weekly podcast co-hosted by Prashanth Ranganathan, Peter Bithos, Aleksey Mironenko, and Maria Li. A podcast by Tech in Asia, a member of The Business Times.

    55 min

  4. 12/04/2025

    60/40 Wrapped: From 2025’s Shockers to 2026’s Big Bets

    For our final episode of the year — and our 20th since launch! — the full 60/40 crew gets together to look ahead at what 2026 will bring for Asia’s tech and business landscape. Before jumping into predictions, we rewind through the biggest plot twists of 2025: Grab’s glow-up, DeepSeek shaking the global AI order, Pine Labs racing to IPO, tariffs reshaping supply chains, and crypto’s unexpected glow-up. Then we fast-forward into the future. From agentic app stores to AI-specialist “doctors,” from dark factories to sovereign AI races, from robotics momentum to the potential popping (or wobbling) of the AI bubble — we break down the biggest forces that will shape 2026. We debate which Asian markets will break out, which AI players might stumble, and which startups will emerge as next year’s winners and casualties. We also revisit our best (and worst) predictions from the past year and end with our 2026 wish list — plus a few bold calls that we’ll have to answer for 12 months from now. Timestamps 00:00 – Kicking off our 20th episode! 01:25 – Top 2025 headlines 05:30 – Biggest tech changes in 2025 12:20 – What 60/40 got right (and wrong) 19:00 – Predictions for 2026 23:00 – AI Asia power rankings 25:45 – Will the AI bubble pop in 2026? 33:00 – Startup winners & losers in 2026 45:00 – Our 2026 wish list 48:00 – Stock picks & macro bets 56:00 – Final reflections Give us feedback or nominate topics & speakers at 6040podcast@techinasia.com. 60/40 is a bi-weekly podcast co-hosted by Prashanth Ranganathan, Peter Bithos, Aleksey Mironenko, and Maria Li. A podcast by Tech in Asia, a member of The Business Times.

    58 min

  5. 11/20/2025

    How Endowus charted their own path to $10B in AUM

    This week, 60/40 sits down with Endowus co-founders Gregory Van and Samuel Rhee — the duo behind one of Asia’s fastest-growing wealthtech platforms. We unpack their latest $70M fundraise, how they built a conflict-free investing model in a region dominated by commissions, why they stayed laser-focused on Singapore and Hong Kong, and how they survived the tech winter without mass layoffs. Greg and Sam also get candid about their co-founder dynamic, risk appetites, early failures, and yes — who really loses their cool in a meeting. Plus, a lightning round of “Superlatives” that you won’t want to miss. Timestamps 00:00: Intro 01:50: The $70M raise and why fundraising still sucks 03:48: Singapore first, Hong Kong second, and the B2B opportunity 09:42: Fundraising in a bad VC market & reverse inquiries 14:31: The founding story: CPF shock, Grab learnings, and pensions 17:41: Why most Asian robos failed — and why Endowus is different 21:06: Trailer fees, misaligned incentives, and systemic industry flaws 32:54: Bootstrapping, employees buying shares, and ESOP culture 36:27: Co-founder dynamics: complementary skills & Monday meetings 46:32: The hardest moment: navigating tech winter without layoffs 52:01: AI as a tool, not a strategy — how Endowus sees the future 56:18: Do they think about exits? The partnership ethos 58:51: The Superlatives game + closing comments Give us feedback or nominate topics & speakers at 6040podcast@techinasia.com. 60/40 is a bi-weekly podcast co-hosted by Prashanth Ranganathan, Peter Bithos, Aleksey Mironenko, and Maria Li. Special thanks to our guests, Gregory Van and Samuel Rhee from Endowus. A podcast by Tech in Asia, a member of The Business Times.

    1h 4m

  6. 11/03/2025

    Why the AI bubble isn’t a bubble (yet)

    In this episode of 60/40, the crew goes into full AI group therapy mode. Maria, Prashanth, Peter, and Alexey debate whether we’re living through another tech bubble—or just the warm-up act. From OpenAI’s trillion-dollar spend and AMD’s $90 billion chip deal, to SoftBank’s robotics binge and Deloitte’s AI “oops” moment, the team breaks down where the hype ends and the hard math begins. They unpack why OpenAI might actually be too big to fail, how retail investors end up holding the bag, and why Asia’s energy constraints could make it the AI world’s blind spot. Along the way: humanoid robots, nuclear-powered data centers, and a few cuddly market bears. Timestamps 00:00 – The Bearish Camp. Are we really in an AI bubble? Goldman data says not yet — AI capex still under 1% of global GDP. 02:30 – What If OpenAI Fails? A trillion-dollar spend, no profits, and systemic risk: is OpenAI too big to fail? 09:10 – Capacity vs Demand. AWS déjà vu — everyone’s building at once, but can demand keep up? 14:30 – Bubble Math. From 1890s railroads to 1990s fiber optics: why today’s AI hype is still early-stage. 18:10 – Round-Tripping & Retail Bags. Cross-investments, AMD warrants, and who really pays when the music stops. 25:20 – SoftBank’s Robot Empire. Masa bets $5.4B that humanoids will outlast the hype. 31:00 – AI in the Workplace. Deloitte’s $440K AI flop vs Bank of Singapore’s “10-day-to-1-hour” win. 40:50 – The Vibe Coding Hangover. Lovable’s crash, hype fatigue, and the next evolution of AI-assisted work. 42:55 – Powering the Future. Why Southeast Asia’s missing the data-center race — and that might be okay. 53:30 – Wrap-Up: Friendly Bears Edition. We’re still in 1999, not 2000. The last sucker hasn’t walked in yet. Give us feedback or nominate topics & speakers at 6040podcast@techinasia.com. 60/40 is a bi-weekly podcast co-hosted by Prashanth Ranganathan, Peter Bithos, Aleksey Mironenko, and Maria Li. A podcast by Tech in Asia, a member of The Business Times.

