2025 was the year we made the leap — a defining chapter in Hello Clever’s story.
It was the year we turned ambition into intelligence and momentum into movement. A year that stretched us beyond what we knew — into new ideas, new markets, and new possibilities for how payments can power growth.
When we started Hello Clever, we didn’t set out to be another payments company. We set out to reimagine what payments could mean: to turn every transaction into an opportunity for growth.
What began as a simple idea — to help people be clever with their money — has evolved into something far greater: an ecosystem where payments, loyalty, and intelligence converge to make money move smarter.
Intelligence in Motion
In 2025, we introduced Clever AI — a new intelligence layer built directly into the payment flow. It was the culmination of years of design, data, and relentless curiosity.
With Clever AI, every transaction becomes a source of insight, and every insight becomes an opportunity for growth.
Clever AI operates within a merchant’s payment flow — interpreting every tap, predicting behaviour, and empowering action in real time.
This was the moment Hello Clever moved from facilitating payments to powering intelligent growth for businesses globally.
A Global Mindset, A Local Pulse
Every leap demands courage, and sometimes, a passport.
2025 was the year Hello Clever became truly global.
We expanded into the United States, Japan, and South East Asia, taking our mission to new markets and diverse ecosystems. Each expansion brought lessons — from navigating new regulatory landscapes to understanding cultural nuances in how people and businesses interact with money. We discovered that while merchants across regions may differ in scale or structure, they share the same ambitions: to move faster, operate smarter, and build lasting customer loyalty.
Growth stopped being about where we were from and became about how far we could go — building local partnerships in every market while maintaining one unified vision: to make money move smarter.
Proof of Progress
2025 proved the power of what we’ve been building.
We surpassed $15 million in annual recurring revenue, achieved our AFSL licence, and were recognised on the AFR Fast Starters list for the second year in a row. Each milestone reinforced our ability to grow with purpose and innovate without compromise.
We were named to Inc.’s 2025 Best in Business List in the Best Startups category —recognition that coincided with our first year establishing presence in the U.S. market. I was honoured to be named Female Fintech Leader of the Year, an award that reflects the collective strength and vision of the incredible people building Hello Clever.
But our story in 2025 wasn’t written in awards or headlines. It came to life through connection — from global expo floors like RetailTech and Singapore FinTech Festival, to our own stage at Elevate Sydney and Singapore, where Hello Clever’s community, partners, and ideas came together.
These moments reminded us why we exist: to make financial technology feel less like infrastructure and more like an opportunity for growth.
What the Leap Taught Us
Looking back, 2025 wasn’t a blur of statistics; it was a series of deliberate steps forward — each one informed by insight and driven by intent.
We built, tested, refined, and launched with precision. We learned that scaling globally doesn’t dilute your focus; it sharpens it. We learned that intelligence isn’t about complexity — it’s about clarity.
And most importantly, we learned that growth is not the outcome — it’s the result of designing systems that work smarter for everyone involved.
Looking Ahead
2026 will be a year of acceleration.
We’ll continue expanding Hello Clever into these new markets that we’ve entered, enhancing our ecosystem of merchants and partners, and advancing the next evolution of payments — built to make global transactions faster, more flexible, and deeply intelligent.
The future we’re building is one where payments are invisible, intelligence is intuitive, and growth happens in real time.
2025 was the leap.
2026 will be the lift-off.
And as always, we’ll take it with purpose, precision, and heart.
Caroline Tran
CEO & Co-Founder, Hello Clever
Leave a Reply