Internet browser Opera has hired PayPal and WeChat Pay veteran Allen Hu to run its recently launched fintech arm, Dify.
Unveiled last month, Diffy offers Opera's 50 million EU users an in-browser cashback service and digital wallet for online shopping.
Appointed as executive vice president, Hu brings a wealth of experience from nearly ten years at PayPal, where he was regional head of Global Core Payments, based in California.
Hu gained expertise in fintech as a venture partner in Sequoia Capital China, where he focused on investments in the fintech sector. Prior to that, he was the general manager of Baidu Pay, the COO of Ping An FinTech, and the deputy general manager of TenPay, a Tencent company, where he launched WeChat Pay.
Speaking of his new appointment, Hu says: “Just as PayPal captured the fintech world initially with its online payment solutions, I see huge potential for Opera to similarly disrupt financial services and become a key fintech player through Dify.”
Launching first in Spain, the initial version of the Dify app ships with a current account, a free virtual debit card issued by Mastercard, as well as Google Pay support for offline spending. It will eventually be rolled out across all EU member states.
Krystian Kolondra, EVP browsers & EEA fintech at Opera, comments: “Appointing such a senior figure from the fintech and payments industry speaks to our commitment to the vertical, and to the investment and growth potential we see for Dify. Allen’s expertise will be invaluable in helping us drive the fintech division and achieve our ambition to continue to bring new services to market under the Dify brand.”