    55 min

  7. 10/09/2025

    The Empire Strikes Back: Stablecoins vs. the Old Financial Order

    Stablecoins are having a main-character moment. In this episode, Maria, Peter, and Prashanth are joined by Milind Sanghavi, co-founder of XWeave.io, to decode the hype and the hard reality behind the $30 trillion cross-border payments market. Together, they explore: What stablecoins actually are (and why “stable” is a misleading word)How the Genius Act cements U.S. dollar dominance in the digital ageWhy Asia’s regulators (Singapore, Philippines, Japan) are seeking to lead the next waveHow “agentic commerce” and programmable money could change how we buy, sell, and move valueAnd whether the Empire (read: traditional finance) will strike backIt’s a crash course in the new galactic order of money — less lightsabers, more ledgers. Timestamps 00:00 – Cold Open & Studio Intro02:00 – Headlines: OpenAI, Agentic E-Commerce & the Buy Button09:56 – Stablecoins 101: What They Are and Why They Matter13:06 – Programmability, Regulation & The “Clean Money” Future17:56 – Real-World Use Cases: Remittances, Trade & Local Stables21:31 – Who’s Who: Inside the Stablecoin Value Chain26:21 – The White Space: New Issuers, Local Currencies & Rules28:39 – XWeave.io: Building the Pipes for Digital Money33:17 – The Genius Act: America’s Digital Dollar Power Play40:00 – Asia’s Response: Singapore, Japan & the Philippines47:57 – Will the Empire Strike Back? Big Banks vs. Startups49:23 – Founder Reflections: The Lonely Road of Yeses and No’s51:06 – The Stablecoin Poem (Yes, Really) Give us feedback or nominate topics & speakers at 6040podcast@techinasia.com. 60/40 is a bi-weekly podcast co-hosted by Prashanth Ranganathan, Peter Bithos, Aleksey Mironenko, and Maria Li. Special thanks to this week's guest, Milind Sanghavi from XWeave.io. A podcast by Tech in Asia, a member of The Business Times.

    52 min

  8. 09/23/2025

    Overpromised or underrated? OpenAI, Europe, and Southeast Asia on the line

    This week, the 60/40 team dives into the eye-popping $300 billion OpenAI–Oracle deal and what it signals about the future of compute, models, and AI monetization. We also unpack OpenAI’s StatSig acquisition, Europe’s big swing with ASML backing Mistral, and whether we’re already in an AI bubble.  Plus, the gang breaks down Alibaba’s latest earnings and Lightspeed’s “consumer barbell” thesis in Southeast Asia. Expect sharp takes, laughs, and yes, Peter’s poems are back. Timestamps 00:00 – Kicking off with OpenAI & Oracle’s $300B compute deal 03:00 – Can OpenAI really afford this? Risks, revenues & runway 12:30 – A poetic take on Oracle + OpenAI 13:30 – OpenAI acquires StatSig: why it matters for safe model deployment 20:10 – ASML’s $1.5B bet on Mistral and Europe’s AI ambitions 26:31– Is there an AI bubble—or just the next paradigm shift? 34:40 – Alibaba’s flat revenue but booming cloud numbers 40:45 – Southeast Asia’s “consumer barbell” thesis: hits and misses 50:20 – The pitfalls of fintech lending and “cheap dopamine” apps Give us feedback or nominate topics & speakers at 6040podcast@techinasia.com. 60/40 is a bi-weekly podcast co-hosted by Prashanth Ranganathan, Peter Bithos, Aleksey Mironenko, and Maria Li. A podcast by Tech in Asia, a member of The Business Times.

    52 min
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About

Go beyond the headlines on Asia's business, tech, and startup news. We tell the stories behind the biggest news, most innovative companies, and the people making it all happen - from Asia to the world 🌏.

Information

  • Creator
    Tech in Asia
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Tech in Asia
  • Show Website
    60/40 Podcast

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