Web3 · Fintech · Payments
Fractional CFO services for Web3, fintech, payments and high-growth tech founders.
From £2,500/month · No equity · No NI
The Problem
Most scale-up founders hit a wall where spreadsheets stop working, investors start asking hard questions, and no one in the room can give a confident answer.
If three or more of these describe your business, you need a CFO, not another accountant.
Let's Talk →
About
Raymond Shuai
A practising CFO, not a consultant. Over the past eight years I have held the CFO seat at blockchain companies, FCA-regulated payment businesses and high-growth SaaS platforms, building finance functions from inception in every case. Most recently Interim CFO at Ziglu, an FCA EMI and cryptoasset-registered card payments platform, where I led end-to-end treasury transformation across fiat and crypto.
I am a Chartered Accountant and CFA Charterholder with a Cambridge MFin, trained at Deloitte and JP Morgan before moving into senior finance leadership at KPMG, Jardine Matheson and Animoca Brands. I have raised capital from venture and institutional investors, structured multi-asset treasury operations, navigated FCA authorisation and EMI licensing, and led finance teams across the UK, EU, Hong Kong and Asia. I understand the pressure of investor scrutiny, the complexity of regulated markets, and precisely where scale-up finance functions tend to fail.
Why Fractional
The right fractional CFO doesn't just save you money on salary. They make you money through better capital allocation, investor-ready positioning, and decisions made with real expertise.
Services
Not retainers-by-the-hour. Outcomes-focused engagements designed to make a measurable difference to how your business operates, raises capital, and scales.
Your CFO. Your team. Without the full-time cost.
Ongoing strategic finance leadership embedded in your business. I attend board meetings, lead investor conversations, own financial planning and analysis, and build the reporting infrastructure your business needs to scale with confidence.
What's included
2–4 days/month · 6-month minimum · from £2,500/month
Senior financial judgment, on demand.
For founders who want access to senior financial thinking on key decisions without a full engagement.
Monthly advisory retainer
Scale without the regulatory landmines.
For fintech and Web3 businesses navigating FCA, EMI licensing, MiCA, or fiat crypto treasury and liquidity management.
Scope varies by complexity
Walk into your next round fully prepared.
From seed to Series B, I prepare your business to survive due diligence and present financial conviction to investors.
6–12 weeks project
How It Works
A no-obligation 30-minute conversation about your business, finance challenges, and where you're headed. No pitch. Just a frank conversation between founders.
A rapid assessment of your current finance function, statements, and strategic needs. Gaps, risks, and highest-leverage opportunities, presented clearly.
Once scoped and agreed, I become part of your team within days. No lengthy onboarding. Senior-level impact begins immediately with a clear 90-day plan.
Ongoing strategic finance leadership delivered with the rigour of a CFO who has done it before. An expert in your corner for every financial decision that matters.
Results
Selected engagements from fintech, Web3, and payments businesses.
What Founders Say
"We'd been fundraising for six months without closing. After three months working together, we had a financial model that made investors sit up, a data room that answered questions before they were asked, and a term sheet on the table. The difference wasn't the business. It was the financial story we were telling."
"Crypto accounting at exchange level is genuinely complex, and CrunchSpark cut through it fast. They untangled our reconciliations, identified where we were exposed, and gave us a financial picture we could finally rely on."
"The commercial focus and financial discipline CrunchSpark brought were exactly what we needed at a critical stage. They understood the business fast, challenged spending assumptions, and made sure every decision had a clear financial rationale."
"Raymond's grasp of blockchain strategies and the financial processes and operations behind them is rare. He understands how these businesses work at every level and delivers insight that is immediately credible to sophisticated clients."
FAQ
Almost certainly yes. An accountant handles historical record-keeping and compliance. A CFO provides forward-looking financial strategy, investor relationships, and the financial architecture that enables growth. Most businesses at scale need both, but they're not the same thing.
Minimal. I work independently and proactively. You'll typically spend 2–3 hours per month in structured CFO-CEO sessions, plus ad hoc availability for specific decisions. The entire point is to give you time back, not take more of it.
The sweet spot is businesses that have raised a seed round or are approaching Series A and face real financial complexity. If you're pre-revenue and considering raising, a fundraise readiness engagement can still make a material difference to your outcome.
Yes. Many of the businesses I've worked with operate across multiple jurisdictions. I work remotely with founders across Europe and beyond, with direct experience of EU regulatory frameworks including MiCA. International scope is rarely a barrier.
That's often the natural progression, and a good outcome. Part of the value of a fractional engagement is building the finance function to a level where a full-time hire makes sense. I can help with that transition, including advising on the profile and handover process.
Following a discovery call and brief diagnostic, most engagements begin within two to three weeks. For urgent situations such as a live fundraise, regulatory deadline, or board crisis, I can typically accommodate a faster start. The first conversation is the right place to discuss timing.
Get Started
A 30-minute discovery call is the first step. No obligation, no pitch. Just an honest conversation about where your business is and whether we're a good fit.
Book a Discovery Call
A free, no-obligation 30-minute call. Straight talk about your finance function.
Opens Google Calendar. Takes under 2 minutes to book.
