Discover how Alex Short is transforming affiliate marketing into fintech innovation. In this episode of The Partner Marketing Podcast, Matthias sits down with the founder and CEO of PerformID to explore how Alex is bridging digital marketing and financial services. The discussion takes us on a journey from Alex’s early career beginnings through his entrepreneurial leap into fintech and affiliate marketing, before delving into the unique model that PerformID has developed in the loyalty space.
From Ireland to Korea and Australia: A Global Journey into Affiliate Marketing
Matthias: “Hello, everybody, and welcome back to the Partner Marketing Podcast. My guest today is Alex Short, founder and CEO of Perform ID. Alex has been pioneering the intersection of fintech and partner marketing with a fresh approach to loyalty. Alex, welcome. It's great to have you on the show today. This is the first time I’ve had a podcast guest from Australia, so it’s super exciting for me to learn a little more about the industry down there. Do you want to start by introducing yourself a little?”
Alex: “Thank you, Matthias. It's really nice to be on the show—I really appreciate it. Yes, as you might guess by the accent, even though I'm in Australia, I’m actually Irish. I arrived in Australia about 12 years ago, via South Korea, where I was living before I moved here. And for anyone who’s been to Australia, I’m sure you can agree that it’s just a slice of paradise.”
Alex begins by introducing himself and his unusual career trajectory. Originally from Ireland, he left during the global financial crisis and moved to Korea to work as a teacher. Although teaching was not his passion, the experience exposed him to a new culture and market. In 2010, he relocated to Australia, where he joined Rakuten almost by chance after working in a shared office space with their early Australian team. Starting from scratch, he quickly learned the ropes of affiliate marketing and discovered a passion for the industry’s win-win model, where Brands, Networks, and Publishers all benefit.
His background - growing up in Ireland, living in Asia, and later working in Australia - gave him a unique perspective on global markets. At Rakuten, he worked with major US retailers such as Macy’s, Saks, and Bloomingdale’s, helping them expand into Asia. Over time, his work with banks as Publishers introduced him to the intersection of finance and affiliate marketing, eventually sparking the idea for PerformID.
The Spark: How PerformID Was Born
The turning point came when Alex was consulting for American Express Korea. Banks, he realized, struggled with traditional last-click attribution because they required absolute control over data and tracking. This made it difficult for them to participate in affiliate marketing in the same way as e-commerce merchants. During these conversations, Alex proposed a cashback platform that could integrate card-linking while maintaining proper attribution for merchants. When Amex expressed serious interest and asked if he would build it, Alex decided to take the leap.
Alex: “So, it was through that consulting work that they asked, ‘Okay, are you proposing that you’re going to build it?’ And I said, ‘Well, I wasn’t - but now that you seem interested, would you buy it if I did?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ So, it turned out to be a very fortunate turn of fate that I went away, got some funding, and built the initial platform.”
Although he had no technical background, he secured funding, invested much of his personal savings, and partnered with a development team to build the platform. The launch coincided with the onset of COVID-19, which accelerated the shift to e-commerce and created an ideal environment for his solution. What began as a bold gamble quickly grew into a business with multiple banking partners in Korea, including both American Express and Visa.
How PerformID Works: A Win-Win Model for All Stakeholders
Alex explains that PerformID operates on a simple but powerful principle: everyone involved benefits. For consumers, PerformID offers white-label cashback sites such as MyAmexShopping.com, which are branded to look like a bank’s own loyalty platform. Customers link their credit cards and shop at participating retailers. Unlike traditional cashback programs where rewards are sometimes delayed, PerformID pushes cashback directly to the card within seven days, while also handling returns and corrections automatically.
For merchants, the platform integrates seamlessly with digital attribution models. This means Brands can apply rules at the SKU level, differentiate between new and existing customers, or treat app purchases differently from website purchases. Such granularity is not possible with standard card-linked offers, making PerformID especially attractive to major retailers.
Banks benefit by gaining a ready-made loyalty platform preloaded with hundreds of Brand offers, without the burden of negotiating and managing campaigns themselves. PerformID also manages customer service, making the process efficient and low-risk for banks. For PerformID itself, the model is sustainable, as the company earns a small margin on each transaction.
