Björn is developing Digital Partners Network (DPN) with the intention of bringing together its users in a simple and cost-effective way. Through his vast business network, Björn created the opportunity to offer a large number of users to join DPN and build value for both its current and future shareholders with a focus on the fintech and online media industries.

Bjorn Skarlen

Björn Skarlen originally comes from Sweden but has lived in Barcelona, Spain, for more than 20 years. He has been an entrepreneur most of his life, working for the last 20 years in the digital finance industry.

Björn’s depth of knowledge in international merchant and alternative billing solutions is extensive and his experience in digital payments and financial products powers the disruptive vision behind Digital Partners Network.

We sat down with Björn and asked him to give us some insight into the startup he has invested all his time and energy into this past year and what he believes the future holds for this company and the fintech industry in general.

1. How did you come up with the idea for DPN?

I can see a lot of room for growth in the autonomous finance and alternative banking sector based on the evolution of fintech and digital payment systems over the past decade. Creating financial products that put the user at the centre of the experience is the future of money and finance, and DPN will be able to promote the best products to its users based on the best features and benefits for the user, rather than the merchant, this will keep us competitive in the market.

2. Tell me a bit about yourself Björn and your background?

I started Commercegate Ltd in 2006, an online payment service provider with a presence in Europe and the United States serving a global market via the internet. I grew the company to employ over 75 people and was serving more than 1000 online companies doing hundreds of thousands of transactions daily. For the last 7 years, I have been consulting with Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) for their payment services.

3. What is the purpose of DPN? What makes it unique?

Empowering individuals to take control of their finances and even start small businesses is what keeps me awake at night. I like opportunities to make money of course, but democratizing finance and banking are where I can really see where we at DPN will make a difference. We are the only business of our kind, using our global network of users to scale exceptional fintech and online media products, giving long-term shareholder value back to the user as well as the investors. For example, providing bank accounts and IBAN numbers to a lot of people around the world that have been excluded for far too long by the “old conservative financial sector” is a big win for humanity in developing countries.

4. What products and services are DPN planning to invest in and launch?

DPN has some interesting projects on the horizon. In the not-too-distant future, we will be launching some digital wallets with multiple capabilities for trading cryptocurrency, stocks and fractional shares, along with autonomous financial tools such as bank-free  IBAN accounts, SWIFT and SEPA transfers, as well as mobile point-of-sale terminals. We hope to have some big news for our users in the coming weeks for the official launch of our first product and some very big projects finally getting out into the world this year, our team is very excited. I also see the need for this solution myself considering I am looking forward to being able to have a digital wallet where I can use my cryptocurrencies in an easier more user-friendly app in my everyday life.

5. What are the main challenges for your business?

When you run a global digital business the one word on everyone’s lips is always, Localisation. Adapting your product to meet the needs of a diverse range of countries, cultures, regions and users is always a challenge but we learn so much in the process, which brings us closer to our users and helps us to serve them better for the years to come. Apart from that, scaling a new business and knowing when to expand is crucial and often a high-wire act, but that’s why we become entrepreneurs in the first place.

6.What can you expect as a user of DPN?

The users of Digital Partners Network will get in on the ground floor of a business model that is set to combine some key strengths in user-driven products, with scale and resources that will enable us to do everything in our power to make the DPN portfolio a success and see the value of our business grow into the future.

7. What do you see as the key trends in money and fintech in the future?

I am curious about the Metaverse and its applications in financial modelling. I like the idea of a safe space for testing theories. I think we will see new and exciting ways to use decentralized currencies and blockchain technology to build innovative products for use in everyday life. I really hope we see more people adopt cryptocurrency and distributed ledger technology (DLT) as they realize the freedom it gives them to manage their money themselves and revolutionize their financial habits.

8. Why is it so important to provide global digital payment and money transfer solutions to developing countries?

One of our products will provide an IBAN number and bank account to people who have never had one, so this can be life-altering. Add to that some point-of-sale facilities and peer-to-peer transfers for countries where starting a small business can be straight-up impossible. Providing these tools is going to change a lot of people’s daily lives for the better, both on the consumer side and as a small business owner.

9. Where do you see DPN in 5 years? What are your goals for the future?

Our goals are well outlined in our mission statement:

  1. To deliver digital business solutions with strong growth potential to our stakeholders.
  2. To democratize financial tools to benefit our stakeholders worldwide and improve the lives of as many as possible.
  3. To share educational tools to improve financial literacy and develop financial independence.

We want to see the business grow into a hub for small businesses to source their next new product, increase the value of the business and supply our users with high-quality, informative updates to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to fintech news and new developments in technology and its applications.

10. What is your message to the market and all the excited users of DPN?

We are building a unique business model, which is tricky but we are confident it will yield some impressive results and sustain us and our user base well in the future. We cannot wait to share everything we have been working on these past months with you. In the meantime, we look forward to working with you and getting to know you all and how to source the best products to serve your needs. The future is exciting, the future is DPN.

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