Binary Holdings founder and CEO Manit Parikh is weaving blockchain, telecom and AI into a platform that serves 169 million users today, and aims to scale to a global “operating system” for the digital world.
In a world rapidly reshaped by artificial intelligence, few think as personally about its impact as Manit Parikh. As the Founder of The Binary Holdings, Manit is at the forefront of building digital infrastructure that blends the best of Web2 and Web3 while embedding AI deeply into product design and user experience.
Rather than generic chatbots, TBH’s vision is for AI companions to learn each user’s tastes, routines, and even moods. This ambition echoes a broader tech trend: one analyst predicts that by 2025, our smartphones will function as full-fledged AI assistants, able to perform complex tasks on our behalf and operate like personal assistants in our pockets.Parikh says TBH will deliver that future in emerging markets by blending AI with the company’s vast Web3 distribution network.
We sat down with Manit to explore his journey, the genesis of Binary Holdings, and how his team uses AI to create hyperpersonalized, behavior-driven platforms that could redefine digital interaction.
Q: Can you share a quick background about yourself and what you’ve been up to lately?
Manit: Thank you so much for having me. I’m an economist and lawyer by education—turned investment banker, consultant, and entrepreneur. I started Binary Holdings in August 2020. COVID had just hit, my daughter had just been born, and like many people, I was forced into a digital-first life. That’s when I decided to channel all the product-building skills I’d picked up over the years and turn my vision into something tangible.
Q: Tell us more about Binary Holdings. What was the starting point, and how has it evolved?
Manit: Binary Holdings started with a product called Fando—our OG. It was like TikTok meets Twitter, but designed for sports fans with a loyalty program and marketplace built in. We weren’t just building a platform; we were building an economy where users could earn value by engaging. As we grew, Fando became just one part of a larger vision. Today, Binary Holdings is an infrastructure company at the intersection of Web2 and Web3, primarily mobile networks and financial services. We’re building verticals that can scale across ecosystems.
Q: You’ve been actively building in AI. Where do you see AI’s role in our everyday lives right now?
Manit: AI is already embedded in how we live. Think about how we used to use Google—sifting through thousands of results. Now, a single AI response can give you what you need. Whether you’re a student, entrepreneur, or creative, we all use AI, from brainstorming to automating personal tasks. Today, maybe AI handles 20% of our digital workload. In five years, it’ll be closer to 60–70%.
Q: Let’s talk about your AI companion. You mentioned it’s central to your roadmap. Can you elaborate?
Manit: Absolutely. We’ve created a voice-based AI companion that doesn’t feel robotic; it’s conversational and context-aware. Unlike static voice AIs, we aim to make it feel like a real assistant. It’s voice-based, context-aware, and emotionally intelligent. It adapts based on your tone, mood, and preferences. It can play multiple roles—a therapist, a tutor, a friend, a co-pilot.
Take mental health. In the West, you go to therapy. In much of Asia, it’s taboo. But what if you could talk to an AI that listens, understands your emotional state, and helps you process your thoughts? We’re not trying to replace professionals; instead, we’re augmenting the support system.
Q: As a builder in the Web3 and AI space, how do you stay ahead of the curve?
Manit: I’m not an engineer, but I understand financial and business models. That allows me to integrate AI strategically. We collect massive amounts of behavioral data, not personal data, due to GDPR, but enough to understand patterns. We then use AI to create upstream and downstream’ mind maps’ of user personas. For example, if you’re a fan of LeBron James, we map all related content and products into your digital journey. It’s like building an AI around your interests, behavior, and ecosystem.
Q: That sounds like serious personalization. Why is hyperpersonalization such a big deal?
Manit: Discoverability is the biggest pain point in digital platforms. We can remove that friction by using AI to dynamically change what you see based on your behavior. So instead of you searching, the right product or content finds you. Your screen becomes your mirror. Every time you come back, it’s slightly more tuned to you. That’s what increases engagement and retention.
He chuckles, I genuinely believe we’re heading to a point where AI could even know when you’re hungry based on patterns, location data, and daily habits. That’s where hyperpersonalization is going.
Q: What tangible results have you seen from hyperpersonalization so far?
Manit: It’s incredible that the average time spent on our platforms increased from two or three minutes to almost 10 to 12 minutes daily because of personalization. That’s nine additional minutes of engagement. Because people consume more content, they burn through mobile data faster. This means they recharge their plans more frequently, three to four times a month instead of once or twice.
This directly translates to increased average revenue per user (ARPU) for our telco and data partners. So now, the partnership makes business sense; it’s no longer just a cool tech demo; more so, it’s real ROI.
Q: What does this mean for users in emerging markets?
Manit: Most of our users come from underdeveloped or emerging economies—middle and lower-income groups that make up about 90% of the population. For them, the value they earn through our platforms can feel like a secondary income stream. We take things like going out for dinner or a movie for granted, but for some families, this is a real financial boost. It empowers the already empowered, but more importantly, it uplifts those who live hand-to-mouth. That’s meaningful.
Q: What are the most untapped opportunities for enterprises with AI right now?
Manit: There are three big ones. First, they have their internal data. Many enterprises collect data but don’t structure it in sandboxes to study behavior. That’s a missed opportunity.
Second, AI can help forecast the next five years of their business. It can generate strategic product ideas or analyze competitors, giving product managers a head start and saving the company from investing time and capital in dead ends.
Third is true hyper-personalization. Let’s take gaming. You buy FIFA, and a million people play the same game. But your PlayStation knows how you play. Why doesn’t it adapt the gameplay accordingly? If I’m getting better, the AI should level up, too. This not only enhances user experience but also boosts retention and in-game monetization.
Q: AI is powerful but also complex. Given the bureaucratic hurdles enterprises face, how do you see them adopting it?
Manit: Great question. Enterprises have their plates full with budget cycles, approvals, and public company disclosures. AI becomes another challenge to stack on top. So when we approach them, we don’t ask them to change their entire system. We start a parallel thread about a small integration that proves our value. Then, slowly, they come to us asking what else we can help with. Over 12 to 36 months, our tools become embedded into 95% of their operations, including AI, ML, and automation, all without disrupting their existing ecosystem.
Q: With so much happening in AI, what excites you most about the future of AI-native products?
Manit: I always say, the AI market isn’t a pond—it’s the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans combined. What we’re seeing now is just scratching the surface.
One use case is driving. Say you’re on a night drive and tired. The AI companion activates. You choose your mood: ‘educational,’ ‘business,’ or just ‘talk.’ Maybe you decide to learn a new language during your commute. Since the AI retains your context and adapts, it’s far better than static apps. It’s a therapist, a study buddy, and a voice coach—all in one.
But with that growth will come consolidation. We’re in a collaborative economy now, not a monopolistic one. If we don’t collaborate, we’ll all get pulled back. And as AI becomes mainstream, it’ll attract regulation, just like crypto did. Regulation will separate the real players from the opportunistic ones. Those who build compliant, ethical AI will scale. The rest? They’ll fade.
As the digital world leans ever more into AI, Manit Parikh and Binary Holdings are not just following trends but shaping them. With personalization as their north star and infrastructure as their foundation, their vision offers a glimpse into what the next generation of platforms could look like, including intuitive, adaptive, and deeply human.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.