'Building OS for borderless life': Lunchbox, Pathao, River founders unite for global fintech transformation
Hussain M Elius, the founder and former CEO of South Asia's largest super app, Pathao, has taken on a new global challenge.
Elius is now the chief technology officer (CTO) of River, a fast-growing US-based technology company aiming to revolutionise digital finance and connectivity for people living across borders.
River announced its acquisition of Wind, the decentralised payments and banking platform founded by Elius, reads a press release.
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The move marks a major step in River's ambitious vision: to create a single, seamless super app combining telecommunications, payments, and decentralised banking for the world's 300 million global citizens.
"This is not just an acquisition—it's an evolution," said Elius. "We are building the operating system for a borderless life. No more fragmented tools. No more gatekeepers."
Elius is well-known for his role in building Pathao into a dominant platform with over 5 million users across South Asia, including Bangladesh.
His experience scaling a super app from scratch makes him a critical addition to River's leadership as the company rapidly expands its fintech offerings.
Together with Ruhin Hossain, CEO of River, and Nabeel Alamgir, River's lead investor and chairman — who is also the founder of US-based restaurant tech unicorn Lunchbox — Elius will drive River's next phase of growth.
The newly acquired platform will integrate River's borderless payments and financial tools directly within its eSIM-powered experience. This positions River as a leader in vertically integrated solutions for global connectivity and digital finance.
A three-part super app: Telco, payments, banking
- Telecommunications: River's eSIM service was launched in 2024 and reached $10 million ARR in under 12 months. Today, it serves 30,000+ recurring users and over 100,000 one-time buyers globally.
- Payments: With the acquisition of Wind, users will now be able to send and receive stablecoin-powered transactions with up to 70% lower fees than legacy providers, hold multicurrency wallets, and pay bills—no bank required.
- Banking: River's upcoming roadmap includes fully decentralized banking tools to unlock cross-border users' income, credit, and savings access.
"This isn't about hype," said Chairman Nabeel Alamgir. "It's about fast money, simple mobile, and earning trust where legacy systems failed."
A profitable, rapidly scaling platform
River has achieved profitability and rapid scale without outside investment. The company is currently valued between $100 million and $200 million and expects to grow its user base from six figures to several million by year-end.
Key growth drivers include:
- Enterprise partnerships, including a recent deal to onboard over one million migrant workers
- Licensing in key global markets, including the EU and UAE
- Strategic focus on diaspora populations, who sent over $800 billion in remittances last year
"We're closing the loop," said Ruhin Hossain, CEO of River. "We started by connecting people across borders. Now we're helping them move money, build wealth, and live with dignity—on one seamless platform."
