Growing up on the southern tip of New Zealand and honing his skills in Melbourne’s financial trenches, Tom Greenwood’s trajectory exemplifies a unique combination of perseverance and vision. From learning the ins and outs of traditional finance in his early days at ANZ Bank to upending payments with Volt’s lightning-fast infrastructure, he has consistently adjusted—and made money—by foreseeing what the following five years would bring. Greenwood based his fortune on strategy, infrastructure, and legislation, while others established fintech firms on trends. That mindset is directly responsible for his reported $200 million net worth.
His ascent started out modestly. Greenwood, who joined AFEX during a time of transition, implemented a hiring practice that was remarkably unorthodox at the time. He used a surgical approach to headhunting, focusing on top performers who were confined to conventional institutions and giving them the chance to create something more efficient, quicker, and incredibly successful. In addition to hastening AFEX’s ascent, the bold hiring of talent hinted to Greenwood’s fixation with putting together top teams. After becoming a personal template, this strategy reappeared at IFX and Volt with much greater impact.
Tom Greenwood Net Worth
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Tom Greenwood |
| Nationality | New Zealander (lives in the UK) |
| Place of Birth | Wellington, New Zealand |
| Industry | Fintech, Payments, Currency Exchange |
| Known For | Founder of IFX Payments & Volt |
| Estimated Net Worth | Over $200 million (unconfirmed) |
| Key Companies | AFEX, IFX Payments, Volt |
| Major Investments | Backed by EQT Ventures, IVP, Augmentum Fintech, Titan Capital |
| Recent Valuation | Volt valued at $350M+ (Series B) |
By 2005, Tom was prepared to start creating his own vision instead than carrying out others’. IFX Payments’ concept wasn’t particularly innovative. It was established to address fundamental inefficiencies in treasury and foreign exchange operations, which are all too frequently burdened by antiquated procedures. Greenwood’s early identification of e-money as a financial instrument was what set IFX apart. Greenwood pushed IFX to become one of the first licensed e-money institutions in Europe, years before the majority of its rivals realized its potential. The scope of IFX’s offering was greatly expanded by this early adoption, which allowed it to immediately issue bank accounts and digital payments. This offered medium-sized enterprises in the Middle East and Europe an especially advantageous substitute for conventional banking.
IFX increased gradually. Its turnover reached $10 billion, which is uncommon for fintechs that are bootstrapped. With the support of a small but seasoned founding staff, Greenwood grew the business internationally and across regulatory boundaries. In the end, IFX was sold in a deal that was reportedly worth well over $200 million, despite being confidential. Greenwood used that fortune as a springboard for reinvention rather than retirement.
Using that exit, he founded Volt, a business dedicated to removing the expenses, delays, and bottlenecks associated with international payments. Greenwood started to wonder why it took three to four days and a complex network of middlemen to transfer money between banks after being inspired by the UPI system in India and the PSD2 reforms in Europe. His solution to that annoyance was Volt, a network that aimed to standardize account-to-account transfers and promised transactions to be finished in seconds rather than days. In the context of real-time commerce, where latency costs merchants millions of dollars every year, this notion proved especially inventive.
Volt wasn’t created in a vacuum. Greenwood raised more than $83 million from prestigious venture funds like IVP and EQT Ventures by once more utilizing his network. With a current valuation of over $350 million, the firm has strategic partnerships with key payment service providers, including Worldpay and Worldline. With its smooth integration with e-commerce sites like Shopify and WooCommerce, Volt shows how highly adaptable contemporary financial infrastructure can be when it is created from the bottom up.
Along the way, Greenwood developed his narrative skills in addition to his mastery of financial operations. Funding for startups has recently become more about story than numbers. Greenwood draws attention with his concise, visually striking, and emotionally impactful presentation decks. One of his defining characteristics as an entrepreneur is his ability to condense Volt’s design and growth strategy into 20 clear slides. It’s one of the reasons why, despite erratic market cycles, investors still support him.
He also frequently discusses the value of narrative in leading teams and clients alike, in addition to collecting money. Greenwood expanded Volt’s reach and awareness through strategic alliances, making sure that his platform not only worked well but also communicated well with its users.
The fintech community at large has taken note. Though Greenwood’s strategy is more methodical than flashy, comparisons to pioneers like Nikolay Storonsky (Revolut) or Patrick Collison (Stripe) are not out of the question. He favors structure over buzz and procedure over excitement. Greenwood concentrates on infrastructure and compliance, two areas that are frequently overlooked yet are crucial for long-term success, while others pursue rounds that make headlines.
Greenwood’s plan for Volt is currently changing once more. He anticipates the combination of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) with regulated stablecoins. If used effectively, these new tools have the potential to drastically lower the complexity and expense of cross-border payments. The group at Greenwood is already preparing for that eventuality. As payments become more digital and decentralized, Volt can stay competitive by incorporating blockchain components where needed, but not too much.
The most prosperous fintech businesses in the upcoming years will probably be those that combine speed and compliance, as well as innovation and regulation. At that crossroads is Greenwood. His riches comes from more than just investor funds and exits. It is the result of a mentality that values scalable trust, early insight, and unwavering execution.
Aspiring entrepreneurs frequently seek guidance from those who have experienced both success and disappointment. Greenwood offers caution as well as insight. He frequently stresses that founders should prioritize customer-centric solutions before valuation optics. Through the development of products that address tangible issues, such as payment delays or access to banking infrastructure, entrepreneurs can establish remarkably resilient enterprises.
His experience also highlights a changing trend: builders who comprehend regulations and view compliance as a benefit rather than a drawback are becoming more valued as the glamorization of fintech fades. The direction that global banking is taking—toward systems that are open, quick, safe, and noticeably better than their analog predecessors—is strikingly reflected in that evolution.