Why Korea? Market Dynamics and Strategic Choices
PerformID’s most significant success to date has been in Korea. Alex highlights that this market is unique because global card networks such as Amex cannot directly issue credit cards. Instead, local banks co-brand the cards, which makes banks the ultimate customer owners. PerformID has partnered with seven of these banks, essentially covering Amex’s entire Korean portfolio, and also launched a Visa platform with Shinhan Card, the country’s largest issuer.
The Korean market also presents compelling consumer behavior. Korea has the world’s highest per capita luxury goods imports, and local shoppers have long sought creative ways to access international Brands, often using freight forwarding from Europe or the US. This demand for global products made affiliate-led loyalty programs particularly attractive. While PerformID briefly trialed operations with Amex in Australia, the company has focused on markets like Korea, China, and Brazil, where banks need co-branded solutions.
Affiliate-Led CLO: A Key Differentiator
Alex is clear in distinguishing PerformID from traditional card-linked offer (CLO) providers. PerformID’s affiliate-led card-linked offers (ACLO) merge the strengths of both models.
He illustrates this with practical examples. For Apple, traditional CLOs would ask them to pay commission on all products, including new iPhone launches that do not need discounting. With PerformID’s model, Apple can exclude new releases but still commission older models and accessories. Pharmacies, another example, can exclude regulated prescription products while rewarding purchases of other goods. This flexibility makes ACLO particularly aligned with merchant needs.
The Evolving Affiliate Landscape in APAC
The conversation then broadens to the affiliate industry across Asia-Pacific. Alex contrasts the markets:
Korea and China are highly sophisticated, with consumers adept at cross-border shopping and price comparisons across multiple currencies and regions.
Australia, by contrast, is more domestically oriented, with less emphasis on luxury imports.
He recalls the early days at Rakuten, when microbloggers in Korea and China earned enormous commissions by ranking highly on local search engines like Naver and Baidu, where Western brands lacked presence. While those days are largely gone, the story highlights the resourcefulness of local publishers and the unique role affiliates play in helping global brands localize.
Looking Ahead: Funding and Expansion
PerformID’s immediate future revolves around expansion beyond Korea. Alex reveals plans to attend a major VC fair in Korea to raise investment, ideally from local firms that already recognize PerformID’s brand and success with banks. The goal is to replicate the proven model in new international markets. While specific targets remain confidential, Alex emphasizes that PerformID’s competitive advantage lies in its trust and onboarding with global card networks, creating a defensible position for scaling rapidly.
Matthias: “Do you have any plans to go into other markets now as well, to expand beyond Korea?”
Alex: “Yes, we do. At this stage, it’s difficult to disclose exactly which ones, given client confidentiality. But we’re super excited about what the future holds. I think the product we’ve developed has created a kind of case study that allows it to be replicated very quickly. And as a startup, what’s so important is your moat—the barrier to entry that protects you. I think getting as far as we have with these international card companies means we’ve already built that moat. We’ve been onboarded, we’re trusted, and we’re seen as a partner they can scale and replicate. So we’re very excited about the next 12 months, and I hope I get to talk to you again in two or three years’ time when we can say we’re active in new markets beyond Korea.”
A Personal Touch: Beyond Business
Towards the end of the episode, Matthias asks Alex a few personal questions. Instead of recommending a book, Alex highlights his favorite podcast, The Real Dictators by Noiser, which explores the psychology and early lives of historical dictators. He explains that his fascination comes from the same curiosity about human behavior that drew him to marketing.
For an app recommendation, Alex shares his enthusiasm for Flighty, which helps him manage frequent international travel with real-time updates about flights and baggage. Finally, when asked what he would do if he were not in Partner Marketing, Alex dreams of opening a seaweed spa in Australia, inspired by the traditional Irish practice of seaweed baths.
Conclusion
The episode with Alex Short offers a deep dive into how affiliate marketing, fintech, and loyalty are converging to create new opportunities for Brands, banks, and consumers. Through PerformID, Alex has pioneered a model that solves long-standing attribution challenges while delivering faster rewards and greater flexibility. His story underscores the importance of timing, risk-taking, and cultural understanding in building a global business.
Listen to the entire episode on Spotify, Apple Podcast, our website, and all other podcast platforms.
About The Partner Marketing Podcast
The podcast brings together thought leaders and professionals from across the globe. In each episode, our host, Matthias, sits down with guests to discuss the evolving world of Partner Marketing and share personal stories.