Georgy Sokolov on Decentralization and Wirex’s B2B Solutions
In Brief
Georgy Sokolov discusses the shift to decentralized, non-custodial products driven by trust issues and geographical scale. Wirex offers a single business account that combines traditional banking features with self-custodial crypto access.
Georgy highlights two big trends driving the shift to decentralized, non-custodial products:
“People are moving more on-chain, especially after seeing big centralized players fail and users lose money. Trust issues are a big factor. Also, decentralized products are easier to scale geographically since they’re less regulated.”
He admits it’s tougher to monetize users when you don’t hold their funds, but expanding globally becomes simpler.
Back in the early days, getting a bank account for a crypto company was almost impossible. Now it’s easier, but still far from perfect — many banks won’t even talk to crypto firms.
Wirex offers a better alternative: a single business account that combines traditional banking features (like European IBANs and soon US accounts with ACH) with self-custodial crypto access — all in one place.
“We had a successful pilot with our Wirex Business account back in 2019-2020, onboarding hundreds of companies. We paused it to focus elsewhere, but now it’s back and better.”
The new version is fully non-custodial — users don’t have to deposit funds with Wirex to spend them. The funds remain in their own wallets but can be used seamlessly via Wirex cards and IBANs.
Wirex has also built a retail-facing decentralized app for users who prioritize self-custody over perks like cashback.
“Our main focus with this offering is B2B: we empower partners — like Web3 wallets, DEXs, games, or lending protocols — to provide their users with Web3 cards without handling KYC or compliance themselves. We take care of all that heavy lifting.”
He explains how Wirex’s system handles transactions in a single atomic step — no need to top up cards or convert crypto to fiat separately.
On user feedback, Georgy shares a fun insight:
“People want both — the MetalCard to show off, and Apple/Google Pay for convenience.”
Beyond flashy cards, Wirex Private offers “crypto private banking” — making it possible for people with real crypto wealth to use it like traditional wealth, even in places where banks won’t engage with crypto.
“We understand how to deal with crypto as a source of funds. Unlike traditional banks, we can accept miners or people paid in crypto — as long as the funds are clean. We provide dedicated account managers, higher limits, OTC rates, and more.”
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About The Author
Victoria brings an analytical background to the crypto and Web3 space. She covers digital assets, blockchain trends, and artificial intelligence, translating complex developments into accessible editorial content.
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Victoria brings an analytical background to the crypto and Web3 space. She covers digital assets, blockchain trends, and artificial intelligence, translating complex developments into accessible editorial content.
