Tess Bloch

The through-line

Across the available material, Tess Bloch's public commentary centers on merchant intelligence as the key to solving problems in the payments and card ecosystem, particularly fraud detection. The two engagements on record both position her as making the case that enriching raw transaction data with better information about the merchants behind it unlocks capabilities that the payments industry currently lacks [1][2].

On merchant intelligence and fraud detection

Bloch's core argument, as described in her conversation on merchant intelligence, is that anti-fraud solutions improve when payment transaction data is enriched rather than taken at face value [1]. She addressed why merchant intelligence specifically is critical to optimal fraud detection, framing it as a distinct and necessary layer on top of standard transaction data [1]. She also discussed emerging use cases for merchant intelligence beyond fraud, suggesting the applications extend further than the anti-fraud use case alone [1]. The same theme carries into her second engagement, where she is described as discussing how real-time merchant intelligence is reshaping the card ecosystem more broadly [2].

On building Spade

Bloch spoke to the problem Spade set out to solve and why she considers it worth solving, along with the company's solution, its unique selling point, and how it differentiates on technology and engineering talent [1]. She addressed customer feedback on the product and named the company's key clients, as well as discussing the company's recent Series A funding round and its plans going forward [1]. In the second appearance, described as Co-Founder and Head of Operations, she is again framed around Spade's role in reshaping the card ecosystem through real-time merchant intelligence, consistent with how she describes the company's mission elsewhere [2].

Takeaways

• Bloch argues that enriching payment transaction data, rather than relying on it as-is, is what makes anti-fraud solutions work better [1].
• She treats merchant intelligence as critical specifically for optimal fraud detection, not just a nice-to-have data layer [1].
• She sees new use cases for merchant intelligence emerging beyond fraud detection [1].
• She positions Spade's technology and engineering approach as a point of differentiation from other players [1].
• Her favorite business book is Scaling People: Tactics for Management and Company Building by Claire Hughes [1].
• She is described as reshaping the card ecosystem through real-time merchant intelligence in her role at Spade [2].